[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 52 (Tuesday, March 26, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H2816]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE CABLE-SATELLITE PUBLIC AFFAIRS NETWORK
(Ms. PELOSI asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute.)
Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, this is very important. We are going to
observe the 40th anniversary of C-SPAN. Are you ready for that? Are you
braced for the excitement of it all?
If that is not enough for you, today is my birthday. No singing. I
thank you so much, and I will convey those good wishes to C-SPAN as
well.
Madam Speaker, our Founders envisioned a people's House that would be
transparent and accountable to the American people. The very first
House sessions were made open to the public so that the American people
could see our debates and have their voices heard.
I rise to honor an institution that powerfully honors that legacy,
ensuring that our sessions can be a townhall for the Nation: the Cable-
Satellite Public Affairs Network, C-SPAN.
Since its founding 40 years ago, C-SPAN has offered tens of millions
of Americans a front-row seat to democracy, training an unblinking eye
on Congress and the campaign trail, Presidents and parliaments, and so
much more.
We all know C-SPAN is a pillar of our public discourse and a beacon
of unbiased reporting, an institution so committed to objectivity and
impartiality that its founder never once uttered his own name on the
air throughout 33 years of interviews, roundtables, and lectures.
I thank Brian Lamb for his service to our democracy.
C-SPAN has not only exposed our public debate, it has enhanced our
discourse, and in doing so, enriched our democracy: shining light on
government to keep our leaders honest and accountable, educating and
informing the public through gavel-to-gavel coverage, Book TV, American
History TV, C-SPAN Radio, the Video Library, and interactive resources
such as the C-SPAN bus--let's hear it for the C-SPAN bus--and renewing
the promise and purpose of our American democracy, a government of, by,
and for the people.
In the first speech ever televised by C-SPAN, our former colleague,
then-Representative Al Gore, spoke prescient words about its power.
Al Gore said:
The marriage of this medium and of our open debate have the
potential . . . to revitalize representative democracy,
offering a solution for the lack of confidence in government.
Our country has been strengthened by C-SPAN's progress to deliver on
that promise, revitalizing our democracy so that people can have
confidence that this institution works for the public interest.
On behalf of the House of Representatives, I did want to tell you
some C-SPAN stories about what children have said about what they have
seen when they have watched Congress in session, but I will save that
for another day.
On behalf of the House of Representatives, I thank the founder, Brian
Lamb, and the entire C-SPAN family for their enduring contributions to
the public debate and to our American democracy.
Congratulations on 40 years.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from California
(Mr. McCarthy), who is the minority leader.
Mr. McCARTHY. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the Speaker for
yielding, and I also want to wish her a very happy birthday.
Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate a milestone in the history of open
and accessible government. Now, many of us here and across the country
were first introduced as a child to how government works through our
Saturday morning cartoons in Schoolhouse Rock's ``I'm Just a Bill on
Capitol Hill,'' but giving life to the animation, C-SPAN has taken the
education and turned it into experience.
Over the last 40 years, C-SPAN has ensured the country experienced
some of the most consequential and memorable moments that transpired
right here in this body.
On the 50th anniversary of the Selma civil rights march, John Lewis
reminded us of the quiet dignity of the 600 Americans who put their
lives on the line that this Nation might live up to the promises made
in its founding documents. As John Lewis said, Our country will
never, ever be the same because of what happened on this bridge. C-SPAN
was there.
At the height of the Iraq war, Sam Johnson, a Vietnam veteran and
POW, gave a powerful salute to our soldiers and taught us an important
lesson about patriotism and service before self. We are better as a
country because of the example Sam Johnson set. C-SPAN was there.
Throughout these 40 years of experiences that have changed the
culture of history, from the Contract with America to the election of
the first woman Speaker, even capturing the lighthearted moments of
humor that can make their way in to times of very serious debate, C-
SPAN captured it all.
This is important because the rise of the internet and the new media
environment has only reinforced the need for C-SPAN's unfiltered
coverage and unbiased programing. Now more than ever people must be
able to form their own opinions. They need objective coverage, access
to balanced analysis, and the opportunity to debate their views with
others in good faith. C-SPAN does just that.
Madam Speaker, James Madison believed that representative government
did more than cater to individual interests. He said that one of its
key advantages was that it refined and enlarged the public view about
the common good. For the last 40 years, C-SPAN has been an
irreplaceable tool for accomplishing Madison's vision.
I know I speak for the whole House in congratulating C-SPAN for four
decades of coverage.
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