[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 85 (Thursday, May 22, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4808-S4810]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE RESOLUTION 578--RECOGNIZING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
                   FOUNDING OF THE CONGRESSIONAL CLUB

  Mr. ENZI (for himself, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Wicker, and Mr. 
Nelson of Nebraska) submitted the following resolution; which was 
considered and agreed to:

[[Page S4809]]

                              S. Res. 578

       Whereas the Congressional Club was organized in 1908 by 25 
     women who were influential in Washington's official life and 
     who wanted to establish a nonsectarian and nonpolitical group 
     that would promote friendship and cordiality in public life;
       Whereas those women founded the Club to bring the wives of 
     Members of Congress together in a hospitable and compatible 
     environment in the Nation's Capital;
       Whereas the Congressional Club was officially established 
     in 1908 by a unanimous vote in both the Senate and the House 
     of Representatives and is the only club in the world to be 
     founded by an Act of Congress;
       Whereas the Act entitled ``An Act to incorporate the 
     Congressional Club'' (35 Stat. 476, chapter 226) was signed 
     by President Theodore Roosevelt on May 30, 1908;
       Whereas the Congressional Club's founding was secured by 
     the enactment of that Act unanimously on May 28, 1908, in 
     order to overcome the opposition of Representative John Sharp 
     Williams of Mississippi, who opposed all women's 
     organizations;
       Whereas, when Representative Williams was called out of the 
     chamber by Mrs. Williams, the good-mannered representative 
     obliged and withdrew his opposition and request for a 
     recorded vote, saying, ``upon this particular bill there will 
     not be a roll call, because it would cause a great deal of 
     domestic unhappiness in Washington if there were'';
       Whereas the first Congressional Clubhouse was at 1432 K 
     Street Northwest in Washington, District of Columbia, and 
     opened on December 11, 1908, with a reception for President-
     elect and Mrs. William Taft;
       Whereas, after Mrs. John B. Henderson of Missouri donated 
     land on the corner of New Hampshire Avenue and U Street 
     Northwest, the cornerstone of the current Clubhouse was laid 
     at that location on May 21, 1914;
       Whereas that Clubhouse was built by George Totten in the 
     Beaux Arts style and is listed on the National Register of 
     Historic Places;
       Whereas the mortgage on the Clubhouse was paid for by the 
     sales of the Club's cookbook and the mortgage document was 
     burned by Mrs. Bess Truman in a silver bowl on the 40th 
     anniversary of the Club's founding;
       Whereas the Congressional Club has remained a good neighbor 
     on the U Street corridor for more than 90 years, encouraging 
     the revitalization of the area during a time of socioeconomic 
     challenges and leading the way in upkeep and maintenance of 
     historic property;
       Whereas the Congressional Club honors and supports the 
     people in its neighborhood by inviting the local police and 
     fire departments to the Clubhouse for lunch and delivering 
     trays of Member-made cookies and candies to them during the 
     holidays, by hosting an annual Senior Citizens Appreciation 
     Day luncheon for residents of a neighborhood nursing home, 
     and by hosting an annual holiday brunch for neighborhood 
     children each December that includes a festive meal, gifts, 
     and a visit from Santa Claus;
       Whereas the Congressional Club has hosted the annual First 
     Lady's Luncheon every spring since 1912 and annually donates 
     tens of thousands of dollars to charities in the name of the 
     First Lady;
       Whereas, among its many charitable recipients, the 
     Congressional Club has chosen mentoring programs, United 
     National Indian Tribal Youth, literacy programs, the White 
     House library, youth dance troupes, domestic shelters, and 
     child care centers;
       Whereas the Congressional Club members, upon the suggestion 
     of Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, have been encouraged to become 
     discussion leaders on national security in their home States, 
     from the trials of World War II to the threats of terrorism;
       Whereas the Congressional Club extends the hand of 
     friendship and goodwill globally by hosting an annual 
     diplomatic reception to entertain the spouses of ambassadors 
     to the United States;
       Whereas the Congressional Club is solely supported by 
     membership dues and the sale of cookbooks and has never 
     received any Federal funding;
       Whereas the 14 editions of the Congressional Club cookbook, 
     first published in 1928, reflect the life and times of the 
     United States with recipes and signatures of Members of 
     Congress, First Ladies, Ambassadors, and members of the Club;
       Whereas the Congressional Club membership has expanded to 
     include spouses and daughters of Representatives, Senators, 
     Supreme Court Justices, and Cabinet members;
       Whereas 7 members of the Congressional Club have become 
     First Lady: Mrs. Florence Harding, Mrs. Lou Hoover, Mrs. Bess 
     Truman, Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy, Mrs. Patricia Nixon, Mrs. 
     Betty Ford, and Mrs. Barbara Bush;
       Whereas several members of the Congressional Club have been 
     elected to Congress, including Mrs. Jo Ann Emerson, Mrs. Lois 
     Capps, and Mrs. Mary Bono, and former presidents of the 
     Congressional Club Mrs. Lindy Boggs and Mrs. Doris Matsui;
       Whereas leading figures in politics, the arts, and the 
     media have visited the Clubhouse throughout the past 100 
     years;
       Whereas the Congressional Club is home to the First Lady's 
     gown display, a museum with replica inaugural and ball gowns 
     of the First Ladies from Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln to Mrs. Laura 
     Bush;
       Whereas the Congressional Club is charged with receiving 
     the Presidential couple, honoring the Vice President and 
     spouse, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and 
     spouse, and the Chief Justice and spouse, and providing the 
     orientation for spouses of new Members of Congress; and
       Whereas the Congressional Club will celebrate its 100th 
     anniversary with festivities and ceremonies during 2008 that 
     include the ringing of the official bells of the United 
     States Congress, a Founder's Day program, a birthday cake at 
     the First Lady's Luncheon, an anniversary postage stamp and 
     cancellation stamp, a 100-year pin and pendant designed by 
     former president Lois Breaux, and invitations to President 
     and Mrs. Bush, Speaker and Mr. Pelosi, and Chief Justice and 
     Mrs. Roberts to visit and celebrate 100 years of public 
     service, civility, and growth at the Congressional Club: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the 100th anniversary of the founding of the 
     Congressional Club;
       (2) acknowledges the contributions of political spouses to 
     public life in the United States and around the world through 
     the Congressional Club for the past 100 years;
       (3) honors the past and present membership of the 
     Congressional Club; and
       (4) encourages the people of the United States--
       (A) to strive for greater friendship, civility, and 
     generosity in order to heighten public service, elevate the 
     culture, and enrich humanity; and
       (B) to seek opportunities to give financially and to 
     volunteer to assist charitable organizations in their own 
     communities.
                                 ______
                                 

SENATE RESOLUTION 579--DESIGNATING THE WEEK BEGINNING MAY 26, 2008, AS 
                ``NATIONAL HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK''

  Mr. VITTER (for himself, Mr. Shelby, Mr. Martinez, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. 
Sessions, Mr. DeMint, Mr. Burr, and Mr. Nelson of Florida) submitted 
the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 579

       Whereas, as hurricane season approaches, National Hurricane 
     Preparedness Week provides an opportunity to raise awareness 
     of steps that can be taken to help protect citizens, their 
     communities, and property;
       Whereas the official 2008 Atlantic hurricane season occurs 
     in the period beginning June 1, 2008, and ending November 30, 
     2008;
       Whereas hurricanes are among the most powerful forces of 
     nature, causing destructive winds, tornadoes, floods, and 
     storm surges that can result in numerous fatalities and cost 
     billions of dollars in damage;
       Whereas, in 2005, a record-setting Atlantic hurricane 
     season caused 28 storms, including 15 hurricanes, of which 7 
     were major hurricanes, including Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, 
     and Wilma;
       Whereas, for 2008, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration announced that the outlook for the hurricane 
     season was near to above normal, with a 60 to 70 percent 
     chance of 12 to 16 named storms, including 6 to 9 hurricanes 
     and 2 to 5 major hurricanes;
       Whereas the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
     reports that over 50 percent of the population of the United 
     States lives in coastal counties that are vulnerable to the 
     dangers of hurricanes;
       Whereas, because the impact from hurricanes extends far 
     beyond coastal areas, it is vital for individuals in 
     hurricane-prone areas to prepare in advance of the hurricane 
     season;
       Whereas cooperation between individuals and Federal, State, 
     and local officials can help increase preparedness, save 
     lives, reduce the impact of each hurricane, and provide a 
     more effective response to those storms;
       Whereas the National Hurricane Center within the National 
     Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recommends that each 
     at-risk family in the United States develop a family disaster 
     plan, create a disaster supply kit, secure their house, and 
     stay aware of current weather situations to improve 
     preparedness and help save lives, and
       Whereas the designation of the week beginning May 26, 2008, 
     as ``National Hurricane Preparedness Week'' will help raise 
     the awareness of the people of the United States to assist 
     them in preparing for the upcoming hurricane season: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates the week beginning May 26, 2008, as 
     ``National Hurricane Preparedness Week'';
       (2) encourages the people of the United States--
       (A) to be prepared for the upcoming hurricane season; and
       (B) to promote awareness of the dangers of hurricanes to 
     help save lives and protect communities; and
       (3) recognizes--
       (A) the threats posed by hurricanes; and
       (B) the need for the people of the United States to learn 
     more about preparedness so that they may minimize the impacts 
     of, and provide a more effective response to, hurricanes.

[[Page S4810]]

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 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 84--HONORING THE MEMORY OF ROBERT MONDAVI

  Mrs. BOXER (for herself and Mrs. Feinstein) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary:

                            S. Con. Res. 84

       Whereas Robert Mondavi, a much-loved and admired man of 
     many talents, passed away on May 16, 2008, at the age of 94;
       Whereas Robert Mondavi will be fondly and most famously 
     remembered for his work in producing and promoting California 
     wines on an international scale;
       Whereas Robert Gerald Mondavi was born to Italian immigrant 
     parents, Cesare and Rosa, on June 18, 1913, in Virginia, 
     Minnesota, and his family later moved to Lodi, California, 
     where he attended Lodi High School;
       Whereas, after graduating from Stanford University in 1937 
     with a degree in economics and business administration, 
     Robert Mondavi joined his father and younger brother Peter in 
     running the Charles Krug Winery in the Napa Valley of 
     California;
       Whereas Robert Mondavi left Krug Winery in 1965 to 
     establish his own winery in the Napa Valley, and, in 1966, 
     motivated by his vision that California could produce world-
     class wines, he founded the first major winery built in Napa 
     Valley since Prohibition: the Robert Mondavi Winery;
       Whereas, in the late 1960s, the release of the Robert 
     Mondavi Winery's Cabernet Sauvignon opened the eyes of the 
     world to the potential of the Napa Valley region;
       Whereas Robert Mondavi introduced new and innovative 
     techniques of wine production, such as the use of stainless 
     steel tanks to produce wines like his now-legendary Fume 
     Blanc;
       Whereas, as a tireless advocate for California wine and 
     food, and the Napa Valley, Robert Mondavi was convinced that 
     California wines could compete with established European 
     brands, and his confidence in the potential of Napa Valley 
     wines was confirmed in 1976 when California wines defeated 
     some well-known French vintages at the historic Paris Wine 
     Tasting, or ``Judgment of Paris'', wine competition;
       Whereas, in the late 1970s, Robert Mondavi created the 
     first French-American wine venture when he joined with Baron 
     Philippe de Rothschild in creating the Opus One Winery in 
     Oakville, which produced its first vintage in 1979;
       Whereas the success of the Robert Mondavi Winery, and the 
     many international ventures Robert Mondavi pursued, allowed 
     him to donate generously to various charitable causes, 
     including the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food 
     Science and Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the 
     Performing Arts, both affiliated with the University of 
     California, Davis, and the establishment of the American 
     Center for Wine, Food and the Arts;
       Whereas those who knew Robert Mondavi recognized him as a 
     uniquely passionate and brilliant man who took pride in 
     promoting causes that he held close to his heart;
       Whereas Robert Mondavi's work as an ambassador for wine 
     will be remembered fondly by all those whose lives he 
     touched; and
       Whereas Robert Mondavi will be deeply missed in the Napa 
     Valley, in California, and throughout the world: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress honors the life of Robert Mondavi, 
     a true pioneer and a patriarch of the California wine 
     industry.

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