[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 97 (Tuesday, June 7, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H5296-H5298]
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. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 88) 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. 88

       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 18, 
     2022, 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

[[Page H5297]]

     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 
Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio).


                             General Leave

  Mr. DeFAZIO. 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. 88.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Oregon?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, today, we are again considering legislation, H. Con. 
Res. 88, to authorize the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater 
Washington Soap Box Derby. I thank Majority Leader Hoyer for 
introducing this resolution on behalf of the Washington regional 
delegation.
  The Greater Washington Soap Box Derby is an annual competitive event 
that encourages boys and girls, ages 9 through 16, to construct and 
race their own soap box vehicles.
  On Capitol Hill, the event has become a great tradition in the 
Washington, D.C., metropolitan area over the last quarter of a century. 
It provides a terrific opportunity for children to appreciate the 
workmanship necessary to build the vehicles and enjoy the thrill of 
competition.
  The Greater Washington Soap Box Derby organizers will work with the 
Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police to ensure appropriate 
rules and regulations are in place and the event remains free to the 
public and safe for all those involved.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation and urge my colleagues to 
join me. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution, as has been pointed out, authorizes the 
use of the Capitol Grounds for the annual Greater Washington Soap Box 
Derby on June 18, 2022.
  This is a time-honored tradition. With the exception of World War II, 
it has run every year since 1934 and provides children in the greater 
Washington area an opportunity to build knowledge and character through 
fair and honest competition.
  This is one of the many regional competitions across the country to 
qualify children to compete in the All-American Soap Box Derby. This is 
a program I participated in some 40-odd years ago. It is a good 
program, and I fully endorse it.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the legislation, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the majority leader and sponsor of this 
legislation.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair and the ranking member for 
bringing this bill to the floor.
  I am honored to bring this resolution to the floor every year. It 
authorizes an event, as you have been told, that I am proud to support 
every year. This will be the first time it has been held since 2019 
because of the pandemic.
  That event is the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby, one of my 
favorite events of the year. The Soap Box Derby brings families 
together from across the greater Washington metropolitan area, 
encouraging kids and their adult family members or community members to 
compete in a fun and educational race.
  This is my 29th year sponsoring the Soap Box Derby resolution. I 
don't know whether that is a record on the Soap Box Derby, but in any 
event, this is the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby's 79th year.
  The race will be held on June 18, and you will see soap box racers 
from ages 8 to 17 compete in three divisions: stock, super stock, and 
masters. The winner from each division, Mr. Speaker, will have a chance 
to compete at the national All-American Soap Box Derby, which is held 
each year in Akron, Ohio.
  Much of the fun, however, takes place even before the race begins. 
Participants spend weeks, perhaps months, building and testing their 
racers at home, a wonderful bonding experience for kids, parents, 
grandparents, and other family members and those engaged in mentorship 
in their communities.
  Soap box derbies have been called the greatest amateur racing event 
in the world. They have become a staple of the American experience and 
an important piece of Americana. They teach sportsmanship, engineering, 
manufacturing, and leadership.
  Oftentimes, racers are sponsored by local civic groups, service 
organizations, and police or fire departments, with members coming out 
to cheer on their hometown participants.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to sponsor this resolution today that will 
authorize the use of the Grounds of the U.S. Capitol for this year's 
Soap Box Derby.
  I thank my cosponsors, members of the region's congressional 
delegation: Representatives Don Beyer, David Trone, Gerry Connolly, 
Anthony Brown, Jennifer Wexton, and Jamie Raskin.
  I am also proud that several Greater Washington Soap Box Derby 
champions have come from Maryland's Fifth District, my district, in 
recent years, including the winners from 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 
2014, and 2018. So my guys do pretty well in this race, and some of 
them are gals, by the way.
  Our racers even won a national championship in 2007 and 2008. I am 
excited to see how the Fifth District racers do this year, and I am 
looking forward to seeing their colorful and creative soap box designs.
  I thank the organizers of the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby, as 
well as Chairman DeFazio and the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, for their support. I hope every Member, as they have in 
the past, will join in supporting this resolution. I invite them to 
join me in cheering on the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby on June 
18.
  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, this resolution authorizes the 
use of the Capitol Grounds for a longstanding tradition for the 
children of the greater Washington, D.C., area.
  Once in a while, we do some fun stuff here on the floor, and this is 
one of those things. I urge support of the legislation, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Again, I thank the majority leader for bringing this legislation. I 
misspoke earlier. I thought it had only been a quarter of a century. It 
has been 29 years.
  That is extraordinary, and this is a wonderful event for youth. It 
does bring a little something to Capitol Hill other than the day-to-day 
business, which can sometimes be suffocating.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation unanimously, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. 
Res. 88, ``authorizing the use of Capitol grounds for the Greater 
Washington Soap Box Derby.''
  This bill calls for support to hold the traditional Soap Box Derby 
association's free, public event on the Capitol grounds.
  The Soap Box Derby international nonprofit organization, whose 
mission is to ``build knowledge and character, and to create meaningful 
experiences through collaboration and fair and honest competition,'' 
prides itself for allowing the race to take place on the most powerful 
hill in the world, Capitol Hill.
  For 88 years, this event has been an opportunity in which the 
community comes out to support our youth. Annually, our youth get the 
opportunity to participate in the international nonprofit's biggest 
event.
  Participants who compete range from ages 9-16 years old and come from 
the Greater Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. They could potentially 
have the honor of representing D.C. in the National Soap Box Derby 
competition.

[[Page H5298]]

  This completely sponsored soap box derby event will be free of charge 
for the public and has a flexible date that will ensure it does not 
interfere with the needs of Congress.
  In Texas, anytime we can celebrate our youth and their 
accomplishments, while also bringing the community together, it is an 
opportunity fellowship and relationships through friendly competition.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Con. 
Res. 88, to host the traditional, Greater Washington Soap Box Derby on 
our nation's Capitol grounds, an event that will bring the community 
together for a wonderful celebration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res 88.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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