[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 110 (Monday, July 26, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H6008-H6010]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING DR. JANE GOODALL
Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 1543) honoring the educational significance of
Dr. Jane Goodall's work on this the 50th anniversary of the beginning
of her work in Tanzania, Africa.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1543
Whereas, on July 14, 1960, Jane Goodall arrived at Gombe
Stream Chimpanzee Reserve in western Tanzania, Africa;
Whereas Jane Goddall's research has led to numerous
groundbreaking discoveries including the use of tools by
chimpanzees;
Whereas these and other behavioral observations of
chimpanzees forever changed human understanding of the
differences between humans and other animal species;
Whereas between 1968 and 1986, Dr. Goodall published a
collection of articles and books
[[Page H6009]]
that remain the foundational scientific works of chimpanzee
and wildlife studies alike;
Whereas this included the publication by Harvard University
Press of ``The Chimpanzees of Gombe: Patterns of Behavior'',
which detailed the range of behaviors that make up the
essential corpus of chimpanzee natural history and which
remains today a critical reference of researchers in the
field;
Whereas Dr. Goodall's writings not only formed the bedrock
of the descriptive analytical study of chimpanzees, but they
also altered the paradigm of the study of culture in
chimpanzees and other animals, especially species with
complex social behaviors;
Whereas in support of the research she began and to advance
her vision, Dr. Goodall established the Gombe Stream Research
Center in 1965 and the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977;
Whereas traveling the world approximately 300 days a year,
she delivers dozens of lectures and engages with youth of all
ages;
Whereas during the last half of the 20th century, she
blazed a trail for and inspired other women primatologists,
such that women now dominate long-term primate behavioral
studies worldwide;
Whereas Dr. Goodall has been a role model for youth of all
ages, inspiring boys and girls alike to take action for
people, animals, and the environment; and
Whereas through her Jane Goodall Institute, she established
the Roots & Shoots global youth program which now has members
in more than 110 countries: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the groundbreaking environmental education
advancements by the Jane Goodall Institute's Roots and Shoots
initiative on the 50th anniversary of the beginning of Dr.
Jane Goodall's research;
(2) recognizes the significant role that the research done
by Dr. Goodall has had on the knowledge and understanding of
both the natural and human worlds, and its benefit to
children and classrooms as they learn about the natural
world; and
(3) recognizes the valuable role that nature and science
education plays in the conservation of natural resources as
evidenced through the work of Dr. Goodall.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Colorado (Mr. Polis) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado.
General Leave
Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which
Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous materials on House
Resolution 1543 into the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Colorado?
There was no objection.
{time} 1550
Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1543,
which honors my dear friend Dr. Jane Goodall on the 50th anniversary of
the beginning of her important and ground breaking work in Tanzania,
Africa. Dr. Goodall is an inspiring, world-renowned primatologist, and
the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees. We celebrate the
educational significance of her research launched at the Gombe Stream
Chimpanzee Reserve 50 years ago and her continued scientific research
and her environmental conservation of chimpanzees and other primates,
as well as her role as a role model for young men and women in the
sciences.
In keeping with her childhood fascination of chimpanzees, Dr. Goodall
began studying the Kasakela chimpanzee community at Gombe Stream in
1960. In part because she didn't come from traditional research
training, Dr. Goodall remained open to new ideas in the field and new
approaches in primatology and research.
Her pioneering observations of primate behavior forever changed our
understanding of the similarities between humans and other animal
species, especially those with complex social behaviors. In particular,
Dr. Goodall observed that chimpanzees construct and use tools, develop
unique and affectionate relationships with family members and
individuals in a complex social structure, exhibit reasoned thought and
a concept of self, and occasionally eat food outside of a vegetarian
diet.
A few years after her initial research, Dr. Goodall published a
collection of articles and books that today remain the foundational
scientific works of chimpanzee and wildlife studies. Her works, like
the ``Chimpanzees of Gombe: Patterns of Behavior,'' and ``Through a
Window: 30 Years Observing the Gombe Chimpanzees,'' detailed the range
of behaviors that make up most of modern chimpanzee natural history,
and they remain critical references for present-day students,
researchers, and scientists. Dr. Goodall's research and publications
also help inform the mission of the Jane Goodall Institute, which
empowers individuals to improve the habitats of all living things
through research, training, and increased awareness of animals,
communities, and their environments.
Her efforts in education, including the Roots and Shoots program,
which is available at elementary through secondary school levels to
students across the world, has helped instill environmental learning
and a whole new generation of future civic, scientific, and business
leaders.
Dr. Jane Goodall was an inspiration to my own sister Jordana who
acted as Jane Goodall in her fifth grade biology fair when we were
growing up and went on to a career in science inspired in part like
many millions of other young women by the example of Dr. Jane Goodall
and her high-profile role at a time when there were very few women in
the research sciences.
Madam Speaker, I would like to express my strong support for House
Resolution 1543, which honors the 50th anniversary of Dr. Jane
Goodall's research on chimpanzee behavior and celebrates her incredibly
important educational and scientific contributions to the field. I urge
my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise today in support of the resolution before us, House Resolution
1543, honoring the educational significance of Dr. Jane Goodall's work
on this, the 50th anniversary of the beginning of her work in Tanzania,
Africa.
Dr. Goodall is one of the world's foremost authorities on
chimpanzees, having closely observed their behavior for the past
quarter century in the jungles of the Gombe Game Reserve in Africa,
living in the chimps' environment and gaining their confidence. Her
observations and discoveries are internationally heralded. Her research
and writings have made revolutionary inroads into scientific thinking.
Dr. Goodall received her Ph.D. from Cambridge University in 1965.
She's been the science director of the Gombe Stream Research Center
since 1967. In 1984, Dr. Goodall received the J. Paul Getty Wildlife
Conservation Prize for ``helping millions of people understand the
importance of wildlife conservation to life on this planet.'' Her other
awards and international recognitions fill pages.
Dr. Goodall's scientific articles have appeared in many issues of
National Geographic magazine. She has written scores of papers for
internationally known scientific journals. Dr. Goodall has also written
two books, ``Wild Chimpanzees'' and ``In the Shadow of Man.''
Dr. Goodall has expanded her global outreach with the founding of the
Jane Goodall Institute based in Ridgefield, Connecticut. She now
teaches and encourages young people to appreciate the conservation of
chimpanzees and of all creatures, great and small. She lectures,
writes, teaches and continues her missions in many inventive ways,
including the Chimpanzee Guardian Project.
Today, we honor Dr. Jane Goodall for the significant role that her
research has played in recognizing the behavioral differences in humans
and other animal species.
I support this resolution and ask my colleagues to do the same.
Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I once again would like to express my
support for House Resolution 1543, which honors the 50th anniversary of
Dr. Jane Goodall's research on chimpanzee behavior and celebrates her
immense educational and scientific contributions to the field, as well
as her life dedicated towards a sustainable future not only for humans
but for all of the residents of our wonderful and fair planet.
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong
support of H.
[[Page H6010]]
Res. 1543, ``Honoring the educational significance of Dr. Jane
Goodall's work on this the 50th anniversary of the beginning of her
work in Tanzania, Africa.''
Dr. Goodall once said: ``Young people, when informed and empowered,
when they realize that what they do truly makes a difference, can
indeed change the world. They are changing it already.'' This is the
creed in which Dr. Goodall has based her entire life's work. In May
1956, a friend of Dr. Goodall invited her to visit her farm in Kenya.
She was so excited, she quit her job in London and moved back to
Bournemouth so she could waitress and earn the fare she needed to get
to Africa and back.
Dr. Goodall or ``Jane,'' as she was known back then, was 23 years old
at the time. Jane had a wonderful time seeing Africa but the single
most important event of her time in Africa was meeting Dr. Louis
Leakey, a famous anthropologist and paleontologist. Leakey hired Jane
as his assistant and secretary at the Coryndon Museum and soon Jane and
another young student were in the Olduvai Gorge digging up fossils with
Dr. Leakey and his wife: anthropologist Mary Leakey.
Looking for someone to go to Tanzania and study the chimpanzees, Dr.
Leakey found a willing assistant in Jane. Not much was known about wild
chimpanzees at that time, Dr. Goodall figured that studying them would
be a fascinating adventure.
With persistence, Dr. Jane developed a relationship with the
chimpanzees and observed them doing things that only humans were
thought to have done, such as creating tools to hunt for food and
taking in orphan chimps to raise as their own. She also discovered that
chimps were not primarily vegetarians, as first believed. After these
discoveries, National Geographic decided to sponsor Jane's work and
sent a photographer and filmmaker. Eventually, Dr. Goodall wrote a
number of journals and books to document her experiences. One of her
books in particularly, ``In the Shadow of Man and Through a Window''
gave a new outlook to chimpanzees of Tanzania to people all over the
world.
In conclusion, I support H. Res. 1543 and commemorate the 50th year
of the beginning of her groundbreaking research. Dr. Goodall has been a
role model for youth of all ages, inspiring boys and girls alike to
take action for people, animals, and the environment; and through her
Jane Goodall Institute, Dr. Goodall established the Roots and Shoots
global youth program which now has members in more than 110 countries.
This resolution acknowledges the groundbreaking environmental education
advancements by the Jane Goodall Institute's Roots and Shoots
initiative on the 50th anniversary of the beginning of Dr. Jane
Goodall's research, as well as the role that her research played in
understanding both the natural and human world. It also recognizes the
adventurous spirit of Dr. Goodall and the way she inspired children
around the world explore this world and all its wonder.
Mr. POLIS. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this
resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1543.
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. POLIS. 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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