[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 88 (Monday, June 16, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H5378-H5380]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CARL T. CURTIS NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MIDWEST REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS
BUILDING
Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
Senate bill (S. 703) to designate the regional headquarters building
for the National Park Service under construction in Omaha, Nebraska, as
the ``Carl T. Curtis National Park Service Midwest Regional
Headquarters Building.''
The Clerk read as follows:
S. 703
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF CARL T. CURTIS NATIONAL PARK
SERVICE MIDWEST REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS BUILDING.
The regional headquarters building for the National Park
Service under construction in Omaha, Nebraska, shall be known
and designated as the ``Carl T. Curtis National Park Service
Midwest Regional Headquarters Building''.
SEC. 2. REFERENCES.
Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper,
or other record of the United States to the regional
headquarters building referred to in section 1 shall be
deemed to be a reference to the Carl T. Curtis National Park
Service Midwest Regional Headquarters Building.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
North Carolina (Mr. Hayes) and the gentleman from California (Mr.
Filner) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes).
Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, S. 703 designates a building under construction in
Omaha, Nebraska, as the Carl T. Curtis National Park Service Midwest
Regional Headquarters Building.
Carl T. Curtis was born near Minden, Nebraska in 1905. Upon
graduating from the public schools in Minden, Curtis attended Nebraska
Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Nebraska. After his graduation from
Nebraska Wesleyan, he taught in the Minden public schools. Carl Curtis
never attended law school, but he obtained his law degree by reading
the law on his own and passing the bar exam in 1930. He was in private
practice until 1939 when he went on to serve Nebraska and the country
in Congress for the next 40 years. He was elected to the U.S. House of
Representatives for the first of eight successive terms in 1938, and
the United States Senate for four terms until 1979.
Carl Curtis is the only elected official in the history of Nebraska
to win statewide office while losing both Omaha and Lincoln. In
Nebraska politics, he was known as a giant killer, defeating two
incumbent governors, one former governor, one governor-to-be, and two
former House Members.
He was chairman of the Republican Conference in the Senate from 1975
[[Page H5379]]
until 1979. In Congress, he served on the Committees on Finance,
Agriculture, Rules and Space, and led the drive for flood control and
irrigation improvements along the Missouri River.
He is the author of one book, and the coauthor of a second book, both
on public policy.
Carl T. Curtis passed away in 2000 and is survived by his wife,
Mildred, son Carl, Jr., four grandchildren and five great-
grandchildren. This is a fitting tribute to a dedicated public servant,
and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today also in support of S. 703. This designation
that we do today is a fitting tribute to the distinguished career of
Carl Curtis. As the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes) stated,
he served the citizens of Nebraska for eight terms in the House and
four terms in the Senate. He was a strong advocate for small business,
agriculture producers and Social Security reform. In fact, he predicted
very early in his career that Social Security would be a serious
financial problem if the government did not plan for the future. We
know he was a devoted family man, dedicated public servant, and
distinguished elected official, and so it is both fitting and proper
that we honor his civic contributions with this designation. I urge
passage of S. 703.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Omaha, Nebraska (Mr. Terry).
Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 703. I have very fond
memories as a child of meeting our great Senator from the State of
Nebraska, Carl Curtis. In Nebraska, of course, having served as long as
he did, he was an icon; but he was known as a statesman who really
fought for Nebraska, and agriculture specifically. He has an
unparalleled record of service to Nebraska. He was elected to eight
terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and four terms to the United
States Senate. Those 40 years distinguished Senator Curtis as the
Nebraskan with the longest time in service in the U.S. Congress.
{time} 1600
Naming a National Park Service building after Senator Curtis is
especially fitting. He was a tireless advocate for America's
environment and natural resources. One of his greatest accomplishments
was sponsoring the resolution that helped create the Pick-Sloan plan
for the Missouri River, the Nation's first-ever authorized basin-wide
project for flood control and irrigation. By the way, Mr. Speaker, the
new National Park Service building is on the banks of the Missouri
River. This Pick-Sloan plan has made funding possible for every Bureau
of Reclamation project on the Missouri River since 1944. Senator Curtis
also authorized legislation establishing Nebraska's third and latest
national monument, the Agate Fossil Beds in the city of Harrison. Flood
control for the Republican River Valley is another one of his valuable
accomplishments.
As chairman of the Republican Conference from 1975 to 1979, Senator
Curtis revamped the organization to be the research and information-
based body that it is today. As ranking Republican on the Senate
Finance Committee, he was instrumental in enacting the Tax Reform Act
of 1976. He had a passion for savings. He really understood how
important it was for American citizens and American families to save
for the future. Hence, his tireless work on what became known as the
Roth IRAs. Our Senator Curtis from the State of Nebraska was the
originator of the concept. He was considered, because of this tireless
work on tax issues, to really be the Senator to go to on those type of
issues. He had the honor to serve as Senator Barry Goldwater's floor
manager at the 1964 Republican National Convention. Prior to his
service, he was a dedicated school teacher and self-educated practicing
attorney.
Although he passed on 3 years ago, Senator Curtis remains an
inspiration to Nebraskans and a cherished father, grandfather, and
great grandfather in the hearts of his family and to his wife, Mildred.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S. 703 to
honor Senator Curtis for his outstanding public service.
Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
another distinguished gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne).
Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, as has been mentioned a couple of times,
Carl Curtis served in Congress for 40 years, longer than any other
Nebraskan in the history of our State. Carl was the Congressman
representing the Fourth Congressional District in Nebraska for 16
years. It is kind of interesting to note that at one time Nebraska had
five congressional districts. Today we have three. That has to do, of
course, with the fact that Nebraska has not grown in population as fast
as most other States. Carl was from the central part of the State and
was very popular in rural areas. He paid a lot of attention to
agriculture.
Carl was a close friend of my father's. I knew Carl quite well. Carl
was not a large man in terms of physical stature; but in terms of the
way he comported himself in terms of his contribution to the State, he
was a person of great proportion. Carl was always well-dressed, he was
always well spoken, he was courteous to a fault, and he was truly well
respected and well liked by both sides of the aisle. He was not a
partisan individual. I think the term ``statesman'' really represents
Carl very well.
I understand that early on in his life he apparently had some
aspiration of being a politician and thought that public speaking
abilities were important, so having lived on a farm, he went out and
rehearsed his speeches to farm animals. Whether that educated them very
well or not, we may have had some of the smartest animals in Nebraska
due to Carl's rhetoric. As was mentioned earlier, he did pass the bar
by ``reading the law.'' I guess at one time you could do that. That is
a little bit unusual, but at that time apparently you did not have to
go to law school.
As the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry) mentioned, probably the
trademark legislation that Carl introduced was the Pick-Sloan project.
At one time, the Missouri River ran wild every spring and there were
numerous floods and whole villages got wiped out. Many people died.
From Garrison Reservoir up in Montana to Sakakawea down in North Dakota
and the whole series of dams in South Dakota, Oahe, a tremendous flood
control project which now has great implications, of course, for
recreation and barge traffic on the Missouri River down into Nebraska
and Iowa was really very visionary and the most important thing that he
did.
I think the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry) mentioned that he was
the floor manager at the Republican convention in 1964 where Barry
Goldwater was nominated for President. Carl lived to age 95. Carl was
bright and was articulate right up until the end. He was an amazing
gentleman. His wife, Mildred, served on the Park Service board. So I
think it is only fitting that because of his interest in flood control
and Mildred's work on the Park Service board, that the National Park
Service headquarters in Omaha be named after Carl. I along with others
urge support of Senate 703.
Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I have no requests for time, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I want to once again thank the gentleman from
Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) and the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry) for
bringing the distinguished Senator and House Member from the State of
Nebraska to our attention for a most appropriate resolution. I
recommend the strong support of the membership.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, this Member rises in support of S. 703,
which designates the regional headquarters building for the National
Park Service under construction in Omaha, Nebraska, as the ``Carl T.
Curtis National Park Service Midwest Regional Headquarters Building.''
This legislation, which was introduced by Senator Chuck Hagel, passed
the Senate on April 11, 2003, and was approved by the House Committee
on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 2, 2003.
Carl Curtis was born in 1905 near Minden, Nebraska. He served in the
House from 1939 until 1955 and subsequently served in the Senate until
his retirement from Congress in 1979. His 40 years of congressional
service set a record for Nebraska, and he served with dedication and
integrity. Carl Curtis passed away in 2000.
[[Page H5380]]
This Member recalls how as a thirteen year old on a family vacation
he visited Senator Curtis's Washington, D.C. office. On this occasion,
and always, he showed his deep Nebraska roots as he spoke glowingly and
knowledgeably about Nebraska and our Seward County community.
Carl Curtis believed that elected public service was an honorable
calling and he lived up to that conviction. This Member greatly
appreciated and admired his commitment to public service and to
representative democracy.
This Member urges his colleagues to support S. 703, which would
provide a fitting tribute to this outstanding former legislator, since
the new National Park Service regional office will be built on the
banks of the Missouri River, a river which was the focus of important
legislation on which Senator Carl Curtis showed crucial leadership on a
number of occasions.
Mr. HAYES. 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 North Carolina (Mr. Hayes) that
the House suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 703.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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