[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 39 (Monday, March 18, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H1555-H1556]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  AUTHORIZING USE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR GREATER WASHINGTON SOAP BOX 
                                 DERBY

  Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 19) authorizing the use of the 
Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 19

       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring),

     SECTION 1. USE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR SOAP BOX DERBY RACES.

       (a) In General.--The Greater Washington Soap Box Derby 
     Association (in this resolution referred to as the 
     ``sponsor'') shall be permitted to sponsor a public event, 
     soap box derby races (in this resolution referred to as the 
     ``event''), on the Capitol Grounds.
       (b) Date of Event.--The event shall be held on June 15, 
     2013, or on such other date as the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration 
     of the Senate jointly designate.

     SEC. 2. TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

       (a) In General.--Under conditions to be prescribed by the 
     Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board, the 
     event shall be--
       (1) free of admission charge and open to the public; and
       (2) arranged not to interfere with the needs of Congress.
       (b) Expenses and Liabilities.--The sponsor shall assume 
     full responsibility for all expenses and liabilities incident 
     to all activities associated with the event.

     SEC. 3. EVENT PREPARATIONS.

       Subject to the approval of the Architect of the Capitol, 
     the sponsor is authorized to erect upon the Capitol Grounds 
     such stage, sound amplification devices, and other related 
     structures and equipment as may be required for the event.

     SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS.

       The Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board 
     are authorized to make such additional arrangements as may be 
     required to carry out the event.

     SEC. 5. ENFORCEMENT OF RESTRICTIONS.

       The Capitol Police Board shall provide for enforcement of 
     the restrictions contained in section 5104(c) of title 40, 
     United States Code, concerning sales, advertisements, 
     displays, and solicitations on the Capitol Grounds, as well 
     as other restrictions applicable to the Capitol Grounds, with 
     respect to the event.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Barletta) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. 
Nolan) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 19.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H. Con. Res. 19 would authorize the use of the Capitol Grounds for 
the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby on June 15, 2013.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) for 
introducing this resolution. He has been a long-time supporter of this 
event and the children involved each year. This event occurs annually 
on the Capitol Grounds.
  The Soap Box Derby allows children to show off their dedication, 
work, and creativity as they compete for trophies. The winners of each 
division are qualified to compete in the National All-American Soap Box 
Derby held in Akron, Ohio.
  I support passage of this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NOLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I was delighted to learn today from my son, Michael--who is visiting 
us and sitting in the gallery--that while we are looking at 40-mile-
per-hour winds and blizzard conditions back in Minnesota, the snow is 
piling up. My son's good friend and coworker Toby, along with other 
kids and dads in our hometown, are bundled up in their garages and in 
their basements as we speak, designing and building their ultimate 
speed machines--the soap box racers--getting themselves ready for the 
exciting annual experience.
  I personally have nothing but the fondest memories of long hot summer 
days scrounging the neighborhood for old wagon wheels, axles, two-by-
fours, and thin sheets of tin or aluminum as all of us kids in the 
neighborhood scrambled to build our soap box racers for the annual 
summer races down Cemetery Hill.
  These races were never formally recognized by the proper authorities, 
I must admit. In fact, we were frequently chased out of the cemetery by

[[Page H1556]]

the superintendent and his subordinates, as well as being chased off 
the city streets, quite frankly, by the local police, who no doubt had 
our personal safety and the public safety in mind at the time.
  But law enforcement and the establishment never stopped us from 
enjoying those annual summer races. It was nothing but pure creative, 
constructive, exhilarating joy and pleasure that we experienced in our 
Soap Box Derby racers.
  So with those golden days of yore in mind, I am delighted to support 
H. Con. Res. 19, extending proper recognition in authorizing the use of 
the Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby on June 
15 of this year.
  I would also like to acknowledge the steadfast support of this event 
by Mr. Hoyer, who has truly been a champion for his constituents in 
this regard. This bipartisan resolution has the support of the entire 
D.C.-area delegation.
  On the date of the event, soap boxers from the Greater Washington 
area will race down Constitution Avenue to test their craftsmanship and 
their courage in Soap Box Derby racing. Children between the ages of 8 
and 17 will be competing for the opportunity to race in the National 
All-American Soap Box Derby held every August in Akron, Ohio.
  Consistent with all events using Capitol Grounds, this event is open 
to the public and free of charge. The organizers will work with the 
Capitol Police and the Architect of the Capitol to organize the details 
of the event.
  Mr. Speaker, I support H. Con. Res. 19 and urge passage of this 
resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.


                Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded that it is a violation 
of the rules of the House to bring to the attention of the House 
occupants of the gallery.
  Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. NOLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).
  Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman from Minnesota for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, Congressman Nolan, who was in this body before I was and 
before you were and before Mr. Barletta was, he has been in public 
service for a very long period of time. Therefore, I appreciate the 
remarks he made in support of this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, which I am 
proud to have sponsored for the last 22 years.

                              {time}  1720

  It allows the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby Association to hold 
its 72nd annual competition on June 15 on the grounds of this Capitol. 
This is a longstanding tradition which brings young people ages 8 to 17 
and their families from around the D.C. metro area to the Capitol for a 
fun and educational experience.
  Since 1938, the derby has inspired thousands of the region's young 
people to learn the physics behind gravity racing and the engineering 
used to design soap box racers. America's Soap Box Derbies have been 
called ``the greatest amateur racing event in the world,'' and on June 
15, it will continue to make history.
  The derby teaches sportsmanship, hard work, and pride of 
accomplishment, and it imbues its young participants with that same 
spirit of innovation that has long fueled America's greatness. The 
young people who participate in these derbies are often sponsored by 
community groups, police departments, fire departments, and others who 
want to invest in our country's future in a very direct and meaningful 
way.
  Every year, I am incredibly proud of my constituents from Maryland's 
Fifth District who participate. A number of Soap Box Derby champions 
have come from the Fifth District, including the winners of 2007, 2008, 
2009, and last year. The winners in 2007 and 2008, Kacie Rader and 
Courtney Rayle, respectively, went on to win the national Soap Box 
Derby championship.
  As an aside, Mr. Speaker, I was hoping to be able to say that about 
the Maryland Terrapins this year, but that, apparently, will not be the 
case, although I do expect them to win the NIT. Last year's winners 
from the Fifth District were Brittany Sorli and Brandon Sorli of 
Waldorf, who won the Masters and Super Stock divisions.
  I want to thank the Members who are cosponsoring this resolution: 
Representatives Gerry Connolly, Donna Edwards, Jim Moran, Eleanor 
Holmes Norton, Chris Van Hollen, John Delaney, and my classmate who 
came with me to Congress in the 97th Congress, my dear friend, Frank 
Wolf. I would urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution, and 
I thank Mr. Nolan and Mr. Barletta for bringing this resolution to the 
floor.
  Mr. NOLAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BARLETTA. I would like to thank the gentleman from Minnesota for 
his support. I also thank the gentleman from Maryland for introducing 
this very important resolution and for what it means to so many across 
our country.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Barletta) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 19.
  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. NOLAN. 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, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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