[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 104 (Monday, June 23, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H5836-H5838]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY FOR 100 YEARS OF SERVICE AND 
                               LEADERSHIP

  Mr. SARBANES. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 1051) congratulating James Madison University 
in Harrisonburg, Virginia, for 100 years of service and leadership to 
the United States, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1051

       Whereas on March 14, 1908, Virginia Governor Claude A. 
     Swanson signed into law legislation for the establishment of 
     the new State Normal and Industrial School for Women;
       Whereas in 1938, the institution was renamed Madison 
     College in honor of the Nation's fourth president, James 
     Madison;
       Whereas in 1966, the Virginia General Assembly approved 
     full coeducational status for the college, and men were 
     enrolled as resident students for the first time;
       Whereas James Madison University (JMU) enrolls nearly 
     17,000 students and employs 3,000 full-time and part-time 
     faculty and staff;
       Whereas in 2007, the US News and World Report ranked JMU as 
     the top public, master's level university in the South for 
     the 17th time;
       Whereas also in 2007, the US News and World Report noted 
     JMU's graduation rate, at 80 percent, was the highest among 
     all public and private schools in the South;
       Whereas JMU has been led by presidents Julian Ashby 
     Burruss, Doctor Samuel Page Duke, Doctor G. Tyler Miller, 
     Doctor Ronald E. Carrier, and Doctor Linwood H. Rose;
       Whereas JMU offers 106 degree programs, including 68 
     undergraduate programs, 30 graduate programs, 2 education 
     specialist programs, and 6 doctoral programs; and
       Whereas JMU has conferred more than 98,000 degrees: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives congratulates 
     James Madison University for 100 years of leadership and 
     service to the Harrisonburg/Rockingham County region, the 
     Commonwealth of Virginia, and the Nation.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. 
Foxx) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SARBANES. Madam Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during 
which Members may revise and extend and insert any extraneous material 
on H. Res. 1051 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Maryland?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SARBANES. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1051, which 
celebrates James Madison University's 100 years of service and 
leadership. Founded in 1908, the State Normal and Industrial School for 
Women eventually became what is now known as James Madison University. 
Beginning with only 150 students and 15 faculty members, the small 
school has grown into a prestigious university.
  Today, James Madison enrolls over 17,000 students and offers a wide 
range of courses. With 68 undergraduate majors, 40 graduate and 
certificate degrees and six doctoral programs, JMU boasts a strong 
academic program. By coupling this strong educational base with student 
support, the university is able to graduate 81 percent of its students. 
According to the United States Department of Education, JMU is ranked 
16th nationally for its graduate rate and is first among all schools in 
the South.
  Much has changed in James Madison University's 100 year history, but 
some of the core principles have remained consistent. The university 
still strives to empower its students to make a difference and use 
their education to positively impact the world around them. In fact, 
JMU ranks 14th on the Peace Corps list of top volunteer producing 
universities and the ONE campaign listed the school among their top 100 
most active schools in the Nation.
  This year, James Madison University grew its impact with the 
graduation of its 100,000th student. As the university community 
celebrates this accomplishment, JMU will take a moment to reflect on a 
century of achievement. The university will also take a look ahead to 
the next 100 years of inquiry, learning and discovery.
  Madam Speaker, once again I express my support for James Madison 
University, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1051, 
congratulating James Madison University

[[Page H5837]]

in Harrisonburg, Virginia, for 100 years of service and leadership to 
the United States.
  If one word could describe James Madison University, unquestionably 
that word would be ``bold.'' For 100 years, the institution that began 
as ``the little school that could'' has charged through the century 
like a bullet train. The campus began with two buildings, now called 
Jackson Hall and Maury Hall, that sat on farmland at the outer edge of 
Harrisonburg. Constant growth and expansion have been a hallmark for 
the campus ever since. Today, JMU extends over 650 acres of rolling 
Shenandoah Valley hills and includes more than 100 buildings.
  Founded in 1908 with unmatched enthusiasm that, after a century, has 
not diminished, today James Madison University's mission reaffirms the 
university's long-time commitment to meeting the needs of its students. 
In its earliest years, JMU's academic offerings included only what 
would now be called technical training or junior college courses. 
Today, the university offers more than 100 degree programs on the 
bachelors, masters, educational specialist and doctor levels.
  As the university crosses into the new century, the rest of the world 
is beginning to take notice. Through the individual achievements and 
service that put the power of knowledge to work embodying President 
James Madison's belief that a self-governing people ``must arm 
themselves with the power which knowledge gives,'' JMU is developing, 
through education, leaders who are well-prepared to help shape the 
future of the Nation.
  I am honored to stand before the House today and recognize this fine 
university. I congratulate the university's president, Linwood Rose, 
the board of visitors, the students, alumni, and James Madison 
University for reaching this milestone, and wish the university 
continued success.
  I ask my colleagues to support the resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SARBANES. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my 
esteemed colleague from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte).
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor James Madison 
University and ask my colleagues to support House Resolution 1051. I 
want to thank my colleague from North Carolina and my colleague from 
Maryland for managing this legislation on the floor, and the chairman 
and ranking member of the committee for their support of this 
resolution, which recognizes an outstanding institution of higher 
education which I am proud to represent in the Sixth Congressional 
District of Virginia.
  This resolution celebrates James Madison University on the occasion 
of its 100th anniversary, which held a week-long celebration 
culminating with the centennial celebration on March 14, 2008. The 
entire JMU community celebrated with galas, portrait unveilings of JMU 
dignitaries, statue presentations, and a photograph of nearly 3,000 
students, faculty, staff and alumni forming a ``human 100'' to 
celebrate the centennial.
  James Madison University, located in my congressional district in 
Harrisonburg, Virginia, is surrounded by the beautiful Shenandoah 
Valley and has proved to be a catalyst in Western Virginia, building on 
the agricultural base of the region to create a center for higher 
education and innovation.
  James Madison University has grown from its establishment as the 
Normal and Industrial School for Women in 1908 to its renaming to 
Madison College in 1938 and eventually to James Madison University, 
where it presently enrolls nearly 17,000 students and employs 3,000 
full-time and part-time faculty and staff.
  Since its establishment, James Madison University has been led by 
Presidents Julian Ashby Burress, Dr. Samuel Page Duke, the namesake of 
JMU's mascot, the ``Duke Dog,'' Dr. G. Tyler Miller, Dr. Ronald 
Carrier, and the current President, Dr. Linwood H. Rose.
  In my service of representing the Sixth District of Virginia and JMU, 
it has been a true pleasure to work with former President Dr. Ron 
Carrier and current President Dr. Linwood Rose as they have skillfully 
guided James Madison University into the 21st century.
  Madam Speaker, from its inception, James Madison University has been 
at the forefront of education. Originally a teachers college, today JMU 
provides groundbreaking research in information technology, security 
and alternative fuel sources, and offers more than 100 degree programs, 
including 68 undergraduate, 30 masters, two educational specialists and 
six doctor programs. In its 100 yearlings of existence, James Madison 
University has conferred more than 98,000 degrees.
  Based on this outstanding curriculum, in 2007 U.S. News and World 
Report, for the 17th time, ranked JMU as the top public, masters-level 
university in the South, and JMU's graduation rate, 80 percent, was the 
highest among all public and private schools in the South.
  Madam Speaker, James Madison University's alumni have impacted the 
Commonwealth of Virginia, the United States and the entire world. 
Madison graduates travel to the farthest corners of the Earth to 
perform groundbreaking research and provide leadership in corporate 
boardrooms, athletic fields, State legislatures, and even here on 
Capitol Hill.
  I am pleased to have introduced this resolution, cosponsored by the 
entire Virginia delegation and more than 50 Members of Congress, that 
recognizes the rich history and accomplishments of this remarkable 
institution on the occasion of its 100th anniversary.
  I urge all the Members of this body to join us in congratulating 
James Madison University on its 100th anniversary and to support this 
resolution.
  Mr. SARBANES. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, as we reflect on the last 100 years of JMU's 
history, I want to talk a little bit about a very dark time in our 
history, the tenure of former President Carter.
  During Carter's administration, the Nation suffered from oil 
shortages. These shortages led to record high gas prices that 
ultimately persuaded the President to turn to the American public for 
answers. Following a Camp David summit on energy, he addressed the 
country saying, ``We can't go on consuming 40 percent more energy than 
we produce. When we import oil, we are also importing inflation plus 
unemployment.''
  ``We have got to use what we have. The Middle East has only 5 percent 
of the world's energy, but the United States has 24 percent.''
  And this one, which President Carter thought was one of the most 
vivid statements. ``Our neck is stretched over the fence and OPEC has 
the knife.''
  It is truly frightening how technology has advanced since 1977, yet 
here we are today faced with the same issues that this Democratic 
Congress refuses to address. When it comes to energy production, while 
our global competitors are pursuing 21st century technologies, America 
is stuck in the 1970s.
  On electricity production alone, for example, just to keep up with 
the new demand, by 2030 the United States must build 747 new coal 
plants, 52 new nuclear plants, 2,000 new hydroelectric generators, and 
add 13,000 new megawatts of renewable power. The dire need to increase 
domestic oil and gas production is no different, yet the Democratic 
majority refuses to lead.
  Republicans are committed to a comprehensive energy reform policy 
that will increase the supply of American-made energy, improve energy 
efficiency and encourage investment in groundbreaking research and 
advance alternative and renewable energy technologies. With 21st 
century technologies and the strictest standards in the world, America 
can and must produce more of our own energy right here at home and 
protect our environment at the same time.
  I wonder what President James Madison would think of the situation we 
find ourselves in, and wonder if he would agree with many people who 
have compared the views of the 2008 presumptive nominee of the Democrat 
Party with President Carter and the failed policies of his 
administration.
  I call on the Democratic leadership to bring forth the proposals that 
Republicans have made that will help solve the problems, and not put 
America through what we went through in the 1970s all over again.

[[Page H5838]]

  I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1800

  Mr. SARBANES. Madam Speaker, I don't know what James Madison would 
have thought specifically about the issue raised, but I know he had an 
abiding confidence in the ingenuity of the American people, as did all 
of our Founding Fathers and I think every President since. And we have 
been held back from the kinds of investments and partnerships that the 
American people could join with that ingenuity to move us forward, we 
have been held back by a lack of investment and emphasis on that kind 
of investment from the current administration. So I look forward to a 
time when we can join in partnership with the American people and take 
advantage of that ingenuity that James Madison and so many others 
recognized from the earliest days.
  What an accomplishment for any university to just be there for 100 
years. The fact that James Madison University has reached this 
milestone with such a terrific list of accomplishments is truly 
deserving of the recognition that we seek to bestow upon the university 
today, and I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 1051.
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 
centennial of James Madison University.
  Established in Harrisonburg, Virginia, by the Virginia General 
Assembly in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women, 
the school's first student body was made up of 209 students and 15 
faculty members. In 1938, its name was changed to Madison College in 
honor of the fourth President of the United States, James Madison. In 
1966, the university became a coeducational institution, and in 1976, 
the university's name was changed to James Madison University. Today, 
the university enrolls nearly 17,000 students and employs 3,000 full-
time and part-time faculty and staff.
  In addition to its expansion in physical size dramatic and student 
enrollment, JMU has experienced dramatic growth in academic prestige 
and popularity over the past 20 years. For the 13th consecutive year 
and 17th time, James Madison University ranked as the top public, 
master's-level university in the South in the highly regarded annual 
survey on academic quality conducted by U.S. News & World Report. JMU 
also had the highest graduation rate--80 percent--among both public and 
private colleges in the South. Last spring, a record 16,050 students 
applied for 3,300 spots in the 2007-2008 freshman class.
  James Madison University is also notable for encouraging its students 
to engage in the global community. According to the Institute of 
International Education, JMU ranks second nationally among master's-
level institutions for the total number of students studying abroad. 
With 65 of its alumni serving as Peace Corps volunteers in developing 
countries, JMU also ranks second in the nation among medium-sized 
colleges and universities for graduates currently serving as volunteers 
with the U.S. service program.
  Over the past 100 years, James Madison University has grown from a 
small technical college for women into a thriving academic institution 
that exemplifies the full promise of a public university. Throughout 
its growth, JMU has maintained its core mission of providing a terrific 
education and producing well-rounded alumni prepared to contribute to 
society, while at the same time fostering an inclusive and high-
spirited atmosphere that complements its beautiful location in the 
Shenandoah Valley.
  Madam Speaker, it is truly an honor to have James Madison University 
in the State of Virginia and to recognize its 100 years of achievement. 
I ask all my colleagues to support this resolution and to congratulate 
the impressive achievements of James Madison University.
  Mr. SARBANES. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1051, 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. SARBANES. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  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.

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