[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 37 (Wednesday, March 29, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E444]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    ANNIVERSARY OF THE KODAK BROWNIE

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                     HON. LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 29, 2000

  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 
centennial anniversary of the Kodak Brownie box camera. It was 100 
years ago in my district in Rochester, New York, that George Eastman's 
visionary leadership first introduced consumers to photography. The 
price tag was one dollar, and film sold for 15 cents per roll. For the 
first time, taking pictures was within the reach of almost every 
American family.
  Cameras in the 1870s were as big as breadboxes. The tools of the 
professional photographer's trade, including a bulky, unreliable 
camera, a tripod, and various liquid chemicals, were more than a single 
man could carry--``a pack-horse load'' as Eastman described it. He 
resolved to downsize, simplify, and reduce the cost of the ``burden'' 
of taking pictures.
  Look how far we have come in 100 short years. Today, photography and 
Kodak have moved into the Digital Age; cameras so small you can attach 
them to hand-held computers grab images and send them over the Internet 
for all to see; digital feature films bring new meaning to the movie 
experience; health care innovation promises to improve patient care 
through enhanced quality of care, especially for those in rural areas 
or homebound; Kodak technology made possible the spectacular images 
from the Mars Rover and dazzling images from space. From the 1896 
development of the first Kodak product to capture x-ray images, to 
laser imaging and telehealth services that link patients and doctors 
regardless of time or distance, Kodak has led the way in innovation.
  For over one hundred years, Kodak has been a leader in the Rochester 
community helping to make it the vibrant and nurturing community it is 
today. Kodak brings its products, culture and values to communities and 
workers in other countries. The Kodak name is synonymous with top 
quality products. As it expands its markets around the world, everyone 
snapping photos at family reunions, weddings, birthdays, vacations, and 
anywhere else should pause to thank George Eastman, the man who made 
all of their ``Kodak moments'' possible 100 years ago with his great 
invention, the Brownie.

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