[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 7] [House] [Pages 9085-9090] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]SUPPORTING GOALS AND IDEALS OF A ROTARY INTERNATIONAL DAY Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 142) supporting the goals and ideals of a ``Rotary International Day'' and celebrating and honoring Rotary International on the occasion of its centennial anniversary. The Clerk read as follows: H. Res. 142 Whereas Rotary International, founded on February 23, 1905, in Chicago, Illinois, is the world's first service club and one of the largest nonprofit service organizations; Whereas there are more than 1.2 million Rotary International club members comprised of professional and business leaders in more than 31,000 clubs in more than 165 countries; Whereas the Rotary International motto, ``Service Above Self'', inspires members to provide humanitarian service, meet high ethical standards, and promote international good will; Whereas Rotary International funds club projects and sponsors volunteers with community expertise to provide medical supplies, health care, clean water, food production, job training, and education to millions in need, particularly in developing countries; Whereas in 1985, Rotary International launched Polio Plus and spearheaded efforts with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the United Nations Children's Fund (``UNICEF'') to immunize the children of the world against polio; Whereas polio cases have dropped by 99 percent since 1988, and the world now stands on the threshold of eradicating the disease; Whereas Rotary International is the largest privately- funded source of international scholarships in the world and promotes international understanding through scholarships, exchange programs, and humanitarian grants; Whereas since 1947, more than 35,000 students from 110 countries have studied abroad as Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars; Whereas Rotary International's Group Study Exchange program has helped more than 46,000 young professionals explore career fields in other countries; Whereas 8,000 secondary school students each year experience life in another country through Rotary International's Youth Exchange Program; [[Page 9086]] Whereas over the past five years, members throughout all fifty States of Rotary International have hosted participants in Open World, a program sponsored by the Library of Congress, and therefore have earned the honor of serving as Open World's most outstanding host; Whereas there are approximately 400,000 Rotary International club members in more than 7,700 clubs throughout the United States sponsoring service projects to address critical issues such as poverty, health, hunger, illiteracy, and the environment in their local communities and abroad; and Whereas February 23, 2005, would be an appropriate date to observe Rotary International Day: Now, therefore, be it; Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) supports the goals and ideals of a ``Rotary International Day'' to celebrate the centennial anniversary of Rotary International; and (2) recognizes Rotary International for 100 years of service to improving the human condition in communities throughout the world. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen). {time} 1500 General Leave Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks, and to include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration, H. Res. 142. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Capito). Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Florida? There was no objection. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As a member of the Committee on Government Reform, and as one of the 73 cosponsors, I am pleased to rise in support of House Resolution 142 that honors Rotary International on the occasion of its centennial anniversary. Rotary is a global organization of business and professional leaders that provide humanitarian services and works to provide good will and peace in the world. The organization boasts approximately 1.2 million members, called Rotarians, who belong to more than 31,000 Rotary clubs currently located in 167 countries. The efforts of Rotary clubs encourage high ethical standards in all vocations. Rotary International was founded on February 23, 1905, in Chicago, Illinois, in the hometown and the district of my colleague, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis). It became the world's first club devoted to public service and quickly grew into one of the largest nonprofit service organizations. Today, there are nearly 400,000 Rotarians in the U.S. Membership provides the opportunity to make a difference within communities by working with each other and with local humanitarian and business leaders. A person can even learn about and become involved in international issues through Rotary programs. Madam Speaker, next month, I understand that the Rotary will be hosting a great celebration in Chicago to mark its hundredth anniversary, and it will be from June 18 to June 22. On this occasion, the 2005 Rotary International convention will be a great event, and we wish the best to the Rotary and all Rotarians in their festivities. Madam Speaker, I congratulate the distinguished gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky) for her benevolence in advancing such a worthy resolution. I congratulate Rotary International for 100 years of tremendous service to our Nation and to the world. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky). Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. As the author of this legislation, and with the honor of representing the Ninth Congressional District of Illinois, home to the headquarters of Rotary International, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 142, a bill marking 100 years of service to humanity by Rotarians around the world. I am so happy that the other body, under the leadership of our Illinois Senator, Richard Durbin, also passed an identical resolution. I want to thank the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Government Reform for their assistance in moving this bill to the floor, and my colleague, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk), for his support of this legislation. The celebration of Rotary's centennial will culminate in the place where it all began, Chicago, during the organization's upcoming convention to be held in mid-June. There, Rotarians from all over the world will mark 100 years of service to humanity and to rededicate themselves to Rotary's ongoing mission of service above self. Rotary International was founded on February 23, 1905, in Chicago, Illinois. It is the world's first service club and one of the largest nonprofit service organizations in the world. Rotary provides humanitarian services, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build good will and peace in the world. Approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 31,000 Rotary clubs located in 167 countries. Approximately 400,000 Rotarians belong to clubs throughout the United States and in virtually every congressional district. The world's Rotary clubs meet weekly and are nonpolitical, nonreligious, and open to all cultures, all races, and all creeds. The main objective of Rotary is service in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world. Rotarians develop community service projects that address many of today's most critical issues, such as children at risk, poverty and hunger, the environment, illiteracy, and violence. They also support programs for youth, educational opportunities, and international exchanges for students, teachers and other professionals, and vocational career development. The Rotary motto of ``Service Above Self'' is an example for all humanity, and certainly one for the Members of this body. Today, Rotarians are united in a campaign for the global eradication of polio. In the 1980s, Rotarians raised $240 million to immunize the children of the world. By the end of 2005, the Polio Plus program will have contributed $500 million to this cause. Rotary has provided an army of volunteers to promote and assist at national immunization days in polio endemic countries around the world. In 2000, I had the privilege of traveling to India with President Clinton and happened to be there on a weekend when Rotary was doing immunizations of children in India against polio. Along with many coalition partners, the Rotarians succeeded in immunizing approximately 125 million people in a weekend. Imagine the kind of volunteer effort it took for such a massive campaign and for such great results. Due in large part to Rotary's efforts, the number of polio cases has fallen from an estimated 350,000 in 1988 to less than 1,300 in 2004, a more than 99 percent decline in reported cases. More than 200 countries and territories are polio-free. From the launch of the global initiative in 1988 to the eradication target date of 2005, five million people who would otherwise have been paralyzed will be walking because they have been immunized against polio. It is my hope that today we will not only pass this resolution but that we will also dedicate ourselves to meeting Rotary International's call for adequate funding for the fight against polio in 2006. Rotary is seeking a total of $106.4 million for the polio eradication efforts of the CDC and $32 million for the polio eradication activities of USAID. This Congress should support Rotary's great work by providing those needed funds. Rotary International shares the mission that drives so many of us in this body. Rotary International promotes world understanding through international and humanitarian service programs and educational and cultural exchanges. It is supported solely by volunteer contributions from Rotarians [[Page 9087]] and others who share its vision of a better world. Since 1947, the foundation has awarded more than $1.1 billion in humanitarian and educational grants. Again, I want to urge my colleagues to join me in passing this legislation in honoring the work and members of Rotary International for 100 years of service to humanity and for their role in improving the world. I hope over the next 100 years Rotary's membership will continue to grow and its great service will continue. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as she may consume to my distinguished colleague, the gentlewoman from the State of Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn), who is also a Rotarian. Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for yielding me this time, and I want to commend the gentlewoman from Illinois for her fine work on this piece of legislation, and I would like to encourage my colleagues to all join me in supporting House Resolution 142 and honoring the goals and the ideals of Rotary International and Rotary International Day on their hundredth anniversary. It is a wonderful organization. Growing up, I learned that giving back to your community should be a goal that each and every one of us would have. And with its ``Service Above Self'' motto, Rotary International truly is living up to that standard of giving back. As an active Rotarian, I have had the opportunity to participate in so many events, programs, and projects that have been carried out by my Rotary club and by other Rotary clubs in my congressional district in Tennessee. The gentlewoman from Illinois spoke a little about some of those projects, and it does not matter if you are in Nashville or Memphis or Clarksville, or anywhere in the Seventh District of Tennessee or around our great State, you are going to see that Rotary clubs are making a difference in each and every kind of project, from immunizations for children, which is a worldwide project for Rotaries, and then to things like the National Rotary Club, supporting the Boys and Girls Club and Second Harvest Food Bank, and providing scholarships. Also, in Memphis, they have awarded thousands of dollars in small grants to teachers who are working to improve literacy in that great city. I want to send my thanks to the 1.2 million Rotary club members who are working to make that difference in communities around the globe, and I want to commend our international Rotarians who are now in 165 different countries for their commitment to service above self and improving the quality of life for each and every man and woman. Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. It is with great pleasure I join with my colleagues and friends in support of H. Res. 142, supporting the goals and ideals of a Rotary International Day and celebrating and honoring Rotary International on the occasion of its centennial celebration. Rotary International is one of the most well-known and respected service organizations in the world. What many people do not know, however, is that the organization began in 1905, when Paul Harris, a Chicago attorney, invited three friends to a meeting: Silvester Schiele, a coal dealer; Hiram Shorey, a merchant tailor; and Gustavus Loehr, a mining engineer. All four men gathered in Loehr's business office in room 711 of the Unity Building at 127 North Dearborn, in my district of downtown Chicago. They discussed Harris' idea that business leaders should meet periodically to enjoy camaraderie and to enlarge their circle of business and professional acquaintances. The club met weekly. Membership was limited to one representative from each business and profession. And though the men did not use the term ``rotary'' that night, that gathering is commonly regarded as the first Rotary club meeting. The name Rotary was suggested later by Paul Harris, as meetings were rotated from one office in the early days of the organization to another. As the Rotary club began to grow nationwide, the focus of the club expanded from simply serving the professional and social needs of its club members to trying to address the problems that existed in their communities. Since its inception, Rotary International has been a source of inspiration to people all over the world. In 1945, 49 Rotary members served in 29 delegations to the United Nations Charter Conference. Today, the Rotary club is still an active participant in several United Nations programs. In addition to their commitment to diplomacy, Rotarians have taken the lead on many international crises. In 1985, they made a commitment to immunize all of the world's children for polio. To this day, Rotary is the largest private-sector contributor to the global polio eradication program. As we honor Rotary International for their profound contributions to our world, I am pleased to say that the organization continues to grow. Today, 1.2 million Rotarians belong to 31,000 Rotary clubs in 166 countries. Madam Speaker, I would also like to take this moment to thank my colleague, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), for her leadership in bringing this important legislation to the floor. I would also like to thank the members of the Rotary club for serving our communities and helping to make the world a better place for all of us to live in. Madam Speaker, I have no additional requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my distinguished colleague, the gentleman from the State of Illinois (Mr. Kirk), who is also a Rotarian. Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time; and I commend my colleague, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), for offering this resolution commending Rotary on its anniversary, headquartered in Evanston, Illinois, on Chicago's North Shore. In 1905, in Chicago, Illinois attorney Paul Harris invited three friends to dinner. He envisioned a new kind of group of professionals that would meet to cultivate their civic ties. The group met regularly, became the Rotary Club of Chicago, and changed its focus to community service. We have come a long way since 1905. Now, with 400,000 Rotarians, like the Highland Park Morning Rotary Club that I belong to, and over 7,000 clubs throughout the United States, they are fighting poverty and hunger and illiteracy and working to support the environment. But Rotary should be known especially for one project, Polio Plus. {time} 1515 It is with this privately funded and organized group that dedicated itself to wiping out a disease from the face of the planet, building on the precedent of wiping out smallpox, Rotary chose to wipe out polio which crippled our President Roosevelt and many other Americans. With this massive immunization program, joined in with the United Nations and the U.S. Government, Rotary's vision has now led us to a world where 99 percent of polio has been eradicated. In just a few years' time, Rotary is going to give a great gift to the world. It is a world without polio. It embodies Rotary's motto, Service Above Self, giving a victory and a gift to all future generations. The House here commends Rotary and I commend my colleague for bringing this, headquartered on Chicago's North Shore, embodying the great American civic spirit. Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to be here today to support the goals and ideals of Rotary International Day. The Rotary Foundation has led the Global Effort to eradicate polio by vaccinating every child in the world. They have sent scholars, teachers and tradesmen from every nation to every nation to serve as ambassadors of goodwill to promote peace and understanding. They are leaders in their community, in business and in government. They are entrepreneurs that further the American economy and American ideals, and I thank them. In my own district of Houston Texas, the Rotary Club of Gulfway-Hobby Airport engages in a number of charitable projects throughout the year. Founded on January 22, [[Page 9088]] 1951, the South Houston Rotary Club was organized that night and was off and running with George Washington Christy being installed as the first president. Gulfway-Hobby Airport Rotary Club, over this 50 years plus time span, has been one of the most active, ``Service Above Self'' clubs in District 5890. Their biggest charitable event is called Challenge Air and is held annually. The Rotary Club, with the support of the local aviation community provides pilots, airplanes, food, and gifts for wheelchair bound students. Held on a weekend, the students are given the opportunity to visit the hanger of one of the fixed base operators at Hobby Airport and then are taken for flights over Houston in private planes. In addition, the Gulfway-Hobby Airport Rotary Club hosts a New Years Eve Party at Golden Age Manor Nursing Home and provides $8,000-$16,000 in academic scholarships awarded to local high school graduates. Organizations such as these are invaluable to our communities, and we must do what we can to support and encourage their activities. Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 142, Supporting the Goals and Ideals of a ``Rotary International Day'' and celebrating and honoring Rotary International on the occasion of its centennial anniversary. Since 1905 when the first Rotary Club was founded in Chicago by Paul Harris, Rotarians have been dedicated to the principle of ``Service above Self.'' Though this principle has been embodied in various ways and mottos throughout Rotary's history, this ethic of service has always been rooted at the core of the organization and in the hearts of Rotarians throughout the world. Today 1.2 million Rotarians put service above self in more than 30,100 Clubs in over 160 countries. In 1985 Rotary International launched PolioPlus, a program to immunize all the world's children against polio by the centennial anniversary of Rotary's founding. To date, the PolioPlus program has committed more than $500 million to the protection of more than two billion children in 122 countries. These funds are providing much needed polio vaccine, operational support, medical personnel, laboratory equipment and educational materials for health workers and parents. With its community-based network worldwide, Rotary is the volunteer arm of the global partnership dedicated to eradicating polio. Rotary volunteers assist in vaccine delivery, social mobilization, logistical help and other services which cannot be quantified in dollars alone. From the earliest days of the organization, Rotarians were concerned with promoting high ethical standards in their professional lives. One of the world's most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics is The Four-Way Test, which was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor. Rotarians challenge themselves in their daily lives to ask the following four questions of the things they think, say or do: 1. Is it the truth? 2. Is it fair to all concerned? 3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships? 4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned? In the forty-ninth Congressional district alone Rotary International is represented by the Rotary Clubs of Vista, Bonsall, Fallbrook, Oceanside, Valley Center, Perris, Murrieta, Temecula, Temecula Sunrise, Sun City--Menifee and Lake Elsinore. Rotary is among the finest of organizations and I join in celebrating with all Rotarians the one hundredth anniversary of their founding and wish them another one hundred years of success. Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, as an original cosponsor, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 142 to support the goals and ideals of `Rotary International Day' and to celebrate and honor Rotary International on the occasion of its centennial anniversary. Rotary began in my district, the U.S. Virgin Islands with what was called non-district clubs. The first non-district club to receive a charter was The Rotary Club of St. Thomas in 1957, followed by The Rotary Club of St. Croix in 1958 and from their inception they emphasized their commitment of Service Above Self. Rotary West of St. Croix for example has provided (5) $1,000 scholarship for graduating seniors from St. Croix high schools for over 25 years. They have also donated over 350 wheelchairs to residents of St. Croix and Haiti, and provided over 3 trailers loads of dry goods to the residents of Grenada in the wake of the disaster they suffered last year. Just this past March, they presented a $10,000 check to Juan Luis Hospital to help the facility purchase an EEG machine. On St. Thomas, three 2004 graduates of the Ivanna Eudora Kean High School were given full four-year scholarship awards to attend the University of the Virgin Islands, thanks to Rotary Club of St. Thomas East. St. Thomas' Rotary East works closely with students at Eudora Kean, its adopted school, year-round and at the end of the year it awards up to four scholarships to deserving graduates. With Rotary International in its 100th year, each club is mandated to create a special project. For its Centennial project, Rotary East created a tropical arboretum with the help of Kean students, planting 100 trees on the school's campus concentrating on native species, such as pink cedar and sea grape trees. Madam Speaker, I am pleased that Rotary International and the U.S. Coalition for the Eradication of Polio have chosen to recognize me as a 2003 Rotary ``Congressional Champion of Polio Eradication. The drive to eradicate polio has been one of the largest private-public sector initiatives ever organized. Rotary International has been working since 1985 to help eradicate polio from the world and it is now possible. They have mobilized tens of thousands of Rotarians to work together with their national ministries of health, UNICEF and the World Health Organization, and with health providers at the grassroots level in thousands of communities. By the time polio has been eradicated, Rotary International will have expended more than $500 million of its own money on the effort. I am pleased to support H. Res. 142 and applaud Rotary International for all of their good work in service to their community. I urge my colleagues to support passage of the resolution. Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, let me take this means to congratulate Rotary International on the occasion of its centennial anniversary. The world's first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago, was formed on February 23, 1905, by Paul P. Harris. Through the years, Rotary's popularity has spread across the nation and the world and its mission has expanded well beyond serving the professional interests of local chapters. Rotary has been instrumental in pooling resources to assist communities in need across the world. In 1985, Rotary made an historic commitment to immunize all of the world's children against polio. Working in partnership with nongovernmental organizations and national governments, Rotary is the largest private-sector contributor to the global polio eradication campaign. In fact, in 2005, Rotarians joined with representatives from global health networks to mark the 50th anniversary of the declaration of Dr. Jonas Salk's polio vaccine as safe and effective. Rotary has also worked to meet the changing needs of society, addressing critical problems surrounding illiteracy, world hunger, and at risk children. Madam Speaker, I have visited countless Rotary Clubs throughout Missouri's Fourth Congressional District. On each occasion, I am humbled by the hard work and friendly spirit of the community leaders who belong to this organization. I congratulate them on 100 years of community service and I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 142. Mr. REYES. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 142, a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of a ``Rotary International Day'' and celebrating and honoring Rotary International on the occasion of its centennial anniversary. Today we commemorate the 100th anniversary of Rotary International and express our appreciation for the organization's service to our congressional districts, including my district of El Paso, Texas. Rotary International's service also extends to people around the globe, with 1.2 million Rotarians at 31,000 Rotary clubs in 167 countries. The El Paso Rotary Club has served my district since 1914. Mr. Frank Hoy, President of the El Paso Rotary Club, leads a group of 300 members that conducts many important activities throughout the year that are of great benefit to our community. I am pleased to be participating in their annual Independence Day parade again this year. Madam Speaker, I sincerely congratulate Rotary International and the El Paso Rotary Club on this important occasion, and I thank them for their continued service to the 16th District of Texas, our Nation, and the world. Mr. SHAYS. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 142, supporting the goals and ideals of a ``Rotary International Day'' and celebrating and honoring Rotary International on the occasion of its centennial anniversary. On Rotary International's 100th anniversary, we celebrate their extraordinary contributions to communities around the world. A worldwide organization of business and professional leaders, Rotary provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build goodwill and peace in the world. This extraordinary organization is the world's first service club and one of the largest [[Page 9089]] nonprofit service organizations. Dedicated to their motto ``Service Above Self,'' Rotary has maintained their focus on service. In fact, to celebrate their 100th Anniversary, Rotary designated April 2005 ``Centennial Service Above Self Volunteer Month.'' Each club member wasencouraged to volunteer at least 10 hours of personal time in service to others, focusing on meeting community needs, lending vocational expertise, and assisting communities abroad. As Co-Chair of the Congressional National Service Caucus, I am grateful for Rotary's commitment to our communities. Approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 31,000 Rotary clubs, which fund club projects and sponsor volunteers to provide medical supplies, health care, clean water, food production, job training, and education to millions in need, particularly in developing countries. I am proud to have Rotary International Clubs in 14 towns in my District, including Bridgeport, Darien, Fairfield, Greenwich, Byram-Cos Cob, Derby-Shelton, Monroe, New Canaan, Norwalk, Ridgefield, Seymour- Oxford, Trumbull, Westport and Wilton. I congratulate Rotary International and its members on the occasion of their centennial celebration and urge passage of this resolution. Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 142, a resolution commending the goals and ideals of Rotary International as it celebrates its 100th anniversary. Rotary International is a network of professionals who have pooled their talents in pursuit of improving the communities in which they live. I also commend the four Rotary International clubs on Guam that have provided leadership and set a high standard for service that is very much appreciated by our community. As America's first service organization, Rotary International embraces the ideal of providing for the wellbeing of the community before self. Today, Rotary International continues to expand its reach across continents to foster international understanding, and is now active in one hundred sixty-seven countries. One of Rotary International's current initiatives, the Polio Plus program, will immunize children throughout the world against polio. Since the implementation of Polio Plus, the Rotary International has, in cooperation with other multinational organizations such as the United Nations World Health Organization, managed to reduce the number of polio cases worldwide by ninety-nine percent. Other successful humanitarian endeavors include bringing treatment for preventing blindness to indigent patients in the Philippines, building schools in Turkey, and providing educational fellowships and grants for young people. Rotary International has dedicated significant resources to funding its fellowship and scholarship programs for citizens interested in studying abroad and pursuing scholarly work in global conflict resolution. Educational and community outreach to young citizens are examples of Rotary International's commitment to fostering international understanding and its belief that the virtue of volunteerism will provide positive change in the world at-large. I would like to commend Rotary International for its service to the international community and continued efforts to assist underserved populations of the world. Its vision of global understanding and commitment to service are truly noble core values. I also want to specifically congratulate the Rotary International clubs established in Guam, as well as their respective club presidents, for the hard work and commitment to community service that they have demonstrated over the years. They are: Dr. Ron McNinch, Tumon Bay; Mr. Mike Perrin, Guam; Mr. Curtis Dancoe, Guam Sunrise; and Mr. Lee Yudin, Northern Guam. I also want to extend my appreciation to the Assistant District Governor for the Pacific Basin Group, George Benoit. Today we honor the Rotary International organization, which embodies the principle that we must, as individuals, strive for goals greater than our own self interest. Through community service, we can help form a world that is a better place to live for all of us. Congratulations to Rotary International. To the Rotary Club of Guam, the Rotary Club of Tumon Bay, the Rotary Club of Guam Sunrise and the Rotary Club of Northern Guam, thank you very much for all you have done to promote community values in Guam. Mr. EMANUEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 142, honoring Rotary International on the occasion of the organization's one hundred year anniversary. I am proud to note that the Rotary Club was founded in 1905 by Paul P. Harris in my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Over the past century, the Rotary Club has grown into one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the world. Rotary's Membership includes 1.2 million professional and business leaders who belong to 31,000 clubs in over 165 countries. These members adhere to the Rotary's motto, ``Service Above Self,'' through community service projects, high moral conduct, and promotion of international good will. In 1985, Rotary International launched PolioPlus, an effort to immunize the children of the world against Polio. Rotary's efforts in conjunction with the WHO, CDC and UNICEF have nearly eradicated the disease, reducing worldwide incidence from 350,000 cases in 1988 to 1,266 cases in 2004. By the end of 2005, PolioPlus will have donated over $500 million to this remarkable effort. Since its inception in 1947, the Rotary Foundation has awarded over $1.1 billion in humanitarian and educational grants, focusing on international humanitarian service programs and educational and cultural exchanges. The scholarship program established by Rotary International is the largest privately-funded source of international scholarships in the world. Through this program, 8,000 secondary school students have studied abroad, 35,000 students have participated in the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars program, and 46,000 young professionals have explored careers in other countries. Next month, over 37,000 members representing 150 countries will attend the 2005 Centennial Rotary International Convention in Chicago as apart of the greatest celebration in Rotary's history. On behalf of the people of Chicago, I would like to welcome these members to the birthplace of their organization. Madam Speaker, I congratulate Rotary International and all of its members worldwide for their impressive accomplishments over the past one hundred years in the areas of community service, Polio eradication and international exchange. I look forward to another hundred years of commendable service to the country and the world. Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. As the resolution notes, Rotary was founded in Chicago, Illinois, on 23 February 1905, and Rotarians now have set an example of a full century of service to their communities. But Rotary is more than history. Today there are more than 400,000 Rotarians in the United States and more than 1.2 million Rotarians in over 32,000 clubs in 166 nations throughout the world--including 20 clubs in Colorado's 2nd Congressional District alone. Rotarians provide tangible demonstrations of the power of their ideal and motto of ``Service Above Self'' by their efforts around the world toward elimination of diseases and the improvement of health as well as the provision of potable water and education for all. And over the years, through The Rotary Foundation, they have provided generously for undertakings that have improved the condition of people in all parts of the world. In particular, Rotary International and its members have provided essential support toward the eradication of polio, measles, and other diseases, including donations of more than $600 million toward this cause, and have provided vaccines for immunizing over 2 billion children in the world. And in addition, Rotary Clubs annually provide tens of millions of dollars of local and global humanitarian support through grants, the services of Rotary Volunteers and matching grants. In the field of education, Rotary Clubs collectively are among the largest private provider of scholarships in the history of the world, annually providing scholarships to tens of thousands of students. Also, Rotary International has sent over 200,000 students on Youth Exchange programs that foster understanding of people throughout the world as well as the development of leaders who go on to serve society. And Rotary International has provided $80 million to promote Group Study Exchanges of over 42,000 young adults for extended visits to other countries and to the United States where they learn, teach and create deep relationships, understanding and appreciation for different cultures. So, it is very appropriate for Congress, through this resolution, to recognize Rotary International and Rotarians in every State and around the world as they commemorate and celebrate Rotary's centennial and to encourage them to work for even greater success in their second century of service. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, again, I am pleased to be associated with House Resolution 142. I urge all of my distinguished colleagues to support its adoption. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Capito). The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 142. [[Page 9090]] 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. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam 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. ____________________