[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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