September 14, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 158 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session
All in House sectionPrev22 of 73Next
DOROTHY BRADEN BRUCE POST OFFICE BUILDING; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 158
(House of Representatives - September 14, 2020)
Text available as:
Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Pages H4361-H4362] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] DOROTHY BRADEN BRUCE POST OFFICE BUILDING Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4975) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1201 Sycamore Square Drive in Midlothian, Virginia, as the ``Dorothy Braden Bruce Post Office Building''. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 4975 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. DOROTHY BRADEN BRUCE POST OFFICE BUILDING. (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1201 Sycamore Square Drive in Midlothian, Virginia, shall be known and designated as the ``Dorothy Braden Bruce 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 ``Dorothy Braden Bruce 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. 4975, to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 1201 Sycamore Square Drive in Midlothian, Virginia, as the Dorothy Braden Bruce Post Office Building. Dorothy Bruce served as a cryptanalyst with the U.S. Army Signal Corps' Signal Intelligence Service during World War II. Dorothy Bruce served with thousands of other women as code breakers who were vital to the war effort in the Pacific. Dorothy's unit was critical in discovering the locations of Japanese ships in the Pacific, identifying and intercepting enemy supply convoys and protecting the lives of countless American servicemembers. She passed away at the age of 99 last year. Naming a post office after Dorothy Bruce will serve as a bright example for women and girls pursuing careers in science and math and will honor her remarkable service to the country in one of its darkest hours. I want to thank the honorable Member from Virginia (Ms. Spanberger) for this legislation to honor one of our Nation's quiet, unsung heroes. 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. 4975, which would name a Virginia post office for Dorothy Braden Bruce. Dorothy Bruce served as a cryptanalyst with the U.S. Army Signal Corps' Signal Intelligence Service during World War II. Sworn to secrecy, Dorothy's unit worked to disclose the locations of Japanese ships in the Pacific. Her unit also identified and intercepted enemy supply movements. The contributions of Bruce and her unit were crucial in defeating the Axis Powers in the Pacific. Her story is featured in the best-selling book ``Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II.'' Bruce serves as a shining inspiration for women and girls pursuing careers in STEM fields. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. Spanberger), the sponsor of this incredibly important legislation. Ms. SPANBERGER. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the remarks of the gentlewoman from New York and the comments of the gentleman from Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4975. Midlothian resident Dorothy Braden Bruce--or Dot, as she was widely known--embodied the true spirit of central Virginia and our Commonwealth. In World War II, Dorothy's work to break Japanese codes was one of the most pivotal Allied code-breaking efforts in the war. Having been recruited by the military to serve in a top-secret group of code-breaking women, she intercepted enemy movements, supply shipments, and potential threats to American servicemembers. For 70 years, Dorothy Bruce kept her story a secret. She had sworn an oath of secrecy. It wasn't until an author reached out to her a few years ago that [[Page H4362]] she learned that she could finally talk about her by-then declassified work in the service of our country. It was at this time that even her grown children first learned of their mother's pivotal work. Dorothy Bruce didn't ask for credit, and she didn't seek the limelight. She knew that she had protected the lives of American servicemembers in the field of combat, and she knew their families were prospering and growing in the following decades, thanks to the diligence of her top-secret code-breaking unit. For her, that was an achievement worth celebrating, though quietly and secretly. Meanwhile, Dorothy Bruce became a dedicated member of our central Virginia community. She worked as an educator, and she raised a loving family. Last year, she passed away at the age of 99. This legislation honors Dorothy Braden Bruce's life serving our country and her service to others across Virginia. Her story continues to inspire, and that is why I am working to make sure our community will always remember Dorothy Bruce's story and the stories of her fellow women code breakers. My legislation would name the Sycamore Square post office in Midlothian, Virginia, near where she once lived at the Spring Arbor Assisted Living, after her. With this bipartisan bill passing today, we are one step closer to future generations of trailblazers walking through the doors of the Dorothy Braden Bruce Post Office Building. I would like to thank every member of the Virginia delegation of the House for signing onto this bill at introduction in order to recognize Dorothy Bruce's work. She was a trailblazer. Her ingenuity and her determination as a code breaker did not just blaze a path for a generation of future code breakers and women in public service, but it saved thousands of American lives. {time} 1615 For women pursuing careers in science and math and intelligence, Dorothy is a reminder of the pioneering contributions of women in these fields throughout our Nation's history. Today, I would also like to thank Dot's loving family for their work to amplify her story and reaffirm the importance of the female code breakers of World War II. Their story is worth knowing and worth celebrating. This bill is just a small act to remember and recognize Dorothy Braden Bruce's remarkable life of courage, dedication, selflessness, and service to country. Mr. CLOUD. 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 also urge passage of H.R. 4975, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. 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. 4975. 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. ____________________
All in House sectionPrev22 of 73Next