Remembering Officer Collura, Two Years Later   Two years, after Fair Lawn Police Officer Mary Ann Collura was shot and killed, Fair Lawn News spoke with Police Sgt. Robert Boyle about its after effects. He said: "After she was shot, people acted great towards us.  They offered sympathy, a spontaneous vigil, signs of support, donations to a scholarship fund.  Reality hit home for people, that this kind of thing could happen here.  They realized that officers subjected themselves to dangers. We miss her very much, but things are back to normal, now. We’re always careful, we are taught what to look for.  But, when it happens to one of your own, you become more conscious.  Our training hasn’t changed.  The guys are slightly more diligent about backing each other up, though.  They are more likely to see that an officer has proper backup. Since Mary Ann was killed, officers have been kicked and punched, sometimes by a criminal trying to escape, sometimes by someone intoxicated.  But, no weapons have been fired since she was killed.  We fire weapons only as a last resort. What separates her from the rest of us is that she gave her life in serving the people of Fair Lawn.  She exposed herself to dangers."   From previous editions, read our: - Summer 2003 follow up - Collura Guest Book   On the floor of the House of Representatives   Mrs. MILLER of Michigan.  Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3939) to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 14-24 Abbott Road in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, as the ``Mary Ann Collura Post Office Building''. The Clerk read as follows: H.R. 3939  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. REDESIGNATION. The facility of the United States Postal Service located at 14-24 Abbott Road in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, and known as the Fair Lawn Main Post Office, shall be known and designated as the ``Mary Ann Collura 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 ``Mary Ann Collura Post Office Building''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Miller) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Miller). Mrs. MILLER of Michigan . 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. 3939. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Michigan? There was no objection. Mrs. MILLER of Michigan . Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3939. This legislation is naming a post office in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, after Officer Mary Ann Collura. She was the first woman to serve as an officer in the Fair Lawn Police Department. H.R. 3939 fittingly honors the tremendous service of an individual fallen peace officer. Officer Collura was an outstanding 18-year veteran of the Fair Lawn Police Department and a respected community role model. On April 17, 2003, Officer Collura was called in to back up fellow officers involved in a chase with three young men in a car. The chase fatally ended outside a Fair Lawn church as one of the men shot Officer Collura in the chest after she pursued the men on foot. The assailant then stole Officer Collura's patrol car and drove over her body as he made his escape. Mr. Speaker, everyone in the Fair Lawn area who knew Officer Collura knew she served her community with the highest esteem. Earlier this spring, as steps were being taken to ensure a proper memorial for Officer Collura, the local journal, the Fair Lawn News, quoted a local resident who emotionally said, ``I knew her. She was superior as an officer and as a person.'' Mr. Speaker, Officer Collura's heartbreaking story even attracted President Bush's attention. At the Peace Officers' Memorial Day Service outside this Capitol last year on May 15, the President mentioned Officer Collura as a law enforcement officer who tragically lost her life in the past year. The President cited a quote from one of Officer Collura's fellow officers, who later said about her, ``There are probably 100 cops like this who did everything right and still have their names on the wall,'' of the National Law Enforcement Memorial. The Officer went on to say, ``You put your faith in the hands of God every day when you go out there.'' Mr. Speaker, the wicked events of April 17, 2003, remind all of us of the dangers of police work. Officers of the peace, like Mary Ann Collura, earn our perpetual respect each and every day for their brave efforts to protect all of us. This post office naming will posthumously commemorate Officer Mary Ann Collura's service to our Nation. Unquestionably, this is a highly warranted honor, and I strongly urge all Members to support the bill's passage. Mr. Speaker, I commend the distinguished gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Rothman) for his meaningful work on H.R. 3939. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. DAVIS of Illinois . 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 my colleague in consideration of H.R. 3939, legislation naming the postal facility in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, after Mary Ann Collura. This measure was introduced by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Rothman) on March 11, 2004, and unanimously reported by our committee on April 1, 2004. It enjoys the support and cosponsorship of the entire New Jersey delegation. Officer Mary Ann Collura was a dedicated police officer, a woman who made a difference in her hometown of Fair Lawn, New Jersey. According to news accounts, Mary Ann had wanted to become a police officer since junior high school. She was 25 when she joined the force, and served for 18 years until her tragic death. On April 17, 2003, Officer Collura was fatally shot while helping a fellow officer arrest three suspects after a car chase. Officer Collura was an active and devoted member of the Fair Lawn Police Department. She loved her work and looked forward to helping those in need. Designating the post office in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, is an excellent way to honor the memory of Officer Mary Ann Collura. Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague for sponsoring this measure and urge swift passage of this bill. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone). Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, this Saturday, May 15, nearly 20,000 peace officers are expected to gather in Washington D.C. to honor their fallen comrades for National Peace Officers Memorial Day. In keeping with this sentiment today, this body will pay tribute to one of the 166 police officers killed annually in the line of duty. By redesignating the Fair Lawn post office as the Mary Ann Collura Post Office Building, we honor the life of Officer Mary Ann Collura and the extraordinary sacrifice she made to protect her community. I would like to thank my esteemed colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Rothman), for introducing this legislation. This legislation has special significance for me because Officer Collura was the aunt of my campaign manager, Scott Snyder. After having had the opportunity to hear Scott speak about his aunt, I have greater appreciation for this extraordinary woman and how tragic it is she has been taken from this world far too soon. Though I have never had the opportunity to meet her, I am humbled by the remarkable life she led. One family member remarked to me, ``Mary Ann was a 6-foot tall female cop who loved motorcycles and taught me how to throw a baseball. But when I look in the mirror and see our resemblance, I can't help but judge myself against her standards, knowing that if I come close, that means I have achieved something great with my own life.'' Through the thousands of stories that have been told about her deeds and personality, the one ringing truth is that she represented a person we all long to be. She was the kind of warm person that could light up faces with a smile, the virtuous type that viewed everyone around her as a potential friend, and the forgiving type of person that can truly see the best in the worst of us. She accomplished this without even knowing, without the official commitment or the sacred vows. She lived from her heart. Over the course of her career, Officer Collura had received numerous rewards, including a departmental Meritorious Service Award and the Hackensack University Medical Center EMS Excellence Award for her life-saving skills. Furthermore, she had received numerous commendation letters from the community for her prompt, courteous, and thoughtful service. After dutifully serving for 18 years on the Fair Lawn Police Department, Officer Collura was fatally shot on April 17, 2003, in the line of duty. She was only 43 years old. Mary Ann did not begin a life of aiding others when she became a police officer. She became a police officer so she could make a living doing what she really had already done, being our protector. For those who knew her, Mary Ann lived by her own rules; and though her death tore deep in the hearts of so many people who continue to grieve, it was her way: on the job, protecting her fellow officers and protecting all of us. Thanks to the courageous acts of people like Officer Mary Ann Collura, countless Americans can go about their daily lives in a freer and safer society. Police Officer Collura's tragic death should serve as a reminder to all of us how fortunate we are to have such heroic individuals looking over us. Mr. DAVIS of Illinois . Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from the Ninth District of New Jersey (Mr. Rothman), the author of this legislation. (Mr. ROTHMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois for yielding me time. I thank our chairman, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis), and I thank our ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman), for moving this bill so expeditiously through the House. And I thank our fellow Senators from the other body for their cosponsoring of my legislation in that body as well. I rise in support of H.R. 3939, a bill to rename the main post office in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, the town I live in, within my district, as the Mary Ann Collura Post Office. It has been a year since we lost Mary Ann, who served on the Fair Lawn Police Force for 18 years. She was the first female police officer in Fair Lawn history. She was killed in the line of duty on April 17, 2003. Mary Ann was backing up another police officer from the district of the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), Steven Farrell, who was in the course of arresting three men charged with robbery following a car chase that ended outside a church in Fair Lawn , New Jersey . It was at that point that Officer Farrell was wounded and Officer Collura was fatally wounded. Throughout her life, as the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) so eloquently said, Mary Ann embodied what is best about the people in our communities in New Jersey, and perhaps in all of America. She was kind, she was generous, she was courageous, she was a pioneer, and she was a person who truly cared about her community. She was the kind of a police officer who all the kids in the school system knew they could go to if they had a problem, especially a problem that they felt uncomfortable talking to their teachers or their parents about. She was a pioneer. She grew up always wanting to be a police officer, and when she got sworn in, it was the happiest, most proud day of her life. There was no obstacle that would stand in her way. She was going to protect the people of Fair Lawn, New Jersey. She had this special desire, among many other things, innovations of hers, to protect kids during Halloween. So she spearheaded the effort to give each child in Fair Lawn, New Jersey a glow stick so that while they were walking through the streets trick-or-treating, they could be seen by people driving their cars and perhaps their parents following somewhat behind since, of course, it is very embarrassing, as my children say, to be walking with your own children, or have your own parents walking with you. That led, as a matter of fact, to my reintroducing a bill to move daylight savings time one week later after Halloween so that kids could trick-or-treat in an extra hour of daylight. But it was Mary Ann's love for her community and love for those children that put forth that particular effort and made her a mentor, a mentor to young police officers, men and women, who saw her as a true leader. She loved motorcycles, and the day after her memorial service, 2,500 police officers, and others, 2,500 motorcyclists rode through Fair Lawn, New Jersey in honor of Mary Ann Collura. It was a sight to behold. To commemorate the life of Mary Ann Collura and her outstanding service to the people of the community of Fair Lawn, New Jersey, I introduced legislation to rename the Fair Lawn Post Office the Mary Ann Collura Post Office at Fair Lawn, New Jersey, so that when future generations who never had the privilege of knowing her or never read the stories about her, when a child walks into the post office in the future with their mom or their dad, they would say, Mommy or Daddy, why is this plaque here? Who was Mary Ann Collura? And then the story of Mary Ann Collura, her bravery, her great service to the people of Fair Lawn would be retold from generation to generation and onward ever forward, because she truly was a great role model, not just for young women, but for everyone. As we come together to celebrate National Police Week and National Peace Officers Memorial Day this Thursday, we remember that in life and death, Mary Ann Collura and so many other fallen officers remind us of a difference that one person can make in making this world a safer and better place. We know that Mary Ann is looking down upon us from heaven, and that while Fair Lawn and the people of Fair Lawn may have lost one of their bravest protectors, they have gained and the world has gained another angel. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for this piece of legislation, and I know that the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) joins with me and will have some remarks as well. Mrs. MILLER of Michigan . Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers at this time, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. DAVIS of Illinois . Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he might consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) from the Eighth District. Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in very strong support of H.R. 3939. This bill is to redesignate a postal facility in Fair Lawn, New Jersey in honor of Mary Ann Collura, a wonderful, wonderful woman who I knew personally, a brave officer who was shot down in the line of duty while protecting her hometown and coming to the assistance of another police officer from another town. She was in every sense of the word a first responder all the time, every day. I want to congratulate my neighboring Congressman, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Rothman), on moving this forward. Mary Ann Collura defied the odds. She lived her dream by becoming Fair Lawn's first female law enforcement officer. She set her mind to doing it, and she did it. Officer Collura was a credit to her community, partly because she broke the mold by becoming that first female police officer, and partly because she served an impressive 18 years. But her greatest quality was her attachment and proven dedication to the community of Fair Lawn. She grew up there. She knew that community, and she loved it, and they loved her. No citizen can ask for more from their community police officers. This was a woman whose service was not restricted by the hours that she worked. When Mary Ann Collura was in Fair Lawn, on duty or not on duty, the public could depend on her vigilance. Many in my town of Patterson knew all about how she cared. We even called her ``Ma.'' Some of my favorite stories about Mary Ann's heroism revolve around her willingness to face fires. Though she was not a firefighter, Mary Ann had that firefighter instinct, was never hesitant to enter a burning building in order to protect her community. She once saved an elderly woman that was trapped in a burning house following a cooking accident. On April 17, 2003, the day Mary Ann was killed, she was assisting an officer from Clifton, New Jersey, police officer Steven Farrell. Once the apprehended suspect left the district and reached Fair Lawn, the suspect abandoned his car and started to run by foot. Officer Farrell and Officer Collura attempted to pursue and arrest the suspect. Four shots were fired, both officers were shot, but it was Officer Collura who suffered fatal wounds. Mary Ann Collura's story is humbling. I will never forget the help that she lent to Officer Farrell and the Clifton Police Department. Officer Collura made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the safety of her loving community, and it is for this that we honor her. Naming a post office after Officer Collura is only a small token of our deep appreciation. It is my hope that the redesignation will provide that her name and inspiring story will always be remembered. Mr. Speaker, I urge the House to pass this fitting tribute to Officer Collura. As the story that the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Rothman) shared with me earlier this afternoon, someday in the future, that little child will be walking past this Post Office with his parents and will ask, what is that name all about, and the parents will know and will tell the story of Mary Ann Collura. God bless her and her family, and God bless this Congress. Mr. DAVIS of Illinois . Mr. Speaker, it is clear from the comments of my colleagues from New Jersey that Mary Ann Collura is indeed a legend in her community and surrounding areas. Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mrs. MILLER of Michigan . Mr. Speaker, I have been touched as well by all of the comments about Mary Ann Collura. Sometimes an incident happens like that in a State and in the Nation that touches everybody and, certainly, naming this Post Office after this fantastic American is an appropriate thing. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of the Members to support the passage of H.R. 3939. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Putnam). The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Miller) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3939. The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.