[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 13, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H7773]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DR. C.T. WRIGHT POST OFFICE BUILDING
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 5650) to designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 16605 East Avenue of the Fountains in Fountain
Hills, Arizona, as the ``Dr. C.T. Wright Post Office Building''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5650
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DR. C.T. WRIGHT POST OFFICE BUILDING.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 16605 East Avenue of the Fountains in
Fountain Hills, Arizona, shall be known and designated as the
``Dr. C.T. Wright 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 ``Dr. C.T. Wright Post Office Building''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) and the gentleman from Florida
(Mr. C. Scott Franklin) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia.
General Leave
Ms. NORTON. I ask unanimous consent that all Members 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 the District of Columbia?
There was no objection.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5650, to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 16605 East
Avenue of the Fountains in Fountain Hills, Arizona, as the ``Dr. C.T.
Wright Post Office Building.''
Dr. C.T. Wright was raised in a family of sharecroppers as a native
of Social Circle, Georgia. He went on to graduate from Fort Valley
University before earning his master of science from Clark Atlanta
University and his Ph.D from Boston University.
He was a teacher and administrator, devoting much of his time to
education and working for many historically Black colleges and
universities, including Morris Brown College and Talladega College. In
1982, he became the president of Cheney University, the first HBCU.
Dr. Wright also focused his efforts on community service, founding
the Light of Hope Institute that promotes human rights around the
world.
For the last 21 years of his life, he lived in Arizona, serving as a
community leader. He was chair of the Arizona Board of Clemency,
president of the Fountain Hills Kiwanis Club, and president of the
Arizona African Society. In addition, Dr. Wright served as a delegate
for the Electoral College and met six Presidents.
I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Dr. C.T.
Wright by supporting H.R. 5650.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. C. SCOTT FRANKLIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such
time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, which would name an
Arizona post office building for Dr. C.T. Wright.
Dr. Wright was a Georgia native and dedicated public servant who
devoted his life to education and community service.
He went to school in Georgia, graduating with a bachelor's degree
from Fort Valley State University and a master's degree from Clark
Atlanta University.
After obtaining his Ph.D from Boston University, he served as a
teacher and school administrator. Over the course of his career, he
worked for many of the country's historically Black colleges and
universities.
He also emphasized the importance of community service and
established the Light of Hope Institute, which promotes human rights
around the world.
For the last two decades of his life, he moved to Arizona and lived
in Fountain Hills, outside of Phoenix. There, he remained involved in
the community, serving as the president of the Fountain Hills Kiwanis
Club and president of the Arizona African society.
Dr. Wright was a devoted public servant, and I encourage my
colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. C. SCOTT FRANKLIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to
the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Schweikert).
Mr. SCHWEIKERT. Mr. Speaker, this is one of those--you have already
touched on C.T.'s resume. But I get to do something that is a little
unique right now. I am not going to give his resume again.
He was my neighbor. He and Mary were my friends.
Have you ever had someone in your life, and they are just sort of an
acquaintance, and they just ooze something really unique called love.
C.T. was a big guy, powerful voice. He could sing and the rafters
shook. Every time he gave the prayer at a Kiwanis meeting, or a
Republican meeting, or something else, I almost felt like I was going
to do an altar call. And being Catholic, that is actually a little odd.
I thought that would be funnier.
{time} 1645
He and his wife did something amazing. They were involved in
everything from my school board to the Arizona clemency board.
The fact of the matter is he had a powerful impact on a lot of us who
live in an upper income suburb on the side of Scottsdale, Arizona. It
is a beautiful place.
I remember sitting down with him and saying, ``Okay, C.T., you are my
neighbor. You are my friend. Why are you a Republican?'' In this
powerful voice, ``David, son, I am going to be part of that
abolitionist party,'' and then he went on to explain his history, his
life.
I know often we break down into partisan this, partisan that, but to
have someone who didn't look like every other suburban person in this
neighborhood, and yet, his intellect, his love, his wife Mary's love--
they became icons in the community because of their intellect, because
of their love, and because of their leadership.
It proved so powerful for the community because so often when there
was something happening, one of the first things we all did was say:
Well, we have to ask Dr. Wright. What does he think? What does he feel?
What is his understanding of what is going on?
We lost him a couple of years ago, and the community has mourned and
felt a little bit more hollow since. By naming our post office, I am
hoping my 7-year-old daughter and my now-10-week-old son will see the
plaque and will tell the story, and it will become part of the heritage
of my little town, Fountain Hills, Arizona.
Mr. C. SCOTT FRANKLIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I support this bill,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 5650, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5650.
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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