[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 1] [House] [Pages 1196-1199] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]PRESENTING CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL TO CHARLES M. SCHULZ Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3642) to authorize the President to award a gold medal on behalf of the Congress to Charles M. Schulz in recognition of his lasting artistic contributions to the Nation and the world. The Clerk read as follows: H.R. 3642 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. FINDINGS. The Congress finds the following: (1) Charles M. Schulz was born on November 26, 1922, in St. Paul, Minnesota, the son of Carl and Dena Schulz. (2) Charles M. Schulz served his country in World War II, working his way up from infantryman to staff sergeant and eventually leading a machine gun squad. He kept morale high by decorating fellow soldiers' letters home with cartoons of barracks life. (3) After returning from the war, Charles M. Schulz returned to his love for illustration and took a job with ``Timeless Topix''. He also took a second job as an art instructor. Eventually his hard work paid off when the Saturday Evening Post began purchasing a number of his single comic panels. (4) It was in his first weekly comic strip, ``L'il Folks'', that Charlie Brown was born. That comic strip, which was eventually renamed ``Peanuts'', became the sole focus of Charles M. Schulz's career. (5) Charles M. Schulz has drawn every frame of his strip, which runs seven days a week, since it was created in October 1950. This is rare dedication in the field of comic illustration. (6) The ``Peanuts'' comic strip appears in 2,600 newspapers around the world and reaches approximately 335 million readers every day in 20 different languages. Because of this, Charles M. Schulz is the most successful comic illustrator in the world. (7) Charles M. Schulz's television special, ``A Charlie Brown Christmas'', has run for 34 consecutive years. In all, more than 60 animated specials have been created based on ``Peanuts'' characters. Four feature films, 1,400 books, and a hit Broadway musical about the ``Peanuts'' characters have also been produced. (8) Charles M. Schulz is a leader in the field of comic illustration and in his community. He has paved the way for other artists in this field over the last 50 years and continues to be praised for his outstanding achievements. (9) Charles M. Schulz has given back to his community in many ways, including owning and operating Redwood Empire Ice Arena in Santa Rosa, California. The arena has become a favorite gathering spot for people of all ages. Charles M. Schulz finances a yearly ice show that draws crowds from all over the San Francisco Bay Area. (10) Charles M. Schulz has given the Nation a unique sense of optimism, purpose, and pride. Whether through the Great Pumpkin Patch, the Kite Eating Tree, Lucy's Psychiatric Help Stand, or Snoopy's adventures with the Red Baron, ``Peanuts'' has embodied human vulnerabilities, emotions, and potential. (11) Charles M. Schulz's lifetime of work has linked generations of Americans and has become a part of the fabric of our national culture. SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. (a) Presentation Authorized.--The President is authorized to present, on behalf of the Congress, a gold medal of appropriate design to Charles M. Schulz in recognition of his lasting artistic contributions to the Nation and the world. (b) Design and Striking.--For the purpose of the presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary. SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS. Under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, the Secretary may strike and [[Page 1197]] sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck under section 2 at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold medal. SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS. The medals struck under this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code. SEC. 5. FUNDING AND PROCEEDS OF SALE. (a) Authorization.--There is hereby authorized to be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund an amount not to exceed $30,000 to pay for the cost of the medals authorized by this Act. (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate bronze medals under section 3 shall be deposited in the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas). Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with mixed emotions. It is with great pride and honor that I support awarding Charles M. Schulz the Congressional Gold Medal. However, as we all know, Mr. Schulz, the creator of the beloved comic strip Peanuts, died last Saturday, February 12, at his home in Santa Rosa, California, at the age of 77. Therefore, I stand before my colleagues with great sadness. I would like to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson) for introducing this most appropriate piece of legislation. Congress has commissioned gold medals as its highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions. Without a doubt, Mr. Schulz has earned this great honor. Mr. Schulz first introduced his legendary Peanuts cartoon to us in October of 1950. It was then that the world became acquainted with such characters as Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and others. Like millions of other Americans, I often felt as though I knew the man personally, having read and watched his cartoons for as long as I can remember. I believe that I knew the man as only a life-long fan could know him, through his work. I am extremely appreciative of Mr. Schulz and his creation of the Peanut gang. For almost 50 years, he provided us with endless hours of humor, entertainment. His cartoons and characters will live with us forever. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3642, introduced by the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson), a bill to award a gold medal to a man who was a friend to the entire Nation, Charles M. Schulz. Peanuts was both a national treasure and a national delight. Every morning for almost half a century, America awoke to read the newspapers and millions of eyes turned to the pages where Charlie Brown, Lucy, Snoopy, and Linus lived. Yet, it was not only Americans who took in the bounty of the strip's tender humor and sage advice. Worldwide, the best estimate is a global audience of 355 million fans. They were in 75 countries, read in 2,600 newspapers, and spoke 21 languages. Then there were the spin-offs. Beginning in the 1960s, a Charlie Brown Christmas; It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, were among the television specials. In an era where relentless violence is the main fare of television programming, how welcome to find true amusement in good taste, where the most dangerous party is either a girl who pulls away the football just before the kick or a fantasy Red Baron. There were songs and even a musical, You Are a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Peanuts was not easy, slapstick humor. Long-time readers know there was real substance about the disappointments in life. However, it was also about the great line, Happiness Is a Warm Puppy, which for millions of children and their parents had that ring about what truly makes life worthwhile. Most in this chamber will be surprised that the spell of Peanuts so bedeviled theologians, philosophers, and psychiatrists that weighty books and articles were written probing the true meanings of the comic strip. They all found something of great worth, sometimes a brooding worth, all of which is fine. But for most of the adults we simply reveled in how four or five small cartoon frames Schulz could pack so much humor, joy, sadness and irony, all of the elements of great expression. However, the whole production of Peanuts cartoons, films, musicals, books and even the dolls had special allure for children. Schulz had no problem communicating across many generations from when the first Peanut strip appeared half a century ago. I suspect one of his attractions to the young was that he was so easy to read and so direct. There was also Linus' security blanket. It gave the young the idea that through it all there are things, lasting things, to hold on to. The books were just great reading instructors for millions of children that were nonviolent, but not just a bowl of cheer. Mr. Speaker, for years now I have worn about three different Peanuts ties. I wear one today. I do not think I have ever worn a Peanuts tie when it has not been commented upon and it has not lit up someone's day. It is almost impossible to see a Peanuts tie and not smile, not feel some warmth, some empathy. That was the effect of Charlie Schulz. We are all familiar with his fame, but I would like also to remind all that Schulz had served his country on the battlefields of World War II. He never forgot he was a veteran, and served as head of the fund- raising campaign for the National D-Day Memorial. He had the grit to be a good hockey player; the mathematical skill to be a fine bridge enthusiast; and the devotion it takes to teach Sunday school and deliver sermons. Rarely can a man be called a global social institution; but in Charles M. Schulz' case, that is surely just what he was when he died after 77 years of phenomenal productivity and contribution. How it all came about will remain a mystery. A personality that large is never a simple book, but this much we know: in his life he did get to kick that football over the goal post. His work, with all its substance and wit, has become part of the national and global fabric and will be with us for a long time. At last, one can say, ``Thank goodness, Charlie Brown.'' Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson), the author of the resolution. Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus), and the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce), along with the 308 cosponsors who supported this legislation, and for their assistance in bringing this bill to the floor today. It means a great deal to Mr. Schulz's family. It means a great deal to me, and it means a great deal to the community that I have the honor to represent that has had the honor to share that community with Sparky Schulz. {time} 1200 I would also like to thank my California colleague, Senator Dianne Feinstein, who has introduced the identical bill in the Senate to make sure that this gold medal does come to fruition. Mr. Speaker, this bill before us today is not about honoring a cartoonist who made us laugh and think but, rather, about honoring a lifetime of work that has transcended generations of Americans and has become the fabric of our national culture. We have adopted his characters as our own, and sometimes even as ourselves. Through them he provided us a uniquely American sense of optimism, purpose, and pride. While many other pop figures reflect our fantasies, Sparky Schulz's characters, like Charlie Brown, reflected who we really are. Charles Schulz created the Peanuts comic strip in October of 1950, and he personally drew every single daily and Sunday strip. [[Page 1198]] Peanuts appeared in 2,600 newspapers around the world and reached approximately 355 million readers every day, and they came in some 20 different languages. Sparky Schulz gave us more than just Peanuts. Most notable was his work with the Regional Organization Canine Companion. This wonderful organization breeds, raises, trains, and places dogs with individuals who are limited by disabilities. Along with his wife Jeanne, Sparky led and, in large part, personally financed the construction and the operation of the Canine Companion's facility in Sonoma County, California. Here dogs are introduced to individuals with disabilities and together they are trained to work with each other, forming a lifetime partnership and friendship. He also built a great ice rink in Santa Rosa, California, an ice rink that loses almost $1 million a year. But he did it to give something to the community. And just a side note. In that ice rink he stored many hundreds of folding beds. Just in case there was ever a disaster in his community, people would have a place to come, a place to stay, and a place to receive shelter. Sparky Schulz' public service and service to our Nation did not begin with Peanuts or with the Canine Companion. It started when he served as a staff sergeant in the United States Army during World War II fighting on the front lines in France immediately after the D-Day invasion. To help keep morale high, Sparky Schulz would often decorate the letters of fellow soldiers, letters that they were sending back home to their families, with cartoon characters depicting barracks life or battlefield life. Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert cartoon, remarked yesterday about our great loss, the loss of Sparky Schulz. He said, ``It's the end of an era, and it is hard to imagine that cartooning will ever be the same. In basketball, you can say that Michael Jordan was the greatest ever. In cartooning, Charles Schulz was the greatest ever, and probably the greatest there will ever be.'' We will never forget Snoopy's imagination, Lucy's cynicism, Linus' gentle innocence, Woodstock's loyalty, or Charlie Brown's vulnerabilities, hopes, and dreams. Sparky's gift to our Nation were characters who spoke with clarity about those simple fleeting moments that bind us together, bind together our adulthood and our childhood, those simple and honest sparks about what it means to be a human being. I thank everyone who is going to take part in making this gold medal a reality, and I urge all my colleagues to vote in favor of this gold medal resolution; and I say, ``Farewell and thank you,'' to Charles Schulz. Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Speaker, how much time do we have remaining? The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hansen). The gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce) has 10 minutes remaining, and the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) has 18\1/2\ minutes remaining. Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Sabo). Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and it is with great sadness that I learned of the recent death of Charles Schulz. During his lifetime this native Minnesotan touched countless lives through his wonderful creation, the Peanuts comic strip. Since 1950, when Peanuts was first published, until this past Sunday, when the last Peanuts comic strip appeared, Americans young and old have been entertained by the aventures and foibles of Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, and Snoopy. Through each of these lovable human characters Charles Schulz reached out to all of us, teaching us important life lessons. Through Charlie Brown's failed efforts to lead his team to victory in the neighborhood baseball game, we learned that winning is not everything. At the same time, his repeated attempts to kick the football out of Lucy's hands, while never succeeding, helped teach us the importance of never giving up hope. Mr. Speaker, I support the efforts of my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson), to recognize Charles Schulz with a Congressional Gold Medal. I am so proud that this gifted artist hails from the Twin Cities. For the many values Charles Schulz taught us, for the enjoyment he brought to our homes, and for the way he touches so many of our hearts, it is only fitting that we offer our thanks. Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Sonoma County, California (Ms. Woolsey). Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. On Saturday night, millions of Americans lost their security blanket. Life will not be the same without Charles Schulz. The touching human stories he told every day through the Peanuts characters in his cartoons gave us such warmth that old and young understood how Linus felt holding his trusty blanket. Now our friend is gone, and we will have to rely on memoirs. Fortunately, Charles Schulz left us plenty of these. I knew Sparky as a silver-haired man who spent time every week at Redwood Empire Ice Arena in Santa Rosa, California, located in my district. I also knew him as a hard-working artist who traveled from his home in the district of my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson), to his studio in Santa Rosa. But my colleague from California and I are not the only people who shared Charles Schulz; neither is our colleague, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Sabo), who represents the district that Charles Schulz was born and raised in. Charles Schulz left a piece of himself with every single person whose day was brightened by one of his cartoons. We let Peanuts into our lives on a daily basis, and the cartoon characters came to feel like a part of our families. Like so many Americans and people around the world, I delighted in following the ups and downs of Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy, and the rest of the gang. My kids grew up on Peanuts. In fact, my daughter's first Christmas, her very favorite, favorite gift that she has probably ever had, was ``Snoopy.'' She carried ``Snoopy'' around on her shoulder for about a week, and ``Snoopy'' is still in a trunk, cherished, in our garage. In a way, we all grew up with Peanuts; learning a little something about ourselves and about life from those lovingly drawn cartoons: Learning humility, learning to win, learning to lose, learning to care, learning to express ourselves through the eyes of these children in his cartoons. It was through Charles Schulz's characters that we felt his spirit, and it is through those characters that his spirit will live on. Beyond the pages of America's newspapers, Charles Schulz also touched the lives of his friends and neighbors in Santa Rosa. Our children are better off for the smiles they shared at his ice rink. Our community is stronger for the friendliness he added to it. It is only fitting that a man who has touched so many lives be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. It is with great pride that I have worked with the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson) to secure the high honor for Charles Schulz. I only wish that he had lived long enough to receive this award himself. But I know that wherever he is today, Sparky is smiling just to know that his dream of drawing cartoons has given so many people the pleasure of laughter. I look forward to a unanimous vote for this Congressional Gold Medal for Charles Schulz today. Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Peanuts gang, created by Mr. Schulz, has and will continue to honor and entertain millions of children and adults throughout the world. The Peanuts gang was a fabulous bunch to observe. We all hoped that one day Snoopy would finally catch the dreaded Red Baron. Millions of Americans would turn to the comics every morning to see if it was the day that Pig Pen would finally find the [[Page 1199]] washroom. We all wished we could receive the advice that Lucy often provided for only a nickel. And, of course, everyone knew that someday, someday, Charlie Brown would kick the football straight through the uprights. However, these things never did, and now will never, happen. That was the beauty of Charles Schulz and the cartoon he created. This group of children captivated our imagination for 50 years. They provided heart warming tales of everyday life along with humorous adventures. Mr. Schulz was the genius behind this American icon that allowed us to take a step back and enjoy the world around us. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), the chairman of the full committee. Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I rise simply to thank my distinguished colleague from Oklahoma and my distinguished friend from New York for this very thoughtful presentation. Charles Schulz had a greater impact on the life of America than perhaps all but a very few in literature and the arts. He brought to America something that is unique. He conveyed to the average American real human life and theology of a very deep human nature. We at one time almost had the ``Gospel According to Peanuts.'' But the one aspect of the ``Gospel According to Peanuts'' that always struck me was that life was happy; that the traumas that we all face were traumas that could be resolved in an uplifting way in which the American circumstance was reflected to ourselves and to the world. Charles Schulz, in many ways, when it comes to the creative arts, was the quintessential American artist, operating in a fashion of bringing art to the public and literature and theology and philosophy to America. And for this he is a treasure of this last century, and we all are deeply saddened at his passing. Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, it was with great sadness that I learned of the recent death of Charles Schulz. During his lifetime, this native Minnesotan touched countless lives through his wonderful creation, the ``Peanuts'' comic strip. Since 1950--when ``Peanuts'' was first published--until this past Sunday--when the last ``Peanuts'' comic strip appeared--Americans young and old have been entertained by the adventures and foibles of Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, and Snoopy. Through each of these lovably human characters, Charles Schulz reached out to all of us, teaching us important life lessons. Through Charlie Brown's failed efforts to lead his team to victory in the neighborhood baseball game, we learn that winning isn't everything. At the same time, his repeated attempts to kick the football out of Lucy's hands--while never succeeding--help teach us the importance of never giving up hope. Mr. Speaker, I support my colleague Mike Thompson's efforts to recognize Charles Schulz with the Congressional Gold Medal. I am so proud that this gifted artist hails from the Twin Cities. For the many values Charles Schulz taught us, for the enjoyment he brought to our homes, and for the way he touched so many of our hearts, it is only fitting that we offer our thanks. Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hansen). The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3642. The question was taken. Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed. ____________________