[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 118 (Friday, July 31, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H9244]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




AUTHORIZING USE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR NATIONAL WEEKEND OF REMEMBRANCE 
                                 EVENT

  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure be discharged from further 
consideration of the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 171) 
authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for an event to honor 
military personnel who have died in service to the United States and to 
acknowledge the sacrifice of the families of those individuals as part 
of the National Weekend of Remembrance, and ask for its immediate 
consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Maffei). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 171

       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring),

     SECTION 1. USE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR NATIONAL WEEKEND OF 
                   REMEMBRANCE EVENT.

       (a) In General.--The White House Commission on Remembrance 
     (in this resolution referred to as the ``sponsor'') shall be 
     permitted to sponsor a public event (in this resolution 
     referred to as the ``event'') on the Capitol Grounds to honor 
     military personnel who have died in service to the United 
     States and to acknowledge the sacrifice of the families of 
     those individuals as part of the National Weekend of 
     Remembrance.
       (b) Date of Event.--The event shall be held on September 
     26, 2009, or on such other date as the Speaker of the House 
     of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and 
     Administration of the Senate jointly designate.

     SEC. 2. TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

       (a) In General.--Under conditions to be prescribed by the 
     Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board, the 
     event shall be--
       (1) free of admission charge and open to the public; and
       (2) arranged not to interfere with the needs of Congress.
       (b) Expenses and Liabilities.--The sponsor shall assume 
     full responsibility for all expenses and liabilities incident 
     to all activities associated with the event.

     SEC. 3. EVENT PREPARATIONS.

       Subject to the approval of the Architect of the Capitol, 
     the sponsor is authorized to erect upon the Capitol Grounds 
     such stage, sound amplification devices, and other related 
     structures and equipment, as may be required for the event.

     SEC. 4. ENFORCEMENT OF RESTRICTIONS.

       The Capitol Police Board shall provide for enforcement of 
     the restrictions contained in section 5104(c) of title 40, 
     United States Code, concerning sales, advertisements, 
     displays, and solicitations on the Capitol Grounds, as well 
     as other restrictions applicable to the Capitol Grounds, in 
     connection with the event.

  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House 
Concurrent Resolution 171, authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds 
for an event to honor military personnel who have died in service to 
the United States and to acknowledge the sacrifice of the families of 
those individuals as part of the National Weekend of Remembrance.
  This concurrent resolution will permit the use of the Capitol Grounds 
for a Time of Remembrance tribute for military families who have lost 
loved ones in Iraq and Afghanistan, including 72 Minnesota families 
(with 12 families from my Congressional District). This event will be 
held on September 26, 2009, on the West Front of the Capitol and will 
be sponsored by the White House Commission on Remembrance and Families 
United for Our Troops and Their Mission, a non-profit organization.
  The White House Commission on Remembrance was established by Congress 
in 2000, under the National Moment of Remembrance Act (P.L. 106-579). 
This law directed the Commission to unite the nation in a National 
Moment of Remembrance, to be held at 3:00 p.m. each Memorial Day. Since 
2006, the Commission has also sponsored an annual Time of Remembrance 
ceremony to ``honor all those who have died in service to our country, 
with a special tribute to America's fallen in Afghanistan and Iraq and 
the families they left behind.''
  Passing this resolution will ensure that this year's ceremony, and a 
picnic to follow, will be allowed to go forward on the Capitol Grounds 
on September 26, 2009. Activities on the Capitol Grounds conducted 
under H. Con. Res. 171 will be coordinated with the Architect of the 
Capitol and the Capitol Police Board, and will be free of charge.
  This ceremony is an opportunity to demonstrate to military families 
that their fellow Americans join them in mourning their loss, and to 
express our sincere and immeasurable gratitude for the service of their 
sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers to our nation. 
While we can never adequately thank those who have died for the 
sacrifice they have made, taking time to remember these brave men and 
women and celebrating their lives with their families is an appropriate 
tribute.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Con. Res. 171.
  The concurrent resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________