[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 11, 2014)]
[House]
[Page H1760]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             CHARLES DARWIN

  (Mr. HOLT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the birth of Charles 
Darwin 205 years ago tomorrow and to call attention to a resolution I 
have introduced with a number of other Members marking his birthday as 
ceremonial Darwin Day.
  Through his work, Darwin discovered that the drive for survival of 
each species produces an evolution by natural selection. This discovery 
fundamentally changed our understanding of the world. It paved the way 
for innumerable advancements in the fields of medicine, technology, and 
education. Without his recognition that natural selection enables 
increasing complexity, our comprehension of the world around us would 
be vastly poorer.
  To me, Charles Darwin represents much more than a discovery or a 
theory. He represents a way of thinking, a philosophy. His approach to 
life and to the world around him should be celebrated as much as his 
discoveries. It was his thirst for knowledge and his scientific 
approach that led to new truths that enabled him to uncover the theory 
of evolution. This lesson is as valuable as the discovery he made and 
the explanations he gave.
  Thinking like a scientist is all too absent from our public dialogue, 
and this is why we should continue to celebrate Darwin as a master of 
clear, evidence-based thinking. We, in this House, would do well to 
emulate his vision and his thinking, and I urge my colleagues to join 
me in marking Darwin Day.

                          ____________________