[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 46 (Tuesday, April 25, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H1687-H1688]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   APPROVING LOCATION OF COMMEMORATIVE WORK IN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 
             HONORING FORMER PRESIDENT DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

  Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate joint resolution (S.J. Res. 28) approving the location of the 
commemorative work in the District of Columbia honoring former 
President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              S.J. Res. 28

       Whereas section 8908(b)(1) of title 40, United States Code 
     provides that the location of a commemorative work in the 
     area described as Area I shall be deemed authorized only if 
     approved by law not later than 150 days after notification to 
     Congress and others that the commemorative work may be 
     located in Area I;
       Whereas section 8162 of the Department of Defense 
     Appropriations Act, 2000 (40 U.S.C. 8903 note) authorizes the 
     Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission to establish a 
     memorial on Federal land in the District of Columbia to honor 
     Dwight D. Eisenhower; and
       Whereas the Secretary of the Interior has notified Congress 
     of her determination that the memorial should be located in 
     Area I: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 
     location of the commemorative work to honor Dwight D. 
     Eisenhower, authorized by section 8162 of the Department of 
     Defense Appropriations Act, 2000 (40 U.S.C. 8903 note), 
     within Area I as depicted on the map referred to in section 
     8908(a) of title 40, United States Code, is approved.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Renzi) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. 
Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.


                             General Leave

  Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, Senate Joint Resolution 28 approves the location of 
the Dwight D. Eisenhower commemorative work in the District of 
Columbia. Congressman Jerry Moran is the author of the companion bill 
in the House, and he should be commended for his efforts to have this 
legislation enacted in such a timely manner.

                              {time}  1430

  Congress authorized the establishment of a Washington, D.C., memorial 
to former President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 2002. Under the 
Commemorative Works Act, Congress must formally approve the placement 
of memorials located in ``Area 1'' of the District of Columbia within 
150 days of notification by the Secretary of the Interior. Area 1 
comprises the central monument core along the National Mall.
  The Secretary of the Interior notified Congress on January 31, 2006, 
that the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission should be granted the 
authority to consider sites within Area 1 for the Eisenhower Memorial 
after concluding that former President Eisenhower is of ``preeminent 
historical and lasting significance to this Nation.'' Congress must 
approve this recommendation by July 2, 2006, for the planning and 
approval process to proceed. Senate Joint Resolution 28 does just that. 
I urge adoption of the resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, President Dwight D. Eisenhower is a towering figure in 
American military and political history. We are pleased that the 
process for memorializing him is moving along rapidly and join our 
colleagues in offering our support for this resolution.
  I would also like to congratulate the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. 
Moore) for his steadfast advocacy of this legislation. Mr. Moore is a 
member of the Executive Committee of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial 
Commission, and in his letter to Ranking Member Rahall noted, 
``President Eisenhower deserves a memorial location that speaks to his 
life and legacy.'' We are pleased to support this resolution.
  Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I am very pleased that today the 
House is taking up S.J. Res. 28, a joint resolution approving the 
location of the commemorative work in the District of Columbia honoring 
former President Dwight D. Eisenhower. This measure, which was approved 
by the Senate earlier this month; it is identical to H.J. Res. 78, 
which was introduced by Representative Jerry Moran of Kansas, with my 
original cosponsorship. With House approval of this measure today, this 
legislation will be sent to the President for his signature, marking an 
important milestone in the construction of a national memorial to 
President Eisenhower.
  As a member of the Executive Committee of the Dwight D. Eisenhower 
Memorial Commission, established under Public Law 106-79 and Public Law 
107-117, I have been working with my Commission colleagues to fulfill 
the laws' mandate that ``an appropriate permanent memorial to Dwight D. 
Eisenhower should be created to perpetuate his memory and his 
contributions to the United States,'' and that the ``Commission shall 
consider and formulate plans for such a permanent memorial to Dwight D. 
Eisenhower, including its nature, construction and location.'' I want 
to take this opportunity to thank my fellow Commissioners for their 
dedicated work on this project, and to take particular note of the 
contributions of Commission Chairman Rocco C. Siciliano and Commission 
Executive Director Brig. General Carl W. Reddel, USAF (Ret). Working in 
particular with my fellow Executive Committee members Senators Ted 
Stevens and Daniel Inouye, their tireless dedication to this project 
has been the primary reason we have moved so far so fast with this 
legislation. Their outstanding work is exemplified in the Commission's 
biographical essay about Dwight D. Eisenhower, which I include below:

          The National Memorialization of Dwight D. Eisenhower

       Dwight D. Eisenhower (October 14, 1890-March 28, 1969) 
     served as the 34th President of the United States and ranks 
     as one of the preeminent figures in the global history of the 
     twentieth century. Eisenhower was a central leader in the 
     victorious resolution of World War II but his lasting 
     significance in history lies in his deep commitment to 
     freedom, the Constitution and democracy, and his 
     contributions to defining and sustaining an international 
     peace for which many Americans died.
       A serving officer in World War I, Eisenhower's unusual 
     abilities led to accelerated promotions at the outset of 
     World War II and his selection in December 1943 as Supreme 
     Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces. For this 
     position he was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt 
     and endorsed by General George C. Marshal1. He commanded the 
     largest and most complex amphibious assault in world history. 
     In this historic role, although he asked many Americans to 
     sacrifice their lives, he became one of the most popular 
     political figures in America and one of the most beloved 
     military leaders in American history.
       Toward the end of World War II, Eisenhower was nominated by 
     President Roosevelt and approved by Congress for the rank of 
     five-star General. Upon retiring from military service, he 
     actively served as President of Columbia University from 
     October 1948 to January 1951. While in that position, 
     President Truman regularly sought his advice and counsel and 
     then recalled him to active duty, appointing him in December 
     1950 as the first

[[Page H1688]]

     commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) 
     military forces in Europe.
       As the second presiding officer of the Joint Chiefs of 
     Staff, replacing General Marshall in December 1945, he 
     oversaw the peacetime demobilization of American military 
     forces, recommended the continuation of universal military 
     training and strongly advocated the unification of the 
     armed forces.
       As Eisenhower's two-term presidency began, American 
     democratic values and national security were threatened by 
     powerful adversaries. Passionately devoted to national 
     security through alliances with other nations, President 
     Eisenhower began his first administration when the Cold War's 
     global challenges had gone beyond Europe. Convinced that a 
     long-term strategy would be necessary to win this war, 
     President Eisenhower sought to contain the Soviet Union 
     militarily while building a prosperous economy. He understood 
     the political economy of warfare better than most of his 
     contemporaries and realized that excessive military 
     expenditures could undermine the nation itself. Knowing that 
     nuclear war was un-winnable and a threat to civilization, 
     President Eisenhower promoted the peaceful uses of atomic 
     energy, while skillfully and willingly deploying the most 
     advanced electronic and photographic technologies to ensure 
     American security. Simultaneously, he sustained strategic 
     nuclear deterrence. President Eisenhower inaugurated the 
     national security policies that guided the nation for the 
     next three decades, leading to the peaceful end of the Cold 
     War in 1989.
       While undertaking strategic Cold War measures, President 
     Eisenhower assiduously pursued balanced budgets with 
     remarkable fiscal responsibility and without sacrificing 
     necessary public works. He introduced lasting innovations to 
     the institution of the presidency, creating the first White 
     House chief of staff, the first congressional relations 
     office, the first presidential assistant for national 
     security affairs and the first presidential science advisor. 
     He dramatically improved the transportation infrastructure of 
     the country with construction of the interstate highway 
     system and the St. Lawrence Seaway. The territory of the 
     United States was expanded with the addition of the new 
     states of Alaska (January 3, 1959) and Hawaii (August 21, 
     1959).
       To address the increasing complexity of citizens' social 
     needs, President Eisenhower created the Department of Health, 
     Education and Welfare in 1953, improved Social Security by 
     increasing benefits and placing an additional ten million 
     Americans in the Social Security system, and dispensed free 
     polio vaccines. In 1957, he signed the first civil rights 
     legislation since Reconstruction.
       The extraordinary accomplishments of Dwight D. Eisenhower 
     as president and military leader are enhanced in a series of 
     memorable addresses and speeches inc1uding--Guildhall Address 
     (London, 1945), Chance for Peace (Washington, 1953), Atoms 
     for Peace (United Nations, 1953), Open Skies (Geneva Summit, 
     1956) and the Farewell Address (1961). Similar to Washington, 
     Eisenhower became president and commander in chief after 
     leading his country and its allies to military victory in 
     Europe. His preeminent historical and national significance 
     is assured. The challenge in our national memorialization of 
     Dwight D. Eisenhower will be to honor all facets of his 
     extraordinary career of life-long public service in a 
     distinct, unique and enduring manner.

  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
one of Kansas' most famous sons, President Dwight D. Eisenhower. His 
remarkable career in public service and his legacy of protecting our 
country and the American people is most deserving of a memorial here in 
our Nation's Capital.
  President Eisenhower spent his childhood in Abilene, Kansas, which is 
located in my district. Upon graduation from Abilene High School in 
1909, he enrolled at West Point. Eisenhower soon became an esteemed 
figure and one of the most beloved military leaders in American 
history. After leading the U.S. and its allies to victory in World War 
II, he rose to the eminent rank of five-star general and went on to 
become the first commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's 
military forces in Europe. In 1953, Eisenhower became the 34th 
President of the United States.
  Initial site approval must be granted by Congress in order for 
monument design plans to proceed. The Eisenhower Commission was 
responsible for initially selecting the four-acre location near the 
Department of Education that has now been designated for the memorial. 
I was joined by the entire Kansas delegation in supporting H.J. Res. 
78, the House companion bill to S.J. Res. 28. I recognize that the 
designation of the memorial site is an instrumental first step in 
making this tribute a reality.
  Eisenhower himself once said that ``this world has always set a high 
value on leadership.'' Eisenhower's valiant leadership qualities, 
innumerable successes, and staunch defender of American liberties make 
him worthy of a monument attributing to such. I stand here today 
offering my support for this important resolution.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Drake). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the Senate joint resolution, S.J. Res. 28.
  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. RENZI. Madam 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 question will 
be postponed.

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