[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 101 (Tuesday, July 20, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H6082-H6083]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PROVIDING FOR APPOINTMENT OF ELI BROAD AS CITIZEN REGENT OF BOARD OF 
                   REGENTS OF SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

  Mr. NEY. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate joint resolution (S.J. Res. 38) providing for the appointment of 
Eli Broad as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the 
Smithsonian Institution.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              S.J. Res. 38

       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That in 
     accordance with section 5581 of the Revised Statutes (20 
     U.S.C. 43), the vacancy on the Board of Regents of the 
     Smithsonian Institution, in the class other than Members of 
     Congress, resulting from the death of Barber B. Conable, Jr., 
     is filled by the appointment of Eli Broad of California. The 
     appointment is for a term of 6 years, beginning upon the date 
     of enactment of this joint resolution.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Ney) and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney).
  Mr. NEY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of Senate Joint Resolution 38, which 
provides for the appoint of Eli Broad as a citizen regent of the Board 
of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution.
  The Smithsonian is governed by a board of regents which is comprised 
of 17 members. These 17 members include the Chief Justice of the 
Supreme Court and the Vice President of the United States, three 
Members each of the U.S. House and Senate, and nine citizens who are 
nominated by the board and approved jointly in a resolution of 
Congress. The nine citizen members serve for a term of 6 years each, 
and are eligible for reappointment for one additional term.
  Eli Broad will fill a vacancy on the board of regents for Barber 
Conable, Jr., who, sadly, passed away last year. Eli Broad is an 
accomplished business leader who built two Fortune 500 companies from 
the ground up. He serves on several boards, most notably; he is 
chairman of AIG Retirement Services and KB Home, formerly Kaufman and 
Broad Home Corporation. He is also the founding chairman of the board 
of trustees for the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and 
currently a trustee and member of the executive committee of the Los 
Angeles County Museum of Art.
  Eli Broad and his wife, Edythe, are active philanthropists. Since 
1984, the Broad Art Foundation has operated an active ``lending 
library'' of its extensive collection to more than 400 museums and 
university galleries worldwide.

[[Page H6083]]

  One of Eli Broad's charitable contributions includes the Broad 
Foundation, whose mission is to improve urban public education. The 
foundation has committed over $400 million to support new ideas in the 
Nation's largest urban school systems. The Broad Foundation contributed 
toward the construction of the Broad Art Center at UCLA.
  However, Mr. Broad's background does not end there, as he 
incorporates extensive involvement in the field of science as well. The 
Eli and Edythe Broad Institute for Biomedical Research is a partnership 
with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, and 
Whitehead Institute. It was created in June 2003, and the institute's 
aim is to realize the promise of the human genome and to revolutionize 
clinical medicine.
  Eli Broad's ongoing leadership roles in art, education, science, and 
civic development make him a strong candidate for service on the 
Smithsonian Institution's Board of Regents. I join with my colleague, 
the ranking member, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson), in 
support of Senate Joint Resolution 38.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I wish to associate myself with the remarks of the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney). As the chairman has pointed out, I am as 
well pleased to support Senate Joint Resolution 38 which appoints Eli 
Broad to a 6-year term as citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the 
Smithsonian Institution to fill that vacancy.
  Senate Joint Resolution 38 passed the Senate on June 9, 2004. An 
identical bill, House Joint Resolution 99, was introduced by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Matsui), who continues to serve on the 
board of regents with distinction.
  Mr. Broad has been recommended by the board of regents to replace our 
former colleague, Barber Conable, as the chairman pointed out. Mr. 
Conable retired from the House of Representatives in 1985 and passed 
away on November 20, 2003.
  I especially, again, want to congratulate the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Matsui) for his leadership in bringing this nomination 
to the floor. He has been a regent of the Smithsonian Institution since 
1999 and has been diligent in his duties to promote its effective 
operation, even in the face of his increasing leadership 
responsibilities here in the House.
  Madam Speaker, the board of regents, as the chairman has noted, was 
created in 1846 as a governing body of the Smithsonian Institution and 
currently has 17 board members. Eli Broad, who has been recommended to 
become its newest citizen regent, is a distinguished business leader 
who built two Fortune 500 companies over a 5-decade career.
  As founder of the Broad Foundation, he has focused on philanthropy, 
promoting art, education, scientific and biomedical research and civic 
development. Mr. Broad is well qualified for this post, and his wide 
array of experience will be an asset to the Smithsonian Institution in 
the years ahead. I urge approval of this joint resolution and its 
enactment so Mr. Broad may attend the next meeting of the board of 
regents currently scheduled for September.
  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to support S.J. Res. 38, to appoint Eli 
Broad to a six-year term as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of 
the Smithsonian Institution to fill a vacancy. S.J. Res. 38 passed the 
Senate on June 9, 2004. An identical bill, H.R. Res. 99, was introduced 
by Representative Matsui.
  Mr. Broad has been recommended by the Board of Regents to replace our 
late former colleague, Barber Conable of New York, who retired from the 
House of Representatives in 1985 and passed away on November 20, 2003.
  After his retirement, Rep. Conable was generous in his continuing 
contributions to the Congress, including his service on the advisory 
board created by the History of the House Awareness and Preservation 
Act, which was enacted in the 106th Congress and which I had sponsored.
  The bill authorized the writing of a major new volume on the history 
of our institution by a major scholar in the field, and that work is 
currently being undertaken by Professor Robert Remini, professor 
emeritus of history at the University of Illinois--Chicago.
  Representative Matsui, who introduced the House's companion 
legislation (H.J. Res. 99), has been a regent of the Smithsonian since 
1999 and has been diligent in his duty to promote its effective 
operation, even in the face of his increasing leadership 
responsibilities here in the House. He has been an exemplar of broad 
public service to the American people in a variety of roles.
  On a more personal note, Bob is closely associated with his work to 
help the Smithsonian shape the ``More Perfect Union'' exhibit in the 
National Museum of American History. That exhibit examines the 
experiences of the Nisei, Americans of Japanese descent, many of whom, 
like Bob Matsui and his family, were interned during World War II. It 
is a significant contribution to public awareness of that tragic era.
  The Board of Regents was created in 1846 as the governing body of the 
Smithsonian, a unique trust equity created by Congress, and is 
currently composed of 17 Members, including six Members of Congress, 
three from each chamber. The positions of the nine citizen regents of 
the Smithsonian were created to bring a variety of expertise from 
business, politics, science, education and the arts to complement the 
other regents and provide additional perspective in the funding and 
management of the Smithsonian's infrastructure and worldwide network of 
initiatives.
  Eli Broad, who has been recommended to become the newest citizen 
regent, is a distinguished business leader who built two Fortune 500 
companies over a five-decade career. He is chairman of AIG Retirement 
Services Inc., formerly SunAmerica Inc., and founder-chairman of KB 
Home, formerly Kaufman and Broad Home Corporation.
  As founder of the Broad Foundation, he is focused on philanthropy, 
promoting art, education, scientific and biomedical research and civic 
development. Since 1984, the Broad Art Foundation has loaned portions 
of its extensive collection to more than 400 museums and university 
galleries worldwide.
  Mr. Broad was the founding chairman of the board of trustees of The 
Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, and is currently a trustee 
and member of the executive committee of the Los Angeles County Museum 
of Art.
  Since 1999, The Broad Foundation has worked to improve urban public 
education through better governance, management and labor relations and 
has committed over $400 million to support innovation in the Nation's 
largest urban school systems. Mr. Broad has also been active in a 
variety of civic projects to promote and improve the city of Los 
Angeles.
  In June 2003, in a partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of 
Technology, Harvard University and Whitehead Institute, the Broads 
announced the founding gift to create The Eli and Edythe Broad 
Institute for biomedical research. The Institute's aim is to 
revolutionize clinical medicine through genetic research and to make 
knowledge freely available to scientists around the world.
  Mr. Broad is a member of the board of trustees of CalTech. He also 
served as chairman of the board of trustees of Pitzer College and vice 
chairman of the board of trustees of the California State University 
system.
  Mr. Broad is well-qualified for this post and his wide array of 
experience will be an asset to the Smithsonian in the years ahead. I 
urge approval of the joint resolution and its enactment so that Mr. 
Broad may attend the next meeting of the Board of Regents currently 
scheduled for September.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1815

  Mr. NEY. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Harris). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the Senate joint resolution, S.J. Res. 38.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate joint resolution was 
passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________