[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 59 (Tuesday, April 15, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E619]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 15, 2008

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Madam Speaker, I was unable to be present for 
three rollcall votes on April 14th. If I had been present for those 
votes, I would have voted as follows:
  First, on rollcall No. 183, to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 
886, Expressing sympathy to the victims and families of the tragic acts 
of violence in Colorado Springs, Colorado and Arvada, Colorado, as a 
cosponsor of the resolution I would have voted ``yes.''
  As the resolution reminds us all, on Sunday, December 9, 2007, a 
troubled individual was responsible for killing several innocent people 
and injuring others at, first, the Youth With a Mission facility in 
Arvada and, a few hours later, at the New Life Church in the Colorado 
Springs Area--where he was fatally shot by Jeanne Assam, a volunteer 
private security guard.
  The resolution rightly commends Ms. Assam and the quick response of 
local first responders in the city of Arvada and in Jefferson County as 
well as those in El Paso County and Colorado Springs who, assisted by 
Federal authorities and medical professionals limited the danger to the 
church and local community. And it offers the heartfelt condolences of 
the House of Representatives to the victims and families of these 
tragic acts of violence in Colorado and conveys our gratitude to Jeanne 
Assam, city and county officials, as well as the police, fire, sheriff, 
Federal authorities, and emergency medical teams whose quick response 
saved lives.
  Second, on rollcall No. 184, to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 
994, regarding National Glanzmann's Thrombasthenia Awareness Day, I 
would have voted ``yes.''
  And, third, on rollcall No. 185, to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 
3548, as amended, the Plain Language in Government Communications Act, 
as a cosponsor of that measure I would have voted ``yes.''
  H.R. 3548 requires Federal agencies to use plain language in 
government documents related to obtaining a service or a benefit. It 
responds to the fact that government documents often are complex and 
difficult to understand, particularly when they are not written 
clearly. To address this problem, President Clinton in 1998 issued a 
memorandum that, in part, required Federal agencies to use plain 
language in all documents that explain how to obtain a benefit or 
service. However, while a few agencies still maintain plain language 
programs, efforts to promote plain language have waned. H.R. 3548 
defines plain language and requires agencies to use plain language in 
any new document that explains how to obtain a service or a benefit or 
that is relevant to obtaining a service or a benefit. The bill ensures 
that many of the letters, forms, and other documents that people 
receive from the government will be written in a clear, understandable 
way. Under this bill, for example, the Social Security Administration 
would be required to use plain language in letters that provide 
beneficiaries information about Social Security.
  I joined in cosponsoring the bill because I think it is important for 
those of us in government to do more to communicate clearly with our 
employers, the American people, and I hope that the Senate will join 
the House in giving prompt approval to the legislation.

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