[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 82 (Monday, May 19, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H4078-H4079]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           FRANK SINATRA DAY

  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1144) expressing support for designation of a 
``Frank Sinatra Day'' on May 13, 2008, in honor of the dedication of 
the Frank Sinatra commemorative stamp, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1144

       Whereas over 150 years ago, United States commemorative 
     stamps began honoring the people, places, and events that 
     have shaped our country's history;
       Whereas more than 22,000,000 Americans, including children, 
     collect and learn about our country through stamps, making it 
     one of the most popular hobbies in the Nation and the world;
       Whereas it is important that we pause to reflect on our 
     Nation's history and culture;
       Whereas stamps honor statesmen and soldiers as they fought 
     for freedom and democracy, recognize our scientific and 
     technological achievements, pay tribute to our artistic and 
     cultural legacy, and celebrate the strength of our diversity;
       Whereas Frank Sinatra, a monumental figure in American 
     popular culture, has been selected as part of the 2008 
     commemorative stamp program;
       Whereas, on May 14, 1997, the President signed into law 
     legislation to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Frank 
     Sinatra in recognition of his accomplishments as an 
     entertainer and humanitarian; and
       Whereas the United States Postal Service dedicated the 
     Frank Sinatra commemorative stamp in New York City, and in 
     Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 13, 2008: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the United States House of Representatives 
     expresses support for designation of a ``Frank Sinatra Day'' 
     in honor of the dedication of the Frank Sinatra commemorative 
     stamp.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Watson) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform, I stand to join my colleagues in the consideration 
and support of H. Res. 1144, as amended, which expresses support for 
the designation of Frank Sinatra Day in honor of the dedication of the 
Postal Service's Frank Sinatra commemorative stamp.
  Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 1144 was introduced by our colleague, 
Congressman Jose Serrano of New York, on April 23, 2008, and at the 
moment the measure enjoys the cosponsorship of nearly 60 Members of 
Congress. H. Res. 1144 was considered and approved by the Oversight 
panel on March 13, 2008, by a voice vote, after being amended for 
technical purposes.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my colleague from 
New York (Mr. Serrano).
  (Mr. SERRANO asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. SERRANO. I thank the gentlewoman from California.
  I want to thank both the chairmen and the ranking members of both the 
subcommittee and the committee for bringing this resolution in such a 
timely fashion to the floor.
  Last week, on May 13, I joined Alan Kessler, the Chairman of the 
Board of Governors of the U.S. Postal Service, Nancy Sinatra, Frank 
Sinatra, Jr., and A.J. Lambert, Frank Sinatra's granddaughter, at a 
formal ceremony in New York City's Gotham Hall, where the Postal 
Service issued the Frank Sinatra commemorative stamp. Immediately 
thereafter, 120 million stamps honoring this great icon in American 
culture, who was both an entertainer and a humanitarian, went on sale 
nationwide.

[[Page H4079]]

  I am pleased that today the House of Representatives, through its 
recognition of that special day of the stamp issuance as Frank Sinatra 
Day, is giving another well-deserved honor to this man who contributed 
so much to our Nation and our culture. It has been 10 years since the 
death of Frank Sinatra, talented singer, actor and caring person, and 
Sinatra's music continues to speak to each of us today in a way that is 
both personal and emotional.
  My colleagues, of course, know of my personal love for Mr. Sinatra's 
music. At this age, I carry close to 2,000 songs on my iPod from 
Sinatra alone. I was introduced to the English language by listening to 
Frank Sinatra records when my father came back from World War II. At 
that time, I remember my father saying something profound. He said, 
``You know, the English language takes a bad rap. People say that it is 
not a romantic language.'' He said this to me in Spanish. ``But,'' he 
said, ``if you listen to the way this man sings the English language, 
you will recognize that it is indeed a romantic language if sung 
properly.''

                              {time}  1300

  Through the years, I used those records at the beginning of my time 
in New York City to learn to enunciate and to imitate the way he used 
the English language, because when he sang it was perfect. In fact, in 
Germany, in Japan, and other countries, businessmen use Frank Sinatra 
records to learn how to pronounce the English language. Maybe that is 
the reason why I am the only New Yorker who says ``Tuesday'' instead of 
``Toosday,'' because Mr. Sinatra would have never tolerated 
``Toosday.''
  Personally, for me as a fan, I know the big difference between those 
songs that everybody recognizes from Mr. Sinatra like ``New York, New 
York'' and ``My Way,'' and those other bittersweet melodies that he 
made famous that you only listen to sometimes at 3 o'clock in the 
morning. That was Sinatra the singer.
  Then there was another side very briefly to Mr. Sinatra. At a time 
when certain entertainers were not allowed to stay in certain hotels in 
this country, it was Mr. Sinatra who said, If they can play, I want 
them in my band. I don't care what they look like, I don't care what 
their religion is, I don't know what their color is, I don't care. If 
they can play and they have talent, I want them in my band. It was 
because of that that Las Vegas began to integrate for the first time 
due to that work. This was the other side of Frank Sinatra.
  And lastly, the one you will see on TV this month, Sinatra, the 
actor, the one that could either give you the happy-go-lucky Pal Joey, 
or the very daring Man With a Golden Arm, talking about drug addiction 
at a time when that was not a subject.
  This was the whole of Frank Sinatra, and we as Americans honor him 
this week with a commemorative stamp. I commend all of us to buy that 
stamp, and just think of this as I close. Our gossip notes, our water 
bills, and, yes, our love letters will carry the smile of Frank Sinatra 
for a time to come.
  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill and I commend 
the gentleman from New York. I regret that I have to follow the 
gentleman from New York, because I too grew up listening to Sinatra 
wondering if the Rat Pack would be my future. Now I am in Congress; it 
could be that it came true.
  But whether you admire Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, or Frank Sinatra, 
they all had one thing in common; they changed the world with their 
bigger than life behavior. They also changed the world with their 
generosity. Frank Sinatra was famous for his generosity. Even better 
than that, he was also famous for having problems with people, and then 
turning around and being overly generous to people that he had had 
difficulties with. He helped some years, many years ago give Buddy 
Rich, a famous jazz drummer, money to start a band even though only a 
few years earlier they had been arch enemies. He picked up the hospital 
bills of Bela Lugosi and many others. He funded hospital activities 
around the world. He lived his life big and he lived it every day. He 
stretched. He was in fact a great actor. He was in fact somebody who 
would act in parts that perhaps lesser men would have shied away from, 
wanting to preserve their image.
  And certainly his music spanned not only generations and decades, but 
it spanned every genre. He was able to do that. He was able to reinvent 
himself from the forties, the fifties, the sixties, and even the 
seventies. In fact, even as his age increased and perhaps just a slight 
bit of that famous beautiful voice disappeared, he found ways to redo 
music, and his music lives on today. I am not surprised that a 
thoroughly modern man from New York would have 2,000 Frank Sinatra 
songs. My only question is, why don't you have more?
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time totally in support 
of this resolution.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from New 
York for sponsoring the measure at hand, and I would certainly urge 
passage of this bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1144, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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