[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 90 (Tuesday, June 24, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1307]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      RECOGNITION OF NIKOLA TESLA

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                        HON. ROD R. BLAGOJEVICH

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 24, 1997

  Mr. BLAGOJEVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the vast 
accomplishments of an often neglected figure in our Nation's history. A 
man who strived to fulfill the American dream and in doing so aided in 
the synthesis of some of the most significant scientific advancements 
of this century. The man I wish to acknowledge is Mr. Nikola Tesla: a 
student, an inventor, and a hero of the American industrial revolution.
  Nikola Tesla was born on the morning of July 10, 1856 in the midst of 
a tumultuous thunderstorm. The weather conditions surrounding his birth 
led some to call him the storm child while his mother preferred to 
assume the positive approach and affectionately referred to her son as 
the child of the light. Both these names proved to be reflections of 
Nikola's later life as an ingenious inventor. His innate love for 
scientific discovery became apparent at an early age and lasted 
throughout his lifetime.
  After completing an advanced degree in the field of engineering, 
Tesla pursued a career as an electric engineer in the United States. He 
worked closely with Thomas Edison, the world renowned American 
inventor, to bring the wonder of electricity to the growing metropolis 
of New York. Allied with the commercial distribution strength of George 
Westinghouse, Nikola Tesla began his quest to spread the power of 
electricity across this great country. In 1893, Tesla was commissioned 
to generate the thousands of volts of electrical power necessary to 
light the Chicago World's Fair. In addition to this engineering feat, 
Tesla was also responsible for the design of the Niagara Mohawk Falls 
power plant which to this day provides an ecological and economical 
means of power to the upper portion of New York State and parts of 
Canada.
  At the turn of the century, Nikola Tesla dedicated himself to 
independent research which led to a series of landmark discoveries. 
During this period Tesla conceived such innovations as the alternating 
current generator, the properties of the spinning magnetic field, the 
Tesla coil, the basic principals of broadcasting, as well as 700 other 
significant inventions and theories. Many of Tesla's discoveries form 
the foundation upon which our current technology is based, yet 
presently he receives little recognition for his contributions to the 
modern world. It is distressing that this man who transformed science 
fiction into a tangible reality is not properly credited with his 
accomplishments.
  Nikola Tesla is a man who deserves acknowledgment for his numerous 
contributions to the advancement of American as well as world 
technology. It is an undebatable fact that Tesla was an essential 
component in providing the economical distribution of electricity to 
this country, an important factor in the industrialization of our 
Nation. In an age in which technology and scientific advancements are 
vital to everyday life, we are particularly indebted to the work of 
this unsung hero. The modern day conveniences of electricity, 
telecommunications, and broadcasting are reason enough to take time to 
acknowledge the man who is responsible for the basis of these 
innovations. Mr. Speaker, thank you for allowing me to recognize the 
achievements of this American citizen before the U.S. House of 
Representatives.

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