Congressional Record, Volume 153 Issue 8 (Tuesday, January 16, 2007)

[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 16, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H532-H534]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

PROVIDING NEW EFFECTIVE DATE FOR APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF
LAW

Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 188) to provide a new effective date for the
applicability of certain provisions of law to Public Law 105-331.
The Clerk read as follows:

H.R. 188

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That
notwithstanding any other provision of law, for the purposes
of Public Law 105-331, the end of the 2-year period specified
in subparagraph (B) of section 5134(f)(1) of title 31, United
States Code, shall be July 1, 2007. This section shall apply
on and after December 31, 2006, as if the section had been
enacted on such date.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Scott) and the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.

General Leave

Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material
thereon.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Georgia?
There was no objection.
Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Madam Speaker, I urge today that the House pass H.R. 188, which was
introduced by the distinguished gentleman from New Jersey,
Representative Pallone.
This bill has the simple purpose of addressing a glitch in the
distribution of surcharges on the sale of commemorative coins that
honor America's great inventor, Thomas Edison.
In 1988, legislation authorizing the production of the coin was
enacted and the U.S. Mint minted and issued the coin in 2004. But as a
result of some unclear language in the documents provided both the Mint
and to recipient organizations, it was unclear that the matching funds
required by law in the order for recipient organizations to receive the
coin's proceeds must be raised entirely from private sources and that
no other government funds could be used for this purpose.
This bill extends for a period of 6 months the amount of time in
which the recipients of surcharges on the sales of the Thomas Edison
commemorative coin are allowed to raise matching funds.
While the House passed the bill to remedy this problem by voice vote
under suspension of rules last November, the Senate failed to act on
this in a timely manner, so I would urge the House to consider the bill
and immediately adopt the underlying text.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. BIGGERT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 188, introduced by
the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone). This bill will provide a
new effective date for certain provisions in Public Law 105-331. It is
a simple bill and it is simple to describe.
Passage will allow the Edison Tower Museum in Edison, New Jersey, an
extension until the end of June to raise private funds. These funds
will match the roughly $380,000 in surcharges due from the sale of
coins as part of the Thomas Alva Edison Commemorative Coin Act of 2004.
As a result of some miscommunications and, frankly, a lack of clarity
in materials, the United States Mint provided the Edison Memorial Tower
Corporation regarding statutory requirements, this brief extension is
necessary. It will allow the corporation time to raise private sector
matching funds and thus claim the surcharges from the sale of the
coins.
The situation is now cleared up and the Mint has corrected the
documentation and all concerned agree that a brief extension of the
statutory 2-year timeline is both reasonable and a practical and fair
way to deal with the situation.
The matching fund requirements were part of sensible reforms to the
commemorative coin program enacted in the 104th Congress at the behest
of the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle). They are an important
safeguard against misuse of the commemorative coin program. This modest
extension creates no precedent for future surcharge recipients who fail
to raise the required funds in a timely fashion, and is merely a brief
pause to allow satisfaction of the statute.
This is a good bill, one that passed the House in November of 2006 by
voice vote but was not acted upon by the other body. I urge its
immediate passage.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), someone who is truly a leader
in this Congress and the sponsor of this bill.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Georgia
for those very kind words.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, which already passed
the House by voice vote last November and was well on its way to
becoming law until it was held up in the other body.
I have reintroduced the bill with Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, who is,
of course, the chairman of the Financial Services Committee, and my
colleague from New Jersey (Mr. Sires) who is also here to speak on the
bill, and also Mr. Frelinghuysen. It is a very simple

[[Page H533]]

bill, designed to provide the Edison Memorial Tower Corporation
additional time to raise funds to match a Federal grant.
The Edison Memorial Tower is a 131-foot tower built in 1937 on the
exact spot where Thomas Edison's original Menlo Park laboratory was
located in New Jersey. It was built to commemorate Edison's work and is
connected to a museum displaying many of the inventor's creations.
Unfortunately, the tower has suffered more than $3 million worth of
water damage. The Edison Memorial Tower Corporation, which oversees the
tower, was designated as a recipient of Federal funds under the Thomas
Alva Edison Commemorative Coin Act, which we passed in 1998.
That funding became available at the beginning of last year but
required a non-Federal match. After reading a document published by the
Mint, the Tower Corporation originally thought that they could use
State funds to pay for the match. Unfortunately, they were informed
recently by the U.S. Mint that they could only use funds raised from
private sources.
Once they realized this, the Tower Corporation approached me for help
since they were faced with the need to raise more than $300,000 by the
end of 2006 to reach the statutory deadline for applying for the
Federal funding. That is why I introduced the legislation to extend
that deadline by 6 months, to give them adequate time to raise private
funds.
I would point out that the board of the Tower Corporation has assured
me and the Committee on Financial Services that they will be able to
raise the necessary funds in 6 months and that they would not request
another extension.
We all know that Thomas Edison's contributions to our society are too
numerous to count, but by creating the modern light bulb at this
location he is one of America's most recognized thinkers and inventors.
The Memorial Tower helps celebrate his achievements and salutes the
spirit of innovation that he fostered. We need to pass this to ensure
that the Memorial Tower can be repaired and serve not only as a
memorial to a great man, but also as a symbol of America's potential
for technological innovation and achievement.
Lastly, Madam Speaker, I just would like to thank sincerely my
colleagues, first of all Chairman Frank, and, of course, Ranking Member
Bachus, for their willingness to move this bill, and the leadership on
both sides of the aisle for putting it on the suspension calendar so
early in this new Congress.

{time} 1500

I want to thank, again, first of all, Eric Gordon, my staff person
sitting to my left, who worked so hard on this, and also the hard work
of Jamie Lizarraga on the Democratic staff of the Financial Services
Committee which has been critical to moving the legislation. Joe Pinder
of the Republican committee staff has also been quite helpful, and I
thank him as well.
I thank my two colleagues, both the gentleman from Georgia and my
Republican colleague, for the statements they made today.
This bill will go a long way towards ensuring that we can preserve an
important landmark saluting a great American, and I ask my colleagues
for their support.
Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 1
minute to one of our distinguished newer Members from New Jersey (Mr.
Sires).
Mr. SIRES. Madam Speaker, I want to first thank senior Congressman
Pallone for allowing me to be part of this bill.
Madam Speaker, this bill gives the Edison Memorial Tower Corporation
an extension to raise private matching funds. This would allow the
corporation to receive Federal funding from the minting of the Thomas
Alva Edison Commemorative Coin.
The corporation is a group of local residents from Edison, New
Jersey, who oversee and manage the Edison Memorial Tower. The tower,
built as a memorial to Thomas Edison in 1937, has suffered damage over
the years and is in need of about 3 to $4 million worth of repairs.
A misunderstanding between the mint and the corporation left the
corporation short of matching funds. This bill simply extends the
amount of time the corporation has to raise nongovernmental funds from
December 31, 2006, to July 1, 2007. It rectifies a misunderstanding
between the mint and a group of concerned citizens in my home State of
New Jersey.
I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 188 and thank you very much
for the time.
Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
I want to also extend my deep courtesies to Mrs. Biggert. It is
always a pleasure to be on the floor with her, and I appreciate her
kindness and consideration and the work she has put into this bill and
the Republicans on the other side.
Madam Speaker, Thomas Edison is truly an American hero, and this bill
will go a long way to helping to fix just a minor problem and give just
a little bit more time for the people to do a fitting commemorative to
him.
Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mrs. BIGGERT. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for
his kind words.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of
H.R. 188, which extends the effective date for the applicability of
certain provisions of law to Public Law 105-331 to July 1, 2007. Public
Law 105-331 revises the nonfederal matching requirements conditioning
payment to a designated recipient organization of certain proceeds from
any surcharges on the sale of Thomas Alva Edison Commemorative Coins.
H.R.188 will establish July 1, 2007, as the end of the 2-year period
after which there must be deposited in the Treasury as miscellaneous
receipts any amounts deriving from such surcharge proceeds which have
not been paid to a designated recipient organization solely because of
the organization's failure to submit an audited financial statement
demonstrating that all matching requirements have been met.
This extension will allow many organizations to receive the funds
provided to them under the bill, and thus carry out the original intent
of this body to celebrate the legacy of Thomas A. Edison, one of this
country's greatest inventors.
The 2004 Thomas Alva Edison Commemorative Coin Act, Public Law 105-
331, authorizes the production of up to 500,000 silver dollar coins.
This coin commemorates the 125th anniversary of Thomas Edison's
invention of the light bulb.
Thomas Edison made immeasurable contributions to this country. His
inventions include the invention of a complete system of electric light
and power and the launching of the modern electric utility industry.
The Pearl Street station, which opened in lower Manhattan in September
1882, featured safe and reliable central power generation, efficient
distribution, and a successful end use (i.e., the long-lasting
incandescent light bulb and electric motors. In the 1890s, Edison began
working on motion picture technology, and in the process created a
third industry. Edison began commercial production of short movies in
1893, often filming in the famous ``Black Maria,'' the first motion
picture studio. Like the electric light and phonograph before it,
Edison developed a complete system that encompassed everything needed
to both film and show motion pictures.

We must continue to acknowledge and honor Thomas Edison for his
irreplaceable contributions, many of which we cannot imagine living
without. Some of the organizations that will receive funds to help
honor the many great contributions of Thomas A. Edison include:
Museum of Arts and History--Up to one-eighth to the Museum of Arts
and History, in the city of Port Huron, Michigan, for the endowment and
construction of a special museum on the life of Thomas A. Edison in
Port Huron;
Edison Birthplace Association--Up to one-eighth to the Edison
Birthplace Association, Inc. in Milan, Ohio, to assist in the efforts
of the association to raise an endowment as a permanent source of
support for the repair and maintenance of the Thomas A. Edison
birthplace, a national historic landmark;
National Park Service--Up to one-eighth to the National Park Service,
for use in protecting, restoring and cataloguing historic documents and
objects at the ``Invention Factory'' of Thomas A. Edison, in West
Orange, New Jersey;
Edison Plaza Museum--Up to one-eighth to the Edison Plaza Museum in
Beaumont, Texas, for expanding educational programs on Thomas A. Edison
and for the repair and maintenance of the museum;
Edison Winter Home and Museum--Up to one-eighth to the Edison Winter
Home and

[[Page H534]]

Museum in Fort Myers, Florida, for historic preservation, restoration,
and maintenance of the historic home and chemical laboratory of Thomas
A. Edison;
Edison Institute--Up to one-eighth to the Edison Institute, otherwise
known as ``Greenfield Village'' in Dearborn, Michigan, for use in
maintaining and expanding displays and educational programs associated
with Thomas A. Edison; and
Edison Memorial Tower--Up to one-eighth to the Edison Memorial Tower
in Edison, New Jersey, for the preservation, restoration, and expansion
of the tower and museum.
It is important that we allow these organizations that were selected
to receive proceeds from the sale of the commemorative coins to receive
the funds that will financially support their efforts to honor the
legacy of Thomas A. Edison.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 188 to provide a new effective
date for the applicability of certain provisions of law to Public Law
105-331.
Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I am happy to rise today in strong support
of H.R. 188, legislation ``to provide a new effective date for certain
provisions of law in Public Law 105-331,'' introduced by the gentleman
from New Jersey, Mr. Pallone.
Enacted in 1998, Public Law 105-331 provided for the issuance in 2004
of the Thomas Alva Edison Commemorative Coin, commemorating the 125th
anniversary of Edison's invention of the light bulb.
In the years between the passage of that legislation and now,
leadership of the group that operates the Edison Memorial Tower in
Edison, New Jersey made plans to comply with statutory requirements to
raise funds to match one-eighth of the surcharges raised from the sales
of the coins--about $380,000--and thus claim the surcharge funds.
Unfortunately, through a series of miscom-
munications, it was not made clear to the board that these must be non-
governmental funds.
When the error was discovered, the group moved quickly, seeking an
extension of the 2-year time limit to raise those funds. Madam Speaker,
on November 16 of last year, the House passed legislation similar to
that which we are considering today that would have permitted an
extension until the end of June. Unfortunately, during the wrap-up of
the 109th Congress, the other body did not consider the legislation.
However, I am confident that when the House sends this version of the
bill to the Senate, it will quickly pass.
It is for these reasons, and because the invention of the light bulb
is as good a thing to commemorate as I can imagine, that I urge
immediate passage of this legislation.
Mrs. BIGGERT. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 188.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds of those being in the
affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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