[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 99 (Tuesday, July 25, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H5761-H5762]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      AUTHORIZING ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE KENNEDY CENTER

  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5187) to amend the John F. Kennedy Center Act to authorize 
additional appropriations for the John F. Kennedy Center for the 
Performing Arts for fiscal year 2007.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 5187

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS.

       (a) Maintenance, Repair, and Security.--Section 13(a) of 
     the John F. Kennedy Center Act (20 U.S.C. 76r(a)) is 
     amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1) by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (2) in paragraph (2) by striking ``, 2006, and 2007.'' and 
     inserting ``and 2006; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(3) $19,100,000 for fiscal year 2007.''.
       (b) Capital Projects.--Section 13(b) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 
     76r(b)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1) by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (2) in paragraph (2) by striking ``, 2006, and 2007.'' and 
     inserting ``and 2006; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(3) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.''.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. 
Oberstar) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 5187.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 5187 was introduced by Chairman Young and Ranking Member 
Oberstar on April 25, 2006. The bill amends the John F. Kennedy Center 
Act to authorize additional appropriations for the Kennedy Center for 
fiscal year 2007.
  The current authorization for fiscal year 2007 is $36 million for the 
capital projects and the maintenance, repair and security accounts. 
H.R. 5187 raises the previously authorized level for fiscal year 2007 
from $36 million to $39.1 million to align the authorized level with 
that requested in the President's budget.
  The slight increase in authorization will allow the Kennedy Center to 
proceed with the scheduled renovation of the Eisenhower Theater. 
Programing for the theater has been cancelled because of the 
renovation. It is critical that renovation proceed as scheduled to 
minimize the time the theater is offline. The additional authorization 
will also allow the Kennedy Center to continue necessary operations, 
maintenance requirements, including many life safety upgrades.
  H.R. 5187 will help ensure that the Kennedy Center is authorized to 
use all funds appropriated in support of the President's budget for 
fiscal year 2007.
  I support this measure, and urge my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Pennsylvania has indeed 
explained the principal provisions

[[Page H5762]]

of the bill. We did here increase the capital program authorization to 
$20 million for fiscal 2007 from the current $18 million. And we 
increase the maintenance, repair and security authorization to $19.1 
million, from the previous level of 18 million. That will allow the 
Center to proceed with renovation of the Eisenhower theater, and life 
safety projects associated with the roof terrace.
  A major assessment of the Center indicated needs to enhance safety, 
and these are costs in addition to what the Center is capable of 
providing, so the authorization level will be consistent with those 
recommendations.
  And the bill is also consistent with the administration's budget 
request to provide funding, and for the appropriation amounts included 
in the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriation bill.
  The Kennedy Center is the Nation's outstanding center for the 
performing arts. It is a world renowned center for the performing arts, 
and is a national treasure. It is, in fact, a national historic site. 
It is under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure. We treat it as a national treasure.
  These are investments in the future well-being of that structure. And 
the investments that we have made through this committee over many 
years at the time that the chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania, Mr. Shuster, and the previous chairman of the full 
committee, Mr. Shuster, has seen to the needs, the investment that keep 
this Center for the Performing Arts a world premiere facility.
  As President John F. Kennedy said, ``a Nation without the arts has 
nothing to look backward to with pride, nor forward to with hope.''
  The investment that we make in the facility of the Kennedy Center for 
the Performing Arts allows us to look forward with hope to the grandeur 
and the joy of the spirit, the human spirit that is provided by the 
performing arts.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers. I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5187.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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