[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 17 (Tuesday, February 26, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H525-H526]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  PERMISSION TO INSERT PROGRAM AND REMARKS OF MEMBER REPRESENTING THE 
            HOUSE AT GEORGE WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY CEREMONIES

  Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the program 
and the remarks of the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Bartlett), the 
Member representing the House of Representatives at the wreath-laying 
ceremony at

[[Page H526]]

the Washington Monument for the observance of George Washington's 
birthday on Friday, February 22, 2002, be inserted in today's 
Congressional Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.

         George Washington--The 270th Celebration of His Birth


                                Opening

       Arnold Goldstein, Superintendent, National Capital Parks--
     Central, National Park Service.


                         Presentation of Colors

       Armed Forces Color Guard.


                              To the Color

       The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps.


                          Pledge of Allegiance

       Arnold Goldstein.


                        Retirement of the Colors

                                Welcome

       Terry Carlstrom, Regional Director, National Park Service.


                           Musical Selection

       The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps.


                                Remarks

       Fran Mainella, Director, National Park Service.
       Honorable Roscoe G. Bartlett, Sixth District, Maryland, 
     U.S. House of Representatives.
       Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, Delegate, District of 
     Columbia, U.S. House of Representatives.
       James Symington, First Vice President, Washington National 
     Monument Society.


                      Presentation of the Wreaths

       The Wreath of the U.S. House of Representatives, Honorable 
     Roscoe Bartlett, Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton.
       The Wreath of the Washington National Monument Society, 
     James Symington, Terry Carlstrom.
       The Wreath of the National Park Service, Director Fran 
     Mainella, Arnold Goldstein.


Taps
                                  ____


    Congressman Roscoe G. Bartlett (R-MD), Ceremony in Honor of the 
  Birthday of George Washington, Washington Monument, Washington, DC, 
                           February 22, 2002

       I am honored to have the privilege of representing my 
     colleagues in the Congress at this commemoration of the 270th 
     anniversary of the birth of George Washington on February 22, 
     1732 on the grounds of the Washington Monument in Washington, 
     DC.
       When I was growing up and for many years after, George 
     Washington was popularly know as the Father of Our Country. 
     Our young people in school and each new influx of immigrants 
     to our country were taught that to understand American 
     ideals, American government and what made America a great 
     country, you had to begin by learning about the character, 
     the conduct and the contributions of George Washington. Among 
     the many giants of our nation's founders, George Washington 
     was the single most, indeed the dispensable individual who 
     was both most responsible for an who personified the ideals 
     of the radically new form of government--a democratic 
     republic--for a new and fragile nation, the United States of 
     America.
       There would have been no Declaration of Independence--if 
     George Washington had not led the successful effort to break 
     the British siege of Boston in the Spring of 1767.
       The American Revolution would not have succeeded without 
     George Washington leading a ragtag Continental Army through 
     eight arduous and harrowing years against the most powerful 
     military in the world, that of Great Britain.
       Three would have been no Constitutional Convention and no 
     Constitution--without George Washington leading it as its 
     President and inspiration.
       Our nationa is being ably led by our 43rd President, George 
     W. Bush. However, there would be no Presidency at all without 
     George Washington is the only President of the United States 
     ever elected unanimously--not just once, but twice.
       There's an old saying that what's everybody's business is 
     nobody's business.
       In place of the study of George Washington and the 
     celebration of ``Washington's Birthday'' has emerged the 
     concept of ``Presidents' Day.''
       Use of the term Presidents' Day insults the memory and 
     ignores the contributions of George Washington. That is a 
     disservice to all Americans, but especially to our young 
     people and to the immigrants who come to America.
       H.R. 420, a bill introduced by myself and my colleague. Tom 
     Tancredo (R-CO), would require all federal government 
     entities to refer to the federal holiday that falls on the 
     third Monday in February by its legal name, Washington's 
     birthday. The bill also calls upon the President to issue a 
     proclamation each year recognizing the anniversary of the 
     birthday of President Abraham Lincoln.
       I would like to share a statement by Congressman Tancredo:
       ``America has been blessed with many great presidents, and 
     none greater than George Washington. The framers of the 
     Constitution may have created the office of the President, 
     but George Washington created the presidency, and infused it 
     with the power to stand as a symbol of America's awesome 
     potential.''
       ``This February 22nd marks the 270th anniversary of our 
     first president's birth, and our bill will help ensure that 
     the true meaning of the holiday our nation observes in 
     February is not lost. H.R. 420 simply mandates that officials 
     and publications of the United States Government refer to 
     this holiday by its proper legal name--Washington's Birthday.
       ``Lastly, it urges the president to issue a proclamation 
     each year officially recognizing the anniversary of the birth 
     of another great American presdient--Abraham Lincoln''.

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