[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 67 (Tuesday, May 20, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H2938-H2941]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   AUTHORIZING PRESIDENT TO AWARD CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL TO MOTHER 
                                 TERESA

  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1650) to authorize the President to award a gold medal on 
behalf of the Congress to Mother Teresa of Calcutta in recognition of 
her outstanding and enduring contributions through humanitarian and 
charitable activities, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1650

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

     SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds that--
       (1) Mother Teresa of Calcutta has greatly impacted the 
     lives of people in all walks of life in every corner of the 
     world through love and her selfless dedication to humanity 
     and charitable works for nearly 70 years;
       (2) Mother Teresa has expanded her personal dedication by 
     founding the Missionaries of Charity, which include well over 
     3,000 members in 25 countries, who devote their entire lives 
     to serving the poor without accepting any material reward in 
     return;
       (3) Mother Teresa has been recognized as a humanitarian 
     around the world and has been recognized in the form of--
       (A) the first Pope John XXIII Peace Prize (1971);
       (B) the Jawaharal Nehru Award for International 
     Understanding (1972);
       (C) the Nobel Peace Prize (1979); and
       (D) the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1985);
       (4) Mother Teresa is a tool of God;
       (5) God's love flowing through Mother Teresa has forever 
     impacted the culture and history of the world; and
       (6) Mother Teresa truly leads by example and shows the 
     people of the world the way to live by love for mankind.

     SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

       (a) Presentation Authorized.--The President is authorized 
     to present, on behalf of the Congress, a gold medal of 
     appropriate design to Mother Teresa of Calcutta in 
     recognition of her outstanding and enduring contributions to 
     humanitarian and charitable activities.
       (b) Design and Striking.--For the purpose of the 
     presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of 
     the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the 
     ``Secretary'') shall strike a gold medal with suitable 
     emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the 
     Secretary.

     SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

       The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of 
     the gold medal struck pursuant to section 2 under such 
     regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, and at a price 
     sufficient to cover the costs thereof, including labor, 
     materials, dies, and use of machinery, overhead expenses, and 
     the cost of the gold medal.

     SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS.

       The medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals 
     for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.

     SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.

       (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is hereby 
     authorized to be charged against the Numismatic Public 
     Enterprise Fund an amount not to exceed $30,000 to pay for 
     the cost of the medal authorized by this Act.
       (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sales of 
     duplicate bronze medals under section 3 shall be deposited in 
     the Numismatic Public Enterprise Fund.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Delaware [Mr. Castle] and the gentleman from New York [Mr. Flake], each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Delaware [Mr. Castle].
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this afternoon I rise in support of H.R. 1650, the bill 
to award a

[[Page H2939]]

Congressional Gold Medal to Mother Teresa, a woman who is perhaps as 
close to sainthood as anyone this Congress is likely to meet.
  Mother Teresa of Calcutta has set a standard of selfless dedication 
to humanity and charitable works for nearly 70 years. She founded the 
order, the Missionaries of Charity, which now includes over 3,000 
members in 25 countries who devote their lives to serving the poor with 
no material recompense for their sacrifice. Among many other 
humanitarian awards, Mother Teresa has received the Nobel Peace Prize 
in 1979 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom 1985.
  Mother Teresa of Calcutta is most renowned for devoting her life to 
the sick and dying, the poorest of the poor. She lives with them and 
ministers to their physical and spiritual necessities, seeking to 
influence the rest of us by setting an example and defining charity. 
This example must cause us all to reevaluate our lives in the light of 
her wholly admirable life. Mr. Speaker, the standard for a 
Congressional Gold Medal is the recipient must be someone one who has 
performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and 
culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the 
recipient's field long after the achievement itself. Mother Teresa's 
career embodying the principle of charity clearly meets and exceeds 
this standard.
  H.R. 1650 complies with Committee on Banking and Financial Services 
rules regarding the authorization of congressional gold medals. 
Although a committee markup was not held, a majority of both committee 
and subcommittee members are cosponsors. There is no known opposition 
from Members of Congress or the U.S. Mint.
  Mr. Speaker, this legislation may have set a record for the 
attraction of 325 cosponsors in a matter of hours. I understand that 
the sense of urgency is due to the desire of the House to present some 
tangible representation of this award during Mother Teresa's visit to 
the Capitol in a few weeks. The Congressional Gold Medal is the 
appropriate award, since it is the highest civilian honor this Congress 
can bestow.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 1650, urge the House to unanimously 
extend the Congressional Gold Medal to Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa has 
captured the loving spirit of charity and exemplifies the moral 
obligation we all have toward a global community.
  As she once said, the world today is hungry, not only for bread but 
hungry for love, hungry to be wanted, and hungry to be loved. She has 
indeed loved the most needy in the world since 1928. Born in Yugoslavia 
in 1910, she was raised in a comfortable environment. Comfort, however, 
did not mute her call to a higher purpose. Following her convictions, 
she became a nun in 1928, and eventually joined the Loreto Convent in 
India. Subsequently, in 1931, she took the name of Teresa in honor of 
St. Teresa of Avila, a 16th century Spanish nun.
  While teaching in Calcutta in 1929, Mother Teresa took note of 
streets crowded with beggars, lepers, and homeless persons. She was in 
a city where unwanted infants were regularly left to die in the streets 
or in garbage bins. After 17 years of teaching, Mother Teresa felt the 
need to abandon her position as a teacher and instead began to care for 
the needy in the slums of Calcutta.
  Mother Teresa became a citizen of India in 1948 and soon founded the 
Missionaries of Charity. She focused her work on poor children in the 
streets and in 1949 began enlisting recruits to join her in her order. 
The core principle of her order became one of lifetime commitment to 
serving the poor without accepting any material reward in return.
  In the 1950's, Mother Teresa began the work that would gain her 
worldwide acclaim. She established a leper colony called the Town of 
Peace. For this the Indian Government awarded her The Magnificent Lotus 
Award in 1962. Pope Paul the 6th, that same year, placed Missionaries 
of Charity directly under the control of the papacy. In doing so, he 
allowed Mother Teresa to expand her order outside of India. Centers for 
lepers, the blind, the aged and the dying were soon opened all around 
the world.
  The love, the concern and samaritanship so evident in Mother Teresa 
was honored by the Pope in 1971 when he awarded her the first Pope John 
the 23d Peace Prize. She received her greatest award in 1979 when she 
received the Nobel Peace Prize. As with other awards, Mother Teresa 
accepted the prize on behalf of the poor and used the monetary gifts to 
fund her centers. Today there are over 3,000 nuns in her order, and 
Missionaries of Charity centers in over 25 countries.
  Mr. Speaker, these deeds and her consistent hard work on behalf of 
the needy have made Mother Teresa a paragon of charity. She has indeed 
left an indelible mark on our society. We should do nothing less than 
to follow her advice to make our homes centers of compassion and 
forgiveness endlessly.

                              {time}  1315

  Believing in this advice will make us all a better people.
  I close by again advising this House to give support to the bill. It 
is a small gesture for our Nation to honor a larger than life human 
being. But as Mother Teresa has said, ``We can do no great things, only 
small things with great love.''
  I believe that every Member voting for this particular legislation 
today will express to Mother Teresa not only our love but the love of 
the people of this Nation as we reach out to one who has always reached 
out to others.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Christensen].
  Mr. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank some of the people who 
helped in bringing this legislation to the floor.
  When Senator Brownback initially approached me with the idea of 
introducing this legislation on the House side just a month ago, I was 
not sure that we could get the needed 290 cosponsors in time for Mother 
Teresa's visit next month. As of today, we have 327 cosponsors.
  That is why I want to thank the gentleman from Tennessee, Mr. Zach 
Wamp, and the gentleman from Michigan, Mr. Stupak, and the gentleman 
from Tennessee, Mr. Bryant, and the gentleman from Nevada, Mr. Ensign, 
and the gentlewoman from Missouri, Mrs. Emerson, for obtaining the 
necessary number of signatures and cosponsors because literally this 
was a team effort.
  I would also like to thank the gentleman from Delaware [Mr. Castle], 
for helping expedite this bill through, as well as the gentleman from 
New York [Mr. Flake].
  The cosponsor on this bill is my friend, the gentleman from Illinois, 
Mr. Jesse Jackson. He and his staff have worked hard on this bill. They 
have helped work the issue on both sides, and I think it is a neat 
opportunity when two Members from the two different parties can work 
together in a bipartisan fashion and work together for the good of the 
country and for a cause that we all believe in.
  On June 5, a woman who has made it her lifelong mission to serve 
others will visit this Congress. This woman can be recognized by all as 
the most important self-sacrificing heroine of our time. For this 
reason, my colleagues and I would like to grant Mother Teresa the 
Congressional Gold Medal.
  Mother Teresa has spent the majority of her 87 years reaching out to 
the poorest of the poor and providing comfort to individuals who face 
nothing but hopelessness and despair. Her personal commitment to the 
sick and dying demonstrate her unceasing love and selfless devotion to 
mankind, serving as a true model for the world to follow.
  She has proven repeatedly that no matter how indigent an individual 
has become, simple acts of love and tenderness can once again help them 
discover the true sense of dignity, humanity, and at least momentary 
peace. Her inspirational work will live forever and can be multiplied 
through the Missionaries of Charity, which now resides in every 
continent, even in Russia, where her sisters continue their service to 
the poor and neglected.

[[Page H2940]]

  Today the Missionaries of Charity have more than 4,000 nuns who run 
over 5,517 orphanages, housing the impoverished, the ill, the homeless, 
and the dying. In a world that sometimes seems so impersonal and 
unaffected by the suffering of others, Mother Teresa has provided hope 
and encouragement through her endearing spirit. She has an exceptional 
character and has sacrificed the greater part of her daily life for 
others.
  Mother Teresa is visibly perceived by many as a living saint. Her 
love and compassion for humanity will always serve as a constant 
reminder that no matter what age, gender, or faith one may be that 
every human being has the ability to make an impression on mankind. Her 
tradition of spirituality and compassion has made her one of the 
greatest humanitarians of all time.
  Recently, a poll was taken here in the United States and of all the 
people that the United States said they respected the most, Mother 
Teresa was voted No. 1. Though weakened by a chronic heart ailment and 
other heart problems, Mother Teresa's deep hope and abiding faith in 
God will live on forever.
  In closing, I would like to share some of Mother Teresa's wisdom by 
quoting her. She once said, ``If we pray, we will believe. If we 
believe, we will love. If we love, we will serve. We can do no great 
things, only small things with great love.''
  That quote reminds me of Matthew 22 that talks about the greatest 
commandment of loving others. Mother Teresa has embodied what Christ 
called the greatest commandment, and the second greatest commandment 
was like the first.
  I urge the immediate adoption of H.R. 1650 in a bipartisan fashion, 
and I thank the Members that have worked so hard in bringing this to 
the floor.
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Chicago, IL, Mr. Jesse Jackson, Jr., the cosponsor of 
this legislation.
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 1650, and I would like to thank 
the gentleman from Delaware, Chairman Castle, and the gentleman from 
New York, Mr. Flake, the ranking member, for the opportunity to address 
this important piece of legislation commending and honoring the work of 
Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa has been referred to as a moral leader, a 
Nobel laureate who has also been regularly referred to as a living 
saint among us.
  Mr. Speaker, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my 
good friend, the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Christensen] for 
providing me with the opportunity to cosponsor this worthy endeavor. 
When the gentleman initially approached me about the legislation, there 
was no equivocation whatsoever about my willingness to support and work 
on this side of the aisle to seek Democratic cosponsors of such a 
worthy piece of legislation. I think that the thoughtfulness of the 
gentleman from Nebraska on this particular piece of legislation is 
certainly an example of the kind of spirit that he has brought to this 
Congress, and it is indeed an honor to have the privilege of being a 
cosponsor with the gentleman on this piece of legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, with this Congressional Gold Medal we honor Mother 
Teresa of Calcutta upon her retirement as superior general of the 
Missionaries of Charity, the order she founded in 1947 to care for the 
dying and destitute of Calcutta, India. This moral and spiritual 
leader, known to the world as the ``Saint of the Gutters'' for her 
lifelong work caring for the third world's poorest of the poor, 
continues her struggle for humanity despite her own physical frailty.
  After suffering from malaria, from pneumonia, a heart attack, and 
after undergoing three heart surgeries just last year, the 86-year-old 
Mother Teresa has announced that she hopes that she is able to set up a 
base in China as her next project. Imagine that, 86, after having 
suffered from malaria, from pneumonia, a heart attack and three 
different surgeries, Mother Teresa keeps on giving and she never ceases 
to keep on giving.
  The Albanian-born Mother Teresa, who bravely combats her physical 
weakness, lacks no internal moral strength or outward vision. She is 
motivated by the depth of her faith and spirituality. Through her 
direct humanitarian acts, carried out by the Missionaries of Charity, 
she has transformed millions of lives one by one in the order's AIDS 
hospices, soup kitchens, homes for unwed mothers, clinics, schools, and 
homes for the lepers, the sick, and the terminally ill in 25 nations 
across this world.
  The sisters of her order literally go out into the streets and 
physically lift the starving terminally ill, drawing them into these 
homes to provide them with shelter and medicine free of charge. Most 
importantly, the sisters offer the least of these, our world's most 
vulnerable, who have so tragically been cast aside by society, the 
dignity and the respect of which all human beings are deserving.
  It is this spirit, the spirit of Mother Teresa, that I believe was 
probably best engendered in recent times in our Nation by the volunteer 
summit that took place in Philadelphia, where we saw Americans 
attempting to give back beyond themselves, beyond their class, beyond 
their race, and even beyond their own value system, to give of 
themselves, and no other person in our world for such a time as this 
has provided that as the gentlewoman from Calcutta.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe we can all learn and embrace her example. She 
is motivated by her faith to do good. She feeds the poor because they 
are hungry; she houses the homeless because they lack shelter; she 
treats the sick because they are ill. Her love and her care is not 
conditional. Her service to humanity is based upon her deep seated 
belief that we are all members of one human family.
  She treats people of all races and ethnicities, of all social 
stratum, equally, regardless of their relative wealth or poverty. In 
essence, this is what her deep sense of spirituality and religion 
compel her to do. Her righteous and selfless example is one from which 
we can all find inspiration and take guidance and direction.
  Mr. Speaker, it is an honor today to sponsor this bill to bestow the 
Congressional Medal of Honor to Mother Teresa when she graces us with 
her presence on June 5. I thank my colleagues for the overwhelming 
support for this tribute to a truly remarkable member of the world 
community.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, 
and solely to thank those who were the sponsors of this legislation. 
The gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Christensen] referenced this, but they 
did an extraordinary job of getting more signatures in this Congress in 
support of something than maybe anybody in the history of the Congress, 
for all I know, in a remarkably short time. So I congratulate them both 
on that. Obviously, the cause was extremely justifiable, which we have 
all learned here today, and we appreciate that, too.
  I also want to thank the gentleman from New York [Mr. Flake] who 
continues to be a wonderful ranking member to work with on this 
committee. Hopefully, we will have some success again today as we have 
before.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to 
say that, indeed, it is a joy to work with the gentleman from Delaware, 
and I am overwhelmed by the number of supporters that spoke on this 
bill and actually signed on in such short order.
  I think that makes the ultimate statement of the value of this 
particular piece of legislation, and would hope that all of our 
colleagues would join us, for I think this expresses all that is a part 
of what our life ought to be, and that is loving our neighbors as we 
love ourselves.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to 
encourage everyone to support this. We will be asking for rollcall 
votes so people will have an opportunity to vote for it.
  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1650. At 
the same time, I rise in total support of, and with complete respect 
for, the work of Mother Teresa, the Missionaries of Charity 
organization, and each of

[[Page H2941]]

Mother Teresa's Nobel Peace Prize-winning humanitarian efforts. I 
oppose the Gold Medal for Mother Teresa Act because appropriating 
$30,000 of taxpayer money is neither constitutional nor, in the spirit 
of Mother Teresa who dedicated here entire life to voluntary, 
charitable work, particularly humanitarian.
  Because of my continuing and uncompromising opposition to 
appropriations not authorized within the enumerated powers of the 
Constitution, several of my colleagues found it amusing to question me 
personally as to whether, on this issue, I would maintain my resolve 
and commitment of the Constitution--a Constitution, which only months 
ago, each Member of Congress, swore to uphold. In each of these 
instances, I offered to do a little more than uphold my constitutional 
oath.
  In fact, as a means of demonstrating my personal regard and 
enthusiasm for the work of Mother Teresa, I invited each of these 
colleagues to match my private, personal contribution of $100 which, if 
accepted by the 435 Members of the House of Representatives, would more 
than satisfy the $30,000 cost necessary to mint and award a gold medal 
to the well-deserving Mother Teresa. To me, it seemed a particularly 
good opportunity to demonstrate one's genuine convictions by spending 
one's own money rather than that of the taxpayers who remain free to 
contribute, at their own discretion, to the work of Mother Teresa and 
have consistently done so. For the record, not a single Representative 
who solicited my support for spending taxpayer's money, was willing to 
contribute their own money to demonstrate the courage of their so-
called convictions and generosity.
  It is, of course, very easy to be generous with other people's money.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Sununu). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Delaware [Mr. Castle] that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1650.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof)----
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________