[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 152 (Tuesday, November 2, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H11248-H11249]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   SUPPORTING NATIONAL CIVILITY WEEK

  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 324) supporting National Civility Week, Inc., 
in its efforts to restore civility, honesty, integrity, and respectful 
consideration in the United States.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 324

       Whereas our civilization is founded upon the values of 
     honesty, courtesy, and respectful consideration among its 
     citizens;
       Whereas we seek to teach and reaffirm these fundamental 
     values of civility;
       Whereas a lack of civility in recent years has become 
     frighteningly apparent, as seen in media tales of road rage 
     and school violence, of personal deceit and public 
     corruption;
       Whereas common courtesy has become bewilderingly uncommon;
       Whereas a large part of many Americans' behavior can be 
     traced to a failure to honor the codes of civil conduct that 
     have governed society for many generations;
       Whereas the teaching of courtesy has declined while the 
     celebration of vulgarity and effrontery has increased;
       Whereas many Americans have ceased to honor the good 
     examples that surround them;
       Whereas in this context, too many people find it easy to 
     manifest disrespect for other age groups, races, and 
     religions;
       Whereas National Civility Week, Inc. is a nonpartisan and 
     nonprofit corporation devoted to reintroducing civility in 
     our Nation;
       Whereas National Civility Week, Inc. has encouraged the 
     establishment of Civility Weeks in a number of states in an 
     effort to reaffirm society's commitment to adhere to well-
     established rules of civil conduct;
       Whereas National Civility Week, Inc. will honor those who 
     practice common decency and simple honesty; and
       Whereas National Civility Week, Inc. will draw attention to 
     the behaviors and standards that we respect as a people, and 
     will celebrate the conduct that ties together the threads of 
     our social fabric: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports these 
     efforts to restore civility, honesty, integrity, and 
     respectful consideration in the United States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert).


                             General Leave

  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 324, supporting 
National Civility Week. I would like to thank the distinguished 
chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform, the gentleman 
from Indiana (Mr. Burton), who recognized the importance of this 
measure and assured its consideration today on the House floor. I also 
want to express my appreciation to the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos) for introducing this important legislation as well.
  This resolution provides an opportunity for all of us to reflect upon 
the changing nature of our culture and its increasing lack of civility. 
In 1998, former Secretary of Education William Bennett and former 
Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia collaborated on an assessment of our 
Nation's civic health. After reviewing rates of volunteerism and other 
forms of civic participation, they concluded that civility among the 
American people has declined dramatically in recent decades.
  We do not need to look too far to understand that this lack of 
civility is permeating our political discussion. In the first papers of 
The Federalist, the author expressed hope that Americans might 
establish good government through reflection and choice. In contrast to 
what later essays in The Federalist would call the heat and violence

[[Page H11249]]

of faction, the founders hoped that our government would come to 
reflect the deliberate sense of the community.
  Too frequently today this body's deliberations represent the violence 
of faction through partisan posturing. Too often in our deliberations 
we hear accusations and innuendo. The occasional lack of civility in 
this body reflects what is happening to our culture in a broader sense. 
As a society, we have become detached from and, in many ways, no longer 
honor the traditional codes of civil conduct.
  Reattaching ourselves to a system that honors decency and promotes 
common courtesy is one of the most important things we can do. This 
recognition of National Civility Week, while a small gesture, provides 
an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of civility in our culture as 
well as in this body's political deliberations. It can provide 
additional impetus to the bipartisan congressional retreats we hold 
each year at Hershey and elevate the quality and civility of our 
political discussions.
  I am pleased to have the opportunity to offer this legislation for 
consideration, and trust that it will draw attention to behaviors and 
standards that we ought to expect but do not always practice. When I 
was elected to this body, I pledged to work to restore faith in 
government through honesty, decency, and personal responsibility.

                              {time}  1400

  We must hold ourselves to a higher standard, not a lower one, that we 
expect of other people. I encourage my colleagues to support this 
resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I first wanted to thank many of my colleagues who have 
worked on this legislation: The gentleman from Indiana (Chairman 
Burton), chairman of the Committee on Government Reform; the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Waxman), the ranking Democrat; the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Scarborough), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Civil 
Service; and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings), the ranking 
member.
  I particularly want to thank my friend and distinguished colleague, 
the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert), for managing this 
legislation. Although she has been with us only a short time, she has 
brought a great deal of civility to this body for which we are deeply 
grateful.
  I also want to thank our colleagues who have been the principal 
cosponsors of this legislation, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
LaHood) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Sawyer).
  As my colleague the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) has 
already indicated, these two colleagues have been committed to 
increasing the civility here within this House. They have been the 
leading force behind our biannual retreats in an effort to improve 
personal relations among colleagues here in this body.
  Their commitment to improving relations between Members is fully 
consistent with the purpose of this resolution that we are considering 
today. I am grateful for their enthusiastic support.
  Mr. Speaker, a student-created and student-run nonprofit 
organization, National Civility Week, Incorporated, deserves our 
support to restore civility, honesty, integrity, and respectful 
consideration in the United States.
  Our civilization, Mr. Speaker, is founded upon and cannot function 
without the values of honesty and courtesy and respectful consideration 
among its citizens. As parents and grandparents, we seek to teach and 
reaffirm these fundamental values of civility. But unfortunately, the 
lack of civility in recent years has become frighteningly apparent, as 
seen in road rage and school violence, personal deceit, and public 
corruption.
  Common courtesy has become bewilderingly uncommon. A large part of 
many Americans' behavior can be traced to a failure to honor the codes 
of civil conduct that have governed other societies for so many 
generations. The teaching of courtesy has declined, while the 
celebration of vulgarity and effrontery have increased.
  Many Americans have ceased to honor the good examples that surround 
them. In this context, too many people find it easy to manifest 
disrespect for other age groups, other races, other religions. National 
Civility Week, Incorporated, is a nonpartisan and nonprofit corporation 
which is devoted to reintroducing civility to our Nation.
  It honors those who practice common decency and simple honesty. It 
draws attention to the behaviors and standards that we respect as a 
people and celebrates the conduct that ties together the threads of our 
social fabric.
  I strongly urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I want to pay tribute to the young 
founder of this organization, Ms. Charity Tillemann-Dick, for her 
outstanding efforts in bringing this measure to our attention.
  I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 324 provides a wonderful opportunity to 
strengthen the character and manner of our public and political 
deliberations, as well as to improve the way we treat each other.
  Congress should seize this opportunity to lead by example. Not only 
should we pass House Resolution 324, celebrating National Civility 
Week, but we should provide on a daily basis the examples of civil 
speech and conduct that contribute to the rule of reason and show the 
American public that civility does count.
  I congratulate the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for 
sponsoring this fine legislation. I am proud to bring it to the floor 
and ask for the full support of all Members on this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shimkus). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, House Resolution 324.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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