H.R. 4301, To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 201 Tom Hall Street in Fort Mill, South Carolina, as the “J. Elliott Williams Post Office Building”
Floor Situation
On Monday May 7, 2018, the House will consider H.R. 4301, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 201 Tom Hall Street in Fort Mill, South Carolina, as the “J. Elliott Williams Post Office Building”, under suspension of the rules. This bill was introduced on November 8, 2017 by Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) and was referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which ordered the bill reported by unanimous consent on November 30, 2017.
Summary
H.R. 4301 designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 201 Tom Hall Street in Fort Mill, South Carolina, as the “J. Elliott Williams Post Office Building”.
Background
James Elliott Williams was born in Fort Mill, South Carolina on November 13, 1930. On August 8, 1947, at the age of 16, James entered the United States Navy where he served for twenty years. During his tenure, he served in, and during, the Cold War (1947-1967), the Korean War (1952), Cuban Missile Crisis (1962), and Vietnam War (1966-1967). Williams retired on April 26, 1967 as the most highly decorated enlisted man in the history of the United States Navy. During the Vietnam War, Petty Officer Williams was assigned to the River Patrol Force, River, and one of their missions was to intercept enemy arms and shipments in South Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. During this battle, Williams and his men neutralized one boat crew, and chased another into a nearby canal. When they chased the escaped crew, they found themselves in a swath of enemy combatants behind enemy lines. Under heavy fire from the river banks, Williams and his men fought them all off for roughly three hours into the night. After the battle was complete, the American naval force, led by Williams, killed roughly one thousand Viet Cong guerrillas, destroyed over sixty vessels, and disrupted a major enemy logistic operation in South Vietnam.
On May 14, 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson, in the name of Congress, presented James E. Williams the Medal of Honor. During his last seven months in the Navy, Williams received every sea-service award for heroism. He was awarded multiple awards in his naval service, including the Navy Cross, Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, Purple Heart, Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, and many more. Following his retirement from the active service, Williams was employed by the Wackenhut Corporation. In 1969, he was appointed U.S. Marshal for South Carolina, where he served for eight years. He ultimately was transferred to U.S. Marshal service headquarters, Washington, DC as Programs Manager, Health and Safety and In-District Training Officer where he served until his retirement from the U.S. Marshal Service with the grade of GS-18 in 1989. He also became the first Law Enforcement Officer in history allowed to enter the Soviet Union to pick up a prisoner for return to the United States in 1975.
James Williams passed away on October 13, 1999 at the age of 68, and he is now buried at the Florence National Cemetery in Florence, South Carolina. Following his death, on June 28, 2003, his wife, Elaine, watched the launching of the Arleigh Burke class destroyer, the USS James E. Williams (DDG-95), which was commissioned in his honor.
Cost
A Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate is not currently available; however, CBO has previously estimated that enacting legislation of this kind would have no significant impact on the federal budget.
Staff Contact
For questions or further information please contact Ryan Hofmann with the House Republican Policy Committee by email or at 2-6674.