Congressional Record, Volume 164 Issue 123 (Monday, July 23, 2018)

[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 123 (Monday, July 23, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H6628-H6629]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

NATIONAL COMEDY CENTER RECOGNITION ACT

Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 6077) recognizing the National Comedy Center in Jamestown,
New York, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 6077

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``National Comedy Center
Recognition Act''.

SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF NATIONAL COMEDY CENTER IN JAMESTOWN,
NEW YORK.

(a) Congressional Recognition.--Congress--
(1) recognizes that the National Comedy Center, located in
Jamestown, New York, is the only museum of its kind that
exists for the exclusive purpose of celebrating comedy in all
its forms; and
(2) officially designates the National Comedy Center as the
National Comedy Center.
(b) Effect of Recognition.--The National Comedy Center
recognized in this section is not a unit of the National Park
System, and the designation shall not be construed to require
or permit Federal funds to be expended for any purpose
related to the Center.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. McClintock) and the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms.
Bordallo) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.

General Leave

Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, the National Comedy Center in downtown Jamestown, New
York, is a nonprofit institution that tells the story of comedy in
America.
Opening next month, the center is a live performance space as well as
an interactive museum. It is the first national scale, nonprofit,
cultural institution with a visitor experience dedicated to comedy
outside of the U.S. Senate.
The museum is acquiring the personal archives of prominent American
comedians and will showcase more than 50 exhibits on the history of
comedy from early vaudeville to today. In addition, the center operates
the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum, as Jamestown is the birthplace of
Ms. Ball.
H.R. 6077 will officially designate the National Comedy Center in
Jamestown, New York, as the National Comedy Center. The center will not
be a part of or affiliated with the National Park System. Just to be
crystal clear, this designation will not require Federal funds to be
expended for any purpose related to the center--no joke.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this bill is sponsored by Mr. Reed of New York, and it
officially designates the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New
York, as the National Comedy Center and recognizes it as the only
museum that exists to celebrate comedy in the United States.
The National Comedy Center is set to open for the first time early
next month. This honorary recognition will highlight the museum and the
importance of the comedic arts which brighten the lives of everyday
Americans.
I want to congratulate Congressman Reed for his hard work on behalf
of Jamestown, New York, and the Comedy Center. I am very happy to lend
my support to the preservation of institutions that preserve parts of
our cultural identity, and I do urge my colleagues to join me in
supporting this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
the gentleman from New York (Mr. Reed), who is the author of this
measure.
Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. McClintock for yielding me such
time as I may consume to address the subject matter of this bill.
Mr. Speaker, for once on this floor, this is a laughing matter. The
purpose of this bill is to officially designate the National Comedy
Center in Jamestown, New York, as the National Comedy Center for the
United States of America.
Mr. Speaker, our country doesn't currently have a national center to
recognize comedy and the important role it plays in American culture. I
can think of no better place for such a center than in our district in
the city of Jamestown, the birthplace of Lucille Ball.
Across the country and all over the world, people recognize Lucille
Ball and ``I love Lucy'' as one of the most

[[Page H6629]]

popular television shows of all time. The National Comedy Center will
celebrate her impact and many others in the world of comedy when it
hosts this August the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival for the grand
opening of the National Comedy Center.
All jokes aside, Mr. Speaker, this museum is much bigger than one
person in Lucille Ball. This is about comedians who have practiced
their art and have celebrated the healing aspects of humor in our
society. With more than 50 exhibits that engage and excite, this museum
is the first of its kind dedicated to celebrating comedy in all its
forms and the people who share the laughter it brings.
It is the Cooperstown of baseball, the Dayton of pro football, and
the Cleveland of Rock and Roll.
I would like to thank the men and women whose hard work and
dedication to the National Comedy Center have gotten us here. In
particular, I would like to thank all those who made the National
Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York, possible; including Journey
Gunderson, Tom Benson, and the rest of the National Comedy Center board
for their tireless work; as well as former County Executive Vince
Horrigan, and present Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello, as
well as the mayor of Jamestown, Sam Teresi, for their unwavering
support in this bipartisan endeavor.
I thank Greg Edwards of the Gebbie Foundation as well as all the
other foundations and contributors that helped make this a reality.
Most of all, we want to recognize the comedians and artists who have
shared their talents for years with Jamestown to make this possible.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I ask my friends and colleagues to support
this bill.
Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, we should all be smiling when we say we
support this bill--and that is no laughing matter.
Mr. Chairman, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I would ask for adoption of the measure,
and I yield back the balance of my time
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6077, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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