[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 47 (Monday, March 19, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H2636-H2637]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       BOB HOPE MEMORIAL LIBRARY

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 759) to redesignate the Ellis Island Library on the third 
floor of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, located on Ellis Island 
in New York Harbor, as the ``Bob Hope Memorial Library''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 759

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

     SECTION 1. REDESIGNATION.

       The Ellis Island Library on the third floor of the Ellis 
     Island Immigration Museum, located on Ellis Island in New 
     York Harbor, shall be known and redesignated as the ``Bob 
     Hope Memorial Library''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States to the Ellis Island 
     Library on the third floor of the Ellis Island Immigration 
     Museum referred to in section 1 shall be deemed to be a 
     reference to the ``Bob Hope Memorial Library''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
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. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, H.R. 759, introduced by my colleague 
from New York (Mr. Engel) redesignates the Ellis Island Library on the 
third floor of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum as the Bob Hope 
Memorial Library.
  Bob Hope immigrated to the United States with his family in 1907. 
Like millions of other immigrants, he entered the United States through 
Ellis Island in New York Harbor. Bob Hope went on to have an 
illustrious career as a comedic entertainer and is remembered by many 
for his work over nearly six decades traveling the globe to entertain 
American servicemen and women.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to commend my colleague from New York, 
Representative Engel, for his work on this legislation. I would note 
that identical legislation passed the House in the 109th Congress. We 
support the passage of H.R. 759 and urge its adoption today.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 759, which has been well explained by the 
subcommittee chairman. We support the designation of the Bob Hope 
Memorial Library. We urge the adoption of this particular bill.
  In 1940, Bob Hope starred, with Paulette Goddard and Richard Carlson, 
in a remake of the movie ``The Ghost Breakers.'' In that picture, as 
they are talking about zombies that would be attacking the house that 
is owned by Paulette Goddard, she said, ``Zombies! That's horrible.'' 
Richard Carlson said, ``It's worse than horrible because a zombie has 
no will of his own. You see them sometimes walking around blindly with 
dead eyes, following orders, not knowing what they do, not caring.'' At 
which time Bob Hope said, ``Oh, you mean like Democrats.''
  I am very grateful that the other side of the aisle has taken this 
opportunity to recognize and reward both the wit and the wisdom of Bob 
Hope with this piece of legislation. I firmly support it.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, at this point I extend as much time as 
he may consume to my colleague from New York (Mr. Engel).
  Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Arizona in whose 
district my son Jonathan is enjoying himself as a sophomore at the 
University of Arizona. I would like to thank all concerned for the 
opportunity to speak about my bill, H.R. 759, a bill which will name 
the third floor library at Ellis Island in New York Harbor the Bob Hope 
Memorial Library.
  I would also like to thank Representative Gallegly for his assistance 
with this bill, and I would like to thank the chairman and the ranking 
member of the committee for their help in bringing this bill 
expeditiously to the floor.
  Most Americans remember Bob Hope for his work in the entertainment 
business as a comedian, actor, dancer and singer, as well as his work 
with the American troops abroad. Perhaps his work with American troops 
abroad is the thing that he is most remembered for. But what few know 
is that Bob Hope was actually an immigrant from England, came here when 
he was very, very young. He is sometimes even referred to as America's 
most famous immigrant, whose life epitomizes the American Dream. Bob 
Hope embodies the American Dream, and the Ellis Island Restoration 
Commission even called naming the library a fitting tribute.
  After a long period of restoration, Ellis Island, where my 
grandparents, all four of them, came through about 100 years ago, Ellis 
Island was turned into a museum in 1990 with the purpose of allowing 
people to come and remember the 16 million immigrants who passed 
through Ellis Island from 1892 through 1954 to pursue the American 
Dream.
  Like many of the other 16 million immigrants who passed through Ellis 
Island, Bob Hope arrived in America in 1907, which is actually the same 
year that my grandmother, my mother's mother, came to this country, and 
Bob Hope arrived in 1907 with little in the way of worldly possessions. 
Bob Hope described himself upon arrival as, and I quote him, ``a 4 
year-old boy in knickers who had no idea of the opportunities that lay 
ahead.''
  He went on to become a household name in the United States and around 
the world. After arriving in the United States, the Hope family moved 
to Ohio, and he later studied and started his career in radio.
  He moved on to appear in numerous movies and even Broadway plays, and 
is perhaps best known, as I mentioned before, for his unwavering 
commitment to entertaining our Nation's troops abroad. For nearly six 
decades, often during holidays in World War II, through Vietnam and 
until the Gulf War, Bob Hope traveled the globe, bringing a little bit 
of America to U.S. troops during times of peace and war.
  Troops abroad even took calling him ``GI Bob.'' In 1997, Congress 
named him an honorary veteran. Bob Hope has been recognized in many 
ways for his work. He has been honored with over 1,500 awards, but this 
award or reward is perhaps the most fitting.
  Some notable awards include several Academy Awards, a Congressional 
Gold Medal in 1962, an Emmy and a Golden Globe. Despite all the awards 
that Bob Hope received, he had a special place in his heart for Ellis 
Island. In 1990, when the Ellis Island Restoration Commission suggested 
naming the third floor library of the museum in his honor, he stated it 
would be, and I quote him, ``one of the single most important high 
points of my career.''
  Sadly, Bob Hope passed away in 2003 at the age of 100 and did not see 
this project finished. But today I hope we would move, as the first 
step, in seeing this come to fruition.
  The Bob Hope Memorial Library will serve as a daily reminder to Ellis 
Island's visitors of Bob Hope's great contributions to the American 
people, the American culture and the American Dream. After all, it is 
Bob Hope. It's Bob Hope.
  Madam Speaker, I ask to insert into the Record two statements, a 
letter from Bob Hope back in 1990 expressing his support of the museum, 
as well as a letter from the Ellis Island Restoration Commission 
expressing their support for this project.


                                                     Bob Hope,

                                                 October 24, 1990.
     Mr. Philip Lax, President,
     Mr. Norman Liss, Chairman of Development,
     Ellis Island Restoration Commission,
     New York, NY.
       Dear Phil And Norman, I was both thrilled and gratified to 
     receive your letter announcing the establishment of ``the Bob 
     Hope Family Heritage Center'' at Ellis Island. What a great 
     honor for someone who just 83 years ago saw the first glimmer 
     of this great nation of ours as a 4-year old boy in knickers 
     and had no idea of the opportunities that lay ahead. Frankly, 
     my only concern back then was running away as fast as

[[Page H2637]]

     my little legs would carry me from the doctor who came to 
     innoculate me before landing at Ellis!
       A great many wonderful things have happened to me since 
     that day. However, I assure you that the honor bestowed on me 
     by you and your commission is one of the single most 
     important highpoints in my life and career. That it will be 
     cherished by the Hope Family for generations to come is a 
     true understatement.
       With deep appreciation and warm personal regards to each 
     and every member of your commission who made this honor 
     possible. I just want to add that I admire and respect all 
     you've been doing to restore this great symbol of the 
     American dream.
           Regards,
     Bob Hope.
                                  ____



                          Ellis Island Restoration Commission,

                                      New York, NY, Nov. 27, 2003.
     Mr. Ward Grant,
     Burbank, CA.
       Dear Mr. Grant: The Ellis Island Restoration Commission, 
     together with the National Park Service, are desirous of 
     naming the third floor of the National Museum at Ellis Island 
     in New York Harbor, the Bob Hope Memorial Library in honor of 
     that great American legend.
       The ship's manifest. which we have in our possession, 
     reflects that Bob Hope emigrated to America through Ellis 
     Island with his mother and siblings on March 28, 1908, at the 
     age of four. He is probably the most famous immigrant to come 
     through Ellis Island of the sixteen million who so emigrated. 
     Forty percent of the current United States population has 
     roots in Ellis Island.
       The Museum is owned and administered by the National Park 
     Service on behalf of the Department of Interior. Ellis Island 
     and the Statue of Liberty, to which it is connected, are the 
     most sought after destinations for tourists visiting New 
     York. The Library contains, among other rooms, the Oral 
     History Room, in which the stories of immigrants who arrived 
     through Ellis Island are recorded and computerized, and the 
     Ellis Island Archives.
       As reflected in the letters we have enclosed, Mr. Hope in 
     1990 and 1991, showed great interest in the Island and 
     reflected sincere appreciation for the honor of having the 
     Library named after him. Unfortunately, at that time, 
     bureaucratic complications did not permit the project to move 
     ahead.
       It would be our intention, if the family approves, to seek 
     a bill passed by Congress and have it signed into law by the 
     President. We would not be seeking any funds from the Bob 
     Hope Foundation or any family members, but this would simply 
     be in recognition of the great contributions to America's 
     life, culture and entertainment by Bob Hope.
       Ironically, we were in London at the time of Mr. Hope's 
     passing and took the opportunity to visit his childhood home 
     and the Bob Hope Theatre in Eltham.
       We were provided your contact information by WOR's Joe 
     Franklin and his producer, Richard Orenstein, in New York, 
     both of whom enthusiastically encouraged this idea.
       We look forward to hearing from you after you have 
     communicated with the family and if the response is in the 
     affirmative, make appropriate arrangements for a formal 
     announcement by the Commission, Congressional 
     representatives. National Park Service, as well as family 
     members.
       We eagerly await your response.
           Sincerely yours,
     Phil Lax,
       President.
     Norman Liss,
       Chairman of Development.

                              {time}  1500

  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 759.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. 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.

                          ____________________