[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 81 (Wednesday, May 26, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H3833-H3834]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1045
SUPPORTING RV CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION MONTH
Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 1073) supporting the goals and ideals of RV
Centennial Celebration Month to recognize and honor 100 years of the
enjoyment of recreational vehicles in the United States.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1073
Whereas 1910 marks the first year of mass-produced,
manufactured, motorized campers and camping trailers;
Whereas 1 in 12 households in the United States owns a
recreational vehicle, and over 30,000,000 recreational
vehicle enthusiasts take part in this affordable and
environmentally friendly form of vacationing;
Whereas recreational vehicle vacations allow families in
the United States to build stronger relationships, explore
the great outdoors, and take part in healthy activities;
Whereas this homegrown industry, including recreational
vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, dealers, and campgrounds,
employs hundreds of thousands of people in the Nation in
good-paying jobs across all 50 States;
Whereas recreational vehicles offer the freedom, comfort,
and flexibility to see all parts of the United States, from
historic landmarks and national parks to local campgrounds
and sporting events; and
Whereas the 100th anniversary of the introduction of the
recreational vehicle into the United States marketplace will
be celebrated June 7, 2010, at the RV/MH Hall of Fame and
Museum in Elkhart, Indiana: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of RV Centennial
Celebration Month to recognize and honor 100 years of
enjoyment of recreational vehicles in the United States; and
(2) encourages the people of the United States to celebrate
this anniversary by taking part in recreational vehicle
vacations.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Speier) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Cao) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.
General Leave
Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Ms. SPEIER. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1073, a measure supporting
the goals and ideals of RV Centennial Celebration Month.
This measure was introduced by my colleague, the gentleman from
Indiana, Representative Joe Donnelly, on February 4 of this year. It
was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which
waived consideration of the measure to expedite its consideration on
the House floor today. The measure enjoys the support of over 50
Members of the House.
Mr. Speaker, RVing is one of the great American traditions in travel.
The 30 million Americans who regularly vacation via their recreational
vehicles get to travel far and wide around our country, exploring our
majestic landscapes, our national and State parks, and taking part in a
healthy, outdoor activity. RVs help them do so at a price affordable to
families. There are destinations for RVing across our 50 States, and we
can all agree that we'd love for more Americans to visit the places we
are most proud of in our communities.
For instance, I'd like for the RVing community to come and set their
eyes on the Golden Gate Bridge, on the cable cars, on the Golden Gate
National Recreation Area, or on the San Francisco Bay Estuary.
RVs make exploring our great country a practical option for many
families. The first RVs came into mass production 100 years ago this
June. Let us now take time to mark that significant moment in American
history by supporting this resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CAO. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
[[Page H3834]]
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1073,
supporting the goals and ideals of RV Centennial Celebration Month, to
recognize and honor 100 years of enjoyment of recreational vehicles in
the United States.
Since 1910, when the first mass-produced, manufactured, motorized
campers appeared, people in recreational vehicles still set out to see
the country and to enjoy the life of the open road. RVs have steadily
gained popularity over the past 100 years. Today, over 30 million
recreational vehicle enthusiasts enjoy this pleasant way to vacation.
Recreational vehicles offer a way for families to experience all kinds
of outdoor activities, especially in our national parks, lakes and
oceans. Hundreds of thousands of Americans benefit from this industry,
including recreational vehicle manufacturers, dealers and RV campground
employees across the United States.
It is the freedom to share the excitement of exploring historical
landmarks, of attending sporting events, and of engaging in family
camping that explains the appeal of an RV for so many of our citizens.
On June 7, 2010, we will have the opportunity to celebrate the
introduction of the recreational vehicle in the United States in
Elkhart, Indiana, where the RV/MH Hall of Fame resides. This centennial
is found to be a nostalgic celebration of the freedom and enjoyment
that RVs have brought to so many Americans in the last 100 years. I
support the passage of this resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Donnelly).
Mr. DONNELLY of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support
of House Resolution 1073, a bipartisan resolution recognizing and
supporting the goals of RV Centennial Celebration Month in June 2010.
The first mass-produced, manufactured, motorized campers and camping
trailers appeared in the American marketplace for commercial sale in
1910. This resolution seeks to honor and commemorate America's 100
years of enjoyment of RVs. It also offers an opportunity to recognize
the workers who make RVs, the entrepreneurs who started these companies
and whose passion has created jobs and opportunity for so many people
and to recognize the homegrown industry that has developed to support
this great American pastime and to provide good-paying jobs for
thousands of families.
I have the privilege of representing a large portion of the RV
industry. It is crucial to northern Indiana's economy. RV manufacturing
has long been a major economic driver in places like Elkhart by
directly employing thousands of people in the RV plants and thousands
more in suppliers' factories, not to mention its contributions to the
local municipal tax base.
The economic importance of RVs and camping extends well beyond my
district, of course--to the entire United States. RV manufacturing is
big business in Oregon, Iowa and elsewhere. Camping and RV tourism pump
millions into our parks and vacation destinations each and every year.
For a century, through war and peace, booms and busts and technological
fads, RVs have been a mainstay of American highways, campgrounds,
sporting events, and driveways.
The RV lifestyle is still going strong. Today, one in 12 American
households owns an RV, and over 30 million RVers take part in this
affordable and environmentally friendly form of vacationing each year.
We all represent families who own RVs and who enjoy the freedom of
travel and of the family adventure they provide. Despite the economic
ups and downs, RVs allow families an affordable way to travel and to
explore this country's amazing natural resources.
This year, the RVing community will celebrate their centennial with a
series of events which will culminate a 100th anniversary party hosted
on June 7 at the RV Hall of Fame in Elkhart, Indiana. This resolution
to recognize June 2010 as RV Centennial Celebration Month provides a
fitting endorsement of the 100-year journey of a uniquely American
product. This resolution enjoys the support of over 50 bipartisan
cosponsors.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and pass House
Resolution 1073.
Mr. CAO. I just want to let the gentleman from Indiana know that I
grew up in Goshen, Indiana, which is about 20 miles from Elkhart; so I
know how important the RV industry is to that area.
Mr. Speaker, with that being said, I would like to ask that all RV
owners please spend some time and drive down to Louisiana, especially
to New Orleans. We have the best restaurants in the world, the best
seafood, and our culture is unequaled.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, again, I would like to urge my colleagues to
support this measure honoring the 100 years that RVs have been in
production, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Speier) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1073.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________