[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 185 (Wednesday, December 5, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H14211-H14212]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  REAPPOINTMENT OF PATRICIA Q. STONESIFER AS A CITIZEN REGENT OF THE 
            BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the Senate joint resolution (S.J. Res. 8) providing for the 
reappointment of Patricia Q. Stonesifer as a citizen regent of the 
Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate joint resolution.
  The text of the Senate joint resolution is as follows:

                              S.J. Res. 8

       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 (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 because of the expiration of the term of 
     Patricia Q. Stonesifer of Washington, is filled by the 
     reappointment of Patricia Q. Stonesifer, for a term of 6 
     years, effective December 22, 2007.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their 
remarks on this joint resolution and to include extraneous matter.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time 
as I may consume.
  This joint resolution would reappoint Patricia Stonesifer to a new 6-
year term as a citizen regent of the Smithsonian Institute. Her current 
term will expire December 22. Ms. Stonesifer is the chief executive 
officer of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a renowned 
philanthropic institution based in Seattle, Washington. She was 
previously a senior vice president at Microsoft.
  On the Smithsonian Board of Regents, Stonesifer is currently Chair of 
the Executive Committee, the institution's most important internal 
panel which acts on behalf of the board between its meetings. She also 
chairs the Compensation and Human Resources Committee.
  Ms. Stonesifer previously chaired the Governance Committee which 
guided the board's most significant action this year, preparing its 
comprehensive report last June responding to the broad range of issues 
emerging from the resignation of former Secretary Lawrence Small. 
Proper implementation of this report will be critical to the effective 
reform and modernization of the Smithsonian.
  The House Administration Committee, as the House panel with exclusive 
jurisdiction over Smithsonian governance matters, will exercise 
vigorous oversight to ensure that the board approves additional 
significant changes.
  As the Smithsonian Board of Regents undertakes the urgent task of 
reinventing itself as a full-time management and policymaking body, Ms. 
Stonesifer's expertise and willingness to communicate with Congress 
will continue to be a valuable asset. Members of the House 
Administration Committee held a briefing with her 3 weeks ago, were 
impressed by her continued commitment to the task ahead, and agreed to 
move this joint resolution expeditiously. I want to thank the ranking 
member again, Mr. Ehlers, for his active participation and cooperation 
in these actions.
  Madam Speaker, I urge the passage of the joint resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. EHLERS. Madam Speaker, as the ranking member of the House 
Administration Committee, I'm pleased to support the reappointment of 
Patty Stonesifer as a citizen regent of the Smithsonian Institution.
  Six years ago I stood at this very microphone in a slightly different 
role as a member of the majority recommending Ms. Stonesifer for her 
initial appointment. I was very impressed with her qualifications at 
that time. She has not disappointed us. She has done very well.
  In her role as chief executive officer of the Bill and Melinda Gates 
Foundation, Ms. Stonesifer leads the foundation in their mission to 
help all peoples of the world lead healthy, productive lives. At the 
end of last year, under the leadership of Ms. Stonesifer, the Bill and 
Melinda Gates Foundation had an endowment of approximately $33 billion, 
and remains one of the largest charitable foundations in the world.
  In developing countries, the foundation focuses on improving people's 
health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and 
extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all 
people, especially those with the fewest resources, have access to the 
opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. For all three of 
the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation program groups, Patty Stonesifer 
sets strategic priorities, monitors results and facilitates 
relationships with key partners.
  Before helping Bill and Melinda Gates launch the Gates Learning 
Foundation in 1997, Ms. Stonesifer was a senior vice president at 
Microsoft, where she was responsible for an $800 million business 
activity focused on interactive entertainment, news, information and 
service products. She is active in a number of other charitable 
endeavors, and has served as a member of the U.S. delegation to the 
United Nations General Assembly Special Session on AIDS.
  As Chair of the Smithsonian's Governance Committee, Ms. Stonesifer 
led the board's efforts to implement best practices in the nonprofit 
sector, and helped develop and implement the recommendations from the 
independent review committee designed to strengthen the board's 
oversight of the institution and reform its operations. In June, the 
board formally adopted the Governance Committee's 25 recommendations, 
and they are on target for completion by early 2008.
  She has performed incredibly well in all of these areas, and the 
problems that we have had at the Smithsonian are well underway to 
conclusion simply due to the work of Ms. Stonesifer. The reforms 
include a reexamination of compensation, compliance with the Freedom of 
Information Act, and restructuring senior management to create a 
stronger reporting relationship with the board. Once implemented, these 
strengthened government practices will be an important step towards 
restoring faith in the Smithsonian and its management structure, and 
they demonstrate the positive impact of Ms. Stonesifer's leadership in 
this area.
  After meeting once again with Ms. Stonesifer, I'm confident that her 
unique blend of business and philanthropic experience will continue to 
be a most valuable factor on the board

[[Page H14212]]

that is charged with overseeing the Nation's attic, our fond 
description for the Smithsonian.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting a very capable person, 
Patty Stonesifer, for reappointment to the Smithsonian's Board of 
Regents.
  Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam 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 Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the Senate joint resolution, S.J. Res. 8.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the Senate joint resolution was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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