Congressional Record, Volume 149 Issue 66 (Tuesday, May 6, 2003)

[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 66 (Tuesday, May 6, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H3650-H3651]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

AUTHORIZING PRINTING OF BIOGRAPHICAL DIRECTORY OF UNITED STATES
CONGRESS, 1774-2005

Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 138) authorizing the printing of
the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-2005.
The Clerk read as follows:

H. Con. Res. 138

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring),

SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF PRINTING.

(a) In General.--There shall be printed as a House document
a revised edition of the Biographical Directory of the United
States Congress for the period ending with the 108th
Congress.
(b) Specifications.--The document described in subsection
(a) shall be in the style, form, manner, and binding as
directed by the Joint Committee on Printing after
consultation with the Clerk of the House of Representatives
and the Secretary of the Senate. The Clerk of the House of
Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate shall each
provide appropriate biographical data and other material for
the document, including data for--
(1) Senators and individuals who have served in both the
Senate and the House of Representatives, to be provided by
the Secretary of the Senate; and
(2) Members of the House of Representatives (including
Delegates and Resident Commissioners to the Congress), to be
provided by the Clerk of the House of Representatives.
(c) Number of Copies.--In addition to the usual number,
there shall be printed with suitable binding the lesser of--
(1) 1,280 copies of the document, of which 250 shall be for
the use of the Senate, 930 copies shall be for the use of the
House of Representatives, and 100 copies shall be for the use
of the Joint Committee on Printing; or
(2) a number of copies that does not have a total
production and printing cost of more than $96,500.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Mica) and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica).
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise here today in support of House
Concurrent Resolution 138. This bill authorizes the printing of the
``Biographical Directory of the United States Congress,'' again,
something rather mundane but something necessary and the responsibility
of the Committee on House Administration to make this publication
available for both the historical, for research and for access of
information purposes.
This is the first Federal Government printing of this publication
since the 1989 bicentennial edition published pursuant to Senate
Concurrent Resolution 85 passed in the 99th Congress.
This particular edition of the ``Biographical Directory'' will
include over 12,000 entries providing valuable information about the
individuals who have served in the Continental Congresses, as well as
each man and woman who served the 1st through the 108th Congress. Since
the first bicentennial edition, there have been an additional 1,198
Members who have become Representatives, and it will also include
rosters of State congressional delegations and elected officers.
Under the direction of the Joint Committee on Printing, the Clerk of
the House and the Secretary of the Senate will be responsible for the
composition of new entries, as well as review all existing entries for
accuracy and completeness. The Joint Committee on Printing has been
responsible for the compilation and issuance of the ``Biographical
Directory'' since 1928.
This edition of it would be the 16th in a series of such reference
works published over the past 140 years, beginning with the 1859
publication of the ``Dictionary of Congress,'' which was a collection
of biographers of former and sitting Members of Congress gathered by
Charles Lanman, former secretary to Daniel Webster.
This particular publication will complement the online biographical
directory, bioguide.congress.gov, which was first posted in the late
1990s and has been maintained by the Clerk of the House and the
Secretary of the Senate.
Madam Speaker, I urge the passage and support of this particular
measure.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as
I might consume; and I, again, wish to associate myself with the
remarks of the gentleman from Florida.
Madam Speaker, as the Chair and many of our colleagues know, I am an
avid student of this great institution and its history and was proud to
sponsor legislation, along with the Chair, that led to the writing of
the history of the House by Professor Remini; and it should, therefore,
be no surprise that I am an enthusiastic cosponsor of this resolution
authorizing the printing of the ``Biographical Directory of the United
States Congress, 1774 to 2005.''
The volume, as the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) pointed out, was
last printed in 1989 for the bicentennial of the establishment of the
United States Government under the Constitution and before that in
1971. The Joint Committee on Printing has supervised the biographical
directory's printing since 1928.
In the 1989 edition, the ``Biographical Directory'' listed more than
11,000 men and women who have served in the Congress of the United
States, as well as the Continental Congress. The new and revised
directory will contain more than 12,000 entries, as well as provide
updated information on Members who were included in the 1989 edition.
There is no question that the new directory, like the 1989 edition,
will promote a richer understanding of the contributions that the men
and women of Congress have made over the 200 years of national growth,
challenge, and change.
Some, like Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and Daniel Webster, were the
heroes of their age. Others, like Jeannette Rankin, Margaret Chase
Smith, and Shirley Chisolm, broke significant race and gender
boundaries while rendering notable public service. Countless others
have worked quietly behind the scenes, like the Chair, Madam Speaker,
and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) seated to my right, and my
esteemed colleague from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
The new edition of the ``Biographical Directory'' of the United
States Congress will gather in one updated volume useful historical
information for teachers, students, and others describing the careers
of the men and women who have served in the United States Congress.
To be sure, much of the material in the biographical directory is
available through the Clerk of the House Web site; but there is much
that is not, such as listings of the congressional memberships by State
and the multiple changes that occurred in each of those Congresses.
There is much to be said to be able to leaf through a volume rich in
historical detail and discover its secrets rather than simply
researching specific items on the Web.

[[Page H3651]]

The ``Biographical Directory'' is an invaluable resource to students,
teachers, historians, and all citizens who are interested in the
history and the personalities of this great deliberative body. Anytime
that we walk through these hallowed hallways or in Statuary Hall, where
generations before President Lincoln sat, John Quincy Adams sat, it
should give everyone in this body pause to celebrate the great
institution that the House of Representatives is.
I urge my colleagues to support the concurrent resolution.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I do not have any additional speakers at this time. I am urged to
stall a bit because we are waiting the arrival of another Member on
another issue, but I would be glad to let the gentleman have this time
and then have a few remarks on closing.
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I have no other speakers at
this time, but I would like to note for the record that the gentleman
from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) was a student of Professor Remini's in
college; and we do not know what his grade point average was, but
nonetheless we are proud to note that he was a student at that time.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I want to take just a minute since we do have some extra time, if I
may, I want to thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson) and
the minority staff, the other half of the Committee on House
Administration. I have served on the committee in some rough times, and
I am glad to say that I have served on the committee in some good
times, good, bipartisan times; and no one has done a better job in
service to any committee as ranking member than the gentleman from
Connecticut (Mr. Larson).
I have seen the manner in which he has conducted the important
business of the Committee on House Administration. It basically runs
the House of Representatives and takes it on in a serious, bipartisan
manner; and I want to compliment him and the staff for working
together.
We have got a number of important projects, not just these mundane
passage of publications that we are doing here, the construction of the
visitors center, the oversight and again the operations of this
institution, which belongs to the American people; but I do respect so
much his work and his effort.
The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) is not with us at this time, and I
have the privilege of handling these measures for him; and it is indeed
an honor to work with such distinguished colleagues, both the gentleman
from Ohio (Mr. Ney) and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson), on
this important legislation and responsibility of the Committee on House
Administration.
Also, I must say that I am so glad that we will be publishing a
``Biographical Directory of the United States Congress,'' if for no
other reason to get the Mica brothers straightened out. As my
colleagues may know, and I was told by the former historian of the
House, that the Mica brothers are the only two brothers since 1889 to
serve in Congress from the same family but different political parties.
We have the Kennedys all of one ilk, and we have the Hutchinsons all of
another party; but my brother and I got separated somewhere slightly
after birth.
He served with distinction as a member of the Democrat Party in the
majority from 1978 to 1988, and I came in 1992. So, unfortunately, the
Congress has been burdened with the Micas for 2 decades; but since I am
not in this most recent publication, at least people will understand
that there are two of these folks from different political parties and
hopefully actually educate some of the Members who have introduced me
as Dan Mica on numerous occasions, both from the Democrat side and the
Republican side of the aisle.
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. MICA. I yield to the gentleman from Connecticut.
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman very
much for his gracious accolades, and I want my colleague to know that
many Democrats, along with the gentleman's mother, pray continually for
his conversion; but nonetheless, we are proud to note how well the
gentleman has distinguished himself on the floor of the House, our
great House and also as a person who has championed bipartisanship and
the great role that he has also played along with his lovely wife in
terms of making the annual bipartisan, biannual, bipartisan retreat
such an enormous success because of his care for this great institution
of ours.
Mr. MICA. Again, I am deeply indebted to the gentleman for his kind
words, not only about me and my brother and the Democrat side of my
family, but also for mentioning my long-enduring and suffering-of-31-
years wife. That will certainly enhance the remainder of my day.

{time} 1430

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of
my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Emerson). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) that the House suspend
the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 138.
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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