[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 95 (Monday, July 15, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H4589-H4591]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING INVENTION OF MODERN AIR-CONDITIONING BY DR. WILLIS H. CARRIER 
                  ON OCCASION OF ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 413) honoring the invention of 
modern air-conditioning by Dr. Willis H. Carrier on the occasion of its 
100th anniversary.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 413

       Whereas on July 17, 1902, Dr. Willis H. Carrier submitted 
     designs to a printing plant in Brooklyn, New York, for 
     equipment to control temperature, humidity, ventilation, and 
     air quality, marking the birth of modern air conditioning;
       Whereas air-conditioning has become an integral technology 
     enabling the advancement of society through improvements to 
     the Nation's health and well-being, manufacturing processes, 
     building capacities, research, medical capabilities, food 
     preservation, art and historical conservation, and general 
     productivity and indoor comfort;
       Whereas Dr. Carrier debuted air-conditioning technology for 
     legislative activity in the House of Representatives Chamber 
     in 1928, and the Senate Chamber in 1929;
       Whereas the air-conditioning industry now totals $36 
     billion on a global basis and employs more than 700,000 
     people in the United States; and
       Whereas the year 2002 marks the 100th anniversary of modern 
     air-conditioning: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress honors the invention of modern 
     air-conditioning by Dr. Willis H. Carrier on the occasion of 
     its 100th anniversary.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Connecticut (Mr. Shays) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
Tierney) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays).


                             General Leave

  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 413.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Connecticut?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the House consider House Concurrent 
Resolution 413, important legislation introduced by my distinguished 
colleague (John Walsh of New York). This resolution expresses the sense 
of the House of Representatives in honoring the invention of modern air 
conditioning by Dr. Willis H. Carrier on its 100th anniversary.
  Only 1 year after graduating with a master's degree from Cornell 
University, Dr. Carrier submitted designs and

[[Page H4590]]

later installed the first modern air conditioning equipment. Installed 
in Brooklyn, New York, the air conditioner was designed to control 
indoor humidity and temperature.
  When granted a U.S. patent for ``the apparatus for treating air,'' as 
it was called in 1906, Dr. Carrier became known as the ``father of 
modern air conditioning.'' The formula Dr. Carrier used to develop the 
modern air conditioner still stands today as the basis for all 
fundamental calculations for the air conditioning industry.
  Air conditioning became the integral technology enabling the 
advancement of society through improvements to the Nation's health and 
well-being. Industries also grew with the new ability to control the 
temperature and humidity levels during and after production.
  The invention of air conditioning has also improved areas such as 
film development, preservation of processed meats, medical capsules, 
textiles, and other products. In 1921, Carrier received a patent for 
the centrifugal refrigerator machine that became the first practical 
method for air conditioning large spaces. This single achievement paved 
the way for the upward expansion of cities, as well as bringing human 
comfort to hospitals, schools, office buildings, airports, hotels, and 
department stores.
  Dr. Carrier debuted air conditioning technology for legislative 
activity in this very Chamber in 1928 and in the Senate Chamber in 
1929. After World War II, the air conditioner began to be installed in 
homes across America. According to the Carrier Corporation, 10 percent 
of American homes were air conditioned by 1965. By 1995, more than 75 
percent of American homes were air conditioned; and in some portions of 
the South, 90 percent of homes have air conditioning or central air 
systems. Now the air conditioning industry totals $36 billion on a 
global basis and employs more than 700,000 people in the United States 
alone.
  Mr. Speaker, it is appropriate on this hot summer day that the House 
recognizes and honors the invention of modern air conditioning by Dr. 
Willis H. Carrier on its 100th anniversary.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from New York (Mr. Walsh).
  Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend and colleague, the 
gentleman from Connecticut, for yielding time to me, and also the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Tierney) for bringing this resolution 
to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, as my colleague, the gentleman from Connecticut, pointed 
out, this Wednesday marks the 100th anniversary of the invention of the 
modern-day air conditioner by Dr. Willis Carrier, a New Yorker. Today I 
offer before the House, House Concurrent Resolution 413, recognizing 
this historic event.
  Raised on a farm on the snowy eastern shore of Lake Erie in Angola, 
New York, the young Carrier grew up as an only child, raised by his 
grandparents and great aunt. Known for his superior problem-solving 
capabilities, Carrier would solve every complex problem he encountered 
by reducing it to its simplest form and solving each component one by 
one.
  He once stated in a high school graduation essay, ``A man with the 
power of will could make himself anything he wished, no matter what the 
circumstances.'' These words would define the rest of Mr. Carrier's 
life.
  Carrier entered Cornell University at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New 
York, on a 4-year scholarship, but he was forced to earn room and board 
by mowing lawns, stoking furnaces, and during his senior year, forming 
a co-op student laundry.

                              {time}  1500

  With a degree in mechanical engineering, he found a job at the 
Buffalo Forge Company in 1901 and he began designing heating systems to 
dry lumber and coffee. Carrier was soon made head of the company's 
department of experimental engineering. It was here that he solved his 
first problem in temperature and humidity control for the Sackett-
Wilhelms Lithographing and Publishing Company in Brooklyn in 1902. 
Marking the birth of modern air conditioning, Carrier's device 
controlled temperature, humidity, ventilation and air quality.
  In 1915, Carrier and six colleagues pooled together their life 
savings and founded Carrier Engineering Corporation in New York. In 
1910 the company bought its first building in Newark, New Jersey and 
soon found its way back to our Empire State. In 1937 Carrier 
consolidated five plants on Geddes Street near my home in Syracuse. In 
1947 Carrier moved to its present location on Thompson Road in the town 
of Dewitt, also in my congressional district. Today Carrier 
Corporation, the company that bears the founder's name, is a nearly $9 
billion organization and remains the global leader in providing 
heating, cooling and refrigeration solutions in more than 172 countries 
around the world.
  As an aside, my colleague from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) will 
appreciate this. As a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal, the only night I 
spent in an air-conditioned room in about 2-and-a-half years was in a 
Carrier air-conditioned room in Kathmandu, Nepal.
  The 43,000 worldwide employees of Carrier Corporation can be proud 
that they continue to carry on their founder's tradition of excellence 
by generating comfort wherever people work, live and play. Many of us 
take for granted the fact that air conditioning has become an integral 
technology, enabling the advancement of society through improvements to 
our Nation's health and well-being, manufacturing processes, building 
capacities, food preservation and general productivity and indoor 
comfort.
  From its birth 100 years ago to today's $36 billion industry, 
employing 700,000 Americans, we can all be very proud of Dr. Carrier. 
He did indeed change history. I suspect that if he did not invent air 
conditioning, we would not be meeting in Washington today because they 
used to close the Capitol in the beginning of the summer and stay away 
long until late in the fall. This invention also may have created a 
tremendous upsurge in the amount of legislation passed by this body, so 
maybe all is not progress.
  The Sistine Chapel in Rome is air-conditioned with Carrier air 
conditioning. Many great documents of this country are enshrined in 
museums and the air is conditioned also by Carrier air conditioning. 
Indeed, this building in which we meet today is also chilled by Carrier 
air chillers.
  So in gratitude for all of that, I would ask unanimous support of H. 
Con. Res. 413 and I ask Members to join me in celebrating this 100-year 
anniversary.
  Mr. TIERNEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise only to say that we thank the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Walsh) for bringing this matter before the House; and we, of 
course, agree that Mr. Carrier has a long and distinguished career and 
a great invention; and we obviously would support this resolution.
  I add only in his memory the one thing we might concentrate on doing 
is concentrating more on research and develop to improve efficiencies. 
Through smart public policy we can reduce energy consumption by 
improving the energy standards and efficiency standards required of 
common appliances like air conditioners as well as refrigerators, photo 
copiers and fax machines. I think that would be a great testament to 
Mr. Carrier's life and his hard work. If we just applied those 
standards already on the books in this country, we would be estimated 
to save consumers some $150 billion in energy costs by 2020. In fact, 
if we really looked at our research and development monies, we will 
know and realize that they have decreased from $6.55 billion in 1978 to 
some $2 billion now in 1998.
  In 1998 the President's Committee of Advisors on Science and 
Technology recommended that our research and development costs over 5 
years be increased because right now they are not commensurate in scope 
or scale with the energy challenges and opportunities of the 21st 
century and those that they will present.
  Again, I also add our voice to the congratulations of Dr. Carrier. I 
thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh) for bringing this forward 
and say we look forward to improving the efficiencies of technology 
like this so we continue to do better and better by our energy 
consumption.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the invention of modern air conditioning has clearly 
changed

[[Page H4591]]

our country. Modern air conditioning fueled the post-war growth of 
sunbelt cities such as Miami, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Houston. The 
invention of modern air conditioning also led to the building of glass 
skyscrapers, shopping malls and pressurized modules for space 
exploration.
  On this, the 100th anniversary of the invention of modern air 
conditioning, we truly honor Dr. Willis H. Carrier. Mr. Speaker, I urge 
all Members to support this concurrent resolution.
  Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent 
Resolution 413, offered by Mr. Walsh, marking the centennial of Dr. 
Willis H. Carrier's invention of modern air-conditioning. I can think 
of no better place to recognize this accomplishment than in the House 
Chamber--first air-conditioned by Dr. Carrier in 1929--on a 90 degree 
July day.
  For the past century, Carrier air conditioning and refrigeration 
systems have been keeping our offices and homes cool. The man 
responsible for this phenomenon is Carrier's founder, Dr. Willis 
Haviland Carrier. Born on a farm in Angola, New York in 1876, the only 
child had a humble upbringing yet possessed high hopes from the start. 
At the time he could not have known the worldwide impact his invention 
would create. It would boost industrial production. It would change the 
face of urban architecture, including providing comfort cooling to some 
of the world's most prestigious buildings. It would improve health care 
for millions. It would allow unimagined industries to flourish.
  Today, Carrier Corporation, the company that bears the founder's 
name, is an $8.895 billion organization providing heating, cooling and 
refrigeration solutions in more than 172 countries around the world. 
The nearly 43,000 worldwide employees of Carrier Corporation create 
comfort wherever people work, live or play--from private residences and 
apartments to grand hotels; from sprawling factories to soaring office 
towers; from theme parks to centuries-old cultural centers. Overall, 
the air-conditioning industry totals $36 billion and employs more than 
700,000 people in the United States.
  One hundred years later, we benefit now more than ever from Dr. 
Carrier's invention. I urge my colleagues to pass the Resolution.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Culberson). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) that the 
House suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. 
Res. 413.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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