[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 29, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H2823-H2824]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL FUNERAL DIRECTOR AND MORTICIAN RECOGNITION DAY
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 892) expressing support for designation of
March 11, 2008, as ``National Funeral Director and Mortician
Recognition Day,'' as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 892
Whereas the death of a family member, friend, or loved one
is a devastating emotional event;
Whereas the memorialization and celebration of the
decedent's life is the fabric of today's funeral service;
Whereas the family of the decedent has traditionally looked
to funeral directors and morticians for consolation,
strength, and guidance in the planning and implementation of
a funeral ceremony; and
Whereas March 11, 2008, would be an appropriate day to
designate as ``National Funeral Director and Mortician
Recognition Day'' to pay tribute to these funeral directors
and morticians who, day in and day out, assist our Nation's
families in their times of sadness and grief and help
families mourn a death and celebrate a life: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports the
designation of a ``National Funeral Director and Mortician
Recognition Day''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Kucinich) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio.
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, in recognition of the fact that one of our
colleagues, Representative Wilson who I am proud to say is from the
State of Ohio, has a family-owned business and is a funeral director, I
yield him such time as he may consume.
Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House
Resolution 892 which I introduced to express the support for the
establishment of the National Funeral Director and Mortician
Recognition Day.
I introduced this resolution because I know firsthand how funeral
directors help families through the grieving process in a most
difficult time.
Mr. Speaker, I am a fourth generation funeral director in my family,
and I know very well the profound service that funeral directors
provide to their communities. Funeral directors are on call 24 hours a
day, 365 days a year. When a family calls a funeral director to make
arrangements for a recently deceased loved one, the funeral director
must put everything else on hold and attend to the family's needs
immediately.
We all know that the death of a loved one can be emotionally
devastating. Funeral directors play an essential role in giving
families the space they need to navigate the grieving process. By
taking care of all of the logistical arrangements, funeral directors
allow families to celebrate the life of the recently departed and
spending time together as a family.
Funeral directors also provide a major public service by
participating in planning for pandemic disease and other mass casualty
events that could happen within their community. Because of their
familiarity with the physical aspects of death, they provide invaluable
technical knowledge and assistance to public officials who are
responsible for contingency planning.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that funeral homes are also economic
anchors of their community. The funeral business is often a family
business with multiple generations serving the community as funeral
directors. Through good economic times and bad, funeral directors are
there to serve their families with caring compassion and certainly with
strict integrity.
As a lifelong funeral director, I know how important this service is
to grieving families. This is why I think that it is proper that this
Congress recognize the hard work and the sacrifice of thousands of
funeral directors in this country by passing this bill. I thank
Chairman Waxman for his support in this measure, and I urge the
Congress to support it.
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge passage of this resolution
expressing support for the designation of a National Funeral Director
and Mortician Recognition Day. Mr. Speaker, I think it is critical that
we recognize the service that our Nation's funeral directors and
morticians provide at one of the most difficult times in a person's
life. Death is something that affects us all. It sees no boundaries,
nor does it discriminate among social or economic classes. It hits us
all in different ways, but one thing is for certain: the time
immediately following the death of a loved one is one of the most
trying times for anyone. It is during this critical time that funeral
directors and morticians from around the country provide our Nation's
citizens with the support and guidance necessary to make the right
decisions for their beloved ones.
This allows for those who are grieving to concentrate on what is most
important: supporting family and friends. Funeral directors and
morticians have the arduous task of carrying out the final wishes of
the deceased. They are involved in all details of the process,
everything from arranging for pallbearers to making sure that the
correct paperwork is completed to file for appropriate certificates
with the State.
They are tasked with demonstrating the same compassion with every
family they meet, as if that family is the most important family that
the funeral director has ever met.
It is also important to recognize that most funeral homes are small,
family-owned and operated facilities. These individuals work long,
irregular hours and contribute to the economic well-being of
communities around our Nation.
Ultimately, Mr. Speaker, I believe recognizing those in this caring
community is long overdue. They are entrusted with the enormous task of
making the last hours you will have with the earthly remains of loved
ones as peaceful as possible.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all Members to join me in supporting this
resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I support this resolution. I am from
Cleveland, Ohio, and all of us know in any community we are from, we
come into contact with funeral directors and morticians. Funeral
directors make it possible for families to be able to find a way to
come to grips with a passing. Those transitions in life are very
important moments for the survivors because we need help in being able
to deal with a situation when we lose a loved one, and funeral
directors perform a very valuable service.
I know as someone who represents the people of Cleveland that when I
go to pay my respects to someone who has passed, I have the opportunity
not only to meet the families that are grieving and comfort them, but
also to see the work that is being done by those who are directing the
funeral. It is something that is easy to lose sight of when you are
moving into territory that is laden with grief. But it is also
something that is appropriate for us at this
[[Page H2824]]
moment to pay tribute to because everyone who is involved in that work
really has to achieve a level of sensitivity and compassion and caring
so that they can help families deal with what for many is one of the
most serious moments of their lives involving the passing of a loved
one.
I want to thank Representative Wilson for his choice of career and
his family's commitment to providing that kind of compassionate service
to people, and also my colleague, Representative Foxx, for supporting
this bill.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I also thank my colleague from Ohio (Mr.
Wilson) for his service, and I urge all Members to support the passage
of H. Res. 892.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. KUCINICH. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich) that the House suspend the rules and
agree to the resolution, H. Res. 892, 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.
The title was amended so as to read: ``Resolution expressing support
for designation of a `National Funeral Director and Mortician
Recognition Day' ''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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