[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 4, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E23]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              PREPARING FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN B. LARSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 4, 2005

  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I support passage of S. Con. 
Res. 2, which would re-establish the Joint Congressional Committee on 
Inaugural Ceremonies to continue preparations for the presidential 
inauguration at the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2005 and authorizes the 
use of the Capitol Rotunda for the proceedings.
  This non-partisan joint committee was originally created last year by 
concurrent resolution S. Con. Res. 94, to begin its work, but since 
resolutions do not carry over from one Congress to the next, it expired 
automatically on January 3, 2005, along with the 108th Congress. That 
is why this routine action is necessary today.
  Congress passes this concurrent resolution every four years. The 
Speaker, Majority Leader and Minority Leader were originally appointed 
to represent the House on the joint committee and will be re-appointed 
to continue in those roles.
  As for the use of the Rotunda authorized by Section 2 of S. Con. Res 
2, we traditionally pass this measure at the beginning of any Congress 
following a presidential election in order to accommodate security 
planning and rehearsal for the inaugural, since the Rotunda is 
routinely used for ceremonial purposes during the inauguration and 
could host the event itself, depending on the weather at that time. A 
similar concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 93) was also passed last 
year during the 108th Congress to allow early planning for the 
inaugural to begin, but, like any resolution, it expired on January 3. 
That is why this action renewing the authority is necessary today. 
Therefore, I would like to urge my colleagues to join me in supporting 
this resolution so that we can move forward with Inaugural ceremonies.

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