[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;
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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,
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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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