H8842 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE July 30, 2007 PRIVATE FIRST CLASS SHANE R. ing for boot camp, when Shane came home Minner Avenue in Bakersfield, California, AUSTIN POST OFFICE after finishing basic training he stood tall, shall be known and designated as the ‘‘Buck stared you straight in the eye, and had a firm Owens Post Office’’. Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I (b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in a law, ask unanimous consent that the Com- handshake. map, regulation, document, paper, or other mittee on Oversight and Government On October 8, 2006, Shane courageously record of the United States to the facility re- Reform be discharged from further con- sacrificed the most precious thing a person ferred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to sideration of the bill (H.R. 3034) to des- can offer to his country—his life; and our be a reference to the ‘‘Buck Owens Post Of- ignate the facility of the United States country, the state of Kansas, and the Gardner- fice’’. Postal Service located at 127 South Edgerton community owes Shane and his The amendment was agreed to. Elm Street in Gardner, Kansas, as the family absolute gratitude for the rights and Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Buck ‘‘Private First Class Shane R. Austin freedoms that he so heroically fought to pro- Owens was among the most prolific country Post Office,’’ and ask for its immediate tect. hit-makers of the past 40 years and enjoyed a consideration in the House. Shane also follows in the path of a long line string of chart-toppers, including ‘‘Act Natu- The Clerk read the title of the bill. of brave and courageous individuals from the rally’’, ‘‘Together Again’’, and ‘‘I’ve Got a Tiger The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there Gardner-Edgerton area who have given the ul- by the Tail’’. He was a major influence on suc- objection to the request of the gen- timate sacrifice to protect those same rights cessive generations of musicians. tleman from Illinois? and liberties. In fact, soldiers from the area He was born as Alvis Edgar Owens in Sher- There was no objection. have given their lives in service to their coun- man, Texas on August 12, 1929. He died on The Clerk read the bill, as follows: try in the Civil War, World War I, World War March 25, 2006 in Bakersfield, California. H.R. 3034 II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, and Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague Rep- Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- their sacrifice must also be remembered and resentative KEVIN MCCARTHY for introducing resentatives of the United States of America in honored. this legislation and urge the swift passage of Congress assembled, So today I am proud to join with my col- this bill. SECTION 1. PRIVATE FIRST CLASS SHANE R. AUS- leagues in remembering these brave individ- Mr. McCARTHY of California. Mr. Speaker, TIN POST OFFICE. uals, and in offering this remembrance so that I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1384, a (a) DESIGNATION.—The facility of the United States Postal Service located at 127 our community never forgets the sacrifice that bill I introduced to designate the United States South Elm Street in Gardner, Kansas, shall a brave soldier from Kansas made for his Postal Service facility located at 118 Minner be known and designated as the ‘‘Private country. Avenue in Bakersfield, California as the ‘‘Buck First Class Shane R. Austin Post Office’’. The bill was ordered to be engrossed Owens Post Office.’’ (b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in a law, and read a third time, was read the An accomplished, self-taught musician, Alvis map, regulation, document, paper, or other third time, and passed, and a motion to Edgar ‘‘Buck’’ Owens, Jr. amassed twenty-one record of the United States to the facility re- reconsider was laid on the table. country music hits throughout his career, of ferred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the ‘‘Private First Class f which ten were consecutive #1 hits, including ‘‘Act Naturally,’’ ‘‘My Heart Skips a Beat,’’ and Shane R. Austin Post Office’’. BUCK OWENS POST OFFICE ‘‘Streets of Bakersfield.’’ Over his more than Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. PFC Shane R. Austin Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I was killed on October 8, 2006, when a gre- 50 years in the music industry, Buck worked ask unanimous consent that the Com- with other legendary country musicians includ- nade struck his tank in Ramadi, Iraq, west of mittee on Oversight and Government Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Bat- ing Merle Haggard, who dubbed Buck’s band Reform be discharged from further con- ‘‘the Buckaroos,’’ Wanda Jackson, and Dwight talion, 35th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade sideration of the bill (H.R. 1384) to des- Combat Team, 1st Armored Division in Yoakam. ignate the facility of the United States Buck was best known for his signature Baumholder, Germany. Postal Service located at 118 Minner Private Austin’s grandmother said, ‘‘Al- ‘‘freight train’’ musical sound that combined Street in Bakersfield, California, as the classic country music with electric guitar, a though the emptiness and numbness is with ‘‘Buck Owens Post Office,’’ and ask for the entire family, we hold the pride high that unique rhythm, and rock and roll and honky- its immediate consideration in the tonk influences, and always played his trade- Shane was a hero before he left for the mili- House. tary, but now he is everybody’s hero. Military mark red, white, and blue guitar. Buck was in- The Clerk read the title of the bill. ducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of was his dream; he intended to make it a ca- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there reer and that he accomplished . it was just Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame, objection to the request of the gen- both in 1996, for his musical talent and ac- a short career.’’ tleman from Illinois? Private Austin served his country with dis- complishments. In 1999, Buck received a There was no objection. Grammy Hall of Fame Award for one of his #1 tinction and courage. The Clerk read the bill, as follows: Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague Rep- hits, ‘‘I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tail.’’ H.R. 1384 resentative DENNIS MOORE for introducing this In addition to recording hit country music Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- legislation and urge the swift passage of this songs, for almost twenty years, Buck could be resentatives of the United States of America in seen on Hee Haw, an immensely popular bill. Congress assembled, Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise country music comedy show. Following Hee SECTION 1. BUCK OWENS POST OFFICE. Haw and returning to his country music roots, today in support of H.R. 3034, legislation I (a) DESIGNATION.—The facility of the have introduced with the rest of the Kansas United States Postal Service located at 118 Buck opened Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace in delegation to rename the Gardner, KS, postal Minner Street in Bakersfield, California, 1996, a concert hall in Bakersfield, California, service facility the ‘‘Private First Class Shane shall be known and designated as the ‘‘Buck where Buck hosted other bands and per- R. Austin Post Office.’’ Owens Post Office’’. formed live for fans up until the night he Private First Class Shane Austin grew up in (b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in a law, passed away, on March 25, 2006. Edgerton, KS, and attended Gardner-Edgerton map, regulation, document, paper, or other An astute businessman, Buck owned sev- record of the United States to the facility re- eral radio stations, including KKXX-FM, which High School before joining the U.S. Army. ferred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to PFC Austin was 19 years old when he was be a reference to the ‘‘Buck Owens Post Of- was under Buck’s tenure for more than a dec- killed on October 8, 2006, while serving in the fice’’. ade the #1 rock-and-roll station in Bakersfield. United States Army’s First Armored Division, In addition, Buck also owned KUZZ-AM, which AMENDMENT OFFERED BY MR. DAVIS OF he expanded to FM radio, and, up until his during combat operations in Ramadi, Iraq. For ILLINOIS death, was and remains the #1 country music his heroism, and for saving the lives of several Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I station in Bakersfield. Finally, Buck estab- fellow soldiers, Shane was awarded the Pur- offer an amendment. lished his own music production company, ple Heart and the Bronze Star. The Clerk read as follows: According to Captain Daniel Costin, Shane Buck Owens Enterprises, which produced Amendment offered by Mr. DAVIS of Illi- was a quiet, unassuming man who worked nois: records by country music artists. hard, whether it was cutting grass in rear de- Strike all after the enacting clause and in- Buck moved to Bakersfield in 1951, and tachment or conducting maintenance on his sert the following: contributed greatly to the country music indus- tank. SECTION 1. BUCK OWENS POST OFFICE. try in Bakersfield and around the Nation and Shane’s father Terrance also said that while (a) DESIGNATION.—The facility of the amassed a legion of fans, like myself, across Shane was a bit on the wild side before leav- United States Postal Service located at 118 the country. H.R. 1384 is a fitting honor and VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:31 Aug 01, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\K30JY7.039 H30JYPT2 bajohnson on PRODPC60 with HOUSE.