[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 12, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H828-H829]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL QUILT MUSEUM OF THE UNITED STATES
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 209) expressing the sense of
Congress that the Museum of the American Quilter's Society, located in
Paducah, Kentucky, should be designated as the ``National Quilt Museum
of the United States''.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:
H. Con. Res. 209
Whereas the Museum of the American Quilter's Society is the
largest quilt museum in the world, with a total of 13,400
square feet of exhibition space and more than 150 quilts
exhibited year-round in its 3 galleries;
Whereas the mission of the Museum is to educate the local,
national, and international public about the art, history,
and heritage of quiltmaking;
Whereas quilts in the Museum's permanent collection are
made by quilters from 44 of the 50 States and many foreign
countries;
Whereas the Museum, centrally located in Paducah, Kentucky,
and open to the public year-round, averages 40,000 visitors
per year;
Whereas individuals from all 50 States and from more than
25 foreign countries have visited the Museum;
Whereas the Museum's Friends, an organization dedicated to
supporting and sustaining the Museum, also has members in all
50 States, with 84 percent of members living more than 60
miles from the Museum;
Whereas many members of the Museum's Friends have supported
the Museum annually since the Museum began in 1991;
Whereas quilts exhibited in the Museum are representative
of the Nation and its cultures thanks to the wide diversity
of themes and topics, quilts, and quiltmakers; and
Whereas the Museum of the American Quilter's Society has
national significance and support: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that the Museum
of the American Quilter's Society, located at 215 Jefferson
Street, Paducah, Kentucky, should be designated as the
``National Quilt Museum of the United States''.
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. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the concurrent resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Arizona?
There was no objection.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
House Concurrent Resolution 209 would express the sense of Congress
that the Museum of the American Quilter's Society in Paducah, Kentucky,
should be designated the ``National Quilt Museum of the United
States.'' The concurrent resolution was introduced by our colleague,
Representative Ed Whitfield of Kentucky.
Since its establishment in 1991, the Museum of the American Quilting
Society has collected and displayed quilts made by quilters from 44 of
the 50 States. Today, with a permanent collection of more than 180
quilts and three galleries totaling 13,400 square feet of exhibit
space, the facility is the largest museum in the world dedicated to the
artistry of quilting and illustrates the significance of quilts and
quilting to this Nation.
A friends' group comprised of members from all 50 States has provided
the museum with a broad national fundraising support and advocates
since its inception 17 years ago.
Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 209 would grant recognition
of the House to this museum and the art form it seeks to preserve. A
museum of this size, scope, and significance appears worthy of
designation as the National Quilt Museum of the United States. We have
no objection to House Concurrent Resolution 209 and urge its passage.
[[Page H829]]
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House
Concurrent Resolution 209 and yield myself such time as I may consume.
The resolution has been adequately explained again by the gentleman
from Arizona. I would like to commend Congressman Whitfield for his
work on this resolution that designates the Museum of the American
Quilter's Society in Paducah, Kentucky, as the National Quilt Museum of
the United States. It's a designation that brings us all a great deal
of warmth and comfort and helps tie together the loose ends of our
society. I am grateful this resolution has been brought to the floor so
that we can finally put this to bed.
The bill's author, Mr. Whitfield, wanted to be here today, but his
flight has been unavoidably detained because of weather conditions.
I urge the adoption of this resolution and I reserve the balance of
my time.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I thank the distinguished gentleman from
Arizona. I thank the sponsor of this bill. I add my appreciation and
recognition of H. Con. Res. 209, expressing the sense of Congress that
the Museum of America's Quilter's Society located in Kentucky should be
designated as the National Quilter's Museum of the United States.
Having had the opportunity to have the Traveling Quilters from
Alabama come to Houston, I know that quilting is a national treasure,
and it is an important part of our history. It is important for this
Congress each step of the way to remind Americans of how valuable their
history is.
We happen to be in Black History Month; and I know that as we look to
honor everyone's history, it is to say that Americans are united, we
are one. So I am very proud to acknowledge this resolution and to
support it.
Mr. Speaker, I just got off the plane from Texas and I do want to
make mention of H. Res. 954. As a member of the House Judiciary
Committee, the Subcommittee on Immigration, and as a member of the
Homeland Security Committee, I rise to honor the life of fallen Border
Patrol agent Luis A. Aguilar, who lost his life in the line of duty at
Yuma, Arizona, on January 19, 2008. Many times, Americans do not really
understand that our Border Patrol agents put themselves in the line of
fire, and they are, in fact, first responders on behalf of the people
of the United States.
I want to give honor to his family, certainly to his fellow Border
Patrol agents, and to acknowledge my deepest sympathy to them and as
well to them as a family. As a member of the Homeland Security
Committee, I am forever reminded of their service and have been an
advocate for providing them with more resources. We do need to get a
complete response to immigration, both through border security and
comprehensive immigration reform.
In conclusion, let me say that I want to express again my sadness in
the loss of senior Border Patrol agent Luis A. Aguilar and again
express my sympathy on behalf of all Americans. We are indebted to his
service and, of course, we consider him a national hero.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the kind words from the
gentlewoman from Texas in support of this particular resolution.
Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to revise and
extend my remarks.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleagues and the Resources
Committee for allowing this resolution to be considered today. I urge
my colleagues to join me in supporting it.
The Museum of the American Quilter's Society in Paducah, Kentucky, is
a non-profit institution established to educate, promote, and honor
today's quiltmakers. The museum started over 16 years ago and is the
largest quilt museum in the United States and, in fact, the world. The
museum has the largest quilt exhibit space of any quilt museum, with
three exhibit galleries, allowing for over 13,400 square feet, and over
150 quilts on exhibit year round. Quilts in the museum's permanent
collection are made by quilters from throughout the nation, from Maine
to Florida and Pennsylvania to California, having been made by quilters
from 44 of the 50 States and a number of foreign countries.
Exhibit themes include educational activities called the ``School
Block Challenge,'' which are blocks of quilts made by school children
from kindergarten through high school to collectively make one large
quilt. Additionally, antique quilts exhibited in the museum are
representative of the Nation and its cultures, featuring a wide
diversity of themes and topics.
Mr. Speaker, this museum is certainly a national landmark and one
that promotes education and diversity, while also displaying our
Nation's heritage and traditions. In order that our children and
grandchildren are able to treasure these educational and significant
features of our Nation we must strengthen and embrace initiatives, such
as the National Quilt Museum of the United States. Therefore, I urge my
colleagues to support this concurrent resolution expressing the sense
of Congress that the Museum of the American Quilter's Society, located
in Paducah, Kentucky, be designated as the ``National Quilt Museum of
the United States.''
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. I have no other speakers. I urge adoption of the
resolution and yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. 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 agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 209.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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