[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 66 (Wednesday, May 5, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H3153-H3156]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CELEBRATING MOTHERS AND MOTHER'S DAY
Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 1295) celebrating the role of mothers in the
United States and supporting the goals and ideals of Mother's Day.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1295
Whereas Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of
each May;
Whereas the first official Mother's Day was observed on May
10, 1908, in Grafton, West Virginia, and Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania;
Whereas 2010 is the 102nd anniversary of the first official
Mother's Day observation;
Whereas in 1908, Elmer Burkett, a U.S. senator from
Nebraska, proposed making Mother's Day a national holiday;
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Whereas in 1914, Congress passed a resolution designating
the second Sunday of May as Mother's Day;
Whereas it is estimated that there are more than 82,000,000
mothers in the United States;
Whereas mothers have made immeasurable contributions toward
building strong families, thriving communities, and
ultimately a strong Nation;
Whereas the services rendered to the children of the United
States by their mothers have strengthened and inspired the
Nation throughout its history;
Whereas George Washington said, ``My mother was the most
beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I
attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual,
and physical education I received from her.'';
Whereas Abraham Lincoln said, ``All that I am or ever hope
to be, I owe to my angel mother.'';
Whereas we honor ourselves and mothers in the United States
when we revere and emphasize the importance of the role of
the home and family as the true foundation of the Nation;
Whereas mothers continue to rise to the challenge of
raising their families with love, understanding, and
compassion, while overcoming the challenges of modern
society; and
Whereas May 9, 2010, is recognized as Mother's Day: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives celebrates the
role of mothers in the United States and supports the goals
and ideals of Mother's Day.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz)
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, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform, I am pleased to present House Resolution 1295 for
consideration. This legislation celebrates the role of mothers in the
United States and supports the goals and ideals of Mother's Day.
Introduced by my colleague and friend Representative Jeff Fortenberry
of Nebraska on April 22, 2010, House Resolution 1295 enjoys the support
of over 60 Members of Congress, and I am proud to say that I have gone
out on a limb and become one of those cosponsors.
First, I would like to thank the gentleman from Nebraska for
introducing the resolution. I would also like to thank Chairman Towns
and Mr. Chaffetz, my colleague on the House Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform, for bringing the resolution to the floor today.
On Sunday, May 9, 2010, we will celebrate the 102nd anniversary of
the first official Mother's Day, which was celebrated on May 10, 1908,
in Grafton, West Virginia, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It may come
as a surprise to some, particularly our own mothers, that it took
nearly 103 years for our country to officially designate a day praising
motherhood. Thankfully, in 1908 Senator Elmer Burkett of Nebraska had
the good sense to propose making Mother's Day into a national holiday.
And since 1914, Congress has recognized the second Sunday of May as a
time to celebrate the immeasurable contributions mothers have made
toward building strong families, thriving communities, and our great
Nation generally.
I would not presume to speak on behalf of America's 82 million
mothers. Instead, I would simply recognize their importance in shaping
our society and our future. Many of our greatest national heroes
attribute their own successes to the guidance of their moms. While
examples abound, I will quote President Abraham Lincoln, who once said
of his own mother, ``I remember my mother's prayers, and they have
always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.'' I am sure that
similar thanks and praise are appropriate for mothers of every
American.
Madam Speaker, although I think you would agree that it is completely
inadequate to spend just 1 day a year celebrating the contributions of
America's mothers, my wife regularly reminds me that in our house every
day is Mother's Day. As a small token of our appreciation, I urge this
body to join its 63 cosponsors and agree to House Resolution 1295.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise today in support of House Resolution 1295. Now, this is
something I can actually get really excited about and proud of the body
for taking up because the celebration of the role of mothers in the
United States and supporting the goals and ideals of Mother's Day is
something that I am sure we can be unified on.
This Sunday, May 9, many Americans will take a moment to pay tribute
to the estimated 82 million mothers for their immeasurable
contributions toward building strong families and successful
communities throughout our country.
The first Mother's Day was celebrated in Grafton, West Virginia, 102
years ago on May 10, 1908. From there the custom caught on, quickly
spreading to 45 other States. In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson declared
the first national Mother's Day as a day for Americans to celebrate a
woman's role in the family and as a day for citizens to show the flag
in honor of those mothers whose sons had died in war. Celebrated on the
second Sunday in May, this holiday has grown to include all mothers in
times of war and peace and is now celebrated in many countries across
the globe.
Throughout history mothers have traditionally represented the
strength of families. Their nurturing spirit transcends any differences
in every culture as mothers protect, guide, and teach their children.
As Washington Irving said, ``A mother is the truest friend we have,
when trials heavy and sudden fall upon us; when adversity takes the
place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine
desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us
and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds
of darkness and cause peace to return to our hearts.''
It is with joy in our hearts that once again we honor the women who
most of us hold dear, to recognize the steadfast love and support of
our mothers who helped shape us throughout our lives.
On a personal note, I miss my mother. She passed away some years ago.
I love her and I miss her.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my distinguished
colleague from the State of Alabama (Mr. Bachus).
Mr. BACHUS. I thank the gentleman from Utah for yielding.
Madam Speaker, I wish to speak on this bill and also on the coin
bill.
There is a bond between mothers and their children that words cannot
describe. For the lucky ones among us, the more fortunate ones, a
mother, our mother or someone else's mother, or a mother figure such as
a grandmother, has made all the difference in the world in our lives.
The tender care, the unending support, and the unconditional love of a
mother truly are life's greatest blessings for a child.
Every year on the second Sunday in May, this Nation honors its
mothers. It will do so again this Sunday. We seek to acknowledge their
tireless support and their enduring love.
Few of us realize how the tradition began. As Mrs. Capito said, it
began through the efforts of one lady in 1868 at the end of the Civil
War. Her name was Anna Jarvis, and she dreamed of an annual Mother's
Day.
However, she didn't live to see that, but her daughter did. On May 9,
1907, the second anniversary of Mrs. Jarvis's death, her daughter
organized a group of friends, and within a year they began having
church services on the second Sunday of May throughout West Virginia.
It spread to Philadelphia. And then in 1910, the Governor of West
Virginia, Governor William Glassock, issued a Mother's Day
proclamation. The next year Mother's Day services were held in all the
States.
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And later that year, President Woodrow Wilson, responding to a joint
resolution of Congress, issued a proclamation setting aside the second
Sunday of each May for displaying the American flag as a public
expression of our love and reverence for our mothers. The mothers of
our country.
Today that celebration has spread throughout the world. It began in
West Virginia and here in the United States, another thing we as
Americans can be proud of as we honor our mothers this Sunday.
Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my distinguished
colleague from the State of Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).
Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. I thank my friend from Utah for yielding.
Madam Speaker, I rise today as a proud supporter of House Resolution
1295, celebrating the role of mothers in the United States and
supporting the goals and ideals of Mother's Day.
Mothers are the foundation of the family, and their care and love of
children have and continue to nurture the future leaders of this great
Nation. Each day I am overwhelmed by the wonderful mothers in my own
life, in my family, all the way from my mom to my wife to my daughters,
which represents three generations of commitment to strong families and
successful youth. These women, and so many like them, are the backbone
of America.
Madam Speaker, today I thank my mother for instilling in my brothers
and me the hard work, good education, personal responsibility, respect
for the diversity of others, love of family and country, but, most
importantly, love of God.
I must also take a moment to honor my wife for her undying love and
devotion to our four children and now, as of Monday, 10 grandchildren.
{time} 1245
My wife, Billie, has and forever will be an example for all mothers
on how to raise a strong and beautiful family. I'm proud of all mothers
in the 11th District of Georgia who are dedicated to family values and
compassion for their children. While passing on the ideals and strength
that they have instilled into each child they rear, America's mothers
are responsible for raising the next generation of mature adults.
Therefore, Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this
resolution, as I know they will, honoring all blessed mothers for their
commitment to protecting our Nation's greatest treasure--the American
family.
Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, I would like to yield 5 minutes to my
distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry),
the chief sponsor of this resolution.
Mr. FORTENBERRY. I thank the gentleman for the time.
Madam Speaker, as we all know, this Sunday, millions of Americans
will celebrate the 102nd Mother's Day. The dedication, the grace, and
the love of our mothers are written on all of our hearts and the
history of our Nation, and I think it can be rightly said that the
great character of America is due to the collective visionary might of
the American mother. President Abraham Lincoln elucidated this very
well: ``All I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother. I remember my
mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to
me all my life.''
Across time, traditions, and cultures, mothers have long been
recognized and uplifted for their irreplaceable contributions to the
family and to society. But it wasn't until a woman, as we heard
earlier, from Grafton, West Virginia, named Ana M. Jarvis, held an
observance in her mother's honor at St. Andrews Methodist Church, that
the modern American Mother's Day first began. The quest for the
official recognition of Mother's Day, however, began in my own home
State of Nebraska. Ms. Jarvis and the Young Men's Christian Association
urged the junior Senator from Nebraska, Elmer Burkett, to bring the
celebration before Congress for a vote in 1908. It didn't pass then--it
took until 1914--but they got it done. Congress eventually declared
that ``the service rendered the United States by the American mother is
the greatest source of the country's strength and inspiration.''
Since that time, our society has undergone vast transformations, but
it is a testament to the enduring role of the family as the true
foundation of America that Mother's Day still stands strong, even amid
the nuances of modernity. Mothers have sustained and strengthened our
Nation through every generation, and their compassionate leadership in
the family and in their communities has remained a constant even
through turbulent times. Each day, mothers are called to carry on the
essential challenge of nurturing and fortifying our world, of building
a better future for their--for our--children. The strength of the
Nation ultimately is determined by the strength of our families and
communities--and mothers shape that strength through their unique and
integral role.
Madam Speaker, in times when we have become mired in bitter policy
disputes, I believe it is refreshing to come together as a body now to
honor the women who have literally given us the breath to stand on this
floor, to defend our convictions, and maybe, to try to effect some good
in this world. We join with millions of Americans echoing the father of
our country, George Washington, who said, ``All I am, I owe to my
mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual,
and physical education I received from her.''
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the time, and I urge my colleagues to
support this timeless resolution.
Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, I simply want to say that the
foundation, the future of our country, is rooted in our families--and
that starts with mothers. The mother of our children, my wife, I can't
thank her enough for what she does and for what the literally millions
and millions of mothers do and sacrifice every day for the sake of
their children.
Ms. RICHARDSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res.
1295, which celebrates the role of mothers in the United States and
supports the goals and ideals of Mother's Day. Mother's Day is one of
the most important holidays in our country. It is critical that we
honor and recognize the central role that mothers play in raising the
youth of our nation and shaping the future of our country.
I was fortunate enough to be raised by a wonderful mother who
lovingly cared for me and taught me the skills that I would need to
excel in my adult life and career. There are more than 82 million
mothers in the United States and each one of them deserves to be
recognized on Mother's Day. Mothers work tirelessly every day to raise
their children in loving households while juggling careers and
countless other responsibilities.
We owe special recognition to the single mothers across the country,
who work longer and harder to ensure that their children have the
resources and care they need to experience a fulfilling childhood and
grow into well-rounded adults.
We also must not forget the grandmothers and aunts, in California's
37th district and across the country, who raise their grandchildren,
nieces, and nephews. No one requires them to assume this
responsibility; many of them have already raised or are currently
raising children of their own. But they do so selflessly and without
complaint, loving these children as if they were their own. Mother's
day is a celebration of these individuals too--it is a salute to all of
the women across the country who shape the lives of America's youth.
We can never repay the mothers of this country for their hard and
often thankless work. Especially in these tough economic times, many of
them struggle financially, taking on extra jobs to make sure that they
can put food on the table and send their children to school in new
clothes. These individuals deserve our support. This Congress has
responded to that need with the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which
will ensure for women across the country that equal work gets equal
pay. We also passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,
which will help mothers provide themselves and their children with
quality health care and end health insurance discrimination against
women. Ensuring this basic fairness is the least we can do for the
mothers who mean so much to our country.
Our nation's most influential leaders shared this reverence for our
nation's mothers. George Washington once said, ``All I am I owe to my
mother, I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual,
and physical education I received from her.'' Abraham Lincoln
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echoed this sentiment, concisely stating, ``All that I am or ever hope
to be, I owe to my angel mother.''
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1295.
Mr. CHAFFETZ. I urge the passage of this resolution, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, in closing, I just want to thank the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry) for his foresight and for
proposing this resolution. In closing, I want to wish all the moms in
Massachusetts and across America a happy Mother's Day, including my own
mom and my mother-in-law and my wife.
With that, I yield back the balance of my 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 resolution, H. Res. 1295.
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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