[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 127 (Monday, September 27, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H8674-H8677]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


           CENTENNIAL OF FLIGHT COMMEMORATION ACT CORRECTIONS

  Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 1072) to make certain technical and other corrections 
relating to the Centennial of Flight Commemoration Act (36 U.S.C. 143 
note; 112 Stat. 3486 et seq.).
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1072

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

     SECTION 1. CENTENNIAL OF FLIGHT COMMISSION.

       The Centennial of Flight Commemoration Act (36 U.S.C. 143 
     note; 112 Stat. 3486 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) in section 4--
       (A) in subsection (a)--
       (i) in paragraphs (1) and (2) by striking ``or his 
     designee'';
       (ii) in paragraph (3) by striking ``, or his designee'' and 
     inserting ``to represent the interests of the Foundation''; 
     and in paragraph (3) strike the word ``chairman'' and insert 
     the word ``president'';
       (iii) in paragraph (4) by striking ``, or his designee'' 
     and inserting ``to represent the interests of the 2003 
     Committee'';
       (iv) in paragraph (5) by inserting before the period ``and 
     shall represent the interests of such aeronautical 
     entities''; and
       (v) in paragraph (6) by striking ``, or his designee'';
       (B) by striking subsection (f);
       (C) by redesignating subsections (b) through (e) as 
     subsections (c) through (f), respectively; and
       (D) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
       ``(b) Alternates.--Each member described under subsection 
     (a) may designate an alternate who may act in lieu of the 
     member to the extent authorized by the member, including 
     attending meetings and voting.'';
       (2) in section 5--
       (A) in subsection (a)--
       (i) by inserting ``provide recommendations and advice to 
     the President, Congress, and Federal agencies on the most 
     effective ways to'' after ``The Commission shall'';
       (ii) by striking paragraph (1); and
       (iii) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (7) as 
     paragraphs (1) through (6), respectively;
       (B) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c) and 
     inserting after subsection (a) the following:
       ``(b) International Activities.--The Commission may--
       ``(1) advise the United States with regard to gaining 
     support for and facilitating international recognition of the 
     importance of aviation history in general and the centennial 
     of powered flight in particular; and
       ``(2) attend international meetings regarding such 
     activities as advisors to official United States 
     representatives or to gain or provide information for or 
     about the activities of the Commission.''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(d) Additional Duties.--The Commission may--
       ``(1)(A) assemble, write, and edit a calendar of events in 
     the United States (and significant events in the world) 
     dealing with the commemoration of the centennial of flight or 
     the history of aviation;
       ``(B) actively solicit event information; and
       ``(C) disseminate the calendar by printing and distributing 
     hard and electronic copies and making the calendar available 
     on a web page on the Internet;
       ``(2) maintain a web page on the Internet for the public 
     that includes activities related to the centennial of flight 
     celebration and the history of aviation;
       ``(3) write and produce press releases about the centennial 
     of flight celebration and the history of aviation;
       ``(4) solicit and respond to media inquiries and conduct 
     media interviews on the centennial of flight celebration and 
     the history of aviation;
       ``(5) initiate contact with individuals and organizations 
     that have an interest in aviation to encourage such 
     individuals and organizations to conduct their own activities 
     in celebration of the centennial of flight;
       ``(6) provide advice and recommendations, through the 
     Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration or the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration (or any employee of such an agency head under 
     the direction of that agency head), to individuals and 
     organizations that wish to conduct their own activities in 
     celebration of the centennial of flight, and maintain files 
     of information and lists of experts on related subjects that 
     can be disseminated on request;
       ``(7) sponsor meetings of Federal agencies, State and local 
     governments, and private individuals and organizations for 
     the purpose of coordinating their activities in celebration 
     of the centennial of flight; and
       ``(8) encourage organizations to publish works related to 
     the history of aviation.'';
       (3) in section 6(a)--
       (A) in paragraph (2)--
       (i) by striking the first sentence; and
       (ii) in the second sentence--

       (I) by striking ``the Federal'' and inserting ``a 
     Federal''; and
       (II) by striking ``the information'' and inserting 
     ``information''; and

       (B) in paragraph (3) by striking ``section 4(c)(2)'' and 
     inserting ``section 4(d)(2)'';
       (4) in section 6(c)(1) by striking ``the Commission may'' 
     and inserting ``the Administrator of the National Aeronautics 
     and Space Administration or the Administrator of the Federal 
     Aviation Administration (or an employee of the respective 
     administration as designated by either Administrator) may, on 
     behalf of the Commission,'';
       (5) in section 7--
       (A) in subsection (a) in the first sentence--
       (i) by striking ``There'' and inserting ``Subject to 
     subsection (h), there''; and
       (ii) by inserting before the period ``or represented on the 
     Advisory Board under section 12(b)(1) (A) through (E)'';
       (B) in subsection (b) by striking ``The Commission'' and 
     inserting ``Subject to subsection (h), the Commission'';
       (C) by striking subsection (g);
       (D) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (g); and
       (E) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(h) Limitation.--Each member of the Commission described 
     under section 4(a) (3), (4), and (5) may not make personnel 
     decisions, including hiring, termination, and setting terms 
     and conditions of employment.'';
       (6) in section 9--
       (A) in subsection (a)--
       (i) by striking ``The Commission may'' and inserting 
     ``After consultation with the Commission, the Administrator 
     of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration may''; 
     and
       (ii) by striking ``its duties or that it'' and inserting 
     ``the duties under this Act or that the Administrator of the 
     National Aeronautics and Space Administration'';
       (B) in subsection (b)--
       (i) in the first sentence by striking ``The Commission 
     shall have'' and inserting ``After consultation with the 
     Commission, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
     Space Administration may exercise''; and
       (ii) in the second sentence by striking ``that the 
     Commission lawfully adopts'' and inserting ``adopted under 
     subsection (a)''; and
       (C) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:
       ``(d) Use of Funds.--
       ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), funds from 
     licensing royalties received under this section shall be used 
     by the Commission to carry out the duties of the Commission 
     specified by this Act.
       ``(2) Excess funds.--The Commission shall transfer any 
     portion of funds in excess of funds necessary to carry out 
     the duties described under paragraph (1), to the National 
     Aeronautics and Space Administration to be used for the sole 
     purpose of commemorating the history of aviation or the 
     centennial of powered flight.'';
       (7) in section 10--
       (A) in subsection (a)--
       (i) in the first sentence, by striking ``activities of the 
     Commission'' and inserting ``actions taken by the Commission 
     in fulfillment of the Commission's duties under this Act'';
       (ii) in paragraph (3), by adding ``and'' after the 
     semicolon;
       (iii) in paragraph (4), by striking the semicolon and 
     ``and'' and inserting a period; and
       (iv) by striking paragraph (5); and
       (B) in subsection (b)(1) by striking ``activities'' and 
     inserting ``recommendations'';
       (8) in section 12--
       (A) in subsection (b)--
       (i) in paragraph (1)--

       (I) in subparagraphs (A), (C), (D), and (E), by striking 
     ``, or the designee of the Secretary'';
       (II) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``, or the designee 
     of the Librarian''; and
       (III) in subparagraph (F)--

       (aa) in clause (i) by striking ``government'' and inserting 
     ``governmental entity''; and
       (bb) by amending clause (ii) to read as follows:
       ``(ii) shall be selected among individuals who--

       ``(I) have earned an advanced degree related to aerospace 
     history or science, or have actively and primarily worked in 
     an aerospace related field during the 5-year period before 
     appointment by the President; and
       ``(II) specifically represent 1 or more of the persons or 
     groups enumerated under section 5(a)(1).''; and

       (ii) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(2) Alternates.--Each member described under paragraph 
     (1) (A) through (E) may designate an alternate who may act in 
     lieu of the member to the extent authorized by the member, 
     including attending meetings and voting.''; and
       (B) in subsection (h) by striking ``section 4(e)'' and 
     inserting ``section 4(d)''; and
       (9) in section 13--
       (A) by striking paragraph (4); and
       (B) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (4).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Duncan) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
McGovern) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan).
  Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, last year legislation was enacted establishing a 
commission to commemorate the 100th anniversary

[[Page H8675]]

of powered flight. This commission is known as the Centennial of Flight 
Commission. Its purpose is to conduct publicity and public awareness 
activities designed to honor the achievement of the Wright Brothers.
  It was on December 17, 1903, nearly a century ago, that these two 
bicycle shop owners from Dayton, Ohio, first proved that man could fly.
  The bill before us now is really technical in nature. It makes some 
corrections to the Centennial of Flight Commemoration Act passed last 
year. After that act passed, the Justice Department pointed out 
potential conflict of interest problems with the commission's 
structure. In addition, the General Accounting Office has reported that 
the structure of previous commissions has resulted in mismanagement of 
funds and excessive hiring of consultants.
  To correct these problems, the Senate, on August 5 of this year, 
passed Senate 1072, the bill before us now. This bill removes all 
executive functions from the commission; it transforms the commission 
into an advisory commission governed by the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act; it makes clear that the commission does not represent the United 
States; it specifies in greater detail the duties of the commission; it 
allows only the administrators of NASA or the FAA to enter into 
procurements or other legal agreements on behalf of the commission; it 
makes clear that the commission employees are Federal employees and 
restricts private members of the commission from participating in any 
personnel decisions; it authorize the NASA Administrator, in 
consultation with the commission, to devise a logo for the commission; 
and, finally it requires that the members of the commission's advisory 
board have earned advanced degrees in aerospace, history, or science.
  I would like to thank the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones), 
the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson), and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Hall) for their work in ensuring that this legislation could be brought 
to the floor today. Their states have a significant stake in the work 
of this commission; Ohio, because that is where the Wright brothers 
were from, and North Carolina, because that is where the first flight 
occurred.
  Passage of this legislation today will clear the measure for the 
President and allow the Centennial of Flight Commission to begin the 
preparations for the commemoration in 2003.
  I urge the House to approve this bill.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1072, the Centennial of Flight 
Commemoration Act.
  On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright completed the first 
successful manned flight of a heavier-than-air-machine at Kitty Hawk, 
North Carolina. S. 1072 establishes a commission to coordinate the 
commemoration of this event.
  This act, as was pointed out, was originally signed into law last 
year. Since that time, the Justice Department has advised the 
administration that certain portions of that law might violate the 
appointments clause of the Constitution.
  S. 1072, as my colleague from Tennessee has already stated, makes the 
necessary constitutional corrections, and I urge my colleagues to vote 
for S. 1072 and support the celebration of the birth of flight.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), the ranking member of the 
Subcommittee on Aviation.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me 
time, and I commend the chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation for 
bringing this bill to the floor. The gentleman has aptly and 
appropriately described the technical changes that made necessary this 
legislation.
  Madam Speaker, I just want to take this opportunity to highlight the 
significance of the legislation to create a commission that will 
coordinate appropriately and give proper significance to the 100th 
anniversary of flight.
  The distinguished counsel of the Subcommittee on Aviation on the 
majority side, David Schaffer and I were at the 90th anniversary of 
powered flight at Kill Devil Hill, otherwise known as Kitty Hawk, North 
Carolina, on a day that was very reminiscent of the first day of 
powered flight: dreary, overcast, windy, damp, a biting cold day, that 
followed, in 1903, an equally bitter, cold, rainy night that left sleet 
and ice over the rather flimsy barn in which the Wright Brothers slept 
so that they could be ready early in the next morning to attempt an 
historic flight.
  It literally brings chills, not just physically, but spiritually, to 
think of the momentous occasion on which they began that journey that 
brought us today to an industry that represents 6 percent of our gross 
domestic product; that, together with aerospace, employs nearly 1.5 
million people and has a $100 billion payroll; and has put America at 
the forefront of technological advance; an industry that has made 
America the envy of the rest of the world, and has set a standard that 
the rest of the world measures itself by.
  There will be many stories and many events that we will want to 
commemorate as this commission moves toward the 100th anniversary, but 
there is one that I think is appropriate in this body. It was told by 
my predecessor, John Blatnik, for whom I was administrative assistant. 
During the years Sam Rayburn served as Speaker, he and Mr. Rayburn were 
very close friends.

                              {time}  1445

  Early in 1961, the last year of speaker Rayburn's life on this floor, 
the House had just passed a very significant appropriations bill. Mr. 
Rayburn put his arm around John Blatnik's shoulder and said, ``This is 
a very nostalgic moment for me. Fifty years ago in this body, I voted 
for an appropriation of $50,000 to help two young kids perfect a flying 
machine for the U.S. Army; their name: the Wright brothers. Today I 
voted for the first appropriation,'' said Speaker Rayburn, ``to send a 
man to the moon and bring him back safely to Earth.''
  As John Blatnik described it, Mr. Rayburn had tears in his eyes. For 
one person to have lived long enough to see the beginning of powered 
flight and the beginning of space travel is truly exceptional, and it 
is an account of visionary leadership that should be described and 
expressed as we move to the commemoration of the hundredth anniversary 
of flight, to understand fully how far we have come, what an 
extraordinary journey this all has been.
  I thank the gentleman for bringing this resolution forward, and I 
urge the commission to begin forthwith, as soon as the necessary 
legislation is in place, its exceptional work of commemorating this 
historic milestone in powered flight.
  Mr. HALL of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1072, a bill 
making certain technical and other corrections to Public Law 105-389, 
the Centennial of Flight Commemoration Act of 1998.
  On December 17, 1903, two brothers from Dayton, OH, Orville and 
Wilbur Wright, on the sands of Kitty Hawk, NC, flew the first manned, 
controlled, and sustained flight by a power-driven, heavier-than-air 
machine. The era of flight was born. As we approach the 100th 
anniversary of this historic event, the conquest of flight remains one 
of the greatest technological achievements of mankind.
  The Centennial of Flight Commemoration Act of 1998 established a 
Federal commission to assist in commemoration of the centennial of 
powered flight in the year 2003 and to honor the achievements of the 
Wright brothers. This is similar to other commissions established to 
mark important events in our Nation's history.
  When signing the bill into law, President Clinton issued a statement 
raising concerns from the Department of Justice and the Office of 
Government Ethics. Subsequently, the Commission determined that 
additional legislation was required for the Commission to carry out its 
mandate. Members of the Commission wrote the Speaker of the House and 
the President of the Senate requesting Congress act promptly to address 
the concerns raised in the President's signing statement.

                                                 January 12, 1999.
     Hon. Dennis Hastert,
     Speaker of the House, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Speaker: The Centennial of Flight Commemoration 
     Act (the Act), P.L. 105-389, was signed by the President on 
     November 13, 1998. It establishes a broadly based

[[Page H8676]]

      Centennial of Flight Commission (the Commission) with 
     members from both the public and private sectors. The purpose 
     of the Commission is to coordinate and promote activities 
     related to the one hundredth anniversary of what is 
     indisputably one of the greatest achievements of the 
     twentieth century--``the first successful, manned, free, 
     controlled, and sustained flight by a power-driven, heavier-
     than-air machine.'' (the Act, Section 2(1))
       Unfortunately, there are problems with the Act. Upon 
     enactment, the President issued a signing statement noting 
     Constitutional and ethical issues that require further 
     legislative action to resolve, and pledging that ``[my] 
     Administration will work closely with the Congress to address 
     these issued in future legislation.'' As a result of these 
     problems, the Commission is, for all practical intents and 
     purposes, unable to carry out fully its functions under the 
     law. Although two members of the Commission, those 
     representing the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration, are 
     not personally affected by the issues the President has 
     noted, the other members are unable to perform any meaningful 
     duties. Because the broad participation of all of the members 
     and all sectors of society is fundamental to the success of 
     the Centennial celebration, the statute must be amended.
       As stated in Section 2(4) of the Act, ``the achievement by 
     the Wright brothers stands as a triumph of American 
     ingenuity, inventiveness, and diligence.'' We ask you to 
     approach this new legislative challenge with similar virtues. 
     The one-hundredth anniversary of the flight is December 17, 
     2003. That date will not change, and the Commission's time to 
     accomplish its important work is short and cannot be 
     extended. Therefore we, the designated members of the 
     Centennial of Flight Commission, urge the Congress to 
     promptly amend the Act to resolve the problems that have been 
     identified.
       An identical letter has been sent to the President of the 
     Senate.
           Sincerely,
     Daniel S. Goldin,
       Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration.
     Jane Garvey,
       Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration.
     Richard T. Howard,
       President, First Flight Centennial Foundation.
     Donald D. Engen,
       Director, National Air and Space Museum.
     J. Bradford Tillson,
       Chairman, Dayton 2003 Committee.

  After discussions with the Department of Justice and the Office of 
Government Ethics, Senator Mike DeWine introduced S. 1072, the 
Centennial of Flight Corrections Act of 1999. The purpose of the bill 
is to amend the law so that the commission can carry out its original 
objective. Both the Department of Justice and the Office of Government 
Ethics concurred that S. 1072 does address the concerns raised in the 
signing statement.
                                       U.S. Department of Justice,


                                Office of Legislative Affairs,

                                   Washington, DC, August 4, 1999.
     Hon. Michael DeWine,
     U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator DeWine: This letter responds to your letter of 
     July 12, 1999, regarding S. 1072, a bill ``to make certain 
     technical and other corrections relating to the Centennial of 
     Flight Commemoration Act,'' Pub. L. No. 105-389, 112 Stat. 
     3486.
       S. 1072 would address the constitutional issues under the 
     Act that previously were identified by the Department and 
     noted in the President's signing statement. At present, the 
     method of appointment of certain members of the Commission 
     does not comply with the Appointments Clause of the 
     Constitution. Accordingly, the Commission as currently 
     established may not constitutionally exercise significant 
     governmental authority, because only ``Officers'' appointed 
     in conformity with the Appointments Clause may exercise such 
     authority. See Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1, 124-41 (1976). 
     As the President stated in signing the Act into law, section 
     9 of the Act, which authorizes the Commission to devise a 
     logo and regulate and license its use, is unconstitutional 
     because it confers significant authority upon the Commission. 
     See Statement by the President Upon Signing S. 1397, the 
     ``Centennial of Flight Commemoration Act'' (Nov. 13, 1998); 
     Appointments to the Commission on the Bicentennial of the 
     Constitution, 8 Op. O.L.C. 200 (1984).
       S. 1072 would amend section 9 of the Act to provide that 
     the Commission's duties with respect to the logo shall be 
     carried out by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics 
     and Space Administration (``NASA''), after consultation with 
     the Commission. Because the Administrator of NASA is 
     appointed in a manner consistent with the Appointments 
     Clause, this amendment would avoid the constitutional problem 
     pertaining to the Commission's logo.
       The President's signing statement also noted that: 
     ``although section 5(a)(3) directs the Commission to `plan 
     and develop' its own commemorative activities, the Commission 
     may not itself implement such activities because of 
     Appointments Clause concerns.'' The bill would amend section 
     5(a) to make it clear that the Commission's duty to ``plan 
     and develop'' commemorative activities (as well as its 
     other duties under that subsection) is limited to 
     ``provid[ing] recommendations and advice.'' This amendment 
     would clarify that the Commission acts as a purely 
     advisory body and would avoid any problem under the 
     Appointments Clause.
       After consultation with the Office of Government Ethics, we 
     also believe that the bill addresses the conflict of interest 
     issues described in the President's signing statement, by 
     providing that members of the Commission who are employees of 
     State governments or other financially interested entities 
     cannot enter into contracts or make personnel decisions for 
     the Commission and by enabling the State employees to serve 
     as representatives of their employers in the discharge of 
     purely advisory functions.
       Thank you for the opportunity to present our views. Please 
     let us know if we may be of further assistance. The Office of 
     Management and Budget has advised us that from the 
     perspective of the Administration's program, there is no 
     objection to submission of this letter.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Jon P. Jennings,
     Acting Assistant Attorney General.
                                  ____



                             U.S. Office of Government Ethics,

                                   Washington, DC, August 3, 1999.
     Hon. Tony P. Hall,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Hall: This letter responds to your letter of July 
     12, 1999 and the proposed amendment to S. 1072 faxed to this 
     Office on August 2, 1999.
       We have reviewed the text of S. 1072 as reported and the 
     proposed amendment. Based upon our review, we believe that if 
     S. 1072 is enacted with this amendment, members of the 
     Centennial of Flight Commission who are not already Federal 
     officers or employees can, for conflicts of interest 
     purposes, be treated as ``representatives'' of the 
     organizations from which they are to be selected. Thus, the 
     conflict of interest laws will not apply to them. This result 
     will address the conflict of interest concerns raised in the 
     President's signing statement which accompanied the 
     Centennial of Flight Commemoration Act.
       We have reached this conclusion after consultation with the 
     Office of Legal Counsel.
           Sincerely,
                                                 Stephen D. Potts,
                                                         Director.

  Upon enactment of S. 1072, the commission can actively encourage and 
assist individuals and organizations celebrating the centennial of 
flight. The commission can also assemble a calendar of events, 
disseminate information about the Wright brothers and aviation history, 
conduct meetings, and assist with U.S. participation in international 
commemorative activities.
  Mr. Speaker, on numerous occasions Congress has honored the Wright 
brothers and their conquest of flight. I can think of few events in our 
Nation's history that are as worthy of this additional honor.
  I urge adoption of the bill.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support 
of the Centennial of Flight Corrections Act of 1999. S. 1072 allows for 
certain technical corrections to be made to the Centennial of Flight 
Commemoration Act of 1998, which was passed into law last year. This 
Commemoration Act honors the 100th anniversary of the historic ``First 
Flight.'' In 1903, from the windy sand dunes of Kitty Hawk, North 
Carolina, Orville and Wilbur Wright secured their place in aviation 
history. With a great deal of courage and determination, the Wright 
brothers were able to successfully sustain the first-ever power-driven 
flight, which forever changed the face of transportation.
  Arguably, ``First Flight,'' the dawn of air travel, is one of the 
greatest achievements of the 20th century. This amazing event is 
particularly important to North Carolinians who have remembered and 
honored the Wright brothers' achievements for nearly a century. On our 
Nation's highways, North Carolina's license plates proudly display the 
motto ``First in Flight.'' In 1998, the Centennial of Flight 
Commemoration Act established a federal commission to properly 
celebrate the Wright brothers' accomplishments and coordinate the 
activities surrounding the centennial in 2003.
  The Centennial of Flight Commission will develop a calendar of 
events, circulate information on the Centennial, help in publishing 
scholarly works related to ``First Flight,'' and sponsor civic and 
educational programs in both North Carolina and Ohio. S. 1072 makes in 
order certain technical corrections to the original Commemoration Act, 
which are necessary for the Commission to carry out its mandate. I 
believe the Commission will prove invaluable to the effective 
coordination of commemorative events as the 100-year mark of the 
historic ``First Flight'' quickly approaches. Please join me in 
honoring the achievements of Orville and Wilbur Wright as well as an 
unforgettable century of aviation by supporting this bill.
  Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Speaker, I would like to share my support of this 
bill--crafted by my

[[Page H8677]]

good friend and colleague, Senator Mike DeWine--to make certain 
technical and other corrections relating to the Centennial of Flight 
Commemoration Act, which Congress passed last year. After the bill 
became law, the Department of Justice and the Office of Government 
Ethics expressed concerns about some of the bill's provisions, which we 
are here to correct today. I was pleased that members of the Ohio and 
North Carolina delegations worked together in a timely manner to 
address those concerns.
  As 2003 quickly approaches, I look forward to participating in the 
commemorative events and celebrations coordinated by the Centennial of 
Flight Commission. The 2003 celebration will highlight one of history's 
most remarkable achievements and showcase the impressive growth of the 
Miami Valley's aerospace industry, which the Wright Brothers pioneered 
nearly a century ago.
  The Wright Brothers of Ohio began this century in flight. The Miami 
Valley--and indeed the world--will honor their achievement at the dawn 
of the next century, and look beyond the horizon of history to ask 
``What if?''
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 1072.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________