[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 113 (Wednesday, July 13, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H4823]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               PITTSBURGH'S 200TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the city of 
Pittsburgh which, this year, is celebrating the 200th anniversary of 
its incorporation as a city.
  For two centuries, Pittsburgh has embodied the very best of the 
American spirit. Waves of immigrants, the tired, poor, and huddled 
masses from distant lands, as well as Americans from other parts of 
this country, found opportunity in Pittsburgh for themselves and their 
descendants, and the neighborhoods they settled still reflect that 
diversity.
  Together, these individuals built a city out of coal, steel, and 
hard, honest work that epitomized the industrial character of our 
Nation. And while the vast furnaces that once lined the three rivers 
are a shadow of their past, the perseverance of Pittsburgh citizens 
have allowed the city to become a world leader in medicine, education, 
and technology, with world-class universities, hospitals, and research 
centers.
  It is a success story no one could have predicted, and the story is 
far from over. The past 200 years have firmly cemented Pittsburgh's 
place in the history books, leaving future generations of Pittsburghers 
with vital roles to play in the coming years.
  Happy birthday to America's most livable city, the city of champions. 
Many happy returns.


 Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's Library for the Blind and Physically 
                              Handicapped

  Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the work of an 
institution that improves the lives of the blind, visually impaired, 
physically handicapped, or reading disabled by providing them free 
access to books in braille or audio format, mailed directly to 
recipients or instantly downloadable.
  The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically 
Handicapped, or NLS, was established by an act of Congress in 1931 and 
falls under the jurisdiction of the Library of Congress. It started out 
as a network of only 19 libraries in 1931, and it has grown to 56 
regional and 65 subregional libraries throughout the United States. 
These libraries provide audio-described DVDs, books, and magazines as 
well as large-print and braille books.
  I was honored to do an audio recording of myself reading a children's 
book via the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. The book I read was 
``Uncle Andy's Cats,'' by James Warhola, the nephew of Pittsburgh's 
native son, pop artist Andy Warhol. The audio book will be archived by 
the Library of Congress and available for children. I encourage others 
to do the same.

                          ____________________