[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 95 (Wednesday, June 25, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H5822-H5825]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1030
ABRAHAM LINCOLN BICENTENNIAL COMMISSION
Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
Senate bill (S. 858) to extend the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
Commission, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read as follows:
S. 858
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
[[Page H5823]]
SECTION 1. ABRAHAM LINCOLN BICENTENNIAL COMMISSION.
(a) Duties.--Section 4 of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
Commission Act (36 U.S.C. note prec. 101; Public Law 106-173)
is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)(D), by striking ``redesignation'' and
inserting ``rededication''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) To recommend to Congress a plan to carry out the
activities recommended under paragraph (2).
``(4) To carry out other related activities in support of
the duties carried out under paragraphs (1) through (3).''.
(b) Extension.--Section 8 of such Act (36 U.S.C. note prec.
101; Public Law 106-173) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``The'' and inserting
``In addition to the interim report required under subsection
(b), the'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Final
Report.--'' and inserting ``Required Interim Report.--'';
(B) by striking the first sentence and inserting: ``Not
later than June 24, 2004, the Commission shall submit an
interim report to Congress.''; and
(C) in the second sentence, by striking ``final''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Final Report.--Not later than April 30, 2010, the
Commission shall submit a final report to Congress. The final
report shall contain final statements, recommendations, and
information described under subsection (b)(1), (2), and
(3).''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Terry). Pursuant to the rule, the
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder) and the gentleman from Illinois
(Mr. Davis) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder).
Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Advisory Commission of the Abraham
Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, I am proud the House is considering
this legislation. This commission was established by Congress through
the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission Act in 2000 through the
106th Congress.
The commission works to honor President Lincoln's momentous legacy by
educating the general public on his unequaled contributions to our
great Nation. It can be a universally celebrated event of racial
reconciliation. It can be a time and an example for unifying America,
increasingly diverse with many different populations, about the
importance of having a united Nation and a united America.
This bicentennial can also highlight the unique American experience
of being able to rise up from growing up in a log cabin, people of
diverse backgrounds being able to rise to the very top of positions of
power in America.
I am pleased that this bill will extend the commission until 2010,
which will allow it to continue its valuable work through the upcoming
celebration of the 200th anniversary of President Lincoln's birth in
2009.
I am pleased the other body has already passed this bill that honors
perhaps our Nation's most extraordinary and cherished President. I
congratulate the accomplished members of the commission for their work.
We look forward to the commission's final report that will be due to
Congress on April 30, 2010, if this bill is passed.
Mr. Speaker, therefore, I urge all Members to support the passage of
S. 858, and I thank the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin) for
introducing this important measure.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
might consume.
Mr. Speaker, President Abraham Lincoln is considered by many to be
the most outstanding President this country has ever had. As a matter
of fact, many have suggested that he was courageous, often
misunderstood, renowned in his ability to see situations and then move
on them. So I am pleased to join with my colleague from Indiana in
consideration of Senate bill 858, a bill to extend the Abraham Lincoln
Bicentennial Commission.
The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission was established by
Congress in 2000 to plan the national observances of the 200th
anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birthday in 2009. Fifteen Americans
were named by the White House, the House of Representatives and the
Senate to work together to propose and craft programs of celebration
and education.
S. 858 would extend the authorization for the Abraham Lincoln
Bicentennial Commission through the bicentennial year of 2009. Under
current law, the commission would pass out of existence in 2004, 5
years before the event it is supposed to commemorate. In addition to
the requirement that the commission submit an interim report in June of
2004, S. 858 also requires that a final report be issued in 2010 after
the conclusion of bicentennial festivities.
Obviously, Mr. Speaker, this legislation has tremendous support, and
I would urge its passage.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood), the distinguished sponsor of
the original legislation that established the Abraham Lincoln
Bicentennial Commission, as well as a cochair of the commission,
without whose work this would not have occurred.
Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend from Indiana for
his comments.
I rise in support of the Senate bill 858, a bill to continue the
important work of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. I
encourage all of our colleagues to join with me in voting for this
fitting tribute to our greatest President. I want to thank Senator
Durbin for getting this through the United States Senate, and I want to
thank the majority leader's office for scheduling this for
consideration today.
It is my honor to serve as cochair of the Abraham Lincoln
Bicentennial Commission along with Senator Durbin of Illinois and Mr.
Harold Holzer of New York, a noted Lincoln scholar.
Created by Congress, the commission has 15 members and is charged
with planning and organizing the national celebration of Lincoln's
200th birthday on February 12, 2009. Current plans for the bicentennial
include a joint session of Congress, educational initiatives throughout
the country, a new Lincoln penny, film projects and much more.
In celebrating Lincoln's birthday, we honor not just the memory of
one man but also the promise of America's freedom. The ongoing struggle
against tyranny abroad and the continued fight for racial justice at
home both find their inspiration in the life and work of Abraham
Lincoln.
Last year, the commission appointed an executive director and moved
into offices in the Library of Congress. We have held meetings in
Illinois, Kentucky and Washington and will travel to Indiana next year
and will also be in Vermont this year.
Through our Web site, www.lincolnbicentennial.gov, we have already
received countless suggestions from the public about how best to
celebrate this important national event.
This year, the commission celebrated Lincoln's birthday by gathering
together our distinguished advisory committee. Made up of scholars,
business people and artists, we asked for their help in planning for
the bicentennial. That evening nearly 500 people and many more watching
C-SPAN witnessed ``Lincoln Seen and Heard'' in which the acclaimed
actor Sam Waterston gave a dramatic performance of Lincoln's speeches,
while Harold Holzer provided the accompanying images and narration.
Through events like this, we hope to raise the profile of the
commission and prepare the public for the important occasion of
Lincoln's 200th birthday, which we hope to celebrate nationwide and
around the world.
It is vital that this important commission be allowed to continue its
work through the actual bicentennial celebration. This bill would
simply extend the life of the commission through the bicentennial year
and require a final report so that future generations will have a
record of how we celebrated the life of the foremost champion of human
liberty.
Therefore, as the representative of the same District that sent
Abraham Lincoln to Congress and as cochair of the Abraham Lincoln
Bicentennial Commission, I urge my colleagues to support S. 858. I
thank the gentleman from Indiana for the time.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such
time as he might consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Jackson),
a Lincoln scholar, a civil war era buff, and a great historian who has
studied and written extensively about this period.
[[Page H5824]]
Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, let me begin by thanking the
distinguished gentleman from Illinois for the very kind and generous
and very thoughtful introduction.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this bill to extend
the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. I might also add, Mr.
Speaker, that the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood) is to be
congratulated for his foresight in the creation of this legislation and
the appropriate ways that a commission might study the ways in which
this Nation might honor, I believe, our most revered President.
I was recently appointed by the distinguished Democratic leader to
the 15-member commission which has the esteemed responsibility of
studying and recommending to Congress ways to appropriately honor
President Lincoln in 2009, the bicentennial of his birth. I think it is
very important to interpret the 16th President's life and work.
President Lincoln was an anti-slavery advocate in a Republican Party
that sprang to live on an anti-slavery platform. His election in 1860
added fuel to the fire of disunion over slavery and its spread west, a
disunion that triggered the American Civil War. While Lincoln was
gradualist in his approach to ending slavery, he never wavered on a
position that he knew would lead to its end. Slavery would not be
allowed to spread into the western territories.
Initially seven, and ultimately eleven, southern States seceded from
the Union rather than live under the rule of what many Democrats of
that era referred to and called the black Republican Party.
Lincoln valued the Union above all, but he knew that the result of
saving the Union was emancipation for the slaves. If the Union had not
been preserved, slavery would not have been ended. Strategically,
Lincoln understood that the Union was a common ground issue around
which he could rally the American people while slavery was divisive.
By holding his coalition together around the issue of the Union,
enough unionists eventually saw the connection between preserving the
Union and ending slavery. Clarity on that connection helped Lincoln
ease into emancipation in the middle of the war when it gave the North
a huge boost. This cleared the way for the 13th, the 14th and the 15th
amendments to the Constitution of the United States.
President Lincoln said 140 years ago this November in Gettysburg that
government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not
perish from the face of the Earth. To Lincoln, the people meant every
American, not just a select few. His policy and ultimate sacrifice for
this noble belief are instructive for every American, especially public
servants.
I am deeply honored to be among those who will shape a national
celebration of his legacy.
Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
One of the other things I would like to add to the record about the
extraordinary President Abraham Lincoln are that he gave two of the
most outstanding speeches of all time in American history, the
Gettysburg Address and the Second Inaugural.
In the book Lincoln at Gettysburg by the gifted writer Gary Wills, he
points out an extraordinary point that the gentleman from Illinois (Mr.
Jackson) just referenced, and that is that the President did not
directly address the biggest issues of the day. He indirectly tried to
build a coalition to unite our Nation.
As Gary Wills points out, the Gettysburg Address does not mention
Gettysburg, nor slavery, nor, more surprising, the Union or the South
or the Emancipation Proclamation. Wills refers to it as a
transcendental declaration. He laid the groundwork behind uniting
America in a union where we would stand together, and in the opening
phrase, taking out a few words of it and putting it down in its core
form, we are engaged in testing whether any free Nation can survive,
and that is what his message of the Gettysburg Address was.
His Second Inaugural speech, which many feel was his greatest speech,
also subject to a second book by Stephen White, he pointed out that
that was a brilliant theological address, stunned Congress, stunned the
press of the United States because it was very short. Here they were
very near the end of the Civil War, at a time when people wanted an
address from their President, celebrating victory or talking about how
things were going to work, and he made a seemingly impersonal address.
Nine straight Presidents did not serve a second term. He was the
first President in 10 to serve a second term. Yet in his Second
Inaugural he never said anything about that. He made it sound like it
was kind of an accident he was there, because what his purpose was was
to give a theological address on why both sides argued in the name of
God, both sides thought that they were trying to do that, some people
thought it was fatalistic, but he actually laid a theological argument
out as to why we fought a Civil War, why it was important that we
fought that Civil War and God's role in human history.
He may have been raised as a simple country boy, but he wrote and
personally edited, and we can see all the notes as he worked through
the speeches, two of the most powerful and enduring documents in world
history. In the Hoosier State, with all due respect to the gentleman
from Illinois (Mr. Davis), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Jackson)
and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood), we have an expression,
Abraham Lincoln grew up in Indiana. He is our most famous Hoosier. We
say Indiana made Lincoln. Lincoln made Illinois.
Lincoln epitomizes the American dream, that he grew up in a log cabin
in Kentucky where he was born and the first few years of his life. Then
he moved to Indiana as a very young boy, grew up in multiple log cabins
there in Indiana. He largely educated himself, moved to Illinois,
taught himself the law, ran for office, losing more than he won. He
participated in arguably the most famous of all American debates, the
Lincoln-Douglas debates. He eventually rose as a compromise candidate
for President, was trounced on the first ballot but came out as a
compromise President, but almost every American will agree it is a
classic example of the right man in the right place at the right time.
This is important for the rest of the world because Abraham Lincoln
epitomizes the American dream. The four of us who spoke here, the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) and the gentleman from Illinois
(Mr. Jackson) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood) and myself,
all come from different backgrounds. None of us were probably born in a
log cabin, and our Speaker, who is a super Lincoln fan, who has turned
his conference room into the Lincoln Room with paintings and statuary
and other things of Abraham Lincoln, he himself grew up in small town
Illinois. He would have liked to have been born in a log cabin, but he
was not.
{time} 1045
But he grew up in Illinois and prides himself on rising up like
others in the American Dream.
Abraham Lincoln is an example to us of racial reconciliation, of
united nations, of rising up in the American Dream; and that is
important in understanding why, like during the 10 years of this
commission, we continue to develop at the grass roots level, the same
way this commission has started to do, innovative ideas, bubbling up in
community after community of how we can recognize those things that
unite us as a Nation and to build on that so we do not come apart at
the seams like we have seen in many nations around the world.
Mr. Speaker, I do not have any other colleagues who want to speak on
this, but I want to thank, again, the Senator from Illinois in the
other body, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood), the gentleman
from Illinois (Mr. Davis), and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr.
Jackson) for supporting this, and I urge all Members to support its
passage.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume, and though I do not have any additional speakers, I will close
by simply saying that I grew up an Abraham Lincoln fan as a little boy.
My mother, who did not have much formal education, nor did my father,
they were both Abraham Lincoln fans and they
[[Page H5825]]
told us stories about Abraham Lincoln. This obviously whetted my
appetite, and I became an Abraham Lincoln guy who read everything that
I could get my hands on about Lincoln.
It is obvious from all of the comments that we have heard that
Indiana, Illinois, and I guess we have to add Kentucky, have great
memories and great fondness for the legacy of Abraham Lincoln, who
would probably be considered a great communicator. We did not talk so
much about people being communicators then. Now we talk about
communication skills and abilities; but I guess he could communicate so
much in just a few words, in things like the Lincoln Gettysburg Address
and other comments that he made.
The one quote that I often like to suggest that Lincoln made was
about education. He said that ``education makes a man easy to lead, but
difficult to drive; easy to govern, but impossible to enslave.'' So as
we put resources into budgets for education, I always try to remember
Abraham Lincoln.
Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 858, a
bill to extend the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.
History recognizes Abraham Lincoln as one of this Nation's greatest
and most visionary Presidents. Born in rural Kentucky, Lincoln rose
from humble roots to the highest office in the land. He was renowned as
a masterful orator and legislator. He led our country through its
greatest internal crisis, our Civil War, with a decisiveness balanced
with humanity. In 1863, Lincoln issued the revolutionary Emancipation
Proclamation, freeing all slaves in the South. And he professed himself
committed to rebuilding our Nation into a strong, united entity through
a generous, practical reconstruction program in the South.
Tragically, Lincoln never had the opportunity to act upon his vision
for Reconstruction. Just 5 days after Lee's surrender at Appomattox,
Lincoln was shot at nearby Ford's Theater. He died of his wounds the
next morning. An outpouring of grief swept across the Nation, with
thousands meeting his funeral train at every stop.
Abraham Lincoln embodied the principles and qualities our Nation
values most highly. He was scrupulously honest, forthright, and moral.
In all matters of governance, he made decisions based on his desire to
do the greatest good for the largest number of people. He was utterly
committed to the fair treatment of all Americans and to healing the
wounds of our internal divisions.
As a Member of Congress, I strive to emulate Lincoln's example. In
doing so, I am deeply proud to say that I am deeply proud to say that I
am carrying on a family heritage. I can trace my own ancestry back to
Lincoln himself; our families lived in the same part of Kentucky. His
portrait hangs in my office as a constant reminder of his noble spirit
and eloquent example.
The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission was established in 2000
to inform the public about the impact Abraham Lincoln had on the
development of our Nation and to identify the best possible ways to
honor his accomplishments. The Commission has already done a great deal
of excellent work and looks forward to doing much more. Under the
original legislation, however, the Commission is scheduled to expire
this year--3 years before the actual Lincoln Bicentennial in 2003. This
legislation would extend the Commission's life through the bicentennial
it was established to celebrate.
Just last month, I was deeply honored to be appointed to the
Commission's advisory board. It will be my privilege to work with my
fellow board members and the Commission to educate our Nation about my
kinsman and role model.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S. 858 and honoring the
legacy of Abraham Lincoln. Without his leadership, our Nation would not
be the strong, unified United States we are today.
Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, as Representative for the 17th Congressional
District in Illinois, a district encompassing Springfield, Illinois,
where Abraham Lincoln got his political start, I pledge my support for
the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.
Abraham Lincoln first came to Illinois in March of 1830, and like so
many of us he came to love the beautiful state, its good people, and
its bountiful opportunities. Abraham Lincoln was a patriotic man and a
courageous leader. He led our Nation through one of the darkest times
in its history, and helped to shape it into the great country that it
is today.
The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission is dedicated to
preserving and honoring the legacy of Abraham Lincoln. It will provide
education to the American public about President Lincoln's
accomplishments, as well as striving to honor his works.
I encourage everyone to visit Illinois and see the many sites
commemorating President Lincoln, not only in Springfield, but
throughout the state. It is important to continue to urge Americans to
learn about the history of our Nation and the people who have made it
so great. Abraham Lincoln is one of the most important figures who
contributed to this rich history of which we are so proud.
Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of Senator
Richard J. Durbin's bill, S. 858, to extend the Abraham Lincoln
Bicentennial Commission and to inform the American public about his
selfless dedication and sacrifice to our country.
It is my privilege to represent Illinois in the House of
Representatives just as Abraham Lincoln did more than a century and a
half ago. I am honored to share this association with one of our
nation's greatest lawyers, legislators, and presidents.
Toward the end of this decade, on February 12, 2009, we will
recognize the 200th anniversary of President Lincoln's birth. Passage
of this bill authorizes the Bicentennial Commission to explore the best
possible ways to honor his lasting accomplishments.
Our state slogan, ``Land of Lincoln'' reflects how proud Illinoisans
are of his enduring contribution to America's unity and strength. His
home in Springfield, Illinois is a National Historic Site administered
by the National Park Service, and his tomb in Oak Ridge Cemetery, also
in Springfield, is among the most visited sites in our state.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Senator Durbin for introducing this legislation
to make certain that a hero to all in my home state of Illinois and
throughout the nation is honored appropriately. I strongly encourage
all of my colleagues to vote for S. 858, authorizing the Abraham
Lincoln Bicentennial Commission to help preserve the memory of his
noble vision, statesmanship and humanity forever in American history.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Terry). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 858.
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. SOUDER. 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.
____________________