[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 45 (Thursday, April 21, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[Congressional Record: April 21, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
PUBLIC SERVICE RECOGNITION WEEK
Mrs. BYRNE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee
on Post Office and Civil Service be discharged from further
consideration of the Senate joint resolution (S.J. Res. 150) to
designate the week of May 2 through May 8, 1994, as ``Public Service
Recognition Week,'' and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the Senate joint resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Virginia?
Mrs. MORELLA. Madam Speaker, reserving the right to object, I yield
to the gentlewoman from Virginia [Mrs. Byrne], who is the chief sponsor
of House Joint Resolution 253, which is the House counterpart of Senate
Joint Resolution 150 to designate the week of May 2 through May 8 as
``Public Service Recognition Week,'' for the explanation of this
legislation.
Mrs. BYRNE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Maryland, my
friend who has worked with me on this issue, for yielding.
Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my
distinguished colleagues who have joined me as cosponsors of the
resolution I introduced to designate the week of May 2, 1994, as Public
Service Recognition Week.
Public Service Recognition Week pays tribute to the almost 20 million
Americans who serve their communities, their States, and their country
by working for government.
This year will mark the ninth Public Service Recognition Week, and
over 1,000 municipalities across this Nation are gearing up to honor
their public employees.
Public Service Recognition Week reminds us that all Americans benefit
from the achievements of public employees. They protect our streets,
maintain our natural parks, explore our skies, teach our children and
defend our nation.
This week teaches us that government employees are not nameless
bureaucrats, but doctors and engineers, teachers and scientists, police
officers and soldiers, friends and family members.
Their efforts prove that serving one's country in the public sector
is the highest form of patriotism. Their commitment and hard work on
behalf of this Nation deserve to be recognized.
Public Service Recognition Week offers us a chance to proclaim our
solidarity with government workers and to show America that public
employees are an integral part of reinventing government.
Most importantly, Public Service Recognition Week is a way to inform
all Americans--especially young people--of the opportunities for
choosing public service as a life-long profession.
This year, as they have done in the past, the Public Employees
Roundtable and the President's Council on Management Improvement, who
sponsor the week, are organizing a salute to public service on the Mall
here in Washington.
The various Federal agencies will set up tents on the Mall with
exhibits celebrating the achievements of public employees. I look
forward to seeing many young people out there gaining new insights into
career choices.
Public Service Recognition Week is a proven way to enhance employee
morale, heighten America's awareness of the services provided by its
public employees and encourage a new generation of Americans to
consider public service.
{time} 1540
Mrs. MORELLA. Madam Speaker, continuing to reserve the right to
object, I want to commend the gentlewoman from Virginia [Mrs. Byrne]
who serves on the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service with me
and who has been a leader for Federal employees in her district and
throughout the country and for her leadership on this resolution.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Joint Resolution 253, of
which I am an original cosponsor, and the corresponding Senate
resolution, Senate Joint Resolution 150, designating May 2 through May
8, 1994 as ``Public Service Recognition Week.''
This measure recognizes public service at all levels: local,
municipal, county, State and Federal. The 17 million Americans who are
in public service affect each facet of life in our country--from the
food we eat, the quality of the water we drink, the air we breath, the
roads we drive on, and the safety of our communities. We depend on them
for quality education, for the effective and honest weights and
measurements, for research in health and nutrition.
The importance of public service is often overlooked by most of our
citizens. This is an opportunity to bring to our Nation's attention the
many avenues of career development in the public service. I would like
to recognize the positive work done by a dedicated organization, the
Public Employees Roundtable [PER]. PER is a nonprofit educational
organization which represents 38 professional employee groups. I would
like to specially mention the outstanding work that my constituent, Dr.
Joan Keston, president of PER, has been doing over the decade in
organizing Public Service Recognition Week.
This is actually the ninth year that PER has sponsored Public Service
Recognition Week. They expect that more than 1,000 cities across the
Nation will participate in observing public service recognition this
year. Additionally, Madam Speaker, President Clinton's public service
announcement in support of public employees will air on over 2,300
radio stations.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important measure
which will recognize the dedication of public service employees.
Madam Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I yield to the
gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman], who has been so prominent on the
Committee on Post Office and Civil Service, and who previously was the
ranking member until he became the ranking member of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs.
(Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. GILMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Joint
Resolution 253, which designates the week of May 2, 1994 through May 8,
1994, as ``Public Service Recognition Week,'' and I commend the
gentlewoman from Virginia [Mrs. Byrne] for introducing this
legislation.
Madam Speaker, as a senior Republican member on the House Post Office
and Civil Service Committee it gives me great pleasure to join in
congratulating the dedicated men and women who have chosen a career in
public service. Public employees in all levels of our Government
continue to be an integral part of the American work force. Our public
servants hold an important part of our public trust and provide vital
services for Americans each day.
Madam Speaker, in recent years public employees have taken the brunt
of criticism aimed at our Government. There have been numerous attempts
to cut their pay and benefits while their salaries continue to lag
behind workers in the private sector. Yet, our Nation's public
employees continue to serve our country with dedication and
distinction.
Madam Speaker, ``Public Service Recognition Week'' provides the
American people and this body with the opportunity to thank the many
men and women in public service, as well as to acknowledge their
outstanding contributions to our Nation. Let us remember that good
government is a reflection of the men and women who strive to make it
that way. Let us be grateful that so many qualified men and women have
chosen and continue to choose careers in public service. Accordingly, I
urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.
I thank the gentlewoman from Maryland [Mrs. Morella] and the
gentlewoman from Virginia [Mrs. Byrne] for bringing this measure to
this floor at this time.
Mrs. MORELLA. Madam Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Unsoeld). Is there objection to the
request of the gentlewoman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
The Clerk read the Senate joint resolution, as follows:
S.J. Res. 150
Whereas public employees at every level of government
faithfully serve their fellow Americans;
Whereas there are 9,000,000 employees in local government,
4,000,000 employees in State government, and over 3,000,000
civilian workers and 2,000,000 military employees in the
Federal Government;
Whereas Americans are aware of the many contributions
public employees have made to the quality of their lives, in
occupations that run and gamut from astronauts to zoologists,
including scientists, police officers, teachers, doctors,
forest rangers, engineers, food inspectors, researchers, and
foreign service agents, among others;
Whereas the Nation should value a professional civil
service whose highest principle is one of patriotism, whose
foremost commitment is to excellence, and whose experience
and expertise are a national resource to be used and
respected;
Whereas the millions of workers who serve our country are
men and women of knowledge, ability, and integrity who
deserve to be recognized for their dedicated service; and
Whereas designating a week to honor these employees will
provide a dual opportunity to pay tribute to our public
employees and to inform the American people about the scope
and importance of public service, including the range of
employment opportunities available to our young people: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and the House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the
week of May 2 through May 8, 1994, is designated as ``Public
Service Recognition Week''. The President is authorized and
requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of
the United States to observe the week with appropriate
programs, ceremonies, and activities.
The Senate joint resolution was ordered to be read a third time, was
read the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on
the table.
____________________