H9816 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE December 12, 2017 our veterans and honor the sacrifices In the words of President John F. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support they have made for this Nation. Kennedy, when he said, ‘‘A nation re- of H.R. 2815, introduced by the gen- Mr. Speaker, I, too, urge the passage veals itself not only by the men it pro- tleman from New Jersey (Mr. LANCE). of H.R. 1208, and I reserve the balance duces, but also by the men it honors The bill names the United States Post of my time. and the men it remembers’’—and I Office at 30 East Somerset Street in Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to add, and women also— Raritan, New Jersey, after Sergeant would like to make the gentlewoman correct President John F. Kennedy. John Basilone. from Florida aware that I have no fur- This bill allows us to show our appre- Sergeant Basilone was among the ther speakers, and I am prepared to ciation for the veterans, the men and first wave of marines to storm the close. women of Converse, Texas, and across shores of Iwo Jima on February 19, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of the Nation, and make sure that their 1945. I thank Representative LANCE for my time. service and sacrifice to our country is introducing this bill to pay tribute to Mrs. DEMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield not forgotten. the life and sacrifice of Sergeant such time as he may consume to the Mrs. DEMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I have Basilone. gentleman from Texas (Mr. CUELLAR). no further speakers, and I yield back Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the balance of my time. may consume to the gentleman from the gentlewoman from Florida for Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I New Jersey (Mr. LANCE) to explain his yielding and for her leadership on this urge adoption of the bill, and I yield bill. issue dealing with veterans. back the balance of my time. Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise I also want to thank my friend from The SPEAKER pro tempore. The today to honor an American hero and a Montana for his leadership in support question is on the motion offered by proud son of New Jersey, Gunnery Ser- of veterans across the Nation. the gentleman from Montana (Mr. geant John Basilone, and I offer this Today, Mr. Speaker, I rise to present GIANFORTE) that the House suspend the bill to name the post office in Raritan, H.R. 1208, which will rename the post rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1208. New Jersey, in his honor. The question was taken; and (two- office facility in my district as the Gunnery Sergeant Basilone is an ex- thirds being in the affirmative) the Converse Veterans Post Office Build- emplar of brave service in our Armed rules were suspended and the bill was ing. Forces, and a member of the Greatest Across my district, I have fine men passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on Generation, whose collective bravery and women of all walks of life that the table. and selflessness won World War II and have honorably served our country. It liberated millions from oppression. is critical that we honor their service f In Congress, there are many actions and their dedication to our Nation. SERGEANT JOHN BASILONE POST we take to honor and remember those Converse alone is home to over 3,000 OFFICE who serve our Nation. These com- veterans, according to the U.S. Census Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I mendations matter. Younger genera- Bureau. Dedicating this post office to move to suspend the rules and pass the tions ask whose name is inscribed on our veterans will serve as an enduring bill (H.R. 2815) to designate the facility monuments and flag posts or on Fed- reminder of the sacrifices that our of the United States Postal Service lo- eral properties; and in retelling these friends, our neighbors, our families cated at 30 East Somerset Street in stories, we inspire young Americans to have made while serving their country. Raritan, New Jersey, as the ‘‘Sergeant appreciate the generations that came These individuals put country ahead of John Basilone Post Office’’. before in public service. self, and I am proud to recognize them The Clerk read the title of the bill. Sergeant Basilone, indeed, has a tre- with the dedicating of this post office The text of the bill is as follows: mendous story. Born on November 4, facility. H.R. 2815 1916, in Buffalo, New York, he was 1 of Today, I want to acknowledge one Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- 10 siblings born to Salvatore and Dora sacrifice from one individual; that is an resentatives of the United States of America in Basilone. His father, an immigrant individual from Converse, Texas, a vet- Congress assembled, from Italy, and his mother, a native of eran by the name of Quintin E. Cain. SECTION 1. SERGEANT JOHN BASILONE POST OF- Manville, New Jersey, decided to raise Mr. Cain served 23 years in the Army FICE. their family in the Somerset County, (a) DESIGNATION.—The facility of the as a medic, where he would receive nu- United States Postal Service located at 30 New Jersey, Borough of Raritan. merous medals and recognitions. East Somerset Street in Raritan, New Jer- At just barely 18 years of age, a After being honorably discharged, he sey, shall be known and designated as the young Basilone decided to enlist in the continued to serve the country, his ‘‘Sergeant John Basilone Post Office’’. United States Army in the 1930s. He country, by using the medical training (b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in a law, would begin his military career with a that he had to train combat medic stu- map, regulation, document, paper, or other tour of the Philippines. dents as a civilian. We owe our freedom record of the United States to the facility re- In the Army, he was popular, ex- ferred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to to veterans such as Mr. Cain, which is be a reference to the ‘‘Sergeant John tremely well-liked. He boxed and con- why I am recognizing him and, of Basilone Post Office’’. tributed to a sense of camaraderie that course, the other veterans, by dedi- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- put the young men who were a world cating this post office. He is just one ant to the rule, the gentleman from away from home at ease. He would example of many veterans who have Montana (Mr. GIANFORTE) and the gen- later be honorably discharged from the made countless sacrifices for their tlewoman from Florida (Mrs. DEMINGS) Army and return home. country in the face of danger. each will control 20 minutes. But in 1940, the trumpet summoned The bravery and the commitment of The Chair recognizes the gentleman him again, and he re-enlisted, this time our veterans to our Nation dem- from Montana. in the Marines. He would be dispatched onstrates what it really means to be an GENERAL LEAVE to the height of battle in the Pacific American, the essence of being an Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask theater. American. unanimous consent that all Members Sergeant Basilone and many fellow I would also like to take a moment may have 5 legislative days in which to marines were part of Operation Watch- to thank the veterans organizations revise and extend their remarks and in- tower to regain territory in Guadal- throughout my district for their tire- clude extraneous material on the bill canal, the site of a Japanese airfield. less work in providing care to our vet- under consideration. On August 7, 1942, the group took the erans when they need it. There are The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there airfield and defended it bravely from good men and women who work hard objection to the request of the gen- Japanese attempts to reconquer the and provide that care to our veterans. tleman from Montana? territory. Let us remember and express gratitude There was no objection. In October of 1942, the Japanese to these courageous people, the vet- Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I began another land attack to regain erans, their families, as well as their yield myself such time as I may con- control of Guadalcanal. Sergeant care providers. sume. Basilone fought bravely for 2 days and VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:05 Dec 13, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K12DE7.053 H12DEPT1 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with HOUSE December 12, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H9817 ultimately contributed to the annihila- In the generations that have fol- It is a great honor to salute Sergeant tion of a considerable portion of the lowed, Sergeant Basilone has rightfully Basilone’s family, a native of New Jer- Japanese regiment. taken his place as an American hero of sey, and a hero of our Italian-American In a moment of selfless service to his the Second World War. Raritan has community. fellow marines, Sergeant Basilone en- held a parade in his honor every Sep- He started serving his country, as dured brutal enemy fire during the as- tember. His statue stands in the heart you already heard, very early in the sault to assist nearby machine gunners of the borough. His legacy of love and U.S. Army; and then 3 years later, he in trouble. service to the country has been main- enlisted in the U.S.