Congressional Record: September 3, 2003 (House)
Page H7803-H7808
J. STEPHEN HORN POST OFFICE BUILDING
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and pass the bill (H.R. 2309) to designate the facility of the United
States Postal Service located at 2300 Redondo Avenue in Signal Hill,
California, as the ``J. Stephen Horn Post Office Building,'' as
amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 2309
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.
The facility of the United States Postal Service located at
2300 Redondo Avenue in Long Beach, California, shall be known
and designated as the ``Stephen Horn Post Office Building''.
SEC. 2. REFERENCES.
Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper,
or other record of the United States to the facility referred
to in section 1 shall be deemed to be a reference to the
``Stephen Horn Post Office Building''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bell) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis).
General Leave
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and
extend their remarks on H.R. 2309.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
{time} 1445
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2309, as amended, introduced by my distinguished
colleague from the State of California (Ms. Millender-McDonald),
designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at
2300 Redondo Avenue in Long Beach, California, as the ``Stephen Horn
Post Office Building.''
Mr. Speaker, this legislation would rename this southern California
post office after one of our most distinguished former Members,
Congressman Steve Horn. Congressman Horn retired this past January at
the conclusion of the 107th Congress. He was one of the most
intelligent, respected and admired Members of the House of
Representatives, and we are all proud to have had an opportunity to
serve with him and to recognize his service today.
Congressman Horn spent his entire professional life around or within
the Federal Government. Along the way, he particularly studied and
mastered the procedural details of succeeding as a legislator on
Capitol Hill. He has viewed the legislative process from every possible
perspective: as a congressional aid, an executive branch staff member,
an academic, a writer and, ultimately, as an elected official.
Following his extensive education that includes a master's degree
from Harvard and a Ph.D. from Stanford University, Steve Horn began his
career in public service in 1959 as an aide to then-Labor Secretary
James Mitchell in the Eisenhower administration. Within 2 years, Steve
came to Capitol Hill for the first time as a legislative assistant to
former California Senator Tom Kuchel. I first met him when he was an
aide to Senator Kuchel when I was a young page over in the Senate back
in the 1963-64 time frame, and I will never forget his replacement,
when he left the Senator's office, who was a young man named Leon
Panetta who also went on to serve and was distinguished in this body.
After stints as a senior fellow with the Brookings Institute and a
dean of American University, Mr. Horn returned to California as
president of California State University at Long Beach. From his
studies and experience, he has written important books on congressional
ethics, parliamentary procedure, and the Senate Appropriations
Committee.
Professor Steve Horn left academia to make a run for the Republican
nomination to the House of Representatives in 1988. Although he came up
short in that race, he ran another campaign 4 years later in a
different district in 1992 and won the Republican nomination. During
the general election season, he based his campaign headquarters out of
his son's apartment and mailed out nearly 50,000 15-minute videotapes
to voters about himself. As a result of his efforts, Steve Horn was
elected to the House of Representatives from the 38th District of
California in November of 1992.
Mr. Speaker, once he was elected to Congress, Congressman Horn
quickly became known as one of the most diligent Members of the House.
He tirelessly chaired the Committee on Government Reform's Subcommittee
on Government Efficiency, Financial Management and Intergovernmental
Relations until his retirement, and I was very fortunate to have served
on that subcommittee during his tenure. He held countless hearings that
aimed to improve the accountability and effectiveness of the Federal
Government. Specifically, he was a leader in encouraging Federal
agencies to prepare their technology systems for the Y2K bug and worked
on various government debt collection bills that aimed to allow the
government to obtain outstanding debts.
Today, Congressman Horn lives in semi-retirement with his wife Nini
in California. He continues his public service to this day, working in
a consultative role with the National Academy of Public Administration.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 2309,
as amended, that honors Congressman
[[Page H7804]]
Steve Horn for his 5 terms in the House and his service to the people
of California and the entire Nation. He was a rarity, a very bipartisan
Member of this body, looking not at interest groups, not at
partisanship, but for what he felt would be the best result. I think
this institution would be better served with more Members like Steve
Horn. This is an appropriate acknowledgment of the service that he gave
his country here in the Congress.
I thank my colleague, the gentlewoman from California, for
introducing this important measure.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar).
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the
time, and I thank the gentleman from Virginia for bringing this
legislation to the House floor to so appropriately honor Steve Horn.
I thank the gentlewoman from California for allowing me to precede
her in my remarks. I join in the Chairman's eloquence on Steve Horn,
whom I came to know personally on our committee, whom I have the
greatest personal as well as professional respect for.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may
consume to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert).
Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the
time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to our former colleague
Steve Horn. I also want to thank my friend and colleague the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-McDonald) for her spirit of
bipartisanship in introducing this legislation to honor a man who
worked well with Members on both sides of the aisle.
I first met Mr. Horn longer ago than I would like to admit, back in
my days at Stanford University. I was an undergraduate. He was a
teacher's aide, commonly called a TA, in one of my government classes
while he pursued his Ph.D. Even back then, he had established a
reputation for being hardworking and thorough.
When I first came to Washington, I was privileged to serve with Mr.
Horn on the Committee on Government Reform. As chairman of the
Subcommittee on Government Efficiency, Financial Management and
Intergovernmental Relations, he was always searching for ways to make
government run more smoothly and more efficiently. This was not always
the most glamorous or most exciting work, but Mr. Horn gladly took it
on.
Nowhere was this more evident than his work on the Y2K bug. It was
Steve Horn who initiated a system of grading Federal agencies on Y2K
readiness and publicizing the results using report cards. These report
cards let agencies know where their weaknesses were and allowed them to
focus their efforts on efficiently improving their operating systems
for the switchover to the year 2000. The same report card system was
recently used to evaluate Federal agencies on their bioterrorism
readiness.
It is only fitting that we name this post office after Steve Horn.
Another one of his many legislative achievements was securing a
separate ZIP code for the neighborhood surrounding the post office.
I am very proud today to support this legislation to make this the J.
Stephen Horn Post Office. I congratulate Mr. Horn on all his hard work
and I wish him and his wife, Nini, all the best in their much-deserved
retirement. I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation to
honor a truly deserving man.
Mr. BELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas
(Mr. Doggett).
Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the
time.
I am pleased to join our colleagues in honoring our former colleague,
Steve Horn. It is sometimes said that someone is a gentleman and a
scholar. Steve Horn is genuinely both. He contributed mightily to the
House and worked with people of both parties, and I am pleased that he
is being recognized today.
{time} 1500
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher).
Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of and with
gratitude to my colleague, the gentlewoman from California (Ms.
Millender-McDonald) for her resolution honoring our colleague, now our
retired colleague, Steve Horn, a colleague and a friend and a much-
admired person here in Washington, D.C.
He is not a bicycle rider and he is not an Olympic athlete here, but
I guess it is fitting for us to have the U.S. Post Office, which has
sponsored one of our athletes, and today we are talking about the
naming of a post office after Steve Horn. I cannot think of a better
candidate than Steve Horn to name a post office after, especially on
Signal Hill, California.
Steve Horn, of course, started out as an academic and ended up
working for a United States Senator from California, Senator Kuchel,
and later on became president of Long Beach State College. Let me note
that I graduated from Long Beach State College and was part of the
committee, elected by the students of Long Beach State College, to be
part of the selection committee to find out who would be the president,
and that selection committee ended up choosing Steve Horn to be the
President of Long Beach State College, which later became Long Beach
State University.
Steve Horn did a terrific job as president of that university. He was
an incredible leader in the academic community. He was tough, but he
was an intellectual and he was always very thoughtful. When he came
here to Congress it was an interesting transition between the President
of Long Beach State and coming to Congress. Steve and I actually ran
against each other on my very first run for Congress. Steve was in the
primary. It was a crowded primary of eight people, and I always thought
of Steve as the one opponent I had in that primary who I dearly
respected. He was such a thoughtful person.
I always thought of it as the Jeffersonians versus the Hamiltonians.
As our country started out we had these two different groups vying
intellectually, and Steve was definitely a Hamiltonian and I thought of
myself as a Jeffersonian. Now he would think of that as a great
compliment, even though in the end, the Jeffersonians won in the
beginning of our country's history. They won the battles with the
Hamiltonians in terms of the electoral process. But as any very
thoughtful historian will tell you, it was the Hamiltonians that ended
up having a dominant influence on the structure of our government.
Steve, of course, was someone who wanted to have an influence. He was
someone who wanted to get tangible things done rather than talk about
philosophy. He carried a book with him at all times, taking notes so he
could have the details down on the things that he wanted to remember
and to follow through on. He was a pragmatist of the highest order and
someone who actually gives honor to that title of pragmatist because he
wanted to make government work. He wanted it to work for the people,
but, yes, work in its most efficient way.
He was on the Committee on Government Reform and he served on it
after he was elected in 1992. He came here and ran again in 1992 and
won and was here for 10 years as Representative of the 38th District.
During that time period we faced the challenge that our computer system
may go haywire, and Steve headed the subcommittee on technology and
spent a great deal of time working with, of course, the chairman of the
committee, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) and others to
make sure that our country did not suffer horrible repercussions of
being unprepared for the turn of the century that was going to make our
computers all malfunction. With Steve's leadership, we were able to
avert a great crisis at that time that probably saved our country
billions upon billions of dollars and all sorts of disruption.
This was a man who was making things better by making government
work. He was also on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
on which he worked so diligently to make sure that our transportation
needs, especially in southern California, were met.
So let me say again that even though Steve and I had been at odds, we
had
[[Page H7805]]
run against each other and at times we had our disagreements, he was a
person whose methodology in his own life demanded a certain degree of
respect even for those who disagreed with him. And then when we did
agree, it was such a pleasure to have someone as efficient as Steve on
your side, who was focused on detail and getting the job done.
I think together in the Republican majority we were able to
accomplish a great deal with Steve Horn and myself on the same team.
And that is what the Republican majority, we hope, has been all about.
We are missing Steve now and we wish him well. This post office that we
are naming after him he fought long and hard to get a ZIP Code for in
Signal Hill, so I think it is very, very fitting that we offer him this
tribute by putting his name on that post office.
So I thank once again the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-
McDonald). This is a very nice bipartisan tribute to a man who really
appreciated bipartisanship.
Mr. BELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the
very patient gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-McDonald).
Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the distinguished
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bell) and the distinguished gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) for their input on this important bill. I
would also like to recognize my colleague and friend who represents
Long Beach with me, the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher),
and my dear friend who served with me as co-chair of the Congressional
Caucus for Women's Issues, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs.
Biggert). All of us have come to honor Steve Horn.
Before I do that, let me congratulate also and be a part of the
voices to congratulate Lance Armstrong who represents the best of
America and has won his second championship in the Tour de France. We
are all very honored that he is an American who represents us very
well.
Mr. Speaker, it is an honor for me to offer the Stephen Horn Post
Office Building Designation Act, H.R. 2309, today. The post office is
located at 2300 Redondo Avenue in the city of Long Beach, in my
district, in honor of our distinguished former colleague Steve Horn.
Before being elected to Congress, Steve Horn served in the world of
academics. From 1970 to 1988, he served as the President of Cal State
University Long Beach, and remained as a trustee and professor of
political science at the university from 1988 to 1992. His
distinguished academic career reads as follows: A Bachelor of Arts
degree from Stanford University and an M.P.A. degree from Harvard
University in Cambridge, and a Ph.D. from Stanford University as well.
From 1960 to 1966, Steve Horn first began to mix his academic prowess
with his politically inclusive sensibilities, serving as a legislative
assistant to former California Senator Thomas H. Kuchel. From 1966 to
1969 he continued his academic pursuits as a senior fellow at the
prestigious Brookings Institute in Washington, D.C.
From 1992 until his retirement in 2002, Steve Horn was a colleague
and friend to many of us in Congress, and he remains a friend to us.
His pursuit of good public policy and fairness consistently crossed
party lines. As a colleague on the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, it was my pleasure to serve with Steve Horn for 7
years, during which time we grappled with many challenges together,
especially the 1998 transportation reauthorization bill, TEA-21.
I believe that I can speak safely for the members of the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure in saying that his voice and
perspective will be missed on our committee. The naming of this post
office is a combination of Steve Horn's contribution as Congressman,
former president of the Cal State University Long Beach, and as an
honorable private citizen.
Specifically, the naming of this post office highlights Steve Horn's
efforts to secure a separate ZIP Code for the city of Signal Hill. For
years, Signal Hill city manager Ken Farfsing said the city and its
9,000 residents had had problems with higher insurance rates,
misreported sales taxes affecting the city's revenue, and misapplied
utility taxes by long-distance companies. Thanks to Steve Horn's
tireless efforts, the city of Signal Hill finally received a separate
ZIP Code in early 2002.
The length that Steve Horn went to secure a separate ZIP Code for
Signal Hill is indicative of the passion and persistence he brought to
his job as a Member of Congress. It is a great story. Some in Signal
Hill might call it a great epic. It is worth repeating.
When Steve Horn came to Congress as Signal Hill's Representative in
1993, he made securing a ZIP Code for the city one of his top
priorities. He met with city and Postal Service officials to try to
address concerns raised by postal officials. In 1994, the Signal Hill
City Council requested that the Long Beach postmaster place the Signal
Hill Post Office on the 5-year capital improvement plan and that he
complete the ZIP Code survey.
Early the next year, the Long Beach postmaster rejected Signal Hill's
request, stating none of the existing facilities have the ability to
house additional routes for Signal Hill. The city filed an appeal with
regional headquarters, which was sent to the Postal Service Washington
headquarters. A few months later, Postmaster General Runyon upheld the
denial.
Postmaster General Runyon wrote Congressman Horn in June of 1995
stating, ``ZIP Code analysis for 20 years for code 908O4, 90806, and
90807 indicates that no additional ZIP Codes are required before 2014.
The growth rate remains stable and the resultant density and mail
volume will not require new ZIP Codes in the foreseeable future.''
However, Congressman Steve Horn met with the postmaster, who would not
change his position.
This continued into 1996, as Postmaster General Runyon wrote letters
to both Congressman Horn and Senator Barbara Boxer denying their
request on behalf of the city of Signal Hill. In 1997, the Signal Hill
City Council authorized a postal survey and retained the Economics
Department of California State University Long Beach to review the
Postal Service model. The completed survey found that 85.1 percent of
residents supported a single ZIP Code. The survey was then sent to the
postmaster and Congressman Horn wrote him as well, but again to no
avail.
Frustrated with the lack of responsiveness on the part of the Postal
Service, Steve Horn in 1998 introduced H.R. 4429, legislation requiring
ZIP Codes for communities with 5,000 or more in population. In 2000, he
introduced another bill, H.R. 3739, requiring single ZIP Codes for
small cities split by multiple ZIP Codes. In that same year, he amended
the Postal Service appropriation bill to require that the Postal
Service report back by August 1 on the Signal Hill ZIP Code.
Finally, the Postal Service began to demonstrate some awareness of
the problems created by the city of Signal Hill in being split into
three Zip Codes. It began a study of the situation, and in August of
2000 began researching for a vacant property for the West Carrier Annex
in the city. The next month, Congressman Horn, along with Signal Hill's
mayor, Mike Noll, and City Manager Ken Farfsingm met with Long Beach
Postmaster Jenkins and District Supervisor Shapiro to discuss the
status of the annex.
{time} 1515
In October, the Postal Service selected a site for the annex.
Unfortunately, in March 2001, postal officials placed a hold on all
capital projects. Six months later they indicated that all Postal
Service projects would be indefinitely delayed due to the anthrax
attacks that took place that fall.
At this point Congressman Horn met with the new Postmaster General to
discuss the idea of using the existing postal facility in Signal Hill
for the Signal Hill ZIP Code. In November 2001, the Postal Service
mailed out a survey to residents completed the next January. Finally,
in January 2002, with the completed survey showing two-thirds of the
residents wanted a unified Signal Hill ZIP Code, the city got the good
news it would receive the recognition desired for so long, its own ZIP
Code.
This was vintage Congressman Steve Horn, passionate and persistent in
making sure that this city, which deserved its ZIP Code, got it. Steve
Horn's refusal to take no for an answer, his commitment to his
constituents,
[[Page H7806]]
and his persuasiveness in pressing the argument with postal officials
had enabled the city of Signal Hill to prevail.
I can think of no other appropriate recognition for Steve Horn than
to name that post office after him. He is a rarity, Mr. Speaker, a
bipartisan public servant. That is why I ask that this legislation
receive prompt consideration and passage. I thank all of the gentlemen
and gentlewomen who spoke on behalf of the Steve Horn Post Office
designation.
Mr. BELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Committee on Government Reform, I am
pleased to join with the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) in the
consideration of H.R. 2309 which, as amended, names a postal facility
in Long Beach, California, after former Representative Stephen Horn.
H.R. 2309, which was introduced by the gentlewoman from California
(Ms. Millender-McDonald) on June 3, 2003, enjoys the support and
cosponsorship of the entire California delegation. In addition, on July
24, 2003, the Committee on Government Reform unanimously passed and
ordered the bill reported to the House floor for consideration.
Former Representative Horn, a Republican, represented the 38th
Congressional District for 10 years, from 1992 to 2002. As a longtime
public servant and political scientist, Mr. Horn worked at the U.S.
Commission on Civil Rights, the Brookings Institute, and in academia as
a dean at American University here in Washington, and later as
President of Cal State in Long Beach, California.
As a member of the Committee on Government Reform, Stephen Horn
served as chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Efficiency,
Financial Management and Intergovernmental Relations. He is credited
with focusing on the Federal Government's ability to respond to the Y2K
crisis that we heard so much about a few short years ago in grading
Federal agencies for computer security.
Mr. Horn retired after serving his community and the public for more
than 50 years. Mr. Speaker, I urge swift adoption of this measure.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-
McDonald) for introducing this important legislation. Steve Horn was
not an athlete, he was not a recordholder, but he was in every sense a
champion, a champion of good government and government efficiency and a
champion for the American people.
I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 2309, as amended.
Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this important
legislation.
When Chairman Horn retired last year, Congress lost one of the
greatest advocates for meaningful government oversight, indeed one of
the greatest advocates for the American People who ever walked our
hallowed halls.
His work on the Government Reform Committee includes his eight years
of service as the Chair of the Government Efficiency, Financial
Management and Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee.
I had the pleasure of serving with Chairman Horn on this subcommittee
since 1993, my first year in Congress. As a Congressman, Steve Horn
championed the public's Right to Know. As the Chairman, he cosponsored
a bill (H.R. 3802) that expanded the Freedom of Information Act to
include electronic information. He was outspoken against the abuse of
secrecy by executive agencies and the willingness of many Congressional
Committees to ignore their duties and allow such secrecy. He forces the
CIA and the Department of Defense to release documents so that Congress
could effectively perform oversight. I was particularly proud to work
with him on the Debt Collection Bill that I sponsored.
Congressman Steve Horn believed in good government. He understood
that there is a public right to know and as the people's
representatives we must never forget this fundamental right.
To capture some of his good karma, my staff and I moved into Mr.
Horn's Rayburn office in December!
I miss working with Steve Horn, and I hope he is enjoying life after
Congress.
Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of
H.R. 2309, the Stephen Horn Post Office Building Designation Act.
This bill honors a former distinguished Member of Congress, Steve
Horn.
For years, Mr. Horn fought to have the City of Signal Hill get its
own Zip Code. In honor of his accomplishment it is appropriate that we
designate the Signal Hill Post Office after Mr. Horn.
This is just one of many examples that illustrate Steve Horn's
commitment and willingness to fight for his constituents.
With the same vigor, it is an honor for me to be representing some of
his constituents.
I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill to honor Steve
Horn's commitment to public service.
Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 2309 and the
designation of the United States Postal Service in Signal Hill,
California as the ``J. Stephen Horn Post Office Building.''
I had the distinct pleasure of serving with Congressman Steve Horn
throughout his ten years in the U.S. House of Representatives. From my
personal experience, I can attest that Steve is an honest, genuine, and
upstanding man. He stood up for his principles and represented his
constituents with decency and humanity. His background as a university
professor was evident in his thoughtful, reasoned approach to issues
great and small. From 1997 to 2002, we served together as co-chairs of
the Congressional Arts Caucus, where Steve did yeoman's work for arts
programs across the nation. Steve never hesitated to reach across
partisan, geographic, or other lines to build the alliances that would
allow him to achieve our mutual goals.
I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution, which salutes
our friend and colleague Steve Horn--a man of courage, integrity, and
dedication.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2309,
the Stephen Horn Post Office Building Designation Act. Our good friend
and respected former colleague, Steve Horn, Retired from this body
after 10 years of distinguished service to his community.
One of the cities Steve represented throughout his tenure in Congress
is the City of Signal Hill, California. What many people may not know
about Signal Hill is that it is a small city geographically surrounded
by the larger city of Long Beach, California. Unfortunately, they did
not have their own postal designation which separated them from the
rest of the region. This resulted in problems with higher insurance
rates, misreported sales taxes which affected the city's revenues, and
misapplied utility taxes by long distance companies. Steve took it upon
himself to work with the U.S. Postal Service and the City of Signal
Hill to give this community their own postal zip code.
This small legislative accomplishment, critically important to one of
the many cities he represented, was indicative of Steve's career in
Congress. He never turned his back on his district's needs, great or
small. He brought those needs to Washington, and without partisan
politicking, effectively solved problems for his constituents.
We all still look with awe at Steve's distinguished and vast public
service career. He served in the Eisenhower Administration under Labor
Secretary James P. Mitchell, and then worked for California Senator
Thomas Kuchel on historic legislation including the Civil Rights Act of
1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In addition, Steve dedicated 18
years to the California State University, Long Beach, where he was
recognized as one of the most effective college presidents in the
country.
With all the honors Steve and Nini Horn have received over the years,
I know that they would never lobby to have his name placed on a public
building. But this is a fitting tribute to a man of character, whose
devotion to the City of Signal Hill and their cause gave them a
stronger identity and a little more community pride.
And by the way, that Zip Code is 90755.
Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in
honoring our friend, former colleague, and my former neighbor, Stephen
Horn, by naming the United States post office in Signal Hill after him.
Steve served in Congress with great distinction for 10 years. My
friendship with him began in the 103rd Congress, the first Congress for
both of us. Steve represented the 38th Congressional District, which
included most of Long Beach and Lakewood, all of Signal Hill,
Bellflower, Paramount, Downey, and a small portion of San Pedro, while
I represented the neighboring 36th District.
Steve, of course, was a student of Congress. As a political
scientist, Steve has written books on parliamentary procedures, the
Senate Appropriations Committee and campaign finance. He worked at the
Brookings Institution, was a dean at American University, and then from
1970 to 1988, was president of Cal State University at Long Beach.
Early in his career, he was appointed Administrative Assistant to
Secretary of Labor James P. Mitchell, followed in late 1960 with a move
to Capitol Hill where he served as the
[[Page H7807]]
Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator Thomas H. Kuchel (R-Calif.), one
of the four leaders of the Senate. And, he was in Everett Dirksen's
office helping draft the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
With his election to the 103rd Congress, Steve had an opportunity to
put his love of politics and governing into practice. I am particularly
proud that we worked together to lead a successful bi-partisan
coalition that saved the McDonnell Douglas/Boeing C-17 program.
Congress approved the multi-year purchase of this cargo aircraft, which
employed 9,000 workers in our respective districts and, as demonstrated
in the recent conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans, has
proven to be one of the most versatile cargo aircraft in the military's
inventory.
When his party took control of the House in 1994, Steve became
chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Efficiency, Financial
Management and Intergovernmental Relations--a position which he used to
improve government services, overhaul federal agencies' debt collection
practices, and help prepare agencies to meet the Y2K problem.
Steve was also a leader of Southern California's effort to secure
funding for the Alameda Corridor, a below-grade rail line linking the
busy Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles with the rest of the nation.
He was also known for his advocacy of higher education and as a
passionate supporter of the arts and I recall Steve's strong defense of
the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the
Humanities as co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Arts Caucus.
Always the keen observer, Steve was known for the ubiquitous
notebooks in which he detailed his daily activities, insights and
observations while in Congress. Undoubtedly, these volumes help refresh
the recollections which he now uses to teach others at Cal State Long
Beach about politics, governance, and responsibility in a democratic
society.
Mr. Speaker, never one to falter in his congressional duties or to
toe the party line, Steve Horn served in Congress with courage and
independence. I am proud to have served with him and to cosponsor and
urge passage of this measure honoring him with the designation of J.
Stephen Horn post office in Signal Hill, California.
Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be a cosponsor of
H.R. 2309, Congresswoman Millender-McDonald's legislation to name the
post office at 2300 Redondo in Long Beach, CA, after our distinguished
former colleague, Steve Horn.
Like Congresswoman Millender-McDonald, I am honored to now represent
two cities, Bellflower and Downey, which Steve Horn represented with
such distinction during his decade in Congress. Steve and I were
elected in the same year, 1992, and I had the pleasure to work with him
on behalf of a number of initiatives important to our communities and
others in Los Angeles County and throughout Southern California.
Steve Horn was an accomplished legislator who achieved much in his
time in Congress. Not only did he author a number of bills that have
made a considerable difference in improving the way our government
operates, but he also provided strong oversight as chair of the
Government Reform Committee's Subcommittee on Government Efficiency,
Financial Management & Intergovernmental Relations.
It was Steve Horn who first raised the public's consciousness
regarding the looming Y2K problem. Through his work on his
subcommittee, he played an essential role in encouraging federal
agencies to take the necessary steps to upgrade their computer systems
and forestall potential problems as we made the transition to the new
century. His early efforts were the precursor of the new Homeland
Security Department's focus on the potential cyber security threat.
The legislative legacy Steve Horn left behind following his
retirement from Congress is substantial. Through his subcommittee, he
initiated a number of other efforts to make the federal government run
more effectively and efficiently, and to make it more responsive to the
American public. He helped bring together the Los Angeles-area
Congressional delegation to build the support needed to fund the
Alameda Corridor and make it a reality. Today, the Corridor provides a
direct rail connection from the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles to
the main inland east-west transportation links.
Steve and I worked together on numerous issues during our service in
Congress together. Today I am proud to continue work on two of those
critical projects in the City of Downey, the largest municipality
completely in my district and one that I inherited from Steve. First is
the Columbia Memorial Space Science Learning Center that will serve as
one important piece of the multi-million dollar redevelopment project
scheduled for the Downey site of the former space shuttle manufacturing
plant, Rockwell International. I am working closely with Downey
representatives in support of the redevelopment project, and I have
introduced legislation that will name that space science learning
center in honor of the Columbia Space Shuttle and its crew who perished
in the shuttle's February 2003 crash.
Secondly, whether it was ensuring safe and reliable water to the Los
Angeles area or cleaning up the storm water that runs into the Los
Angeles River, Steve was always involved in the numerous bipartisan
efforts regarding Los Angeles water. Along these lines, I am continuing
the effort Steve and I began last year to mitigate trash that storm
waters carry into the Los Angeles River.
Despite Steve's impressive legislative work, it is his strong,
personal commitment to the people of the 38th District of California
during his 10 years in Congress and his many years of dedicated
community involvement service that makes this legislation on the floor
today so appropriate. As Congressman, he was deeply committed to
serving the needs of all his constituents. I regularly hear from his
former constituents of the services he offered and the strong support
he provided for all the communities of his district. Steve Horn was
also actively serving his community long before he came to Congress.
During his tenure as a professor and then President at Cal State-Long
Beach, Steve and his wife Nini were deeply involved in a wide range of
civic and cultural activities that enriched and improved their
community.
And, as I know Congresswoman Millender-McDonald has noted in her
statement, he refused to give in to bureaucratic resistance when the
City of Signal Hill asked for its own zip code, rather than sharing
three different zip codes with portions of the City of Long Beach,
which adjoins it. The Redondo post office serve as the distribution
center for the Signal Hill routes, so it is particularly appropriate
that it is the one designated with Steve Horn's name.
I commend the Government Reform Committee and the House leadership
for their expeditious consideration of H.R. 2309. And I thank Steve
Horn for his friendship and for all he did--and continues to do--for
his community. My best wishes go to Steve, Nini and their family.
Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to J.
Stephen Horn, a former Member of Congress who faithfully served this
institution for ten years. Today the House of Representatives is
honoring his contributions to his community, his state and his country
by naming a post office located in Signal Hill, California after him.
Steve had led an exceptionally distinguished life beginning with his
graduation from Stanford University in 1953. He then went directly to
graduate school and earned his M.P.A. from Harvard University in 1955
and yet that was not quite enough for him. He went back to Stanford and
received his Ph.D. in 1958. During this same period of time, from 1954
to 1962, he was a member of the United States Army, honorably serving
his country for eight years.
Steve began his career in politics as an assistant to the Secretary
of Labor in 1959. In 1960, he served as a legislative assistant to
Senator Thomas H. Kuchel for six years. He then went to work for the
Brookings Institute as a senior fellow until 1969.
His career then took a turn away from politics and towards education
as he became an administrator for American University and then became
President of California State University, Long Beach in 1970. In 1993,
he was elected to the United States House of Representatives and served
for ten years.
Steve's career in Congress is marked by his tenure on the Government
Reform committee and his dedication to the operational security of
governmental agencies. He also focused on the constant improvement of
information technology.
Steve Horn has also been a member of numerous organizations including
the United States Commission on Civil Rights; the advisory board for
the National Institute of Corrections; the California Republican
League; and the California Educational Facility Authority.
Some would say that Steve was destined to make his mark in public
affairs from an early age. In 1948, as a high school senior, Steve
interned at both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions
that were both held in Philadelphia. In 2000, Steve went full circle by
attending the GOP Convention in Philadelphia as a Congressman and
member of the California delegation.
Today's dedication is a culmination of gratitude for the work of
Stephen Horn. His tireless passion for public service and volunteerism
is part of what makes the history of this institution the place that it
is today; a place of honor, debate, sacrifice, duty and justice.
Stephen Horn embodies these qualities and I congratulate him as we
dedicate this post office in his name.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of
my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Schrock). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from
[[Page H7808]]
Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) that the House suspend the rules and pass the
bill, H.R. 2309, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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