[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 37 (Tuesday, March 9, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H1048]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PROVIDING FOR USE OF CATAFALQUE IN CRYPT BENEATH ROTUNDA OF CAPITOL IN 
   CONNECTION WITH MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR THE LATE HONORABLE HARRY A. 
 BLACKMUN, FORMER ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED 
                                 STATES

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on 
House Administration be discharged from further consideration of the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 45) providing for the use of the 
catafalque situated in the crypt beneath the rotunda of the Capitol in 
connection with memorial services to be conducted in the Supreme Court 
Building for the late honorable Harry A. Blackmun, former Associate 
Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, and ask for its 
immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, and I have no 
intention of objecting, but I will ask the chairman if he has any 
comments he wants to make with reference to the legislation.
  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. HOYER. I yield to the gentleman from California.
  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the ranking member, 
the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), for yielding.
  This is a serious occasion when an Associate Justice of the United 
States, after 24 years of service, passes away, and it is entirely 
appropriate that the catafalque reserved in the basement of the 
Capitol, known as the Lincoln catafalque, since he was the first to use 
that catafalque, be provided for the Supreme Court for this occasion.
  It is always a sad time when the catafalque is used, but the memories 
and the history of this country, intertwined with the catafalque, I 
believe, carry with it the appropriate seriousness and ceremonial 
nature of recognizing one of America's finest former Justices of the 
Supreme Court.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. HOYER. Reclaiming my time, I echo the chairman's comments, Mr. 
Speaker. I believe that it is appropriate in this instance for us to 
authorize the use of the catafalque by the Supreme Court, as the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) has said, to honor someone who 
has given such long and honored service to the country.
  Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the concurrent resolution, as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 45

       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Architect of the Capitol is authorized 
     and directed to transfer to the custody of the Chief Justice 
     of the United States the catafalque which is situated in the 
     crypt beneath the rotunda of the Capitol so that such 
     catafalque may be used in the Supreme Court Building in 
     connection with services to be conducted there for the late 
     honorable Harry A. Blackmun, former Associate Justice of the 
     Supreme Court of the United States.

  The concurrent resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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