[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 47 (Tuesday, April 19, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H2124-H2125]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  PROVIDING FOR APPOINTMENT OF ROBERT P. KOGOD TO BOARD OF REGENTS OF 
                        SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the joint 
resolution (H.J. Res. 20) providing for the appointment of Robert P. 
Kogod as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian 
Institution.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H.J. Res. 20

       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 of the 
     United States (20 U.S.C. 43), the vacancy on the Board of 
     Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, in the class other 
     than Members of Congress, occurring by reason of the 
     expiration of the term of Wesley S. Williams, Jr. of the 
     District of Columbia, on April 13, 2005, is filled by the 
     appointment of Robert P. Kogod of the District of Columbia. 
     The appointment is for a term of 6 years, beginning on the 
     later of April 14, 2005, or the date of the enactment of this 
     joint resolution.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Ney) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. McNulty) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney).
  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Again, Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to be here with my friend and 
colleague

[[Page H2125]]

from New York, and we appreciate his support of these resolutions.
  I rise in support of House Joint Resolution 20, which provides for 
the appointment of Robert P. Kogod as a citizen regent of the 
Smithsonian Institution's Board of Regents.
  Robert Kogod is the second nomination we are considering today. He is 
expected to fill the vacancy created by the departure of Wesley 
Williams.
  Mr. Kogod is the former co-chairman and co-chief executive officer of 
the Charles E. Smith Realty Companies. The Smith Companies he headed 
pioneered mixed-use development in the Washington, DC area, which puts 
residential, office, and retail buildings in close proximity.
  Mr. Kogod and his wife, Arlene, are renowned philanthropists. In 1979 
the Robert and Arlene Kogod School of Business at American University 
was named in honor of a major gift from the Kogods. They also helped 
establish the Institute for Advanced Jewish Research, within the Shalom 
Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. The Kogods are also world-recognized 
collectors of American crafts, art deco, and American art. They are 
longstanding members of the Smithsonian's American Art Forum and 
Archives for American Art.
  Mr. Kogod has also served as a member of the Smithsonian Washington 
Council, and he is currently serving as a special adviser to Secretary 
Small on the Patent Office Building renovation project.
  He serves as a trustee and adviser to the President of American 
University, which is where he also earned his bachelor of science 
degree in 1962. He possesses an extensive background in business, 
philanthropy and art. His diverse experience will make him an excellent 
candidate to serve on the Smithsonian Institution's governing board.
  I support House Joint Resolution 20 and ask for its adoption.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Before we proceed with this next nomination, I also want to 
congratulate the gentleman from California (Mr. Becerra), the newest 
congressional regent at the Smithsonian Institution, who replaces our 
late friend and colleague, Bob Matsui.
  Mr. Speaker, I join the chairman in urging the adoption of House 
Joint Resolution 20 to elect Robert P. Kogod, a renowned philanthropist 
and real estate developer, to a 6-year term as a citizen regent of the 
Smithsonian Institution.
  Mr. Kogod has a long record of service with the Smithsonian 
Institution, having served as a member of the Smithsonian Washington 
Council; as a special adviser, as the chairman said, to Secretary 
Small; and as a member of the American Art Museum's American Art Forum.
  Mr. and Mrs. Kogod, as the chairman pointed out, are noted collectors 
of American crafts, art deco, and American art and have provided major 
gifts to the American University School of Business, which is named for 
them; and to the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, which promotes 
Jewish thought and education; and to the Corcoran Gallery of Art, among 
many others.
  Mr. Kogod also serves on the American University Board of Trustees. 
And for many years Mr. Kogod was co-chairman and chief executive 
officer of Charles E. Smith Realty Companies, which pioneered mixed-use 
real estate development in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
  Mr. Speaker, I join the chairman in strongly urging my colleagues to 
support House Joint Resolution 20.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I just want to reiterate that Mr. Kogod is a person who is going to 
enhance and add so much to the board, and we are so pleased today to be 
making this resolution to put him on the board.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the 
appointment of Robert P. Kogod as a citizen regent of the Smithsonian 
Institution.
  Bob received a B.S. in 1962 from American University located in 
Washington, DC. He joined the Smith Companies in 1959 where he served 
as president, chief executive officer and director until 2001. Rob is a 
member of the boards of directors of Vornado Realty Trust and 
Archstone-Smith Trust. Bob also serves as President of the Hartman 
Institute in Jerusalem which is home to the Kogod Institute for 
Advanced Jewish Research.
  In 1979, the Kogod School of Business at American University was 
named in honor of a major gift from the Kogods.
  Bob and his wife Arlene have demonstrated their deep commitment to 
James Smithson's vision of the Smithsonian Institution as an 
establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge. The Kogods 
are renowned philanthropists as well as world-recognized collectors of 
American crafts, Art Deco and American Art. They are longstanding 
members of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's American Art Forum and 
the Archives for American Art. Bob previously has served as a member of 
the Smithsonian Washington Council and is currently serving as special 
advisor to Secretary Small on the Patent Office Building renovation 
project.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to express my support for the 
appointment of Bob Kogod as a citizen regent of the Smithsonian 
Institution.
  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) that the House suspend the rules and pass 
the joint resolution, H.J. Res. 20.
  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. NEY. 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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