Floor Statements

Madam Speaker and my dear friend, Nydia Velazquez, from the great State of New York, I rise today to recognize the outgoing staff director of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Russell Anello.

Russ became my trusted adviser and leader of our committee staff in May 2021. Before his promotion to staff director, Russ served under three of our distinguished colleagues: Chairman Henry Waxman, Chairman Jim Clyburn, and Chairman Elijah Cummings.

Russ is a tireless leader who defended democracy when democracy needed defending the most. Under his leadership, the committee passed landmark legislation, held high-profile hearings, and skillfully navigated complex investigations to hold government and private actors to account.

Russ' sharp legal skills and political instincts have helped to make our government more effective and efficient and have improved the lives of Americans.

On behalf of the members of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, and on behalf of the American people, I thank Russ for his selfless, dedicated service to our Nation.

Madam Speaker, to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, it has been a privilege to have had this extraordinary opportunity to serve with you for the past 30 years in the House of Representatives.

A special thank you to our tremendous Democratic House leadership. Thank you, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, for being a great strategist, mentor, and friend; and, Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, for what you have taught me and all that you have done for this great Nation.

Thank you to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a trailblazer who was the first female Speaker of the House in history and is rightfully being called the most effective Speaker in modern times. A very special mention to the new minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries. New York is so proud of you.

Like Speaker Pelosi, my career has been a series of firsts. I was the first woman to represent my district on the city council and to represent my district in Congress and the first in history to give birth while on the city council. Many men became fathers, but I was the first one to become a mother while serving on the city council.

I was also the first woman to serve as chair of the Joint Economic Committee, as well as the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

I remember almost as if it were yesterday, walking toward the Capitol as a newly elected Member. I had just defeated a 14-year incumbent Republican, who outspent me 4 to 1. No one thought I could win. Yet, I did, and I had such a feeling of hope and optimism for what could be done to help people.

I will never forget walking down the aisle, not to get married but to be sworn into the United States Congress. I said it then, and it is still true today, that serving in the United States Congress is the thrill, honor, and extraordinary opportunity of a lifetime.

The first time I ever walked onto the floor of this historic Chamber was 1992. It was called the Year of the Woman.

I announced my run for Congress on the day of the Planned Parenthood v. Casey Supreme Court decision, which placed restrictions on Roe to a woman's right to choose.

Along with great New York leaders like Bella Abzug, Geraldine Ferraro, and Elizabeth Holtzman, they expressed their outrage, and I announced my run for Congress to fight to reverse this situation and to bring other changes.

It is really hard to believe that, years later, in 2022, the Supreme Court didn't just chip away at abortion. They bulldozed our rights into the ground, depriving 33 million American women of access to abortion.

When I first entered Congress, about 10 percent of Congress were women. Back then, the entire Women's Caucus

could meet in an elevator. Our numbers have now moved to 149, or nearly 28 percent.

As the great New Yorker Shirley Chisholm once said: ``You don't make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas.''

There is no better place in the world to implement new ideas than the United States Congress, and that is just what I did.

In the last 30 years, I have authored and passed more than 80 bills and had 12 Presidential bill signings with five of our Presidents, which are usually reserved for transformational legislation.

President Clinton signed my Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act and the Standby Guardianship Act for children. President Bush signed my Debbie Smith Act, which has been called the most important antirape legislation ever passed, as well as many sex trafficking prevention laws, and CFIUS, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, to protect our infrastructure and country.

In 2009, President Obama signed my Credit Card Bill of Rights, which, according to the CFPB, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, has saved consumers over $16 billion each year since 2009.

Even President Trump signed my Never Again Education Act to support Holocaust education, as well as the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which is part of the reason why my coat is hanging here.

I wore this coat for well over a year, every single day, until we approved the necessary funding for this vital program to help our heroes and heroines.

They were there for us. We need to be there for them, and they still need more help. More legislation needs to be passed this year to help them.

Just this past April, President Biden signed my bipartisan Postal Service Reform Act. Thanks to Oversight Committee Ranking Member James Comer, we proved that bipartisanship can prevail over partisan bickering in the best interests of America.

All of these achievements would not have been possible without my fellow Members of Congress, who have proven to me that if you work hard enough, our government can provide for the people.

I truly believe that the best legislation is always bipartisan, and I hope our Congress can come together more for more meaningful legislation as we did after 9/11, as we did after natural and financial disasters, as we came together during the COVID-19 pandemic, and as we came together in our bipartisan infrastructure bill and so much more.

Believe me, there is no Nation that is better, stronger, or more innovative than the United States when we work together.

I also recognize those who have worked in my office over the years, including my district office staff, my D.C. staff, and the staff of the Oversight Committee and the Joint Economic Committee.

Our work truly would not have been possible without your hours of dedication, your intelligence, and your selfless dedication to public service.

To each and every one of my friends and constituents, thank you for your continued support and inspiration. It has been the honor of my life to represent the people of New York's 12th Congressional District.

I also thank my wonderful family, my two amazing daughters, Christina and Virginia; my son-in-law, Peter; and baby Leland. You are the joy and meaning of my life.

Thank you to the love of my life, Cliff Maloney, who is with me in spirit and whose support always meant the world to me.

As I speak today, I am thinking of the important work that lies ahead. Rest assured, I will continue to keep fighting for the issues that are near and dear to my heart, including the Equal Rights Amendment. Let's get it ratified and in our Constitution.

There can be no time limit on equal rights, and the ERA is needed now more than ever to stop any more bulldozing over women's rights.

We need Senator Schumer, and over 150 of my colleagues have joined me in writing to him and requesting him to put the time limit bill on the floor for a vote so that the American people can see who is for equal rights and who is against it.

Infrastructure is in my DNA, especially in these times when modernization and new systems for transportation are so vital to our future.

I am proud that the two largest federally funded construction projects--not in New York City, not in New York State, but in the entire country--are in the district I am privileged to represent, the Second Avenue Subway and the East Side Connector.

I am proud to have brought more than $10 billion in infrastructure funding to my district alone, and as I part, I will continue to work toward building high-speed rail between New York and Boston. Nothing would build our economy stronger or better.

My dear colleagues, together we have bent the moral arc of this Nation in the direction of justice and fairness, but we mustn't rest until equal means just that--equal.

Finally, I have always regarded public service as a loan, one that I must repay each and every day I am in office. Thanks to your tireless efforts, wisdom, and support, I feel like I leave office debt-free.

The best is yet to come.

It has been an honor to work and serve with all of my colleagues.

It has been a privilege to be inspired and to work with you, and thank you for being arrested with me--

--as we protested for the rights of women to make decisions about their own bodies. I would say there is no democracy if you cannot make your own healthcare decisions.

It was an honor to work with you. I will miss all of my colleagues.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I feel very strongly about this bill. It is one that came out of a research project that we had on contracting, where we found a major consulting firm was working for the FDA and the manufacturer at the same time. They didn't even have different people. It was the same people working for the FDA on regulation and for the manufacturer, which wanted easy regulations on the product they were putting out--in this case, opioids, which have killed more Americans than any other drug, probably, in history.

I thank my colleagues in the Senate for introducing it and the staff of the

Oversight and Reform Committee for introducing it here in the House.

It is absolutely outrageous. I think it should be a crime, actually, that a contractor would be allowed to advise government regulators and not tell them that, at the same time, they are advising the industry that is benefiting from weaker regulation.

If we do not take steps to prevent conflicts of interest and thereby safeguard the integrity of government decisionmaking and operations, then we risk potentially serious breaches in the public trust.

I think it is even more serious. You risk having unsafe drugs going into the marketplace, which has happened before.

Most government contractors take this responsibility to disclose conflicts of interest seriously, but many do not. It is even the business model of some consulting firms to go after both the regulator and the manufacturer at the same time, and they have repeatedly done it.

These contractors would benefit from uniformity in rules. Right now, they are patchwork. We need uniform rules. We need clear rules, and the clear rules should be that a consulting firm can only work for a regulator but cannot work for the manufacturer, or they can work for the manufacturer but not the regulator. Too often, they are working for the same positions with the same person, believe it or not.

I think that this bill will save lives. It will make our industries fair and safer. It should be bipartisan, as it is in the Senate.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to strongly support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Mr. Speaker, I would say it is a very necessary bill because it is happening. If it is against the law, then the Department of Justice should come in and prosecute people. But they have not, and they are busy prosecuting a lot of other things.

So it is life and death when it comes to healthcare.

We know that the FDA originally wrote rules about the opioids saying they were not addictive. They wrote it right into the regulations: not addictive. They are one of the most addictive drugs of all times. They have caused hundreds of thousands of deaths, and we are spending billions of dollars in treatment trying to save the lives of people who have become addicted when the inscription used to be that it was safe. It was safe.

So there are times when laws are abused. This is not about an individual drug company or an individual contractor or an individual consulting firm. It is about a uniformity of rules. We are looking at legislation. We want to stop that abuse.

In a lot of our investigations the Department of Justice has come in and taken action. Maybe they should in this case, too. But if it is illegal, then it is not being enforced; and it is, I would say, dangerous if we don't make it clear--and ironclad clear--that you cannot work for the regulator and the manufacturer at the same time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5949) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 615 North Bush Street, in Santa Ana, California, as the ``Judge James Perez Post Office''.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5949 to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 615 North Bush Street, in Santa Ana, California, as the Judge James Perez Post Office.

Judge James Perez was born in Metcalf, Arizona, on April 27, 1926, and was the first Latino judge appointed in Orange County.

In July 1932, his family moved to Santa Ana, California, where he attended Santa Ana High School and worked in the tomato fields in southern California until he was drafted into World War II. He proudly served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1944 to 1946 as a technical sergeant.

Upon returning home, he enrolled in the University of Southern California, where he earned a bachelor's degree in accounting. In 1955, he continued his education, earning a law degree from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.

In December 1966, Governor Pat Brown appointed him to be a judge of the Orange County Municipal Court. Nine years later, Governor Jerry Brown elevated him to the Orange County Superior Court. After serving as a superior court judge for 11 years, he retired in 1987. In 1994, he was asked to come back to fill in on a part-time basis.

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in celebrating the doors that Judge Perez opened for the Latino community by naming a post office in Santa Ana, California, after him.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 5949, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6725) to change the address of the Marilyn Monroe Post Office, and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this subject.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6725, to change the address of the Marilyn Monroe Post Office.

Ms. Norma Jeane Mortenson, also known as Marilyn Monroe, was born on June 1, 1926, in Los Angeles, California.

She was discovered at the local airport, where she worked on the assembly line of Radioplane Company.

Ms. Monroe went on to become an iconic actress, model, and one of the most famous and recognizable icons of the 20th century. Her big-screen highlights include ``Some Like It Hot,'' ``The Seven Year Itch,'' ``Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,'' among many others.

Ms. Monroe passed away on August 5, 1962, in Brentwood, California.

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in naming a post office after Ms. Marilyn Monroe, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 6725, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7832) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 396 South California Avenue in West Covina, California, as the ``Esteban E. Torres Post Office Building''.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this matter.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7832, to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 396 South California Avenue in West Covina, California, as the Esteban E. Torres Post Office Building.

Esteban E. Torres was born in Miami, Arizona, on January 27, 1930. His family moved to Los Angeles in 1936 where he attended the local public schools.

From 1949 to 1953, Mr. Torres served in the U.S. Army, fought in the Korean war, and was honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant first class.

Mr. Torres was introduced to politics through his activism in the local branch of the United Auto Workers union. He held various positions, such as chief steward, UAW organizer, UAW international representative, and the director of the Inter-American Bureau for Caribbean and Latin American Affairs.

In 1974, he made his first bid for elective office representing California's 30th Congressional District but lost to incumbent George Danielson.

Mr. Torres was eventually elected to the House of Representatives in 1982, where he was a member of the Committee on Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs and the Committee on Small Business. In addition, Mr. Torres chaired the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in late 1988.

During his tenure as chairman of the Banking panel's Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs and Coinage, he pushed measures to empower customers of financial institutions, authored the Truth in Savings Act, and advocated for legislation that would give consumers better access to their credit histories.

In 1998, Mr. Torres announced he would retire from the House at the end of the 105th Congress.

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of public service of former Representative Torres by naming a post office in West Covina, California, after him, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 7832, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7873) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 400 Southern Avenue Southeast in Washington, District of Columbia, as the ``District of Columbia Servicemembers and Veterans Post Office''.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may

have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7873, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 400 Southern Avenue Southeast in Washington, District of Columbia, as the ``District of Columbia Servicemembers and Veterans Post Office.''

Our Nation's veterans enlist knowing full well that they may be injured or killed in service to our country.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are almost 30,000 veterans living in the District of Columbia, with just over 22,000 of them being wartime veterans.

Unfortunately, these brave individuals fight for a country that does not afford them the same right to representation enjoyed by other Americans.

This is an oversight that must be remedied.

It is our responsibility to remember and honor their sacrifices. This bill will ensure that their service is never forgotten.

I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the sacrifices of our veterans by naming a post office in the Nation's capital after them.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), the sponsor of the bill.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 7873, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7988) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 79125 Corporate Centre Drive in La Quinta, California, as the ``Corporal Hunter Lopez Memorial Post Office Building''.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7988, to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 79125 Corporate Centre Drive in La Quinta, California, as the Corporal Hunter Lopez Memorial Post Office Building.

Corporal Lopez was born in Palm Springs, California, on January 15, 1999. After graduating from La Quinta High School, Corporal Lopez joined the Marine Corps and served for 4 years. His first 3 years were spent with the Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team, 5th Platoon before he joined the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Golf Company.

With the 2nd Battalion, Corporal Lopez served in Operation Allies Refuge, contributing to the largest airlift in history and aiding in the evacuation of over 120,000 of our fellow Americans, allies, and Afghans.

On August 26, 2021, Corporal Lopez was stationed at the airport in Kabul, where he and his fellow Marines successfully pulled children to safety before a fatal explosion. Corporal Hunter Lopez and 12 other marines were killed in the explosion.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring the bravery of Corporal Lopez by naming a post office in La Quinta, California, after him.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 7988, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7519) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2050 South Boulevard in Bloomfield Township, Michigan, as the ``Dr. Ezra S. Parke Post Office Building''.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7519, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2050 South Boulevard in Bloomfield Township, Michigan, as the ``Dr. Ezra S. Parke Post Office Building.''

Dr. Ezra S. Parke was an early resident of Bloomfield Township in 1822.

He quickly became deeply involved in the community, becoming Bloomfield's first postmaster from 1824 to 1836. In this role, he introduced the services of the U.S. Postal Service to the growing community of Bloomfield Township.

While working as postmaster, Dr. Parke also became Bloomfield Township's first clerk and served from 1827 to 1844.

I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring Dr. Parke by naming a post office in Bloomfield Township, Michigan, after him.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin), vice chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs' Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 7519, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8026) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 825 West 65th Street in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as the ``Charles W. Lindberg Post Office''.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this matter.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 8026, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 825 West 65th Street in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as the ``Charles W. Lindberg Post Office.''

Charles Lindberg was born on June 26, 1920, in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

He enlisted in Marine Corps shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. After completing recruit training, he volunteered for the Marine Raiders, a special unit of the Marine Corps.

He was later reassigned to the newly activated 5th Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, California. After training, the division was sent to Hawaii before leaving for Iwo Jima.

During the Battle of Iwo Jima, he was a member of the patrol that captured the top of Mount Suribachi where he helped raise the first U.S. flag on the island on February 23, 1945.

Mr. Lindberg was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in January of 1946. His military awards include the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, and the Combat Action Ribbon.

I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. Lindberg by naming a Post Office in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after him.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 8026.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Omar), the distinguished vice chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Global Human Rights.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 8026, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8226) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 236 Concord Exchange North in South Saint Paul, Minnesota, as the ``Officer Leo Pavlak Post Office Building''.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 8226 to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 236 Concord Exchange North in South St. Paul, Minnesota, as the Officer Leo Pavlak Post Office Building.

On August 30, 1933, Officer Pavlak and two messengers for Stockyards National Bank went into the South St. Paul railroad station to pick up the payroll for Swift & Company employees. After picking up the money, they returned to the post office, where they put the envelopes of money into bags to be delivered to Swift & Company.

Officer Pavlak was then killed in a robbery, along with the two messengers. He was only 38 years old and had been with the department since April.

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring Officer Pavlak by naming a post office in South St. Paul, Minnesota, after him, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 8226, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 9074) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 333 North Sunrise Way in Palm Springs, California, as the ``Chairman Richard Milanovich Post Office''.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this measure.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 9074 to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 333 North Sunrise Way in Palm Springs, California, as the Chairman Richard Milanovich Post Office.

Richard Milanovich grew up in poverty in Palm Springs. He served as an infantryman in the United States Army from 1960 to 1963 and later returned to the Agua Caliente Band and Cahuilla Indian Reservation.

In 1984, he was elected chairman of the Band. Through his vision and leadership, the Agua Caliente Band were able to make major contributions to the economy of the Palm Springs area.

As chairman, he was invited to the White House to consult with the President and other political officials.

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the achievements of Chairman Milanovich by naming a post office in Palm Springs, California, after him.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 9074, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 333 North Sunrise Way in Palm Springs, California, as the ``Chairman Richard Milanovich Post Office.''

Richard Milanovich grew up in poverty in Palm Springs.

He served as an infantryman in the United States Army from 1960 to 1963, and later returned to the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Reservation.

In 1984, he was elected Chairman of the Band. Through his vision and leadership, the Agua Caliente Band were able to make major contributions to the economy of the Palm Springs area.

As Chairman, he was invited to the White House to consult with the President and other political officials.

I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the achievements of Chairman Milanovich by naming a Post Office in Palm Springs, California, after him.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 9074.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 9074, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8622) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 123 South 3rd Street in King City, California, as the ``Chief Rudy Banuelos Post Office''.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 8622, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 123 South 3rd Street in King City, California, as the ``Chief Rudy Banuelos Post Office.''

Chief Rudolf ``Rudy'' Banuelos [bahn-WAIL-ohs] was born in 1927.

He served in World War II and reached the rank of Chief in the United States Coast Guard.

For 20 years, including 9 as Postmaster, he served King City, California, with the United States Postal Service.

As Postmaster, he was a fixture in the community, where he was known simply by his rank, ``Chief.''

I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring Chief Banuelos [bahn-WAIL-ohs] by naming a Post Office in King City, California, after him.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 8622.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Panetta), a distinguished cochair and founder of the Agriculture Research Caucus.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 8622, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7082) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2200 North George Mason Drive in Arlington, Virginia, as the ``Jesus Antonio Collazos Post Office Building''.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7082, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2200 North George Mason Drive in Arlington, Virginia, as the ``Jesus Antonio Collazos Post Office Building.''

Mr. Collazos was born on April 3, 1952, in Cali, Colombia. Despite the adversity he faced, he became the first in his family to graduate from high school.

After high school his mother and sisters decided to immigrate to the United States, but he elected to stay in Colombia and pursue a degree in accounting.

In 1978, Mr. Collazos decided to follow his family to Washington D.C., in hopes of making the ``American Dream'' his reality. He worked a job in maintenance where he suffered a horrible accident.

After his accident, he got an accounting position at the Channel Inn and later the Sheraton Hotel. Motivated by his own struggles, he helped countless immigrants find work and housing during this time.

He eventually grew unhappy with accounting and pursued a career at the U.S. Postal Service, where he made countless connections with the clients on his route.

Unfortunately, at the start of the pandemic, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer and COVID-19. He passed away on June 26, 2020.

I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the sacrifices of Mr. Collazos by naming a Post Office in Arlington, Virginia, after him.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 7082.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Beyer), chairman of the Joint Economic Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 7082, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7638) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6000 South Florida Avenue in Lakeland, Florida, as the ``U.S. Marine Corporal Ronald R. Payne Jr. Post Office''.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7638 to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6000 South Florida Avenue in Lakeland, Florida, as the U.S. Marine Corporal Ronald R. Payne Jr. Post Office.

Corporal Payne was born on December 31, 1980, in Lakeland, Florida. Upon graduating high school, he joined the Marine Corps. Corporal Payne was deployed to Iraq, as part of the initial phase of the war, where his battalion ran reconnaissance for the First Regimental Combat Team.

After returning from Iraq, he was deployed to Afghanistan 6 months later as a chief scout section leader. Corporal Payne was known as the gentle giant among his men.

On the night of his death, Corporal Payne was running a mission to confirm a Taliban and al-Qaida operative was meeting in a village with Taliban lieutenants when his unit came under fire. For his bravery, he earned a Bronze Star with combat valor.

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the sacrifice of Corporal Payne by naming a post office in Lakeland, Florida, after him, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 7638, and I yield back the balance of my time.