[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 158 (Monday, September 14, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H4360]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                NORMANDIA MALDONADO POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend 
the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3870) to designate the facility of 
the United States Postal Service located at 511 West 165th Street in 
New York, New York, as the ``Normandia Maldonado Post Office 
Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3870

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. NORMANDIA MALDONADO POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 511 West 165th Street in New York, New 
     York, shall be known and designated as the ``Normandia 
     Maldonado Post Office Building''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be 
     a reference to the ``Normandia Maldonado Post Office 
     Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Cloud) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous 
consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise 
and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this 
measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues in consideration of 
H.R. 3870, to designate the facility of the United States Post Office 
located at 511 West 165th Street in New York, New York, as the 
Normandia Maldonado Post Office Building.
  When Normandia Maldonado came to the United States in 1960, she 
brought her love for the arts and her passion for serving the 
community. She began her career as a dancer and teacher while also 
becoming actively involved in the Washington Heights community as an 
activist and a leader.
  Ms. Maldonado promoted Dominican culture in New York City and was a 
pioneer in the development of Dominican history in the United States. 
She cofounded the second oldest Dominican cultural institution in New 
York, the Instituto Duartiano of the United States.
  Ms. Maldonado also founded a ballet company, Casandra Damiron Hall of 
Fame, and was a founding member of the Dominican Day Parade.
  Ms. Maldonado was an artist, activist, leader, and legend who made 
pivotal contributions to the Washington Heights community, Dominican 
culture in America, and all New Yorkers.
  I would like to thank my colleague and friend, Representative 
Espaillat, a distinguished member of the New York delegation, for 
introducing this measure to honor a great artistic and community 
leader.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3870, which would name a New 
York City post office after Normandia Maldonado.
  Normandia Maldonado was born in the Dominican Republic, where she 
developed a love for the arts and a passion to serve her community. She 
took this love and passion to New York City in 1960, when she came to 
the U.S. to star in the Cuban film ``Busquen A Ese Hombre.''
  She began to plant roots in the Washington Heights community and 
worked to promote Dominican culture in the area. She cofounded Club 
Civico y Cultural Juan Pablo Duarte, which is the second oldest 
Dominican cultural institution in New York. She also founded what is 
now known as the Dominican Day Parade.
  Her contributions have impacted countless Dominicans and New Yorkers.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of 
H.R. 3870, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Normandia 
Maldonado, an icon of Dominican culture, and my bill H.R. 3870, which 
designates the U.S. Post Office located at 511 W. 165th Street in 
Washington Heights as the ``Normandia Maldonado Post Office Facility.''
  Normandia Maldonado is renowned for her decades of artistic 
leadership within the Dominican diaspora of New York City, where she 
co-founded Club Civico y Cultural Juan Pablo Duarte, Inc., directed and 
released various films, and helped establish the Dominican Day parade.
  But, perhaps even more so, she is revered as a pioneering activist 
who was instrumental in the establishment of the Dominican population 
within the mosaic of New York City.
  From the time she arrived in New York City in 1960, the Dominican 
diaspora leaned on her fiery yet elegant and inspirational character.
  And much like the United States Postal Service, Normandia ALWAYS 
answered the call to service, especially for the Dominican community 
and our fellow New Yorkers.
  She taught in neighborhood schools.
  She led efforts in the community to build a statue in honor of Juan 
Pablo Duarte, the Dominican Republic's foremost founding father.
  And she established the Cassandra Damiron Hall of Fame to ensure that 
fellow Dominican artists' accomplishments and talent receive the 
recognition they deserve.
  In the wake of the Administration's unprecedented attacks on the 
Postal Service, I am honored to enshrine and underscore Ms. Maldonado's 
altruistic spirit, fortitude, and commitment to public service via this 
designation at the facility on 165th Street.
  This will stand for decades in the community and hopefully come as a 
reminder--and perhaps a mandate--to the Postal Service employees 
working there, who I know will weather this Administration's storm of 
punitive policies and will continue to dutifully serve the people of 
Washington Heights and New York City.
  I want to thank my friend and fellow New Yorker, Chairwoman Carolyn 
Maloney, for her help in bringing this to the floor, Government 
Operations Subcommittee Chairman Gerry Connolly, and the staff of the 
Committee on Oversight and Reform for helping us through this process.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Casten of Illinois). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. 
Maloney) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3870.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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