Eleanor Norton

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleagues in consideration of H. Res. 189, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that a Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day be established. H. Res. 189, which has 54 cosponsors, was introduced by Representative Linda Sanchez on February 16, 2007. H. Res. 189 was reported from the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on June 12, 2007 by voice vote. The Vietnam War was the longest military conflict in U.S. history. The hostilities in Vietnam claimed the lives of more than 58,000 Americans, and some 304,000 were wounded in combat. The Vietnam War was a military struggle fought in Vietnam from 1961 to 1973. The patriotic men and women who served valiantly and faithfully in the United States Armed Forces during the Vietnam War were caught, upon their arrival and return home, in the crossfire of public debate about the involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War. Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation to establish a Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day to honor those members of the United States Armed Forces who served in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The time for a Welcome Home Day is long overdue. I know every Member of this House and every American would want to come forward to welcome home these veterans who were not always welcomed home in the way we should always welcome home those who have served us in the Armed Forces regardless of our feelings on the particular conflict in which they came forward bravely to serve us all. Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague, Representative Linda Sanchez, for introducing this legislation and urge the swift passage of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I want to join my colleague in his remarks, and especially his remarks as to why didn't we think of this before. I want to assure Vietnam War veterans, it has nothing to do with their service. We have had a number of wars since and perhaps we have been somewhat preoccupied with war, but we will never forget this important and very sacrificial group of veterans.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 189) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that a ``Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day'' should be established.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague, Mr. Shays, upon the introduction of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues in consideration of H. Con. Res. 142, a bill expressing the sense of Congress there should be established a National Pet Week. H. Con. Res. 142, which has 53 cosponsors, was introduced by Representative Christopher Shays on May 3, 2007. H. Con. Res. 142 was reported from the Oversight Committee on June 12, 2007, by voice vote. National Pet Week was jointly founded in 1991 by the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Auxiliary to the AVMA and is now widely celebrated throughout the United States and other parts of the world. Each year National Pet Week's goals are to promote responsible pet ownership, celebrate the bonding and mutual admiration between animals and humans and promote public awareness of veterinary medicine. Animals and pets provide companionship and pleasure to nearly 69 million individuals and families in the United States. These individuals have dedicated themselves to the care and responsibility of treating animals with love and respect. Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague Representative Christopher Shays for introducing this legislation and I urge swift passage of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this piece of legislation.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 142) expressing the sense of the Congress that there should be established a National Pet Week, as amended.

Ms. NORTON

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

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentlelady from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson).

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, Mr. Shays, for his remarks concerning my membership in this House. It is typical of his generosity, and I appreciate it. I also appreciate his voting for the bill for the residents of the District of Columbia to have a vote in this House. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the sponsor of this bill, the gentlelady from California (Ms. Watson).

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleagues in the discussion of H. Res. 361, recognizing and honoring Jack Valenti and expressing the condolences to the House of Representatives to his family on his death. H. Res. 361, which has 95 cosponsors, was introduced by Representative Diane Watson on May 1, 2007. H. Res. 361 was reported from the Oversight Committee on June 12, 2007 by voice vote. Jack Valenti was born September 5, 1921 in Houston, Texas. An honor student and debate champion at Sam Houston High School, he graduated at age 15. Lacking the funds to attend college, he worked for $11 a week as an usher at a movie theater. At age 20, Mr. Valenti served in the U.S. Army, which in 1941 was called the Army Air Forces. He flew 51 missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He received his MBA degree from Harvard University in 1948 and 4 years later started an advertising business. Mr. Valenti served as a Special Assistant to President Lyndon B. Johnson. In 1966, he left the White House to become president of the Motion Picture Association of America for 38 years. He died on April 26, 2007. Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague, Representative Diane Watson of California, for introducing this legislation and urge the swift passage of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 361) recognizing and honoring Jack Valenti and expressing the condolences of the House of Representatives to his family on his death, as amended.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 123) to authorize appropriations for the San Gabriel Basin Restoration Fund and that the bill be rereferred to the Committee on Natural Resources.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on H. Res. 505.

Ms. NORTON

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

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague from Arkansas for recognizing a true civil rights and judicial pioneer when that was not easy at a time when there were few like him.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may consume to the sponsor of the bill, Mr. Ross of Arkansas.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2011 is a bill to designate the Federal building and United States courthouse at 100 East 8th Avenue in Pine Bluff, Arkansas as the George Howard, Jr. Federal Building and United States Courthouse. Judge Howard, who recently died at age 82, was an icon of the judicial community in Arkansas. He had a lifetime filled with accomplishments, first African American Federal judge in Arkansas, distinguished legal career, Navy veteran, and dedicated family man. He served with distinction on the Arkansas Supreme Court, the Arkansas Court of Appeals, and the Arkansas State Claims Commission. After graduating from the University of Arkansas Law School, George Howard, Jr. began a long illustrious, trailblazing legal career in his home State of Arkansas. After initially working as an attorney in private practice, Judge Howard received his first appointment in 1967 to the Arkansas State Claims Commission. He was then appointed to the Arkansas State Supreme Court as an Arkansas State Supreme Court Justice, and was later appointed by then Governor Bill Clinton as State Court of Appeals judge in 1979. Judge Howard later began his Federal service in 1980, when President Jimmy Carter appointed him a Federal District Judge in Arkansas. The bill has bipartisan support from the Arkansas delegation. It is both fitting and appropriate that we honor Judge Howard's legacy with this designation. I support H.R. 2011 and urge its passage. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2011.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2011) to designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 100 East 8th Avenue in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, as the ``George Howard, Jr. Federal Building and United States Courthouse''.