[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 2 (Thursday, January 24, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H49]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       WELCOME TO WASHINGTON, DC

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) is recognized 
for 5 minutes.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, as the only Member who never has to leave 
Washington, I want to welcome my colleagues back to Washington, my 
hometown and your second home.
  I was very gratified to note that the White House reopened White 
House tours to children just a few days ago. This follows a meeting I 
arranged between White House officials and D.C. leaders where I 
suggested that D.C. schoolchildren be allowed to view the White House 
Christmas tree decorations. Now the White House has seen to it that all 
children will be able to go into the White House.
  I suggested at that time that the public could come in if they only 
left their Social Security numbers the way people have to anyway before 
they go into the White House. Now the children will leave their Social 
Security numbers. Let us hope the White House follows with the general 
public. I am very gratified for what they have already done for 
children.
  These may seem small matters, but, my colleagues, what it does is to 
signal to the country that if the Capitol is open the country is open 
as well. The President has made an important ad to visit America, that 
Americans should do their business. It is important for people to 
travel, particularly now during a recession, and the more the District 
of Columbia seems open, the most visible city in the country, the more 
people will follow the President's advice and go out to their own 
places and help us get out of this recession by getting on planes.
  Members and staff will soon receive a ``Dear Colleague'' from me 
about an event I am hosting on Tuesday, February 12, called ``Ask Me 
About Washington,'' to acquaint them with tourist attractions and 
amenities in D.C. so they can advise their own constituents who come 
here.

                              {time}  1130

  Mr. Speaker, this is an election year. It is time to welcome our 
constituents back to Washington. Members need to transmit that the 
District is the safest city in the United States, precisely because it 
is the Nation's Capital.
  The war is winding down. The President has said, absolutely 
correctly, terrorist threats will be with us for many years to come. It 
is time to get constituents used to traveling, particularly now, and 
coming back to Washington. Members and staff will learn how to advise 
constituents of where to go at my Ask Me About Washington event on 
Tuesday, February 12.
  The economy is down. The way to get it up is for people to do what 
President Bush has indicated, go out and see the sites, but above all 
come and see Members of Congress. Look at the gallery. The galleries 
have been empty because Americans are not traveling. They are not 
traveling to Members' home States or the Capital.
  That is bad news for people running for office, and it is bad news 
for our country when people are not flooding into the Capital to find 
out what to do about the issues that concern them most, especially 
during an election year. When constituents come, they need to know what 
to see in Washington. When they come, they need to know that everything 
is still open to the public, notwithstanding the barricades. This is an 
open city because this is an open country.

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