[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 4, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H1197-H1198]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE LIFE OF MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS, CHAMPION OF THE FLORIDA
EVERGLADES AND FOUNDER OF FLORIDA'S ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 807) honoring the life of Marjory Stoneman Douglas,
champion of the Florida Everglades and founder of Florida's
environmental movement, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 807
Whereas Marjory Stoneman Douglas was born on April 7, 1890,
in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the daughter of Frank Stoneman,
the first publisher of the Miami Herald;
Whereas Marjory Stoneman Douglas graduated from Wellesley
College in 1912 where she was a member of the literary group
Scribblers, editor-in-chief of the yearbook, and served on
the executive board of the Equal Suffrage League;
Whereas Marjory Stoneman Douglas served in the Red Cross in
Europe during World War I;
Whereas Marjory Stoneman Douglas moved to Miami in 1915 and
became a reporter and writer at The Miami Herald where she
wrote about progressive issues such as the fight for women's
rights, racial justice, and environmental conservation;
Whereas Marjory Stoneman Douglas wrote dozens of short
stories that were published in the Saturday Evening Post,
Collier's, and Woman's Home Companion throughout the 1920s,
30s, and 40s;
Whereas in 1947 Marjory Stoneman Douglas wrote a ground-
breaking book titled The Everglades: River of Grass that
helped to draw national attention to a vast and little-known
area that South Florida developers had deemed a worthless
swamp;
Whereas in the same year, Marjory Stoneman Douglas' book
mustered the public support to guard this subtropical
marshland through a declaration from President Harry Truman,
officially protecting the Everglades as a National Park;
Whereas at the age of 78, Marjory Stoneman Douglas founded
the Friends of the Everglades, an educational and advocacy
group dedicated to the protection and restoration of this
ecosystem that continues to be at forefront of Florida
conservation;
Whereas in November 1993, President Bill Clinton awarded
Marjory Stoneman Douglas the Presidential Medal of Freedom,
the highest honor given to a civilian;
Whereas 2007 marked the 60th anniversary of the publication
of her book, The Everglades: River of Grass; and
Whereas Marjory Stoneman Douglas passed away in 1998 living
to the age of 108, her ashes scattered in the Everglades she
worked so tirelessly to preserve: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors the
life, achievements, and distinguished career of Marjory
Stoneman Douglas, pioneer in the field of conservation, on
the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the publication of
The Everglades: River of Grass.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from West Virginia.
General Leave
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from West Virginia?
There was no objection.
{time} 1430
Mr. RAHALL. Following on the heels of the resolution just considered
by the House, this resolution honors the life, accomplishments, and
distinguished career of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the ``Grande Dame of
the Everglades,'' on the 60th anniversary of the publication of her
book, The Everglades: River of Grass. House Resolution 807 was
introduced by our colleague from Florida, Representative Ileana Ros-
Lehtinen, and is cosponsored by every member of the Florida delegation.
[[Page H1198]]
Marjory Stoneman Douglas was an author, journalist, and environmental
conservationist, best known for her advocacy for the preservation of
the Florida Everglades. Her best known work, The Everglades: River of
Grass, is considered a classic example of environmental writing and is
credited with bolstering public support for preserving the Everglades
as a National Park.
I support passage of H. Res. 807 and urge its adoption by the House.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. I also rise in support of House Resolution 807
and yield myself such time as I may consume.
This resolution has been well explained by the chairman, and I would
also like to commend the Congresswoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen)
for her work on this resolution. What is most extraordinary about
Marjory Stoneman Douglas is that she did not take a central role the
Everglades fight until she was 78, an age when most people begin to
settle into their retirement, and she would continue her fight for
another 30 years, until the age of 108.
I urge the adoption of this resolution.
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support
of House Resolution 807, a resolution honoring the life of Marjory
Stoneman Douglas, champion of the Florida Everglades and founder of
Florida's environmental movement. I am proud to have introduced this
resolution with my colleague and good friend, Representative Ileana
Ros-Lehtinen. I share Representative Ros-Lehtinen's desire to recognize
and commemorate the significance of Marjory Stoneman Douglas's lifelong
work to promote awareness of the need to protect and conserve Florida
and the entire Nation's natural resources.
As co-chair of the Everglades Caucus, I particularly share Ms.
Douglas's passionate commitment to restoring the River of Grass to the
pristine ecosystem it once was.
Ms. Douglas deserves much credit for raising awareness of the
importance of these majestic wetlands and making restoration efforts a
national priority. In 1947 she wrote the infamous book, ``The
Everglades: River of Grass,'' which helped draw national attention to
the Everglades. This book is responsible for initiating public support
for President Harry Truman's 1947 declaration officially protecting the
Everglades as a national park. Today, this book serves a the ``bible''
for all Everglades supporters and environmental activists around the
world.
Ms. Douglas is also responsible for founding the Friends of the
Everglades, an educational and advocacy group dedicated to the
protection and restoration of the Everglades. Through the group's
ecosystem conservation efforts, Ms. Douglas's legacy lives on.
This resolution enjoys bipartisan support from every Member of the
Florida delegation. The support this resolution enjoys indicates the
respect our delegation has for Ms. Douglas's lifelong work and the
impact of her contributions on the entire State of Florida.
I am proud to join Representative Ros-Lehtinen in introducing this
bipartisan resolution and pledge to carry on Ms. Douglas's legacy
effort by continuing to champion Everglades restoration efforts in
Congress.
I urge my colleagues to adopt this excellent resolution.
Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H. Res. 807, honoring the
life of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, champion of the Florida Everglades,
and founder of Florida's environmental movement. Marjory Stoneman
Douglas's life was dedicated to the idea that my State of Florida, and
indeed the United States has a great treasure in the Everglades, unlike
any other in the world. When others were looking at the land of the
Everglades with the hope of draining away the water, and building on
the land, Marjory Stoneman Douglas allowed all of us to see Florida the
way she saw it, in its utterly unique natural majesty. When she spoke,
it was with the voice of the Everglades, and the natural places of
Florida.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas was a tireless advocate since her youth,
writing as a voice for the voiceless and downtrodden, and fighting for
equality of people of all races, genders, and for the conservation of
the natural places. But it was not until she was almost 60 years old,
that she wrote ``Everglades: River of Grass.'' That book, in the
simplicity, beauty and depth of its prose, opened the eyes of America
to the significance of the Everglades, and the great danger of allowing
that treasure to be squandered. Marjory Stoneman Douglas wrote
``Everglades: River of Grass in 1947.'' By December of that year, the
Everglades had been dedicated as a part of the National Parks System.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas devoted her life to preserving the
Everglades she had first helped to bring into American consciousness.
She fought to prevent shortsighted development that would have
permanently damaged the Everglades, and to restore the park to its
former majesty. In her autobiography, she wrote that ``Since 1972, I've
been going around making speeches on the Everglades. No matter how poor
my eyes are I can still talk. I'll talk about the Everglades at the
drop of a hat. Whoever wants me to talk, I'll come over and tell them
about the necessity of preserving the Everglades.''
She began ``Everglades: River of Grass'' by writing, ``there are no
other Everglades in the world. They are, they have always been, one of
the unique regions of the earth.'' In the same way, there was only one
Marjory Stoneman Douglas. She was a unique individual, in the
conservation movement, and we in Florida, and in the United States, owe
her a great debt. We are proud to honor her life and her work today.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. RAHALL. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 807, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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