[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 4388-4393]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF PRESIDENT FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT

  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and agree to the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 87) honoring the life and 
legacy of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and recognizing his 
contributions on the anniversary of the date of his birth.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H.J. Res. 87

       Whereas President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born in 
     Hyde Park, New York, on January 30, 1882;
       Whereas his commitment to public service followed the 
     example of his fifth cousin, the 26th President of the United 
     States, Theodore Roosevelt;
       Whereas sixty years ago, President Roosevelt became the 
     only President of the United States elected to a fourth term 
     in office;
       Whereas President Roosevelt fulfilled his promise to lead 
     the Nation through the Great Depression by creating a series 
     of New Deal programs that fundamentally changed the role of 
     Government;
       Whereas President Roosevelt's leadership was instrumental 
     in extending freedom and democracy around the globe and 
     uniting the world confronted by tyranny and aggression;
       Whereas President Roosevelt unified and mobilized the 
     American effort after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and World 
     War II, encouraging patriotism and volunteerism;
       Whereas through his war time leadership, President 
     Roosevelt directed the Government into the most productive 
     partnership with private enterprise in the Nation's history 
     by appointing top businessmen to run the production agencies, 
     exempting business from antitrust laws, allowing business to 
     write off the full cost of investments, and guaranteeing a 
     substantial profit;
       Whereas as a result of his leadership, the United States 
     was outproducing all the Axis and the Allied powers combined, 
     contributing nearly 300,000 planes, 100,000 tanks, 2 million 
     trucks, and 87,000 warships to the Allied cause;
       Whereas 2004 is the 60th anniversary of D-Day, which 
     commemorates the largest air, land, and sea operation 
     undertaken before or since June 6, 1944;
       Whereas in the spring of 2004, the National World War II 
     Memorial will be dedicated in Washington, DC, to encourage 
     Americans to celebrate and remember the contributions of 
     President Roosevelt and the courageous men and women which 
     were critical to the American war effort at home and American 
     military successes overseas;
       Whereas President Roosevelt supported the effort to find a 
     cure for infantile paralysis (polio), by which he had been 
     paralyzed in 1921; in 1938, President Roosevelt founded the 
     National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, a national 
     organization which raised funds to find a cure for polio; the 
     following year, comedian Eddie Cantor asked the Nation to 
     mail dimes to the White House to help the Foundation, and in 
     one month, the White House received 2.5 million dimes; Cantor 
     declared it ``A March of Dimes'' and, in 1979, the name 
     became the lasting moniker for the Foundation;
       Whereas President Roosevelt established the polio 
     foundation hospital at Warm Springs, Georgia, for the 
     treatment of polio patients, which had a profound impact on 
     scores of young Americans;
       Whereas in a broadcast launching the annual March of Dimes 
     Campaign, President Harry S. Truman declared ``The fight to 
     conquer infantile paralysis is an unfinished task of Franklin 
     Delano Roosevelt. It must and shall be carried to complete 
     victory.''; thanks to President Roosevelt and the March of 
     Dimes, polio is largely now a thing of the past in America 
     and worldwide eradication of polio is expected by 2005;
       Whereas Americans who encountered and conquered polio have 
     benefited from the March of Dimes and from President 
     Roosevelt's example of courage;
       Whereas Eleanor Roosevelt more than fulfilled her 
     traditional duties as First Lady;
       Whereas she expanded the role, being voted the most admired 
     woman in America and even called ``the First Lady of the 
     Western World'' for her work on behalf of civil rights, 
     women's rights, and human rights; she carried on the beliefs 
     and ideals of her husband, serving as the foremost 
     spokesperson for human rights around the world as the first 
     chairperson of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights;
       Whereas President Roosevelt is loved and admired by 
     millions of Americans and by countless others around the 
     world; and
       Whereas a grateful Nation and world are better off because 
     of President Roosevelt's inimitable leadership: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 
     Congress, on behalf of the American people, honors the life 
     and legacy of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and 
     recognizes his contributions on the anniversary of the date 
     of his birth.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Michigan (Mrs. Miller) and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. 
Slaughter) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Miller).


                             General Leave

  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and 
extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.J. Res. 87.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Michigan?

[[Page 4389]]

  There was no objection.
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Joint Resolution 87 
sponsored by my distinguished colleague, the gentlewoman from New York 
(Ms. Slaughter).
  This resolution offers the House a chance to remember Franklin Delano 
Roosevelt's leadership over 120 years after his birth.
  Madam Speaker, President Roosevelt who, of course, was known very 
affectionately around the world as FDR, skillfully guided our great 
Nation through the Great Depression and World War II during four terms 
in the White House.
  When he first took office in 1933 FDR pushed through Congress 
legislation designed to stimulate the inactive American economy. FDR 
called these measures a New Deal for the American people.
  Some have suggested that the New Deal jump-started the economy by 
stabilizing prices and triggering employers to hire in America work to 
emerge from the Depression.
  Madam Speaker, President Roosevelt also mobilized the American spirit 
at home and energized the developing military forces abroad following 
the bombing of Pearl Harbor. His grace during World War II certainly 
encouraged patriotism, sacrifice from Americans everywhere, which 
helped the United States prevail in the massive global conflict that he 
was not able to see through.
  President Roosevelt passed away as a result of cerebral hemorrhage 
just weeks after beginning his fourth term, on April 12, 1945. In large 
part because of President Roosevelt's vigilance the United States and 
the allies went on to defeat the Nazis in Europe and force the Japanese 
to surrender in the Pacific Theater later that year.
  In a message to Congress in June of 1934, FDR stated that among the 
top priorities of his administration would be the security of the men, 
women, and children of the Nation first. The President stated that the 
security of the home and the security of livelihood constitutes a right 
that belongs to every individual. Securing America's future through 
frightening times was perhaps FDR's greatest legacy. And for that 
reason and many others, the House honors him today.
  Madam Speaker, just as the Resolved clause of the resolution states, 
I urge the Congress to honor the life and legacy of President Franklin 
Delano Roosevelt. I commend the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. 
Slaughter) for introducing House Joint Resolution 87 that honors one of 
America's most legendary leaders in history.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Madam Speaker, I will reserve my remarks for the 
Record and yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Skelton), my colleague and cousin.
  Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York 
(Ms. Slaughter), my cousin, for introducing this resolution. And I 
appreciate the bipartisan support of the gentlewoman from Missouri 
(Mrs. Emerson) who is presiding today, the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Sweeney), and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), all of 
whom joined in becoming original cosponsors of the measure.
  Franklin Delano Roosevelt was bigger than life when I was a 
youngster, and properly so, because he did such a wonderful job in 
leading America out of the worst Depression in our history and leading 
the United States toward victory against the Japanese and the Germans. 
Unfortunately, he died on April 12, 1945, and Missouri's Harry Truman, 
as you know, the Vice President, became President on that day.
  We all know his legacy as a leader, a political leader, a wartime 
leader, and one who so many people looked up to for so long, the only 
President elected to four terms as President of the United States.
  Let me touch on another subject as to why Franklin Delano Roosevelt 
is a true American hero. Should you come to my office in the Rayburn 
Building you will see in a prominent place a portrait, a signed 
portrait by the artist of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the unfinished 
portrait that was being made when he collapsed and died at his cabin 
known as the Little White House at Warm Springs, Georgia. Friends were 
present at the time when he was stricken and died within a few hours.
  President Roosevelt's life and legacy has played a meaningful role in 
so many lives of untold citizens, far more than as President of the 
United States in his political leadership or as his world leadership, 
but it played a social role to those who contracted polio at a young 
age. And most people who have been so stricken were of a young age.
  President Roosevelt established the March of Dimes in 1938 which 
caused Americans all across the country to send dimes to the White 
House or create their own March of Dimes fund. I remember very well 
being a Boy Scout, collecting the dimes on my main street in Lexington, 
Missouri, for the March of Dimes established by Franklin Delano 
Roosevelt.
  And he established the foundation at Warm Springs, Georgia, not too 
far from Columbus. This was an old resort and he changed it into the 
most modern hospital for the treatment of those who had polio. I have 
personal experience knowing of that. Warm Springs, Georgia became the 
mecca for the research, for the treatment, and for surgery involving 
those who had polio for so very, very long. And the March of Dimes that 
he created helped establish research funding that could, and, 
fortunately it did, for all intents and purposes, research that found a 
cure or a prevention, I should say, to polio.
  So, many young people, and I have had the opportunity to know them, 
created lives that were meaningful which otherwise would not have been 
possible, thanks to the Warm Springs Foundation established by Franklin 
Delano Roosevelt. It is rather interesting, he called the patients down 
there ``my kids.'' And as many Thanksgivings as he possibly could, he 
would go down and have Thanksgiving dinner with his kids. And that 
tradition lasted well past his passing from the scene.
  The March of Dimes, the foundation at Warm Springs, Georgia, all of 
that enables others to participate in public life, to take their place 
as meaningful, hardworking citizens of the United States. But for 
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, that would not have happened. So it is not 
just during the Depression that he did such a masterful job in pulling 
this country out, it was not just the war effort until he passed away 
in April of 1945, but his contribution to treating and to helping find 
the cure for the prevention of polio, that is what makes Franklin 
Delano Roosevelt such an outstanding person in the history of our 
country.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern.)
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York 
(Ms. Slaughter) who has been so gracious to me on so many occasions for 
yielding me this time.
  Madam Speaker, first let me thank the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. 
Slaughter) and the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Emerson), the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) and the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Sweeney) for introducing this resolution honoring President 
Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
  It is important for Members of this House to not only remember but to 
acknowledge his many accomplishments and his unique place in our 
history. The vast majority of Presidential scholars consider FDR to be 
one of our country's greatest Presidents. As we all know, FDR assumed 
the Presidency as this Nation confronted the Great Depression. His 
inspirational words of hope helped Americans get through some of the 
most difficult economic challenges in our history, and his bold

[[Page 4390]]

leadership and creative policies ultimately led us out of the Great 
Depression.

                              {time}  1500

  He showed us then, and I think we should all remember this now, that 
government can be a force for good. It can be an instrument to empower 
and to help people.
  For example, Social Security is one of FDR's greatest legacies. 
Today, Social Security provides half the income of 60 percent of our 
senior citizens. It is a program that keeps countless seniors from 
falling into poverty, the kind of devastating poverty that plagued so 
many before FDR's efforts. As we honor Franklin Delano Roosevelt's 
efforts today, we must recommit ourselves to protecting and 
strengthening Social Security. It can be there for our children and our 
grandchildren and our great-grandchildren.
  After America was attacked at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, FDR 
and the Greatest Generation rose to the defense of our country by 
fighting against the Axis Powers. Millions of men and women were 
mobilized for our war effort.
  These Americans came from small towns, large cities, regardless of 
race or class. They courageously defended our freedom. They sacrificed 
much, and our country's eternally grateful for their service.
  It is particularly fitting that we honor FDR now because 2004 is the 
60th anniversary of D-Day. In honoring FDR, we honor the young soldiers 
who stormed the beaches of France and turned the tide of World War II.
  This is also the year that we will dedicate the World War II memorial 
on the Washington Mall.
  Madam Speaker, I attend veterans events in my district all the time, 
and never is there a time when a World War II veteran does not come up 
to me and tell me how honored he was to serve under Franklin Delano 
Roosevelt. He was an extraordinary Commander in Chief.
  Following FDR's death on April 12, 1945, plans were formulated to 
honor FDR on the dime. The chief proponent of placing FDR's likeness on 
the dime was then-U.S. Representative Clyde Doyle of California; and 
Madam Speaker, at this point, I will insert the text of a letter 
written by Representative Doyle to the U.S. Mint in the Congressional 
Record.

                                                      May 3, 1945.
     Re To have the likeness of our late President Franklin Delano 
         Roosevelt placed on the dime.
     Director, Bureau of the Mint,
     Department of the Treasury,
     Washington, DC.
       My Dear Friend: A few days ago I received from you in 
     compliance with my request the listing of the relative place 
     in our currency circulation of the first three coins. I note 
     the dime is No. 3. Thank you for this information.
       As we stated in asking you therefor, I had in mind that it 
     would be proper to have the likeness of our great President, 
     Franklin Delano Roosevelt, placed on the dime. I say 
     ``proper'' for the following reasons, amongst others: First. 
     The dime was made famous over the world because of the 
     triumph by our great beloved President of great spirits, 
     heart, mind, and soul over physical infirmities and 
     handicaps. Second. It was made famous over the world because 
     of the March of Dimes which was sponsored by him in order 
     that the terrible disease of infantile paralysis might be 
     eliminated in the experience of all mankind. The millions of 
     dollars received has actually achieved a great deal in this 
     worthy objective. Third. Other coins of our great Nation have 
     had the likenesses of our great Presidents and citizens 
     placed upon them. Fourth. The circulation of the dime, while 
     No. 3 now in our Nation, is so rapidly increasing that it has 
     become almost the most popular coin in business. Fifth. The 
     dime has become a piece of money for which the average 
     American has real affection because of the identity thereof 
     with the March of Dimes.
       The other most commonly used coins each have the head of a 
     great American past President, to wit: The penny, Abraham 
     Lincoln; the nickel, Thomas Jefferson; the quarter, George 
     Washington. It would be very appropriate to have the replica 
     of this great American on one side of the time and the 
     replica of the Goddess of Liberty on the other side.
       I do not purpose to offer a bill on the floor of the House 
     in this regard, because I anticipate that a simpler and more 
     efficient process of doing this timely act would be by your 
     Department deciding so to do. If I am in error in this 
     important thought, I shall appreciate your advising in the 
     premise.
       I will say, from the Eighteenth Congressional District of 
     California, which I have the honor to represent, there come 
     frequent and very large numbers of requests that this 
     development in honor of this great American take place as 
     promptly as possible.
       If there is any reason why this cannot be done by you, 
     kindly call my attention thereto by reply mail.
       I have the honor to be,
           Sincerely yours,
                                                      Clyde Doyle,
     Member of Congress.
                                  ____

     Director, Bureau of the Mint,
     Department of the Treasury,
     Washington, DC.

                      Put a diamond on every dime.

       My Dear Friend: You were good enough on May 1 to answer my 
     inquiry of a few days before with reference to the 
     circulation of the dime and other American coins. Thank you 
     for the information.
       On May 3 I briefly wrote you on the subject of my earlier 
     phone communication to you. I see in my letter of May 3 that 
     I did not there include a sixth item, which I had intended to 
     do. So I do it now, and urge this sixth point to your 
     attention as to why the dime should have placed on one side 
     thereof, the likeness of our great President, Franklin Delano 
     Roosevelt. It is as follows:
       Sixth. A diamond on every dime. If this statement seems at 
     all odd at first glance, I hope that upon reflection it will 
     occur to you that it is most significant and indicative of 
     the fact that the American people, by and large, thought of 
     him in his lifetime and always will, as a genuine diamond. 
     Genuine diamonds being what they are in fact and in the minds 
     of people, I submit the phrase I am using as psychological 
     strength and reason for putting into effect this suggestion.
       Shortly after the death of our great leader, I had intended 
     to file a bill to effectuate the purpose of my suggestion to 
     you, but feeling it was a matter which should logically be 
     put into effect by our agreements between the proper 
     Government officials, rather than by congressional 
     legislation; and that it should be put into effect long 
     before congressional action might be concluded, I am going to 
     make remarks and put them in the Congressional Record in the 
     next day or two.
       Another suggestion I have is that if you do put the 
     likeness of this diamond of democracy on the dime, then there 
     should be nationwide--yes, worldwide recognition of your 
     doing so. It might be that an extra March of Dimes campaign 
     be conducted to raise additional money for the infantile-
     paralysis program, or conduct other or additional appropriate 
     national and even world recognition thereof.
       I have the honor to be,
           Respectfully yours,
                                                      Clyde Doyle,
                                               Member of Congress.

  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, as many people know, there is an effort 
underway by some of our colleagues to diminish FDR's legacy by taking 
his profile off the dime and replacing it with President Ronald 
Reagan's profile. I am not opposed to honoring President Reagan, who 
served our country with great distinction, but why in order to honor 
President Reagan must we dishonor President Roosevelt?
  I would like to explain to my colleagues the reasons why FDR is on 
the dime. Having been paralyzed by infantile paralysis, polio, FDR was 
a long-time supporter of efforts to eradicate the disease. In 1938, he 
founded the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, a national 
organization which raised funds to find a cure for polio.
  The following year, comedian Eddie Cantor asked the Nation to mail 
dimes to the White House to help the foundation; and in one month, the 
White House received $85,000 in dimes. Cantor declared it a March of 
Dimes, and the name became the lasting moniker for the foundation.
  The new FDR dime was issued on January 30, 1946, the date that would 
have been FDR's 64th birthday. In a broadcast kicking off the annual 
March of Dimes campaign on the same day, President Harry S. Truman 
declared: ``The fight to conquer infantile paralysis is an unfinished 
task of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It must and shall be carried to 
complete victory.''
  Madam Speaker, at this point, I include in the Congressional Record 
the March of Dimes statement against removing FDR's profile from the 
dime.

      March of Dimes Strongly Opposes Removal of FDR From the Dime

       The profile of President Franklin D. Roosevelt was placed 
     on the dime in 1946 to memorialize his 4 term Presidency, his 
     fight to find a vaccine to prevent polio, and the volunteer 
     movement epitomized by the March of Dimes. For all these 
     reasons, the March of

[[Page 4391]]

     Dimes strongly opposes efforts to remove FDR from the dime.
       The Franklin D. Roosevelt dime commemorates a national 
     movement that resulted in the eradication of polio from the 
     United States and in the near future from the entire world. 
     The efforts funded through the ``March of Dimes'' campaign 
     initiated by Roosevelt provided care for the victims of polio 
     while aggressively working to develop vaccines against it. 
     This represented one of the first large-scale, nationwide 
     biomedical initiatives, led by a charitable organization. It 
     also helped make the volunteer movement an integral part of 
     the fabric of American life.
       In January 1938, alarmed by decades of worsening polio 
     epidemics and the terrible toll the virus was taking on 
     America's young, President Roosevelt established the National 
     Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. The National Foundation 
     emphasized the nationwide significance and non-partisan 
     character of the polio crusade. FDR believed that people 
     could solve any problem if they worked together. Comedian 
     Eddie Cantor coined the phrase ``March of Dimes'' (playing on 
     the popular newsreel feature ``The March of Time''), 
     appealing to radio listeners all over the country to send 
     their dimes directly to the White House. The campaign proved 
     to be hugely successful with over 2.5 million dimes sent to 
     the White House the first year. The National Foundation 
     officially changed its name to the March of Dimes in 1979.
       The FDR dime not only commemorates his presidency, but 
     represents the American spirit of working together to help 
     one another. The coin is symbolic of the struggle to end 
     polio through the ``March of Dimes'' campaign and the 
     worldwide eradication of polio is expected in 2005. The dime 
     is a vehicle in which to explain what the volunteer spirit in 
     America means, it would be a shame to lose that.

  In response to the Reagan dime bill, I introduced H. Con. Res. 343, 
which expresses Congress's support for the FDR dime. It currently has 
130 cosponsors. In fact, Nancy Reagan supports leaving FDR on the dime. 
Mrs. Reagan said, ``While I can understand the intentions of those 
seeking to place my husband's face on the dime, I do not support this 
proposal, and I am certain Ronnie would not. When our country chooses 
to honor a great President such as FDR by placing his likeness on our 
currency, it would be wrong to replace him with another. It is my hope 
that this proposed legislation will be withdrawn.''
  I, at this point, would insert into the Congressional Record an 
editorial from the Gainesville Times on this issue.

              Honor Reagan? Fine. Dishonor Roosevelt? No.

       The latest lunacy to emanate from Congress needs to stop on 
     a dime: literally.
       Rep. Mark Souder, a Republican from Indiana, is miffed 
     about the miniseries now airing on Showtime, a premium cable 
     channel operated by CBS, on former President Ronald Reagan 
     and his wife, Nancy. The miniseries portrays Reagan, who 
     suffers from Alzheimer's, as a doddering, rather pathetic 
     figure and his wife as a calculating, domineering 
     manipulator.
       Therefore, according to Souder's logic, Reagan should 
     replace former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on the 
     dime.
       Souder and other conservatives, inside and outside 
     Congress, were outraged when CBS announced earlier this fall 
     that it would air ``The Reagans'' on network TV. CBS backed 
     off last month and sent the miniseries to Showtime, where it 
     plays to much smaller audiences. That hardly mollified Souder 
     and some of his colleagues in the House.
       ``It's what precipitated me introducing the bill . . . and 
     why it was a lot easier to get a lot of support,'' Souder 
     said of the miniseries, which he termed ``vile'' in a letter 
     to colleagues in support of his proposal.
       Souder claims to have the support of 88 other House 
     Republicans for his ridiculous idea. More than a dozen of 
     them are from California, where the Reagans make their home 
     and where Reagan is a former governor.
       In his effort to rewrite history and dishonor Roosevelt, 
     Souder trots out the ``L'' word in what's becoming a tiresome 
     exercise in partisan politics.
       ``I believe (Reagan) represents conservative values as we 
     would see them implemented through a president better than 
     anybody else we've had in American history,'' Souder said. 
     ``He, to conservatives, represents kind of the reverse of 
     FDR, who is kind of the liberal icon. Ronald Reagan is the 
     conservative icon.''
       We ``kind of'' miss Souder's point and why the obscure 
     congressman believes it's proper to replace Roosevelt on the 
     coin.
       The presidencies of Roosevelt and Reagan occurred nearly 50 
     years apart under circumstances that were quite different.
       While Reagan helped restore some resolve to American 
     foreign policy in the aftermath of the caution that resulted 
     from the disastrous Vietnam War and gets credit for cracking 
     the facade of communism, Roosevelt governed in much more dire 
     and challenging times.
       In 1933, FDR inherited a nation that was reeling from the 
     Great Depression, which began four years earlier when the 
     stock market crashed and set into motion the most cataclysmic 
     economic emergency in the nation's history. From Wall Street 
     to Main Street, panic reigned. Tens of millions of Americans 
     watched their savings, jobs and fortunes vanish.
       Roosevelt's innovative employment and economic programs, 
     and the sweeping changes that guaranteed the financial future 
     of older Americans with the creation of Social Security, 
     lifted the nation out of the Depression's nightmare.
       During World War II, Roosevelt and British Prime Minister 
     Winston Churchill turned back the horror of Nazi Germany in 
     North Africa and Europe and the brutal occupation of most of 
     Asia by the Japanese in leading history's greatest and most 
     successful coalition in the name of freedom.
       While Roosevelt and Churchill were hesitant to partner with 
     Soviet leader Josef Stalin and shortsightedly criticized for 
     doing so, they pragmatically understood the war against 
     Hitler could not be won without assisting the communists.
       Roosevelt an icon? How else to describe a president so 
     popular and successful he was elected to four terms as 
     president?
       We suspect that many of the Indiana voters represented by 
     Souder were helped to no small degree by the policies that 
     Roosevelt engineered until his death in 1945. Many of them 
     still are beneficiaries of Roosevelt's work.
       Reagan deserves an important place in history. And he has 
     won recognition for his achievements in many ways. Ronald 
     Reagan National Airport and the building that houses the 
     Justice Department are named for the former president, as 
     well as countless schools, streets, roads and bridges across 
     America.
       We respect the conservatism that Reagan personifies and the 
     conservative values that Souder desires so passionately to 
     honor. But removing Roosevelt from the dime is an illogical 
     and disrespectful way to do so.
       Roosevelt and Reagan both were great men and leaders. Few 
     rise to the office of the president without the extraordinary 
     qualities that both possessed.
       We would urge Souder and his colleagues to find a less 
     partisan and emotionally charged way to honor the 
     accomplishments of Ronald Reagan. He deserves better than the 
     outlandish scheme that Souder and his co-sponsors of the bill 
     offer.

  Mr. Speaker, FDR was a true liberal. He was a believer in dynamic and 
efficient government. He was not afraid to use government to lift 
people out of poverty or to help our children, our seniors, our 
farmers, our veterans, the unemployed, or those who have been forgotten 
by society.
  In his second inaugural address, he said: ``The test of our progress 
is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it 
is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.''
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand with my colleagues in honoring FDR. 
He was a wonderful President, and our Nation and our world is better 
for his service.
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I have no further speakers at this time and I support the adoption of 
House Joint Resolution 87.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. I yield to the gentleman from Missouri.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  I would like to, if I may, bring up a recollection. When I was a 
teenager, I had the opportunity to go to the little White House at 
Warms Spring, Georgia, and there displayed is a copy of the undelivered 
address, now infamous undelivered speech, that Franklin Delano 
Roosevelt was to give on the following day, April 13, by radio, Thomas 
Jefferson's birthday.
  Remember, those were very difficult times. We were involved in the 
Second World War, and it was a very hard time for our country; but I 
will never forget writing that speech down, and I copied it verbatim on 
a tablet with pencil, the final words of that undelivered address. The 
final words, ``Let us move forward, with strong and active faith,'' and 
I think those words would be well-emblazoned on what we say and what we 
do today. He added that the only limit to our realization of tomorrow 
will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active 
faith.

[[Page 4392]]

  So let us take a page not just from his life but take a page from 
that undelivered address, apply it to the challenges, and we have 
challenges of today, and move forward with strong and active faith.
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Skelton) for his eloquent recollections.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.J. Res. 87, which 
commemorates the contributions of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt 
on the anniversary of his birth.
  As this legislation so eloquently states, FDR's leadership ``was 
instrumental in extending freedom and democracy around the globe, and 
uniting the world confronted by tyranny and aggression.''
  Furthermore, he led the United States out of the Great Depression by 
initiating programs that provided employment and social services to the 
millions of people whose hopes had been dashed by joblessness and 
severe economic conditions nationwide.
  Mr. Speaker, I have a particular connection to FDR's legacy: As a 
young man living in war-torn Europe, I wrote an essay about his 
economic policies that helped secure a scholarship to the University of 
Washington. I went on to earn a Ph.D. in economics and to teach the 
subject at university level for 30 years. And when I later was honored 
with the opportunity to become a Member of Congress, I was able to join 
the House International Relations Committee to help build on the 
alliances that FDR forged, and--through co-founding and guiding the 
Congressional Human Rights Caucus--to further the principles for which 
President Roosevelt stood.
  That is why, Mr. Speaker, I raised my voice in protest to a 
preposterous proposal late last year to replace the portrait of 
Franklin Delano Roosevelt on the U.S. dime with a picture of Ronald 
Reagan. We can't let partisan politics simply wipe out national 
awareness of one of our greatest presidents. Our Nation and the world 
gained so much from the work of this one extraordinary man.
  This spring, the National World War II Memorial will open on the 
Washington Mall. Along with the unique and moving memorial to FDR 
nearby--a thought-provoking collection of sculptures and plaques, 
fountains and plantings, bordered by the Potomac and the placid Tidal 
Basin--the new monument will serve to remind Americans and visitors 
from around the globe of the accomplishments of this legendary leader.
  I am proud to contribute now to a congressional statement affirming 
our appreciation for the life and legacy of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 
and I urge all of our colleagues to support H.J. Res. 87.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the resolution 
honoring the life and legacy of the 32nd President of the United 
States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Unlikely to ever happen again, 
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected to the Presidency for four terms. 
Despite the health challenges of polio, his energy, wisdom, talent, and 
compassion for the common man lifted our country from the Great 
Depression and led our military against the Axis Powers of World War 
II.
  Following the example of his cousin President Theodore Roosevelt, 
Roosevelt chose a political-life in service to the public. In 1910, he 
first entered politics as a State Senator in New York. He went on to 
serve as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, a Vice-Presidential candidate 
to James Cox, and then Governor of New York. It was during his 
governorship that he realized his political career could continue, even 
with polio. During 1932, with million unemployed, most banks closed, 
and a world questioning the realities of capitalism, Roosevelt was 
elected to his first term as President. His determination to resolve 
devastating economic problems led him to call a Special Session of 
Congress during the first 100 days of his Presidency. Under his 
leadership, Congress took up emergency legislation to end the banking 
crisis and worked towards improving economic problems. Over the next 5 
years, Congress passed New Deal legislation. As a country facing large 
unemployment numbers, this President took bold steps through the Civil 
Works Administration and the Work Projects Administration to get 
Americans back to work. Furthermore, these programs led to the 
improvement of roads and the construction of new schools and libraries. 
Financial reforms were enacted to prevent future economic collapses. 
Programs, such as Social Security and unemployment insurance, were 
created to ensure that all Americans had enough money to survive in 
times of need. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 brought a minimum 
wage that guaranteed workers a wage that would keep workers out of 
poverty. His leadership provided our country with a new way of thinking 
that gave all citizens basic financial and economic stability. Later, 
as Hitler's armies marched through Europe and after the bombing of 
Pearl Harbor, FDR led our country into World War II. As commander-in-
chief for most of the war, he was largely responsible for the victory 
of United States and Allied powers.
  The accomplishments of Franklin Delano Roosevelt should be remembered 
by this Congress. His leadership gave hope to many who faced several 
years of economic hardships. Legislation passed during his Presidency 
allowed citizens to regain confidence in the national financial 
infrastructure. His New Deal programs, still leading political issues 
today, were significant in finding people new jobs and economic 
security. As commander-in-chief he successfully led our Nation into 
victory in World War II. Historians continue to rank him with 
Washington and Lincoln as one the top three President. Mr. Speaker, I 
ask all of my colleagues to support this resolution and this 
distinguished leader.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to rise in support of H.J. 
Res. 87, a timely resolution that expresses Congress's admiration and 
respect for the 20th century's greatest American leader.
  Franklin Delano Roosevelt started his political career in New York 
State by working vigorously for reform movements that would redefine 
the role of government, and he never stopped. The programs that 
epitomized the New Deal, had their genesis in Albany. As governor, 
Roosevelt implemented many of the innovative, progressive policies he 
would later introduce to the Nation as President. He expanded state 
assistance to social services and state agencies and eased the 
hardships on New York's agricultural industry by encouraging tax cuts 
for small farmers. Upon the onset of the Great Depression, he 
authorized the New York State Unemployment Relief Act and the Temporary 
Emergency Relief Administration.
  In 1928, Roosevelt won the Democratic nomination for Governor at the 
Naval Armory in my home city of Rochester, New York. While serving as 
Governor, his successes elevated him to national prominence, and in 
1932, he was elected President of the United States for the first of an 
unprecedented--and never to be repeated--four terms in office.
  In 1932, the Nation was plunged into the Great Depression that 
affected every American. Businesses failed; soup kitchens were set up 
to feed the longer and longer lines of the unemployed. Banks failed, 
mortgages were foreclosed and the Nation was filled with fear and 
despair. Roosevelt began the most comprehensive and innovative programs 
to put Americans back to work in our history. The Public Works 
Administration alone funded over 34,000 projects that put people to 
work building airports, highways, hospitals, schools, and universities.
  His Works Progress Administration (WPA) hired artists to enhance the 
projects and many of our most beautiful public buildings today were the 
work of the WPA. These publicly funded arts initiatives put famous 
artists such as Jackson Pollack, Milton Avery, and Stuart Davis to 
work. As an interesting side note, the red, white, and blue WPA logo 
remained on theater playbills and its initials were said to mean ``Work 
Pays America.'' We cannot forget the Civilian Conservation Corps which 
built national forests and did remedial work to restore and protect the 
land.
  Banking legislation protected deposits, and Social Security ensured 
that the elderly would not be destitute. The Tennessee Valley Authority 
brought electricity to parts of the country for the first time. 
Veterans returning home were given free education under the GI bill and 
bought homes with the VA low-rate mortgages. The middle class that 
emerged as a result of the policies of the Roosevelt administration has 
been the key to American economic stability, success, and innovation.
  He understood the desire of able bodied and able minded Americans to 
work and created jobs. He led America out of an economic depression not 
merely by giving government handouts, but by creating jobs.
  President Roosevelt showed his natural and inspiring leadership 
throughout World War II. When the nations of Europe began falling to 
the Nazis, one by one, the United States was hardly a military 
superpower. If anything, we were poorly prepared and equipped. In 1939, 
the U.S. Army had barely entered the new century; we still had cavalry 
troops. In record time, the innovative partnership Franklin Roosevelt 
established between government and private enterprise enabled American 
industry to provide the U.S. military with a fleet of 300,000 planes, 
100,000 tanks, and 87,000 warships to contribute in record time to the 
Allied cause. When the war effort outgrew all available space in 
Washington, Roosevelt's Department of Defense built the Pentagon in

[[Page 4393]]

a scant 16 months. Roosevelt's creative, visionary leadership enabled 
the Allies to marshal the resources, troops and equipment to defeat the 
Nazis and free most of Europe from their domination.
  Franklin Roosevelt embraced the unique capabilities of very 
individual and worked tirelessly to ensure that all Americans would be 
able to earn a living and build this great Nation. As a result of 
initiatives like the PWA, the WPA, and the CCC, the unemployed got 
jobs, people were able to support their families, and this Nation was 
able to grow and prosper. I hope that, as public servants, my 
colleagues will join me in following in his example by supporting 
honest policies that work to better the lives of American people.
  Franklin Roosevelt had great regard for public service, and served 
with a sense of responsibility and honor. His respect for the American 
people and the value he placed on their well-being and security drove 
everything he did. President Roosevelt came to embody strength, hope 
and resolve during some of the most difficult days in our Nation's 
history. From the economic distress of the Great Depression to the 
horrifying attack on Pearl Harbor that caused the Nation to enter World 
War II, Roosevelt's steadfast leadership ignited an economic engine and 
calmed a frightened nation.
  The legacy of his policies will certainly outlast my lifetime and 
will continue to benefit my children and grandchildren for years to 
come. We owe home an unpayable debt of gratitude.
  Only those closest to him realized that he couldn't walk unaided. As 
former Governor of New York, Mario Cuomo said ``Franklin Roosevelt 
lifted himself from his wheelchair to lift this nation from its 
knees.''
  Franklin Delano Roosevelt left us with some of the most memorable 
quotations of the century. He told us that, ``We have nothing to fear 
but fear itself.'' He offered ``a new deal'' to the Nation, and so 
perfectly encapsulated the American spirit by saying we would rather 
``die on our feet than live on our knees.'' Of all his many wise and 
eloquent pronouncements, however, I would leave you with this one:

       The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the 
     abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide 
     enough for those who have too little.

  I am honored to rise today to celebrate the extraordinary life and 
contributions of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I support the adoption of House 
Joint Resolution 87 that honors President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gilchrest). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Miller) that the 
House suspend the rules and agree to the joint resolution, H.J. Res. 
87.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. 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.

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