[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 161 (Tuesday, November 27, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H8396-H8397]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    EXPRESSING THE GRATITUDE OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO GENERAL 
                           ACCOUNTING OFFICE

  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 294) expressing the gratitude of the House of 
Representatives to the General Accounting Office and its employees for 
enabling the House to continue its work while the House office 
buildings were closed due to the presence of Anthrax.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 294

       Whereas the House of Representatives recently found it 
     necessary to close its office buildings to Members, staff, 
     and the public due to the presence of Anthrax;
       Whereas the Comptroller General made an offer to the House 
     of Representatives to make the General Accounting Office's 
     building and equipment available to the Members and staff of 
     the House of Representatives during the period in which the 
     House office buildings were closed, an offer the House 
     gratefully accepted;
       Whereas the House's subsequent temporary use of General 
     Accounting Office workspaces, telephones, computers, and 
     other equipment imposed an inconvenience on the employees of 
     the Office, who graciously vacated their worksites; and
       Whereas the sacrifices made by employees of the General 
     Accounting Office during this period enabled the House of 
     Representatives to continue its legislative work on behalf of 
     the people of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives expresses its 
     gratitude to the General Accounting Office for accommodating 
     the House during the recent closure of the House office 
     buildings, and sincerely thanks the hundreds of General 
     Accounting Office employees who generously vacated their 
     workspaces and otherwise helped to make it possible for the 
     work of the House to continue during this period.
       Sec. 2. The Clerk of the House of Representatives shall 
     transmit a copy of this resolution to the Comptroller General 
     of the United States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Ney) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Price) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney).
  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise here today on behalf of my colleague, the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), of the Committee on House 
Administration for consideration of H. Res. 294. This resolution 
expresses the gratitude of the House of Representatives to the General 
Accounting Office and its employees for enabling the House to continue 
its work while the House office buildings were closed due to the 
presence of anthrax.
  Mr. Speaker, I want the citizens of the United States to know that 
later on representatives on behalf of all employees of the GAO will be 
present in the Capitol in Statuary Hall so that we may speak with them 
and personally express our gratitude.
  On October 18, 2001, the House office buildings closed their doors; 
and we arrived at the GAO on October 22, 2001. The General Accounting 
Office graciously accommodated Members and their staff through November 
5, 2001. With their help, use of phones and work space, we were able to 
continue our legislative work on behalf of the United States.
  I want to personally thank the GAO for the logistical support they 
provided to the United States House of Representatives while we 
occupied two floors of their agency. The professionalism and can-do 
attitude they exhibited is a credit to the agency. The GAO's hard work 
made a difficult situation manageable, and it will be long remembered.
  All facets of the government working together for the common good 
will only overcome the trying times that face this Nation.
  The GAO's efforts demonstrated that resolve. The GAO's partnership 
throughout this process not only proves their loyalty to this great 
Nation but also their kindness as employees and as an agency.
  Mr. Speaker, when this country was formed, from the first veteran who 
fought to make this the greatest democracy ever on planet Earth, they 
envisioned that their efforts would always continue and that there 
would be an energetic give and take on the floor of the House and the 
Senate. And let me just say that during this trying time, when it was 
difficult for employees of the House and the staff and the Members, we 
got through it by allowing this floor to be able to continue and by our 
employees, our staff, of the House being able to communicate with the 
constituents across the United States and to do their job to keep alive 
the debate that is so important to our democracy. The GAO was an 
integral part of allowing us to go forth.
  I also want to thank the House staff, who transcended through this 
move under also a very difficult situation. Particularly I would also 
like to commend our Clerk, Jeff Trandahl; the Sergeant-at-Arms, Bill 
Livingood; and especially our CAO, Jay Eagen; and their staffs for 
making all of this possible, again, for us to continue to do our job; 
also, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert), Speaker of the House; 
the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), the minority leader; and 
the Committee on House Administration staff; Members, both majority and 
minority, who all put in their time in order that this transition was 
made to be as good as it could get.
  Once again, the purpose of this resolution is to thank GAO for their 
unselfish generosity and partnership, and on behalf of the entire House 
of Representatives, we commend them for doing such a tremendous job, 
sacrificing of their time and their offices to make sure that we 
continue.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  I am delighted to rise in support of House Resolution 294 and to 
stand in tonight as co-manager of this bill for my friend, the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the ranking member of the 
Committee on House Administration. The gentleman from Maryland (Mr. 
Hoyer) is a cosponsor of this bill, as indeed are the other Democratic 
members of the Committee on House Administration, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Davis).
  Mr. Speaker, it is not common for the Members of the House and their 
staffs to need to vacate the House office buildings due to the presence 
of a potentially lethal health hazard, and let us hope it never happens 
again. Steps are certainly being taken to protect the people's House 
from future anthrax threats, to defend our country and freedom-loving 
peoples around the world from the scourge of terrorism.
  Pending achievement of that goal, this House indeed owes its thanks 
to the General Accounting Office for enabling it to continue its work 
for two critical weeks at the end of October and beginning of November.
  The gentleman from Ohio's resolution simply expresses the House's 
gratitude, and I hope it will pass without dissent.
  I want to thank David Walker, the Comptroller General of the United 
States, for so graciously offering GAO's assistance to the House in our 
time of need.
  I also want to thank Dick Brown, the GAO's Comptroller and Chief 
Administrative Officer, for his tireless efforts to ensure that the 
enterprise went smoothly.
  I certainly want to thank the dedicated employees of the General 
Accounting Office who were uprooted and relocated and otherwise 
inconvenienced to accommodate Members and their staffs.
  Mr. Speaker, despite hundreds of us descending upon the GAO 
headquarters, thereby allowing our legislative work to continue, GAO's 
important work got continued as well. This is a great tribute to the 
professionalism of the GAO staff and their ability to adjust to rapidly 
changing circumstances.
  The GAO, in fact, has been an essential support agency for Congress 
since its creation in 1921. Mr. Speaker, for 2 weeks at the end of 
October, 2001, and beginning of November, it was more than that. It was 
serving as the House's home away from home.
  The leadership and the staff of the GAO can now say that they have 
supported the work of the Congress as never before. This episode 
belongs in

[[Page H8397]]

the annals of congressional history, and this resolution ensures that 
it will be so recorded.
  Mr. Speaker, it is fitting that the House express its gratitude to 
the GAO and its wonderful employees in the way that this resolution 
determines. I applaud the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) for bringing 
this important resolution to the floor.
  I urge an aye vote on the motion.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from West 
Virginia (Mrs. Capito).
  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 
294.
  I would like to take this opportunity to thank the employees of the 
General Accounting Office who sacrificed their personal offices in 
order to allow the daily business of Congress to continue. As we were 
trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy, I was amazed at the 
willingness of the GAO staff to be flexible in conducting their daily 
business in less than desirable conditions.
  I would personally like to thank Mr. Charles Johnson, Jr., and others 
whose offices at the GAO housed members of my staff. Although it may 
seem like a small sacrifice in the larger scheme of things, the 
employees of the GAO played a critical role during very uncertain 
times. It is obvious that the GAO, once known as the iron fist of 
government, has slipped on a silk glove of kindness in this urgent 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, all Americans are making sacrifices to ensure terrorism 
is stricken from our world. We must not forget to thank everyone for 
his or her cooperation in this time of crisis. If they have not already 
done so, I encourage my fellow Members of Congress to join me in 
thanking the employees of the GAO for their graciousness and 
flexibility.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests 
for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  In closing, I just wanted to thank my colleague, the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Price), for carrying this resolution once again; 
also, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the ranking member.
  I would just say in closing that we thank from the Comptroller 
General down the line all of the employees who gave of their time to 
help us operate. They are truly great Americans, great patriots and, in 
general, very good people.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would like to rise in 
support of House Resolution 294, which expresses the gratitude of the 
House of Representatives to the Government Accounting Office and its 
employees.
  Mr. Speaker, the silver lining to the dark cloud cast upon our nation 
on September 11th is the ability and willingness of all Americans to 
sacrifice for the good of the nation.
  As this Congress looked for ways to carry out the nation's business 
amid anthrax scares and other security concerns, the Government 
Accounting Office and its employees graciously vacated office space so 
that Members of Congress could continue to do the great work that these 
times require.
  For this great sacrifice, we are proud and we are grateful. The 
criminals who continue to perpetrate these crimes against Congress and 
other citizens seek to shake the will of our nation and the will of the 
Body.
  By allowing Members and their staffs to use office space, telephones, 
and computer equipment, the House was able to continue legislative 
business. This sacrifice sends the important message to anyone who 
attempts to harm our great nation: We will be defiant and unrelenting 
in the face of terror.
  I would like to join my colleagues in offering a sincere ``thank 
you'' to the Government Accounting Office and its employees for their 
important sacrifice.
  Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution 
expressing the gratitude of the U.S. House of Representatives to the 
General Accounting Office for their assistance during the relocation of 
member offices.
  On September 11th, terrorists attempted to weaken our great nation. 
They failed. In the aftermath of the attacks, the United States 
continues to stand strong and wave its flag proudly. We are perhaps 
stronger now, than we were before.
  The American people have come together in a way never before seen, to 
support their country and help those affected by the attacks on our 
country.
  The Comptroller General and the employees of the General Accounting 
Office are no exception.
  When the Capitol and member's offices were assaulted with anthrax, 
the Comptroller General and the GAO employees generously shared their 
office space with the members of the House of Representatives and their 
staffs. GAO employees made quite a sacrifice in doing so. Many were 
displaced from their own offices in order to provide the House of 
Representatives with workspace. Because of the selflessness of these 
employees, the House of Representatives was able to continue to do 
their work on behalf of the American people and help our nation fight 
against the evils of terrorism.
  Today, I am pleased to join my colleagues in thanking the Comptroller 
General and the GAO for their assistance. They have been a great help 
during this very difficult time and their assistance will be 
remembered.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to express my strong support 
of this resolution.
  Fortunately, it's not every day that the members of this House, and 
their staffs, must evacuate the House office buildings due to the 
presence of anthrax.
  Let's hope it never happens again. Steps are certainly being taken to 
ensure it never happens again.
  This House indeed owes a debt of gratitude to the General Accounting 
Office for making it possible for the people's House to continue its 
work during those two critical weeks.
  The chairman's resolution eloquently expresses the sentiments that 
should be expressed, and I urge all members to support it.
  As one whose office is in the Longworth Building, I spent 
considerable time working at the GAO. I found it to be a hospitable 
place, staffed by hospitable, dedicated Federal workers. I want to 
express my personal thanks to David Walker, the Comptroller General of 
the United States, for throwing open the doors of his agency to the 
House. I also want to thank Dick Brown, the GAO's comptroller and chief 
administrative officer, for spending many hours working to ensure the 
whole enterprise went smoothly, which it did. And I generally want to 
thank the dedicated employees of the General Accounting Office who were 
relocated, or otherwise inconvenienced, to accommodate me and my staff, 
and other Members and their staffs. Their sacrifice did not go 
unnoticed, or unappreciated.
  Mr. Speaker, we should note that as hundreds of us descended upon the 
GAO headquarters, GAO's own important work continued, despite the 
disruption. This is a grand tribute to the professionalism of GAO 
employees.
  The GAO's mission is to support the work of the Congress as our 
budgetary watchdog. The leadership and staff of the GAO can now say, 
with pride, that they have supported the work of the House directly as 
never before. This incident rightly belongs in the annals of 
congressional history. This resolution ensures it will be properly 
recorded.
  Mr. Speaker, it is fitting that the House express its gratitude to 
the GAO and its wonderful employees for allowing us to continue our 
operations during this time. I applaud the chairman for bringing this 
resolution to the floor. I urge an ``aye'' vote on the motion.
  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Isakson). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H.Res. 294.
  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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