Arthur Stacy Mastrapa Post Office Building

ARTHUR STACEY MASTRAPA POST OFFICE BUILDING -- (House of Representatives - February 15, 2005)

Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 324) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 321 Montgomery Road in Altamonte Springs, Florida, as the "Arthur Stacey Mastrapa Post Office Building".

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Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 324.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Pennsylvania?

There was no objection.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 324, a bill to designate the U.S. postal facility at 321 Montgomery Road in Altamonte Springs, Florida, as the Arthur Stacey Mastrapa Post Office Building. I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Feeney) for sponsoring this legislation to honor Sergeant Mastrapa, a courageous American hero whom our Nation lost in the war on terror.

Sergeant Arthur Mastrapa of Apopka, Florida, an Army Reservist and military police officer, was killed in a rocket attack at a logistics support facility in Balad, Iraq, on June 16, 2004. He was 35 years old. His loss was made more tragic because it came just 2 days before he was due to return home with his comrades in the 351st Military Police Company, based in Ocala, Florida. He is survived by his loving wife, Jennifer, and his two loving children, Marisa and Reese.

Nothing could be more appropriate or fitting than to name this post office after Sergeant Mastrapa. Mastrapa was a Reservist and a postal letter carrier who worked full time at this post office on Montgomery Road in Altamonte Springs. I hope and pray that the dedication of this facility in Altamonte Springs will be a meaningful reminder of Arthur's life and service to his family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors. The Mastrapa family needs to know that the heartfelt thoughts and prayers of all the Members of the House of Representatives are with them. We join them in mourning their loss.

The United States of America owes its security and freedom to people like Arthur Mastrapa. Sergeant Mastrapa and our Armed Forces have helped to prevent another attack against America since September 11, 2001, by taking the war on terror straight to where our enemies live and plot. Certainly, the wonderful democratic election in Iraq on January 30 was in no small part possible to Sergeant Mastrapa's heroism.

I know the Iraqi people, like all Americans, would thank Arthur if they could.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the House leadership for selecting this bill for floor consideration, and I greatly thank my distinguished colleague from Florida for working on H.R. 324. I urge all Members to support this honor for Sergeant Arthur Mastrapa.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support H. Res. 324, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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