Steven LaTourette

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3442 establishes the National Museum of African American History and Culture Plan for Action Presidential Commission, which will develop a plan to establish and maintain the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. I want to commend the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Watts) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) for bringing this legislation to our attention. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Watts) to further amplify and to explain the purpose of the commission and the ultimate goal of the legislation.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3442) to establish the National Museum of African American History and Culture Plan for Action Presidential Commission to develop a plan of action for the establishment and maintenance of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., and for other purposes.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3441) to amend title 49, United States Code, to realign the policy responsibility in the Department of Transportation, and for other purposes.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time just to say that one of the treasures and great assets of not only the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, but the Congress is the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar). The remarks that the gentleman just made, going through the entire history of the Department of Transportation, indicate why we rely on him so heavily, and why our committee continues to prosper in a very bipartisan way. It is thanks to his efforts that I continue to learn from him. I urge passage of the bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 259) expressing the sense of Congress regarding the relief efforts undertaken by charitable organizations and the people of the United States in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks against the United States that occurred on September 11, 2001.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), the author of the legislation.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 259 expresses the sense of Congress regarding the relief efforts undertaken by charitable organizations and the people of the United States in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11. Mr. Speaker, the tremendous outpouring of assistance in the wake of the September 11 attacks has become something of an epic legend. Over $1 billion has been collected to support the relief efforts across the country. These organizations serve a vital role in these relief efforts. They were the ones providing hot meals and medical care to the rescuers; they were the ones providing grief counselors to victims and their families; they were the ones ensuring that the displaced had a place to sleep and food to eat; and they are the ones that continue to serve at Ground Zero in New York and at the Pentagon, and wherever victims and their families are located. The resolution does not mention the work by Federal, State, and local governments; but I want to commend each of them for their effort after the terrorist attacks and that which continues today. FEMA, the Small Business Administration, and the State of New York disaster assistance programs have contributed over $696 million. Mr. Speaker, this is a good piece of legislation. It is fitting that the Congress, through its sense of Congress resolution, praise the good efforts of generous Americans and condemns those that abused this trust. I commend the important work done by the Federal, State, and local governments and charities and individual volunteers, and urge my colleagues to support the resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2595) to direct the Secretary of the Army to convey a parcel of land to Chatham County, Georgia, as amended.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Rehberg), the author of the bill, to explain the bill before us. (Mr. REHBERG asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks, and include extraneous material.)

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. I yield to the gentleman from Florida.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) very much for his observations. It is my intention in a moment to ask unanimous consent to withdraw this amendment; but before I do, would the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) like to be yielded to?

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman, and I will tell the distinguished ranking member of the full committee, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), for whom I have great respect and have worked closely with for 7 years, that the appropriators have indicated to me this is a specific situation to deal with the events of September 11. I felt it more than appropriate to express the concerns of our subcommittee that we not lose the oversight function, which we do very well, but I am satisfied and assured by the Chairman's remarks, and I thank him for that. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. I yield to the gentleman from Florida.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Chairman, this is the first of two amendments that we may offer and coauthored by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Costello), the ranking member of our subcommittee. One has to do in section 801, the other one in section 809, is a specific usurpation of the jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Specifically, section 801 would authorize the chief administrative officer of the House to acquire buildings and facilities for the House of Representatives in the event of an emergency situation, and section 809 would permanently authorize the Architect of the Capitol to purchase property for use by the House, the Senate and the Capitol police. The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has a long history of reviewing legislation pertaining to the Capitol grounds, to authorize the Architect of the Capitol to acquire facilities for the Library of Congress, the Library of Congress storage facility, for the Senate page school, for the Japanese-American patriotism memorial on the Senate side, for the Capitol visitors center, and even for the sale of 501 First Street. The legislative language in this appropriations bill causes us some concern; and with the acquiescence of the distinguished chairman of the full committee, I would like to engage in a colloquy, if I may on my time. Mr. Chairman, as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management, I have serious concern over the authorization language relating to the lease, purchase or the acquisition of buildings and facilities granted to the Chief Administrative Officer of the House and the Architect of the Capitol. It is my understanding these provisions are intended to relate to items arising only from the September 11 attacks and other October biological events.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 82) authorizing the 2002 Winter Olympics Torch Relay to come onto the Capitol grounds.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of our time on this side. This is a good and appropriate piece of legislation. I did want to remark that I have had the pleasure of serving in this body now for 7 years, and I always marveled at how tough the legislators were from the State of Idaho, and now I understand that when they have recreation areas named Hell's Canyon and River of No Return, it must be a very tough place to live, indeed. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on S. 1459 and Senate Concurrent Resolution 82, the measures just considered by the House.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he might consume to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson), the other outstanding Representative from that State. Along with the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Otter), they provide able and wonderful service for the citizens of Idaho.