[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15768-15771]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      SUPPORTING CONSTITUTION DAY

  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1612) expressing the support for and honoring 
September 17, 2010 as ``Constitution Day''.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1612

       Whereas the Constitution of the United States was signed on 
     September 17, 1787, by 39 delegates from 12 States;
       Whereas the Constitution was subsequently ratified by each 
     of the original 13 States;
       Whereas the Constitution was drafted in order to form a 
     more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic 
     tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the 
     general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for the 
     citizens of the United States;
       Whereas the Constitution has provided the means and 
     structure for this Nation and its citizens that is 
     unparalleled by any other country;
       Whereas the Constitution's contributions to the welfare of 
     the human race reach far beyond the borders of the United 
     States;
       Whereas the House of Representatives continues to strive to 
     preserve and strengthen the values and rights bestowed by the 
     Constitution upon the United States and its citizens;
       Whereas the Constitution is recognized by many to be the 
     most significant and important document in history for 
     establishing freedom and justice through democracy;
       Whereas the Constitution deserves the recognition, respect, 
     and reverence of all people in the United States;
       Whereas every person in the United States should celebrate 
     the freedom and responsibilities of the Constitution;
       Whereas the preservation of such values and rights in the 
     hearts and minds of United States citizens would be advanced 
     by official recognition of the signing of the Constitution; 
     and
       Whereas September 17, 2010, is designated as ``Constitution 
     Day'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports ``Constitution Day''; and
       (2) calls upon the people of the United States to observe 
     the day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. McCollum). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. 
Chaffetz) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Missouri?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  It is no exaggeration to say that the United States Constitution is 
one of the most important documents in history. Its framework for our 
representative and democratic system of government has served the 
American people well for over two centuries, making it the oldest 
federal constitution still in use in the world. Its separation of 
powers, checks and balances, and preservation of rights has been an 
example to burgeoning democracies everywhere. I think that all 
Americans should take time to read and study the Constitution. The 
values and principles it enshrines are central to our Nation's 
identity.
  House Resolution 1612 was introduced on September 14, 2010, by my 
colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta). It enjoys the 
bipartisan support of 50 cosponsors. And I am sure that my colleagues 
will agree that it is a privilege for us to serve in this Chamber, 
serving, protecting, and defending the United States Constitution. I am 
glad that we are taking the opportunity today to honor that most 
treasured document.
  In closing, let us all be sure to keep the principles of the 
Constitution in our hearts and on our minds every day as we continue to 
work for a more perfect union.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today in support of House Resolution 1612, expressing support 
for and honoring September 17, 2010 as ``Constitution Day.''
  Madam Speaker, I would first like to commend my distinguished 
colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta), for introducing this 
bipartisan resolution for the second year in a row. It serves as an 
important reminder of the ideals and principles contained within a 
document that we have all sworn to uphold and protect.
  Madam Speaker, Friday marks the 223rd anniversary of the signing of 
the Constitution of the United States of America. On September 17, 
1787, 12 State delegations, comprising a total of 39 delegates to the 
Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, signed a 
historic document that has guided our Nation for centuries. While this 
concluded the Constitutional Convention, the Constitution didn't truly 
take effect until New Hampshire became the ninth State to ratify it on 
June 21, 1788.
  At some 4,400 words, the Constitution is not only the shortest 
charter of government for any major country in the world, but also the 
oldest. Madam Speaker, it is truly remarkable that a document authored 
over two centuries

[[Page 15769]]

ago has been able to stand the test of time and continues to provide a 
foundation for our Nation even to this day.
  I encourage every American to take time this Friday to celebrate and 
remember the freedoms and values contained within this document that 
sadly we have all too often taken for granted.
  Madam Speaker, it is truly an honor and privilege to be able to speak 
on the floor of the House of Representatives about the Constitution, 
and I urge all Members to join me in strong support of this resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time on this 
side, and I continue to reserve.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, we have two additional speakers, but at 
this time I would like to yield such time as he may consume to the 
prime sponsor of the resolution, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta).
  Mr. LATTA. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I 
appreciate his kind words. I am honored to rise today in support of 
House Resolution 1612, which honors our United States Constitution on 
September 17 as Constitution Day.
  You know, in the not-too-recent past, too few people in this country 
knew what was in this document. As the gentleman has previously said, 
it is about 4,400 words. That is all there is, 4,400 words. But I think 
over the last couple of years, more and more people are turning to it 
to find out exactly what is in here and how this place operates and how 
this country operates. And I think it is important. I have always been 
a student of history, and I think it is important to know where we came 
from in order to know where we are going. I think it is important that 
folks recognize September 17, that they should sit down and just start 
leafing through the Constitution.

                              {time}  1210

  I know this coming Friday, when we are all back in our districts 
again, I'm going to be back in my district talking at a school. From 
there, I'm going to go to a university in my district and talk about 
the Constitution and what it means to us. I think it's important that 
people know what it is because, again, as I said, people have got to 
understand how we are and why we are the way we are.
  As the gentleman has said, this document has been in existence for 
223 years from September 17. As just a little bit of background on how 
we got here, James Madison, when he was still in Virginia, really 
understood that the Articles of Confederation weren't working in this 
country. There was a dispute that was going on, and they wanted to 
really get something worked out with Maryland, so they kind of sat down 
and came up with an idea of having some kind of a get-together, a 
meeting, in Philadelphia.
  The question really was at that time: Were they going to, A, just 
look at the Articles of Confederation and try to amend those, which is 
what a lot of the delegates who attended thought they were doing, or, 
as Madison thought, were they really going to sit down and bring forth 
a great new document that would get us past that trying time in our 
country's history and move us forward?
  There was great debate, because as they assembled in 1787, in May of 
that year, and as the delegates were coming in from around the country 
from 13 States, in the debate, they were saying, Well, we should be 
doing this or we shouldn't be doing that because we're only supposed to 
be here for the Articles of Confederation; but folks really started 
sitting down and looking at the issue.
  As they were looking at this, more and more people came to the 
conclusion which Madison had, and he had gone there prepared. It's 
amazing what he had done if you look at his background and what Madison 
was, but he went there. He had gone through the ancient charters, going 
back to Greece, to Rome, going across the world; and he looked at the 
best that was there at that time that they could examine. He brought 
those things with him, and then the debates began.
  The great thing about it was there were debates, and there was open 
discussion, but the open discussion was only amongst the members 
because, during that time, they said, you know, We do not want this to 
get out, so they actually closed the doors and shut the windows. Now, 
you've got to remember that this was one of the hottest years that they 
had had on record for a summer in Philadelphia. They closed the 
windows. They posted a guard at the door, and they didn't want anybody 
to know what the discussions were. Everybody was under pretty much an 
oath of secrecy that they would not go out and discuss what was being 
said in there at that time. We would know it today as a complete press 
blackout.
  Though some of the members got disgruntled, they went home. Some of 
them came back, but some of them just said, You know what? I'm fed up 
with this. We shouldn't be doing what we're doing, and they left. Yet 
the ones who stuck it out are the ones to whom we owe our being where 
we are today.
  You start looking at this document and the people that presided over 
that Constitutional Convention--you know, George Washington being the 
presiding officer, and then also was the deputy from Virginia. You look 
at some other individuals--Alexander Hamilton from New York, Benjamin 
Franklin, Robert Morris, Governor Morris of Pennsylvania, of course 
James Madison, who we all know is the Father of our Constitution. These 
individuals made sure that they put forth a document that we would have 
and hold so dear to us today.
  There were a lot of people at that time from around the world who 
were still looking at this fledgling country and asking, Can it really 
exist? Can it survive? But this little document, these 4,400 words, 
showed the world who we were as Americans and what we stood for.
  Now, there was a lot of conflict, and there were a lot of things on 
which they could not come to a resolution during that time--slavery was 
one of them--but they hoped at some point in time that Americans would 
come to a resolution on that. As we saw this document progress during 
that time. On September 17, 1787, they finally came to a resolution, 
and they signed the document.
  It's interesting because it's reported that, when Benjamin Franklin 
left Constitution Hall, a woman met him outside. She asked--and I'm 
paraphrasing--Mr. Franklin, what have you given us? He said to her in 
reply, A republic if you can keep it.
  So, for these past 223 years in this country, it has been important 
that every generation read this document to understand who we are and 
why we want to preserve it. It is so important, in my opinion, that on 
September 17, this coming week, that we honor the Constitution with 
Constitution Day. I would urge everyone to sit down, to pick up their 
little pocket Constitutions, to just read them, and to thank those 
individuals. In my opinion, the good Lord gave us such a small window 
of time, and He put so many great minds in one room to give this great 
document.
  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Missouri has 18\1/2\ 
minutes remaining. The gentleman from Utah has 12 minutes remaining.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
my distinguished colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Garrett).
  Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate 
this 223rd anniversary of the Constitution.
  Over two centuries ago, 39 Founding Fathers signed a document that 
established a framework for the free and brave society that we have in 
this United States of America. It was in the late 18th century when the 
13 colonies were suffering from heavy trade regulations and increasing 
taxes, with revenues being sent back to war-ravaged England. American 
colonists were exasperated by what could only be explained today as 
taxation without representation.

[[Page 15770]]

  It was John Adams who then described the months that followed as the 
greatest single effort of national deliberation the world had ever 
seen, for our Founding Fathers made the first modern attempt at a 
republican democracy in human history. These brave visionaries 
succeeded in designing a government that would be the model of the free 
world right up until the current day.
  See, our newly ratified Constitution posed a challenge to the age-old 
political belief, and that was equally distributed powers between three 
branches of government to create a limited form of government with 
checks and balances and to facilitate that the States and the people 
would retain all other power and authority not specifically delegated 
to those in Washington. It was James Madison, the author of the 
Constitution, who considered it the tools necessary to enable a 
government to control the governed but, in the same breath and the next 
place, to oblige it to control itself.
  You know, unfortunately, the intrinsic values which made our country 
the prosperous Nation that it is today have been threatened since the 
Constitution's signing. Our Supreme Court, across the street, once 
called the guardians of the Constitution by Alexander Hamilton, have 
removed broad constitutional protections, which have vastly expanded 
the powers of the Federal Government. Big Government politicians in 
this legislative and executive branch have created so many new 
government bureaucracies that our annual Federal spending right now has 
surpassed 37 percent of GDP. With these and more, the strict 
constitutional guidelines that our Founding Fathers put in place are 
now severely in jeopardy.
  As a United States Congressman and founder also as I am of the 
Constitution Caucus here in Washington, my goal always has been to keep 
the Constitution in the forefront in modern-day politics, for without 
its influence, we do not possess the groundwork needed to keep our 
country strong and free as we all desire.
  It was Abraham Lincoln who famously said, Don't interfere with any of 
the Constitution. It is the only safeguard for our liberties. Well, I 
promise to keep that essential document integrated into our power 
policy decisions--any one that I make--and I look forward to keeping 
that shining city on the hill as our Founding Fathers created on this 
day 223 years ago.
  I thank you all, and may God bless America.
  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, we have no additional speakers. I would 
just urge my colleagues to please get behind us in support. This is 
something that, again, should unite us. The beauty and the profound 
nature of the Constitution, the very first three words of ``we the 
people,'' this is something that is so profound and inspired within 
this Nation. I just urge all of my colleagues to get behind us and to 
support this resolution.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, Constitution Day was Senator Byrd's Day.
  Having just finished drafting our Constitution, Benjamin Franklin was 
stopped in the street as he left Independence Hall in Philadelphia 
where delegates from thirteen former colonies had been meeting the 
summer of 1787. ``Dr. Franklin, what form of government have you given 
us?'' a concerned citizen asked. ``A republic, Madam,'' said Franklin; 
quickly adding, ``If you can keep it.''
  Throughout Robert C. Byrd's life he was a proud keeper and guardian 
of two sets of laws, one laid down in our Bible (the King James 
Version), the other rooted in our federal Constitution.
  Senator Byrd was a largely self-taught man. He cherished learning, a 
process he continued throughout his life, and he made sure that 
countless Americans would get an annual lesson, a civic reminder about 
our Constitution each September 17th. Senator Byrd authored the law 
that now requires all institutions receiving federal funding to 
celebrate the venerable document in a meaningful and instructive way.
  Dr. Ray Smock, director of the Byrd Center, the repository for 
Senator Byrd's papers and a center for the study of Congress in 
Shepherdstown, West Virginia, recently shared some insights with me in 
advance of our celebration of the Constitution this September 17th, 
which serve to remind us that Senator Byrd's values are as timeless as 
his work for West Virginia was tireless.
  At the Byrd Center, among the collection of thousands of pages of 
Senator Byrd's work, rests the Bible he held when he was sworn in as 
President Pro Tem of the Senate on Jan. 3rd, 1989. That Bible, like 
others that were in his possession, was heavily underlined on almost 
every page. Sometimes he would write in the margin: ``Memorize This.'' 
He wrote two quotations on the inside front cover of this particular 
Bible:
  ``Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.'' 
Proverbs 22:28
  And, ``We speak much about what matters little; we speak little about 
what matters much.'' We are not sure of the source of this quotation, 
but the fact the Senator placed it here, shows us how important it was 
to him.
  When you think about it, even a little bit, both quotations are 
relevant to Constitution Day. Certainly, to the Senator, one of the 
great ancient landmarks had to have been the U.S. Constitution. No one 
defended it better or more eloquently than Senator Byrd.
  In the hard times we find ourselves right now, there are some 
prognosticators who argue that the Constitution needs to be overhauled. 
A recent article in Harper's magazine even suggested that the Senate is 
an anachronism and should be abolished.
  Senator Byrd spent a lifetime defending the wisdom of our Founding 
Fathers and the government they created. He understood from his Bible 
and his Constitution that mankind was not perfect. And no government 
conceived by man is going to be perfect either. But he believed in the 
genius of the Constitution, which has served us well for more than two 
centuries.
  He loved the Federalist Essays, and read them thoroughly from cover 
to cover, memorizing key passages. These 85 essays on the nature of the 
American government penned by James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander 
Hamilton were collectively the single best source Senator Byrd used to 
form his understanding of the intent of the Founders when they penned 
the Constitution. He quoted the Federalist papers frequently.
  Among his favorite passages was in Federalist 51, in which James 
Madison wrote:

       But what is government itself, but the greatest of all 
     reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no 
     government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, 
     neither external nor internal controls on government would be 
     necessary. In framing a government which is to be 
     administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in 
     this: you must first enable the government to control the 
     governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.

  The other quotation in the Senator's Bible, ``We speak much about 
what matters little, we speak little about what matters much'' gets to 
the heart of a lot that is wrong with our public discourse these days. 
The 24/7 news machine, the Internet, and talk radio, devote vast 
amounts of time speaking about what matters little, and not enough 
talking about the things that matter most. We all feel that government 
could work better. The question is in how to make that happen. We must 
not surrender to bumper-sticker politics that entice one to believe 
that solutions to great challenges are simple and quick.
  The legacy of Senator Byrd's life suggests that we all need to be 
more responsible in making government work. Citizens and those who are 
elected need to put aside the extremes of partisanship to effectively 
address the complex needs of the country.
  Senator Byrd was in awe of the Founders for their ability to set 
aside their partisanship and work to build a nation. He admired the 
Framers of the Constitution for their understanding of history and of 
human nature. While he could play partisan politics with the best of 
them and while he was loyal and dedicated to West Virginia, he never 
forgot that his role as a Senator was to look out for the whole nation, 
not just one party, or one place. It is certain that he would agree 
that our Constitution does not need changing so much as our moral 
compass needs adjusting.
  Let us ``remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have 
set,'' and let us all follow Senator Byrd's example of keeping our 
perspective on the things that matter much, and not get lost wasting 
our time on those that matter little. Senator Byrd is gone now, but our 
job to work to keep this Republic is an ongoing duty, one that each 
generation must take up so our Union can endure, and prosper.
  I will be visiting Boone County to celebrate our Constitution and the 
invaluable lessons Senator Byrd left with us. Constitution Day was dear 
to Senator Byrd's heart because it

[[Page 15771]]

was a day of reflection on the very thing that does matter much to the 
future of this nation.
  To learn more about the Byrd Center, its collection and programs, 
please visit its Web site at: www.byrdcenter.org. Ray Smock is Director 
of the Robert C. Byrd Center for Legislative Studies, Shepherd 
University in Shepherdstown, WV, and is a former Historian of the U.S. 
House of Representatives.
  Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, September 17th is Constitution Day, a time 
to show appreciation for the foundational and supreme law of our land 
that deserves special attention this year. The principles of the U.S. 
Constitution have successfully guided our Nation through times of both 
prosperity and challenge. The genius of our Constitution rests in the 
Founding Fathers' intricate system of checks and balances and the 
division of powers between the states and the national government. This 
has helped ensure that the people are the masters of their government, 
rather than its servants. The 10th Amendment was particularly prescient 
in recognizing that the most effective, responsive, and representative 
government is that which is closest to its citizens. It has long been 
my practice to distribute copies of the Constitution to the school 
groups with whom I meet, and I am greatly encouraged by the millions of 
patriotic Americans who are now dedicating themselves to reaffirming 
and restoring the principles of limited government and personal 
freedom. Public and personal readings of the Constitution are taking 
place throughout Alabama and our country in recognition of Constitution 
Day. All Americans should reflect on an enduring document that has 
given us the magnificent gifts of democracy and freedom and remained 
relevant to providing guidance for our government despite the passage 
of more than two centuries.
  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, in closing, I thank my colleague from Ohio 
for bringing this legislation to the attention of the body, and I urge 
my colleagues to join me in supporting this measure.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) that the House suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1612.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  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.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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