[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 168 (Friday, December 17, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H8609-H8611]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  0940
        RECOGNIZING 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF CATHOLIC CHARITIES USA

  Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 1621) recognizing the 100th anniversary of the 
historic founding of Catholic Charities USA.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1621

       Whereas Catholic Charities USA was founded in 1910 on the 
     campus of Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, 
     as the National Conference of Catholic Charities;
       Whereas under the leadership of Msgr. John O'Grady, who 
     served as Executive Secretary from 1920 to 1961, the National 
     Conference of Catholic Charities became a leading voice for 
     compassionate social reforms grounded in Catholic teachings;
       Whereas in 1986, the National Conference of Catholic 
     Charities changed its name to Catholic Charities USA;
       Whereas this year, 2010, Catholic Charities USA is 
     celebrating its centennial anniversary;
       Whereas Catholic Charities USA is the national office for 
     over 1,700 local Catholic Charities agencies and institutions 
     nationwide;
       Whereas Catholic Charities' mission is to provide service 
     to people in need, to advocate for justice in social 
     structures, and to call people of goodwill to do the same by 
     working with individuals, families, and communities to help 
     them meet their needs, address their issues, eliminate 
     oppression, and build a just and compassionate society;
       Whereas Catholic Charities USA has the goal of providing 
     strong leadership and support to assist local diocesan 
     agencies in their efforts to reduce poverty, support 
     families, and empower communities;
       Whereas Catholic Charities USA, inspired by Catholic 
     teachings, maintain programs focused on poverty in the United 
     States, parenthood, immigration, human trafficking, disaster 
     response and relief, and climate change;

[[Page H8610]]

       Whereas Catholic Charities USA and its members provide help 
     and create hope for more than 8.5 million people each year, 
     regardless of faith; and
       Whereas Catholic Charities USA supports local agencies 
     through advocacy, networking, national voice, training, 
     financial support, and leadership: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes and celebrates the 100th anniversary of the 
     historic founding of the National Conference of Catholic 
     Charities, now called Catholic Charities USA; and
       (2) honors and praises Catholic Charities USA for being a 
     national leader in the efforts to fight poverty and to 
     strengthen the United States in times of need and crisis.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Cuellar) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CUELLAR. 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 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CUELLAR. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Government Oversight and 
Reform, I am pleased to present H. Res. 1621, a resolution recognizing 
the 100th anniversary of the historic founding of Catholic Charities 
USA, introduced by our colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey, 
Representative Rush Holt, on September 15, 2010. The measure enjoys the 
support of over 70 cosponsors.
  Mr. Speaker, Catholic Charities was founded in 1910 here in 
Washington, DC on the campus of Catholic University of America as the 
National Conference of Catholic Charities. It was created to promote 
the creation of Catholic Charities across the country, encourage 
professional social work practice, to bring solidarity to those in 
charitable ministries and to advocate for the poor.
  Today, Catholic Charities serves over 9 million people of all faiths 
and backgrounds each year. They provide training and technical 
assistance to member organizations, assist in disaster relief 
operations, and maintain a range of networks with groups committed to 
social justice.
  Mr. Speaker, let us therefore congratulate the historic founding of 
the organization through the passage of H. Res. 1621. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in supporting this.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 1621 does what we should do in 
recognizing really great organizations for the work they do. Catholic 
Charities for 100 years has represented the best in charity, not as the 
name might suggest as Catholics or for Catholics, but Catholic 
Charities are people helping people regardless of their religion around 
this country. So I join with the majority in urging support for H. Res. 
1621.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield such time as he may 
consume to the sponsor of the bill, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Holt).
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, as this session of Congress moves to an end, I 
would also like to thank the gentleman from Texas for his service and 
for bringing this up now.
  We will recognize with this resolution and celebrate the 100th 
anniversary of this historic organization that is a force for good, a 
leading voice in the United States for compassionate service and care 
and for social reform. More than 1,700 local Catholic Charities, 
agencies and institutions nationwide carry out the mission to provide 
service to people in need, to advocate for justice and social 
structures, to call people of good will to do the same by working with 
individuals and families and communities to help them meet their needs, 
address their issues, eliminate oppression, and build a just and 
compassionate society.
  Catholic Charities focuses on poverty, but has important work in 
parenthood, in immigration, human trafficking, disaster response and 
relief, climate change and other such things.
  Catholic Charities provides help and hope for more than 8.5 million 
people each year. For example, it provides food service to millions of 
people; immigration services; refugee services; addiction services; 
adoption services; temporary shelter; transitional housing; and much, 
much more, in a compassionate, nonsectarian way.
  This really is an example of what we can do together as a community. 
I see this in New Jersey under the auspices of the bishop of the 
diocese of Metuchen, Bishop Bootkoski; the bishop of Trenton, Bishop 
O'Connell; dedicated people, such as Francis Dolan, Joyce Campbell and 
Marianne Majewski. On the national scene, Rev. Snyder, the national 
president, provides every day a fine example of how service and care 
and compassion that are motivated by faith and religious teaching are 
delivered in a nonsectarian way without proselytizing and available to 
people of all faiths.
  These people let their works, their good works, speak. Communities 
that are marred by disasters such as hurricanes, fires and floods find 
Catholic Charities there as one of the greatest providers of financial 
and technical assistance and training and, most of all, compassion and 
care.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing 100 years of good works 
of Catholic Charities USA.
  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, time is short. I believe this will be 
unanimously passed. And whether it is Father Joe Carroll in San Diego 
or countless heads of various charities headed by clergymen or lay 
people around the country, Catholic Charities today, after 100 years, 
is being honored on behalf of the kind of outreach of people helping 
people that America does best.
  With that, I thank the gentleman for bringing this bill to our 
attention. I am glad we were able to do this in the 11th hour. I urge 
its support.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, first of all I want to say I am returning 
back to Congress. I want to just put that on the record. So I do look 
forward to working with Mr. Holt and Mr. Issa and other Members.
  Again, as this might be the last oversight bill that we have, again I 
want to thank the Democrat staff, Chairman Towns, the ranking member 
and his staff also for working with us, because I think this committee 
has done a lot of good work, and I appreciate the work they have done, 
all of us working together in a bipartisan way.
  At this time I will ask Members to support this resolution.
  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, I join with the 
gentleman, of course, in supporting this bill. I too look forward to 
working with the gentleman as he returns in the next Congress. But my 
notes indicated he was leaving the committee. If that is not true, then 
I truly look forward to working with him on the committee. If he is on 
another committee, I look forward to working with him in his new role, 
but on his legislation.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support 
of H. Res. 1621, ``Recognizing the 100th Anniversary of the Historic 
Founding of Catholic Charities USA.'' Let me begin by thanking my 
colleague Representative Rush Holt for introducing this incredibly 
important piece of legislation into the House of Representatives, as it 
is imperative that we recognize and support Catholic Charities' USA 
100th anniversary.
  Mr. Speaker, as an enthusiast of Catholic Charities USA and co-
sponsor of this resolution, I urge my colleagues to support this 
measure by recognizing the importance of Catholic Charities USA and 
their 100 years of service to our great nation.
  Since the Catholic Charities USA founding in 1910 on the campus of 
Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, Catholic Charities 
has worked to establish well over 1,700 local Catholic Charities 
agencies and institutions around the nation.
  The vision of Catholic Charities USA is direct and simple, to help 
``people in need achieve self-sufficiency.'' Yet Catholic Charities USA 
continues to touch hundreds of thousands of lives by providing 
vulnerable individuals with greatly needed care, nourishment, and 
compassion. As an advocate for social justice, Catholic Charities USA 
works to empower committees around the nation maintaining that each 
individual is entitled to a life of dignity and opportunity that allows 
each person to reach their full potential. As part of our government, 
it is dire that we provide our constituents and all Americans with a 
good quality of life. By recognizing the centennial anniversary of 
Catholic Charities USA, we are acknowledging the extreme, positive 
impact of their efforts all over America and the work they do to 
provide all with a high quality of life,

[[Page H8611]]

respect, and dignity. Furthermore, we would be commending and 
applauding Catholic Charities USA's efforts to provide children, the 
poor, the disabled, the elderly, and the powerless with resources like 
housing, food, economic security, health, a place in the workforce, and 
education.
  As for the 18th district of Texas, I would be utterly remiss if I did 
not take time to recognize and relay my sincerest gratitude for all 
that the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston has 
done, and continues to do in Houston. For over 60 years Catholic 
Charities has served the human and social service needs of Houstonians 
by providing communities with programs aimed at promoting and 
facilitating self-sufficiency. Teaching and preparing one to be self-
sufficient is perhaps one of the most beautiful ways to help human 
kind. The Chinese proverb, ``Give a man a fish and you feed him for a 
day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime,'' sheds light 
on the wisdom of teaching and the importance of self-sufficiency. The 
Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston employs this lesson through numerous 
programs for the elderly, refugees and immigrants, and those affected 
by HIV/AIDS, cancer, and devastating illnesses. One of their greatest 
outreach missions provided to Houstonians is disaster relief. As you 
well know Hurricane Ike was a grave environmental catastrophe, leaving 
many surviving Houstonians in disarray, bereavement, poverty, and great 
sadness. Yet Catholic Charities offered free disaster recovery 
assistance for Hurricane Ike survivors in the form of counseling and 
resources. Additionally, Catholic Charities AIDS ministry provides 
holistic services to those suffering from HIV/AIDS in form of case 
management, HIV education, and compassionate non-judgmental responses. 
Also, through the Share Your Blessings Program, Catholic Charities is 
working to provide impoverished Houston families with Christmas joy and 
hope by seeking Angel Sponsors to provide such families with much 
needed personal items. Catholic Charities services in and around 
Houston have greatly helped the 18th district and their efforts are to 
be commended.
  Furthermore, Catholic Charities USA is inspired to reduce poverty, 
support families and parenthood, empower communities, and eliminate 
oppression. The spirit of this great organization is the embodiment of 
goodwill towards man, compassion, and social justice. Madam Speaker, I 
urge my colleagues to stand in support of this measure and to support 
the 100 years of monumental contributions made by Catholic Charities 
USA. To give them honor and praise for being a national leader in their 
efforts to combat poverty, promote social justice, and treat all with 
dignity.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe our body would be slipshod if we were not to 
pass this extraordinary measure to recognize and support Catholic 
Charities USA 100th anniversary and their historic founding in 1910 and 
all that they continue to do to better our society. I urge my 
colleagues to stand with Rep. Holt and myself and vote in favor of H.R. 
1621, ``Recognizing the 100th Anniversary of the Historic Founding of 
Catholic Charities USA.''
  Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, I ask Members to support the bill, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar) that the House suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1621.
  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.

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