29084 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE November 17, 2003 Mr. STENHOLM. Mr. Speaker, I yield The Federal Government already owns a (b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in a law, myself such time as I may consume. third of the nation’s land, and inaccuracies in map, regulation, document, paper, or other Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. federally conducted surveys should never record of the United States to the facility re- ferred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to 2304, legislation to resolve boundary force landowners to forfeit their property. conflicts in the vicinity of the Mark be a reference to the George Henry White Mr. Speaker, I urge the House’s approval of Post Office Building. Twain National Forest in Barry and this common-sense bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- Stone Counties, Missouri, resulting Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I ant to the rule, the gentleman from from private landowner reliance on a yield back the balance of my time. Tennessee (Mr. DUNCAN) and the gen- subsequent Federal survey. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. tleman from North Carolina (Mr. These boundary conflicts resulted PETRI). The question is on the motion BALLANCE) each will control 20 min- from discrepancies between recent land offered by the gentleman from Min- utes. surveys conducted by the U.S. Forest nesota (Mr. GUTKNECHT) that the House The Chair recognizes the gentleman Service and its implementation of the suspend the rules and pass the bill, from Tennessee (Mr. DUNCAN). Restoration of Original Corners Pro- H.R. 2304, as amended. gram, and decades-old surveys con- The question was taken; and (two- GENERAL LEAVE ducted by the Army Corps of Engi- thirds having voted in favor thereof) Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask neers. As a result of the more recent the rules were suspended and the bill, unanimous consent that all Members land surveys, private property lands as amended, was passed. may have 5 legislative days within adjoining Federal lands were moved, A motion to reconsider was laid on which to revise and extend their re- and private property landowners dis- the table. marks on the bill under consideration. covered that, due to their reliance on The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there the older land surveys, they had inad- f objection to the request of the gen- vertently trespassed on Federal land. GENERAL LEAVE tleman from Tennessee? Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2304 would remedy There was no objection. Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I ask these boundary discrepancies by au- Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield unanimous consent that all Members thorizing and directing the Secretary myself such time as I may consume. may have 5 legislative days within of Agriculture to convey title to U.S. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Com- which to revise and extend their re- Forest Service land on which private mittee on Government Reform, I am marks on H.R. 2304, the bill just consid- landowners can demonstrate that they pleased that the House is considering ered. inadvertently trespassed because of H.R. 3353. This bill names a post office The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there their reliance on a previous inaccurate after a great American statesman, objection to the request of the gen- Federal survey, or relied on a survey George Henry White. From 1897 to 1901, tleman from Minnesota? based on a previous inaccurate survey. Republican George Henry White served There was no objection. I urge my colleagues to support this two terms as the U.S. Representative legislation in order to resolve these f for North Carolina’s Second Congres- boundary discrepancies. RECESS sional District. At that time, he was Mr. Speaker, I have no further re- the only African American Member of quests for time, and I yield back the The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- Congress. As such, not only was Con- balance of my time. ant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the Chair gressman White responsible for his Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I declares the House in recess for ap- North Carolina constituents, but as the yield myself such time as I may con- proximately 10 minutes. highest-ranking black government offi- sume. Accordingly (at 2 o’clock and 34 min- This is a commonsense solution at cial in the Nation he also shouldered utes p.m.), the House stood in recess the burden of representing the 10 mil- the local level to problems that the for approximately 10 minutes. Federal Government has created. The lion African Americans at the turn of Committee on Agriculture strongly f the century. Congressman White took principled supports this bill, and I hope that b 1448 Members will join us in supporting this stands against the racial inequality bill. AFTER RECESS that was far too prevalent for this time period in American history. His elo- Mr. BLUNT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to The recess having expired, the House quence and temperance toward injus- urge support for the speedy resolution of a was called to order by the Speaker pro tice made him a well-respected Member boundary dispute affecting private property tempore (Mr. PETRI) at 2 o’clock and 48 of Congress, and he is truly worthy of owners in my Congressional District. minutes p.m. Apparently, there are some local issues that commendation by this body from which f apparently only an act of Congress can solve. he departed more than 100 years ago. This issue surfaced when private property GEORGE HENRY WHITE POST Mr. Speaker, this legislation com- owners’ historic boundary lines neighboring OFFICE BUILDING memorates George Henry White’s cou- rageous legacy as the last black Mem- the Mark Twain National Forest and Table Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to Rock Lake in Missouri’s Barry and Stone ber of this House following Reconstruc- suspend the rules and pass the bill tion. I congratulate the gentleman Counties were blurred when the U.S. Forest (H.R. 3353) to designate the facility of Service restored the mid-1800s Corners pro- from North Carolina (Mr. BALLANCE) the United States Postal Service lo- for having his bill considered by the gram. cated at 525 Main Street in Tarboro, Over the years, the Forest Service has been whole House. North Carolina, as the ‘‘George Henry effectively shaving off substantial sections of Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. White Post Office Building’’. private property that adjoins federal lands. Re- 3353. The Clerk read as follows: cent land surveys have found major dif- Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of ferences in surveys conducted by the Forest H.R. 3353 my time. Service and the Army Corps of Engineers. My Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- Mr. BALLANCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield legislation would resolve these discrepancies, resentatives of the United States of America in myself such time as I may consume. so private property owners don’t lose property Congress assembled, Mr. Speaker, we gather this after- SECTION 1. GEORGE HENRY WHITE POST OFFICE noon to honor a great man and leader adjoining Federal lands. BUILDING. A fight with the Federal Government over a who blazed trails for African Ameri- (a) DESIGNATION.—The facility of the boundary line can be an uphill battle. This bill United States Postal Service located at 525 cans not only in North Carolina but will maintain the original property lines and Main Street in Tarboro, North Carolina, throughout the Nation, Congressman hand the title of the disputed land to the pri- shall be known and designated as the George Henry White from my home vate landowner. ‘‘George Henry White Post Office Building’’. State of North Carolina.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 14:24 Aug 07, 2007 Jkt 029102 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 0688 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR03\H17NO3.000 H17NO3 cprice-sewell on PROD1PC72 with BOUND RECORD November 17, 2003 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE 29085 I want to express my appreciation for Congressman White was the only Af- of the United States Postal Service, lo- the strong bipartisan support from the rican American in the United States cated at 315 Empire Boulevard in North Carolina delegation and the Congress during his two terms and was Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York, sponsorship of this bill. the highest-ranking elected African as the ‘‘James E. Davis Post Office We are here today, Mr. Speaker, to American in the United States. He es- Building’’. show our appreciation for Congressman sentially represented not only citizens The Clerk read as follows: White by naming the post office after of the second congressional district but S. 1590 him in Tarboro, North Carolina, the all 10 million African Americans across Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- town which he represented; and the the Nation. He was the last former resentatives of the United States of America in County of Edgecombe, which he rep- slave and the last African American to Congress assembled, resented with distinction as a part of serve in the Congress during the post- SECTION 1. JAMES E. DAVIS POST OFFICE BUILD- the second congressional district, I now Reconstruction era. ING. have the great privilege of representing He opened doors while in Congress to (a) DESIGNATION.—The facility of the that same community, humbly fol- pave the way for the civil rights move- United States Postal Service located at 315 lowing in his footsteps. Empire Boulevard in Crown Heights, Brook- ment more than half a century later. lyn, New York, shall be known as designated Mr. George Henry White was born in He campaigned against racial discrimi- Rosendale, Bladen County, North Caro- as the ‘‘James E. Davis Post Office Build- nation and urged enforcement of the ing’’. lina, during slavery. He grew up the second section of the 14th amendment. (b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in a law, son of a sharecropper in nearby Colum- In January 1901, his last year in of- map, regulation, document, paper, or other bus County. He was educated at the fice, Congressman White proposed a record of the United States to the facility re- Whitten School in Lumberton. He first bill that would make lynching of Afri- ferred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to embarked on his trail of excellence can Americans a Federal crime. Unfor- be a reference to the James E. Davis Post Of- fice Building. when he left his job as a farm laborer tunately, this bill did not pass; but it and ventured here to the Nation’s Cap- did have some impact in the Deep The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- ital to attend Howard University. South in particular. Despite Congress- ant to the rule, the gentleman from Many people mistake him as being a man White’s passionate plea, as I indi- Tennessee (Mr. DUNCAN) and the gen- graduate of Howard Law School, but cated, the term ended without his bill tleman from North Carolina (Mr. actually he was a graduate of high passing. BALLANCE) each will control 20 min- school and Howard undergraduate George Henry White’s farewell speech utes. school. on the floor of Congress, often referred The Chair recognizes the gentleman Upon graduation from Howard Uni- to as the ‘‘Phoenix Speech,’’ or his from Tennessee (Mr. DUNCAN). versity in 1877, Mr. White returned to farewell speech, was made January 29, GENERAL LEAVE North Carolina settling in the coastal 1901: ‘‘This, Mr. Chairman, is perhaps Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask town of New Bern, to begin the fight to the Negroes’ temporary farewell to the unanimous consent that all Members better his North Carolina for all fami- may have 5 legislative days within lies and helping empower the African American Congress; but let me say, Phoenix-like he will rise up some day which to revise and extend their re- American community. marks on the bill under consideration. He became a teacher and then a prin- and come again. These parting words The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there cipal and is credited with establishing on behalf of an outraged, heartbroken, objection to the request of the gen- four new schools. Mr. White knew then bruised and bleeding, but God-fearing tleman from Tennessee? what we all know now: information is people, faithful, industrious, loyal, ris- There was no objection. power, and the key to steering one’s ing people full of potential force.’’ Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield own course is a quality education. Mr. Speaker, while Congressman While living in New Bern, where he White is deserving of far greater acco- myself such time as I may consume. also worked as an attorney, having lades, and I am sure they will come in Mr. Speaker, S. 1590, a bill sponsored read law to become a lawyer, Mr. White time, it is my great pleasure to offer by Senator SCHUMER of New York, embarked upon a career in public serv- this legislation on his behalf. I urge the names a postal facility in Brooklyn, ice spanning more than 2 decades when, passage of this bill. New York, as the James E. Davis Post in 1880, he was elected to the North Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance Office Building. My distinguished col- Carolina House of Representatives. of my time. league on the Committee on Govern- In 1884 he was elected to the North Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I com- ment Reform, the gentleman from New Carolina State Senate. And in 1886 he mend the gentleman from North Caro- York (Mr. TOWNS), authored the House was elected as a solicitor for the second lina (Mr. BALLANCE) for introducing version of this postal naming bill, H.R. judicial district of North Carolina this very appropriate bill, and I urge 3012. I commend both the gentleman where he served two terms. During this all of our colleagues to support the pas- from New York (Mr. TOWNS) and Sen- time, George Henry White was the only sage of H.R. 3353. ator SCHUMER for their work on this African American district attorney in Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance meaningful effort. the United States. Continuing a polit- of my time. Mr. Speaker, James E. Davis was a ical career steeped in innovation and The SPEAKER pro tempore. The devoted public official who lived and leadership, blazing trails unheard of in question is on the motion offered by worked in Brooklyn all of his life. The his day, in 1894 Mr. White moved to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. son of a corrections officer himself, Tarboro. It might be interesting to DUNCAN) that the House suspend the Davis became an officer in the New know that the one reason he moved rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3353. York Police Department in 1983. After was because there was redistricting The question was taken; and (two- nearly 2 decades on the police force, he going on and his hometown of New thirds having voted in favor thereof) was elected to the New York City Bern was carved out of the second dis- the rules were suspended and the bill Council in November of 2001. In that trict. So he just packed up and moved was passed. capacity Davis was able to utilize his down to Tarboro, North Carolina, his A motion to reconsider was laid on dynamic public speaking ability. He wife’s hometown. the table. truly had a gift for connecting with au- Three years later, he would become f diences and delivering messages that Congressman White, and only the third advocated non-violence. African American elected to the U.S. JAMES E. DAVIS POST OFFICE Mr. Speaker, defeating crime and House of Representatives from North BUILDING eliminating violence in inner-city New Carolina, John Adams Hyman being Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to York were lifelong missions for James the first, Henry P. Cheatham the sec- suspend the rules and pass the Senate E. Davis both as a law enforcement and ond. bill (S. 1590) to redesignate the facility elected official. This reality made July

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