[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 149 (Tuesday, November 16, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H7459-H7460]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN ON ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 1428) recognizing Brooklyn Botanic Garden on its
100th anniversary as the preeminent horticultural attraction in the
borough of Brooklyn and its longstanding commitment to environmental
stewardship and education for the City of New York.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1428
Whereas Brooklyn Botanic Garden opened to the public in
1910;
Whereas the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is a 52-acre urban
oasis in the heart of Brooklyn, New York, and features more
than 11,000 different kinds of plants from around the world;
Whereas the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is made up of many
exquisite and historic specialty gardens, including the
Japanese-Hill-and-Pond-Garden, the Children's Garden, the
Native Flora Garden, the Cranford Rose Garden, the Alice
Recknagel Ireys Fragrance Garden, and the Steinhardt
Conservatory;
Whereas more than 730,000 visitors a year enjoy the
Brooklyn Botanic Garden;
Whereas the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is host to a world
renown Cherry Blossom Festival;
Whereas the Brooklyn Botanic Garden provides premier
environmental education for children and adults;
Whereas the Brooklyn Botanic Garden improves public
education in Brooklyn through a partnership with the Brooklyn
Academy of Science and the Environment High School and has
provided valuable training, curriculum development, and field
study opportunities that would otherwise not be available;
Whereas the people of Brooklyn enjoy spending time in the
beautiful gardens, making it a center for socializing,
recreation, and education; and
Whereas the Brooklyn Botanic Garden has become an integral
part of the cultural life and economic development of
Brooklyn and provides an invaluable service to residents:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes the
Brooklyn Botanic Gardens on its 100th anniversary as the
preeminent horticultural attraction in the borough of
Brooklyn and for its longstanding commitment to environmental
stewardship and education for the City of New York.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) and the gentleman from California
(Mr. Bilbray) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia.
General Leave
Ms. NORTON. 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 the District of Columbia?
There was no objection.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I now yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise in support of H. Res. 1428, a resolution recognizing the 100th
anniversary of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
H. Res. 1428 was introduced by our colleague, the gentlewoman from
New York, Representative Yvette Clarke, on June 9 of 2010. It was
referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which
ordered it reported favorably by unanimous consent on July 28, 2010.
The measure enjoys the support of 50 Members of the House.
Mr. Speaker, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is a top cultural and
environmental attraction in New York City, attracting over 730,000
visitors each year. It is a superb example of urban gardening and
horticultural display, serving local residents and international
visitors alike, and also features a number of educational programs
through a partnership with the Brooklyn Academy of Science and the
Environment High School.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden features a number of specialty gardens
and collections on its 52 acres, including a collection of cherry trees
that allows it to host a world-renowned Cherry Blossom Festival each
spring. Its other collections hold over 11,000 different varieties of
plants from all over the world, representing an invaluable cultural and
scientific resource.
I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Brooklyn Botanic
Garden on its 100th anniversary and for its commitment to education,
community service, and environmental stewardship.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BILBRAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1428,
recognition of the 100th anniversary of the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.
{time} 1420
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield time to the sponsor of
the bill, our colleague, Representative Yvette Clarke, for such time as
she may consume.
Ms. CLARKE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Ms. Norton, for giving
me this opportunity to share with everyone how proud I am to rise in
support of H. Res. 1428, which recognizes and salutes the Brooklyn
Botanic Gardens on the occasion of its 100th anniversary as the
preeminent horticultural attraction in the borough of Brooklyn and its
longstanding commitment to the environmental stewardship and education
for the City of New York.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden opened its doors to the public in 1910.
Today, this 52-acre urban oasis features more than 11,000 different
kinds of plants from around the world and specialty gardens, including
the Japanese Hill and Pond Garden, the Children's Garden, the Native
Flora Garden, the Cranford Rose Garden, the Alice Recknagel Ireys
Fragrance Garden, and the Steinhardt Conservatory.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is an important part of the Brooklyn
community, reaching over 150,000 children every year through various
programs on site, in schools, and throughout the community. This garden
contributes to the environmental and public education in Brooklyn and
throughout the city of New York through partnerships with the Brooklyn
Academy of Science and the Environment High School. The Brooklyn
Botanic Garden hosts an annual Cherry Blossom Festival and has become
an integral part of the cultural life and economic development of the
city of New York and provides an invaluable service to its residents.
Today, under the leadership of President Scot Medbury and Board
Chairman Frederick Bland, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden thrives in a
dense urban setting in the heart of New York's 11th Congressional
District and welcomes more than 725,000 visitors annually.
The garden serves more than 150,000 youth annually through a wide
range of on-site, in-school, and community-based initiatives. It is a
leader in building stronger, healthier communities through programs
such as GreenBridge, which involves over 60,000 residents annually in
neighborhood greening projects. Through its scientific research, plant
conservation projects, and award-winning publications, the garden is a
vital source of public awareness and understanding of the essential
role plants play in our lives.
While the Brooklyn Botanic Garden has had 100 wonderful years of
establishment, I am excited to see what the future holds for this great
institution. I am happy to see that it is revitalizing its 52 acres by
developing more than 4 acres of new and enhanced gardens for the
enjoyment and education of the public, improving facilities to orient
and serve visitors, and expanding its community horticulture programs.
[[Page H7460]]
The new herb garden opened in the spring of 2010 and is the first of
several new and re-imagined gardens to come. The Visitor Center,
currently under construction, will be an extraordinary demonstration of
what can be achieved through environmentally sensitive design and will
help the garden better welcome its growing audience. A series of
exciting projects will continue to unfold over the next several years
in response to the urgent call for beauty and renewal in urban life and
for environmental stewardship at all levels of society.
As a Brooklyn native, for years I have seen how this dynamic
institution has educated people of all diverse urban neighborhoods
about the importance of enhancing the quality of their surroundings
through the cultivation and enjoyment of plants. It has done an
outstanding job of bringing public awareness to the importance of
sustaining our environment and providing access to the tools and ways
in which we can conserve and protect it.
I urge anyone who has the chance to visit the garden and witness
firsthand the abundance of breathtaking plant life that resides in the
middle of Brooklyn. All of us in Brooklyn appreciate the role that the
Brooklyn Botanic Garden plays in our lives, and we look forward to
continuing the enjoyment of this beautiful institution. The Brooklyn
Botanic Garden is truly a national treasure.
This recognition is well deserved, and I urge my colleagues to join
me in passing this very important legislation.
Mr. BILBRAY. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Butterfield).
Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Let me thank the gentlelady for yielding this time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today for two reasons. First, to offer my support
for H.R. 1428, the measure that was offered by the gentlelady from
Brooklyn, New York (Ms. Clarke). That is a resolution recognizing the
Brooklyn Botanic Garden on its 100th anniversary. That is a good
resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
Mr. Speaker, I also rise today in support of H. Res. 1475, which was
a resolution that I offered some months ago. Unfortunately, I was not
on the floor a few moments ago when this matter was taken up, and I
regret that I was not here at that very moment. But I wanted to come to
the floor now to offer my strong support for H. Res. 1475, which is a
resolution congratulating the town of Tarboro, North Carolina, on the
occasion of its 250th anniversary. I introduced this resolution in June
of this year, with 54 original cosponsors, including the entire North
Carolina House delegation. I thank my North Carolina colleagues for
their very strong support.
Most people, Mr. Speaker, may not know about Tarboro, North Carolina,
or the tremendous impact the town made on the history of our State and
Nation.
On November 30, 1760, the North Carolina General Assembly approved
the charter for the town, and Tarboro was born, making it the 11th
oldest colonial town in our State. President George Washington visited
the town during an historic visit through the South in 1791, choosing
to overnight in this small town. Settled as a trading post on the Tar
River in the mid 18th century, Tarboro thrived as a river port.
Mr. Speaker, Tarboro was also an early political incubator and
produced two Congressmen who both represented the Second Congressional
District of North Carolina in this House.
Congressman George H. White was elected to Congress in 1897 and
served until 1901. He was the last Reconstruction-era African American
from the South to serve in Congress until the 1970s. Rising racial
tension made it impossible for George H. White to win a third term in
Congress. His final speech before his congressional colleagues right
here on this House floor has inspired Americans for over 100 years. He
said, and I quote: ``This, Mr. Chairman, is perhaps the Negroes'
temporary farewell to the American Congress, but let me say, Phoenix-
like, he will rise up someday and come again.'' That statement was made
right in this Chamber.
Congressman L.H. Fountain served in the U.S. House of Representatives
from 1953 until 1983. He is remembered for being a stalwart advocate
for small towns such as Tarboro during his service in the House.
Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staffs, Retired General Hugh
Shelton of the United States Army, who served in that position under
President Bill Clinton, was born in Tarboro and reared in the
neighboring town of Speed, where he continues to live today.
Today, Mr. Speaker, Tarboro is home to some 11,000 residents. They
are my constituents. Its ideal location on the banks of the Tar River
historically served as a thriving river port and trading post, and
today offers extensive fishing, boating, and recreation for people of
all ages.
Tarboro's downtown is listed on the National Register of Historic
Places, where many original structures are still in use today,
including restaurants and theaters and quaint shops, and even the home
of Congressman George H. White and the home of Congressman L.H.
Fountain. Its town commons joins Boston, Massachusetts, as the only
original remaining town common on the East Coast. The town continues to
grow and evolve while maintaining its connection to history and
originality.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent this town. It is indeed an
historic day for the residents of Tarboro, and I sincerely congratulate
the town on the occasion of its 250th anniversary. I am pleased that
the House is considering this resolution. I urge my colleagues to vote
``aye'' when it is presented for a vote.
Again, I would like to thank the gentlelady and I also would like to
thank my friend Mr. Bilbray from California for their courtesy.
Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, today I wish to lend my support for H. Res.
1428, which seeks to recognize Brooklyn Botanic Garden on its 100th
anniversary, as the preeminent horticultural attraction in the borough
of Brooklyn, and its longstanding commitment to environmental
stewardship and education for the City of New York.
Built from a site that functioned as an ash dump in the 1800s, the
Brooklyn Botanic Gardens have become a preeminent example of the finest
urban gardening, and a model for environmental stewardship.
The Brooklyn Botanic Gardens prides itself on a strong commitment to
education, community outreach, and scientific research. Programs like
Project Green Reach and the Garden Apprentice Program provide a
science-focused educational program for over 2,500 K-12 participants
annually from Brooklyn's public Title I schools. The program provides
youth with unique, hands-on opportunities for personal growth and
career development, through learning about science, ecology, and the
environment in their classrooms, in their neighborhoods, and right at
the Garden.
Its 52 acres in the heart of Brooklyn, New York serves as a premier
environmental education site for New York City's youth, a get-away for
the 730,000 annual visitors, and an exquisite recreational spot for New
Yorkers.
I commend the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens for its numerous achievements
over the last 100 years, and I wish them luck over the next century as
it continues to serve the community.
{time} 1430
Mr. BILBRAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1428.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. 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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