[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 189 (Monday, December 14, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H14841-H14843]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB

  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 160) honoring the American 
Kennel Club on its 125th anniversary, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 160

       Whereas the American Kennel Club (AKC), headquartered in 
     New York City, with an operations center in Raleigh, North 
     Carolina, was founded in 1884, operates the world's largest 
     registry of purebred dogs and is the Nation's leading not-
     for-profit organization

[[Page H14842]]

     devoted to the advancement, study, responsible breeding, 
     care, and ownership of dogs;
       Whereas the American Kennel Club approves, sanctions, and 
     regulates the events of its 609 member clubs and monitors 
     more than 4000 licensed and sanctioned clubs throughout the 
     United States who hold events under American Kennel Club 
     rules and regulations;
       Whereas in 2008, the American Kennel Club sanctioned or 
     regulated 22,630 sporting events that included breed 
     conformation, agility, obedience, earthdog, herding, field 
     trial, retrieving, pointing, tracking, and coonhound events;
       Whereas the American Kennel Club honors the canine-human 
     bond, advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, 
     advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the 
     rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog 
     ownership;
       Whereas the American Kennel Club promotes responsible dog 
     ownership and breeding practices and supports thousands of 
     volunteers and teachers from affiliated clubs across the 
     country who teach responsible dog ownership and safety around 
     dogs;
       Whereas the American Kennel Club founded and supports the 
     AKC Humane Fund, which promotes the joy and value of 
     responsible pet ownership by supporting breed rescue 
     activities, educating adults and children about responsible 
     dog ownership, and assisting human-services organizations 
     that permit domestic abuse victims access to shelters with 
     their pets;
       Whereas the American Kennel Club trains and employs kennel 
     inspectors and conducts over 5,200 kennel inspections each 
     year;
       Whereas the American Kennel Club promotes responsible dog 
     ownership, care, and handling of dogs to over 21,000 youths 
     ages 9 to 18 years old enrolled in its National Junior 
     Organization;
       Whereas the American Kennel Club is the largest purebred 
     dog registry in the world and the only registry that 
     incorporates health screening results into its permanent dog 
     records;
       Whereas the American Kennel Club offers the largest and 
     most comprehensive set of DNA programs for the purposes of 
     parentage verification and genetic identity to ensure 
     reliable registration records;
       Whereas the American Kennel Club created and supports the 
     Canine Health Foundation (CHF), which funds research projects 
     focusing on the genetics of disease, the canine genome map, 
     and clinical studies, and has donated over $22,000,000 to the 
     CHF since 1995;
       Whereas the American Kennel Club created and operates 
     DOGNY: America's Tribute to Search and Rescue Dogs, which 
     supports canine search and rescue organizations across the 
     United States;
       Whereas the American Kennel Club annually awards $170,000 
     in scholarships to veterinary and veterinary technical 
     students;
       Whereas the American Kennel Club has reunited more than 
     340,000 lost pets and their owners through the AKC Companion 
     Animal Recovery (CAR) program;
       Whereas the American Kennel Club established the AKC Canine 
     Good Citizen program, which certifies dogs with good manners 
     at home and in the community;
       Whereas the American Kennel Club maintains the world's 
     largest dog library and the Museum of the Dog in St. Louis, 
     which houses one of the world's largest collections of dog-
     related fine art and artifacts, both of which are open to the 
     public; and
       Whereas the American Kennel Club celebrates its 125th 
     anniversary this year: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That Congress honors the American Kennel Club for 
     its service to dog owners and the United States public.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. 
Biggert) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and add any extraneous materials.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, at this time, I would like to recognize the 
lead sponsor of this resolution, Representative David Price, my friend 
from North Carolina, for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. I thank the gentleman, Madam Speaker, 
and I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 160, 
honoring the contributions of the American Kennel Club on its 125th 
anniversary.
  Over the course of these 125 years, the AKC has established itself as 
our Nation's leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to the 
advancement, study, responsible breeding, care, and ownership of dogs. 
Today, dog owners throughout the United States can be proud of the work 
the club does to promote the responsible care that dogs deserve.
  With offices employing 300 constituents in my district in Raleigh, 
North Carolina, and additional staff in New York City, the AKC has also 
become a major source of good-paying jobs.
  Each year, the American Kennel Club sanctions and regulates over 
20,000 sporting events. It is also a leader in training inspectors and 
inspecting dog kennels, conducting more than 5,200 kennel inspections 
each year.
  Through its national junior organization, the AKC has enrolled over 
21,000 children aged 9 to 18 to promote responsible dog ownership, 
care, and handling.
  In addition to serving as the world's largest purebred dog registry, 
the AKC has also started a mixed breed program to allow all dogs to 
participate in a variety of AKC's sanctioned events. Various AKC 
programs support the advancement of canine health and well-being, and 
educate the public on responsible dog ownership.

                              {time}  1715

  Madam Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Lynch, Mrs. Biggert, Chairman 
Towns, and Ranking Member Issa for moving this resolution forward, and 
my colleague from North Carolina (Mr. Coble) and 51 other cosponsors 
for their help as well.
  I urge my colleagues to join in support.
  Mrs. BIGGERT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 160, honoring the American 
Kennel Club for its service to dog owners throughout the United States.
  Founded in 1884, the Kennel Club operates the largest registry for 
purebred dogs in the U.S. and is the country's leading nonprofit 
organization dedicated to the study of dogs and their care. This 
organization has 609 member clubs and monitors 4,000 licensed and 
sanctioned clubs holding events under the American Kennel Club rules 
and regulations.
  I have to say, I did show one dog that I had for a period of time, a 
basset hound, in Chicago, in the American Kennel Club at one of the 
shows, and it's quite an experience for anybody to do that. It's well 
run and well regulated.
  The American Kennel Club has taken the lead in promoting responsible 
dog ownership and breeding practices as well as supporting thousands of 
volunteers across the country who teach safety to dog owners. In order 
to maintain the high standards for which the American Kennel Club is 
known, they conduct over 5,200 kennel inspections each year. And, as 
Mr. Price mentioned, youth ages 9 to 18 are enrolled in the National 
Junior Organization, which really helps to communicate the proper 
handling of dogs and allows them the opportunity to participate in 
shows at an early age.
  It has also created a Canine Health Foundation, which funds research 
projects focused on the genetics of dog diseases and clinical studies. 
The club annually awards over $170,000 in scholarships to veterinary 
students and veterinary technical students and has reunited thousands 
of dogs with their owners through its Companion Animal Recovery 
program.
  The American Kennel Club has been a part of communities of the United 
States since 1884 and continues to be a model for teaching responsible 
breeding, care, and ownership of dogs. So we congratulate the American 
Kennel Club on its 125th anniversary.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I simply want to stand and join with Mr. 
Price of North Carolina in honoring the American Kennel Club for its 
service on behalf of the study, the responsible breeding and ownership 
of dogs.
  I do want to add that in addition to Mr. Price, who is the lead 
sponsor, this resolution has enjoyed the support of over 50 Members of 
Congress. As others have noted here, there's been a long and 
illustrious history of the AKC in the United States, and they sanction 
and regulate the events of its 609 member clubs as well as monitor over 
400 licensed and sanctioned clubs located throughout the United States 
that hold events pursuant to AKC rules and regulations. And as has been 
noted, the American Kennel Club sanctioned or regulated nearly 23,000 
individual events across the country last year.
  Moreover, in promoting canine health and well-being, the American

[[Page H14843]]

Kennel Club has implemented a variety of kennel inspector training 
initiatives, with AKC-employed kennel inspectors conducting over 5,200 
inspections each year. This is all great work that needs to be done and 
is proudly done by the AKC, an organization that funds research 
projects focused on the genetics of canine disease and to which the AKC 
has donated over $22 million since 1995.
  So, in closing, I would simply ask Members on both sides of the aisle 
to support Mr. Price and his resolution.
  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong 
support of H. Con. Res. 160, honoring the American Kennel Club on its 
125th anniversary.
  As someone who is proud to have three loveable four-legged members of 
my own family, Chavo, Baloo, and Pippin, I was eager to be an original 
cosponsor of this resolution. The American Kennel Club provides 
invaluable services to dog owners and breeders across the country. For 
the past one hundred and twenty-five years, this organization has been 
counted upon to promote best practices for training, regulation, 
inspection, and registration.
  Most Americans know the club for its annual dog shows, but it does 
much more. The American Kennel Club awards nearly $170,000 in 
scholarship money per year to veterinary students and has donated 
nearly $22 million to the Canine Health Foundation. Younger owners also 
learn proper skills for treatment and care of their dogs through the 
National Junior Organization.
  Every dog owner knows the bond that can develop between a family and 
its four-legged member. The American Kennel Club has worked to 
cultivate and encourage this relationship. The individuals of the AKC 
have selflessly worked to achieve high standards in each club function 
and for this they are to be commended.
  I want to thank the bill sponsor, Representative Price and my fellow 
co-sponsors for their strong support of the American Kennel Club.
  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of our time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 160, 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. LYNCH. 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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