[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 49 (Monday, April 12, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H1819-H1821]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AUTHORIZING USE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR BIKE RODEO TO BE CONDUCTED BY
THE EARTH FORCE YOUTH BIKE SUMMIT
Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
concurrent resolution, (H. Con. Res. 49) authorizing the use of the
Capitol Grounds for a bike rodeo to be conducted by the Earth Force
Youth Bike Summit.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 49
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring),
SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF BIKE RODEO ON CAPITOL GROUNDS.
The Earth Force Youth Bike Summit (in this resolution
referred to as the ``sponsor'') shall be permitted to sponsor
a bike rodeo (in this resolution referred to as the
``event'') on the Capitol Grounds on May 5, 1999, or on such
other date as the Speaker of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate may
jointly designate.
SEC. 2. TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
(a) In General.--The event authorized by section 1 shall be
free of admission charge to the public and arranged not to
interfere with
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the needs of Congress, under conditions to be prescribed by
the Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board.
(b) Expenses and Liabilities.--The sponsor shall assume
full responsibility for all expenses and liabilities incident
to all activities associated with the event.
SEC. 3. STRUCTURES AND EQUIPMENT.
(a) Structures and Equipment.--Subject to the approval of
the Architect of the Capitol, the sponsor may erect upon the
Capitol Grounds such stage, sound amplification devices, and
other related structures and equipment as may be required for
the event authorized by section 1.
(b) Additional Arrangements.--The Architect of the Capitol
and the Capitol Police Board are authorized to make any such
additional arrangements as may be required to carry out the
event.
SEC. 4. ENFORCEMENT OF RESTRICTIONS.
The Capitol Police Board shall provide for enforcement of
the restrictions contained in section 4 of the Act of July
31, 1946 (40 U.S.C. 193d; 60 Stat. 718), concerning sales,
displays, and solicitations on the Capitol Grounds, as well
as other restrictions applicable to the Capitol Grounds, with
respect to the event authorized by section 1.
SEC. 5. LIMITATIONS ON REPRESENTATIONS.
(a) In General.--No person may represent, either directly
or indirectly, that this resolution or any activity carried
out under this resolution in any way constitutes approval or
endorsement by the Federal Government of any person or any
product or service.
(b) Enforcement.--The Architect of the Capitol and the
Capitol Police Board shall enter into an agreement with the
sponsor, and such other persons participating in the event
authorized by section 1 as the Architect of the Capitol and
the Capitol Police Board considers appropriate, under which
such persons shall agree to comply with the requirements of
subsection (a). The agreement shall specifically prohibit the
use of any photograph taken at the event for a commercial
purpose and shall provide for the imposition of financial
penalties if any violations of the agreement occur.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
North Carolina (Mr. Coble) and the gentlewoman from the District of
Columbia (Ms. Norton) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Coble).
Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 49 authorizes the use of the
Capitol grounds for the ``Get Out Spoke'n'' to be held on May 5th,
1999, or on such date as the Speaker of the House of Representatives
and the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration jointly designate.
The resolution also authorizes the Architect of the Capitol, the
Capitol Police Board, and the sponsor of the event to negotiate the
necessary arrangements for carrying out the event in complete
compliance with the rules and regulations governing the use of the
Capitol grounds.
The event is open to the public and free of charge, and the sponsor
will assume responsibility for all expenses and liabilities related to
the event.
In addition, sales, advertisements, and solicitations are explicitly
prohibited on the Capitol grounds for this event. The Capitol grounds,
Mr. Speaker, will be used for the bicycle summit, which will teach
children the proper ways to ride their bikes and honor children who
have taken an active role in the national campaign to make America more
bike-friendly.
This event will help children to develop habits of active citizenship
and environmental stewardship. I would also like to note that this
resolution has received wide bipartisan support from the Congressional
Bike Caucus. I support the resolution, and urge my colleagues to join
in support.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 49 authorizes the use of the
Capitol grounds on May 5 for a public program to promote bicycle
safety. The program is sponsored by Earth Force, a nonprofit
organization for children. The goal of this youth program is to teach
children the proper ways to ride bicycles and to encourage safe
bicycling programs within our communities.
In 1996, over 350,000 children ages 14 and under were treated for
bike-related injuries. It is estimated that collisions with motor
vehicles account for 90 percent of all bicycle-related injuries.
Event participants will ride their bikes through a mock city set up
on a pavement near the Capitol. During this exercise, they will receive
safety tips and instructions on how to make bikes safer.
Mr. Speaker, I support House Concurrent Resolution 49. I thank the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Franks) and the committee for supporting
the resolution.
I would also like to commend the gentleman from Oregon (Mr.
Blumenauer), a member of the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure and a founder and active member of the Bike Caucus, for
his sponsorship and enthusiastic support for this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman
from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), a sponsor of the concurrent resolution.
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding
time to me.
Mr. Speaker, we in Congress can do many things to enhance the
livability of our communities, giving a wide range of opportunities,
whether it is requiring the Post Office to play by the same rules as
the rest of America by following local land use laws and zoning codes,
and maybe even having meaningful public input, or having more rational
water policies to help protect and renew our communities' waterways.
But no matter where we are in America and how we define livability,
there are several visual indicators that will tell us right away
whether or not we are in a healthy neighborhood.
If we are in a community that is free from vandalism, it is a sign of
a healthy neighborhood. If there are areas that provide access to
walkways and sidewalks that are away from the rush of traffic, it shows
respect for the residents. We are in a healthy neighborhood.
If we have opportunities to move away from the blight that has been a
plague for many communities, and there is renewal of deteriorated
property and housing well-being, it is a sign of a healthy community.
I would think the most basic indicator, however, is whether or not
our children are able to move safely through their neighborhood. One
simple thing we can do today to promote that livability is to support
this resolution and the event that it will enable. It will be the
culmination of a nationwide cycling education project. It allows for a
youth bike summit to take place here within the shadow of the Capitol
dome. It will be the final event of a campaign that has been sponsored,
as we have heard, by Earth Force, involving children from all over
America who will be in our Nation's Capitol for this event.
These children were asked to devise safe bicycling routes through
their communities and share their proposals with their peers. Earth
Force has worked with Safe Moves, another nonprofit agency, to design
the mock city for the children to ride through, and it teaches children
in the ages from the fifth grade through the ninth grade about safe
biking techniques.
As we have heard the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms.
Norton) say, 350,000 children 14 and under were treated in hospital
emergency rooms for bicycle-related injuries last year. These
collisions with motor vehicles account for 90 percent of all bicycle-
related deaths, and 10 percent of all non-fatal related injuries.
The nonpartisan Bicycle Caucus supports educating children early in
life in safe biking techniques.
{time} 1515
I welcome the support of my colleagues on this resolution and I look
forward to working with other Members of Congress on strengthening the
Federal partnership in making sure that our communities are made more
livable and the promotion of safety for our children should be at the
top of our list from every Member of Congress.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Stearns). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Coble) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, House
Concurrent Resolution 49.
[[Page H1821]]
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was
agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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