[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 144 (Thursday, October 6, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 6, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                         THOMAS PAINE MEMORIAL

  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the 
Speaker's table the Senate joint resolution S.J. Res. 227) to approve 
the location of the Thomas Paine Memorial, 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 
gentleman from Minnesota?
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I will not 
object, and I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota, [Mr. Vento], for 
an explanation.
  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's cooperation. 
What I am doing is to, in fact, pass the Thomas Paine Memorial. The 
resolution would provide for the approval in area I of the location as 
a search site for the Thomas Paine Memorial. I also will offer further 
amendments which will provide for the consideration and approval of the 
World War II Memorial for area I.
  Area I, of course, is the monumental core around the Capitol, the 
White House, for the location of monuments which we, as the Committee 
on Natural Resources, do screening of these proposals.
  These proposals are introduced by the gentlewoman from New York [Mrs. 
Lowery], and the gentlewoman from Ohio [Mrs. Kaptur].
  I intend to amend, with the approval of the House tonight, the 
proposal to include the World War II approval and send that back to the 
Senate for final action.
  This is an important process. It has been a long process for both of 
these.
  There are some technical problems with it, and the amendments will 
clarify that.
  Mr. Hansen. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Senate Joint Resolution 
227, as amended. First, I want to extend my personal thanks to Chairmen 
Miller and Vento, and the ranking members of the Natural Resources 
Committee, Congressmen Young of Alaska and Hansen. They have been very 
helpful in moving this resolution through the House without delay.
  This resolution gives congressional approval to the recommendations 
of the Secretary of the Interior to locate monuments to Thomas Paine 
and to those who served our Nation in World War II in the area 
designated as ``Area I.'' That area is reserved for the most important 
of our Nation's monuments, and indeed both of these deserve that 
special treatment.
  Tonight's action and the anticipated, Senate concurrence in our 
amendments to Senate Joint Resolution 227 should be the last time this 
Congress will need to take action with regard to these memorials. The 
responsibility now will lie with private organizations to generate the 
necessary resources to finance these memorials. Given the depth of 
conviction across America for extending these tributes, I am confident 
they will succeed so that long overdue recognition both to Thomas Paine 
and to those who served all of us in the World War II will soon be a 
reality.
  I thank my colleagues for their cooperation.
  The Clerk read the Senate joint resolution, as follows:

                             S.J. Res. 227

       Whereas section 6(a) of the Act entitled ``An Act to 
     provide standards for placement of commemorative works on 
     certain Federal lands in the District of Columbia and its 
     environs, and for other purposes,'' approved November 14, 
     1986 (Public Law 99-652; 100 Stat. 3650) provides that the 
     location of a commemorative work in the area described as 
     Area I shall be deemed disapproved unless the location is 
     approved by law not later than 150 days after notification of 
     Congress that the commemorative work may be located in Area 
     I; and
       Whereas Public Law 102-407, as amended by Public Law 102-
     459, authorized the Thomas Paine National Historical 
     Association U.S.A. Memorial Foundation to establish a 
     memorial on Federal land in the District of Columbia to 
     Thomas Paine; and
       Whereas the Secretary of the Interior has notified the 
     Congress of his determination that the memorial may be 
     located in Area I: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and House and Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 
     location of a Thomas Paine Memorial, authorized by Public Law 
     102-407, as amended by Public Law 102-459, and within Area I 
     as described in Public Law 99-652, is approved.


      amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by mr. vento

  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by Mr. 
     Vento: Strike all after the resolving clause and insert:
       That (a) the location of a Thomas Paine Memorial, 
     authorized by Public Law 102-407, as amended by Public Law 
     102-459, within either Area I or Area II as described in 
     Public Law 99-652 (100 Stat. 3650), is approved and (b) the 
     location of a World War II Memorial, authorized by Public Law 
     103-32, within either Area I or Area II as described in 
     Public Law 99-652 (100 Stat. 3650), is hereby approved.

  Mr. VENTO (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that the amendment in the nature of a substitute be considered as read 
and printed in the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the amendment in the 
nature of a substitute offered by the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. 
Vento].
  The amendment in the nature of a substitute was agreed to.
  Amendment to the Preamble Offered by Mr. Vento.
  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment to the preamble.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment offered by Mr. Vento to the Preamble:
       Strike the preamble and insert:
       Whereas section 6(a) of the Act entitled ``An Act to 
     provide standards for placement of commemorative works on 
     certain Federal lands in the District of Columbia and its 
     environs, and for other purposes,'' approved November 14, 
     1986 (Public Law 99-652; 100 Stat. 3650) provides that the 
     location of a commemorative work in the area described as 
     Area I shall be deemed disapproved unless the location is 
     approved by law not later than 150 days after notification of 
     Congress that the commemorative work may be located in Area 
     I; and
       Whereas Public Law 102-407, as amended by Public Law 102-
     459, authorized the Thomas Paine National Historical 
     Association U.S.A. Memorial Foundation to establish a 
     memorial on Federal land in the District of Columbia to 
     Thomas Paine; and
       Whereas Public Law 103-32, approved May 25, 1993 (107 Stat. 
     90), authorized the American Battle Monuments Commission to 
     establish a memorial on Federal land in the District of 
     Columbia to members of the Armed Forces who served in World 
     War II; and
       Whereas the Secretary of the Interior has notified the 
     Congress of his determination that such memorials should be 
     located in Area I: Now, therefore, be it

  Mr. VENTO (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that the amendment to the preamble be considered as read and printed in 
the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the amendment to the 
preamble offered by the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Vento].
  The amendment to the preamble was agreed to.
  The Senate joint resolution was ordered to be read a third time, was 
read the third time, and passed.


              amendment to the title offered by mr. vento

  Mr. Vento. Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment to the title.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment to the title offered by Mr. Vento: Amend the 
     title so as to read as follows: ``Joint resolution approving 
     the location of a Thomas Paine Memorial and a World War II 
     Memorial in the Nation' Capitol.''

  The amendment to the title was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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