[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12395-12396]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL ESIGN DAY 2010

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   COMMEMORATING THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF CHAPLAIN HENRY VINTON PLUMMER

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              SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM AWARENESS MONTH

  Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration en bloc of the following 
resolutions which were submitted earlier today: S. Res. 576, S. Res. 
577, and S. Res. 578.
  Without objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the resolutions.
  Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, the motions to 
reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, with no intervening action 
or debate, and any statements relating to the resolutions be printed in 
the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolutions (S. Res. 576, S. Res. 577, and S. Res. 578) were 
agreed to.
  The preambles were agreed to.
  The resolutions, with their preambles, read as follows:

                              S. Res. 576

       Whereas the Electronic Signatures in Global and National 
     Commerce Act (ESIGN) (15 U.S.C. 7001 et seq.) was enacted on 
     June 30, 2000, to ensure that a signature, contract, or other 
     record relating to a transaction may not be denied legal 
     effect, validity, or enforceability solely because the 
     signature, contract, or other record is in electronic form;
       Whereas in that Act, Congress directed the Secretary of 
     Commerce to take all actions necessary to eliminate or 
     reduce, to the maximum extent possible, the impediments to 
     commerce in electronic signatures, for the purpose of 
     facilitating the development of interstate and foreign 
     commerce; and
       Whereas June 30, 2010, marks the 10th anniversary of the 
     enactment of ESIGN and would be an appropriate date to 
     designate as ``National ESIGN Day 2010'': Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the designation of a ``National ESIGN Day 
     2010'';
       (2) recognizes the contribution made by Congress in the 
     Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act 
     (ESIGN) (15 U.S.C. 7001 et seq.) to the adoption of modern 
     solutions that keep the United States on the leading 
     technological edge; and
       (3) reaffirms the commitment of the Senate to facilitating 
     interstate and foreign commerce in an increasingly digital 
     world.

                              S. Res. 577

       Whereas Henry Vinton Plummer was born into slavery on July 
     31, 1844, in Prince George's County, Maryland and escaped 
     from slavery to serve honorably in the U.S. Navy during the 
     Civil War;
       Whereas Henry Plummer was assigned in 1864 to the Union 
     gunboat U.S.S. Coeur de Lion, which engaged numerous 
     Confederate ships trying to run Union blockades in the

[[Page 12396]]

     Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries during the Civil War;
       Whereas after being honorably discharged from the Navy in 
     1865, Henry Plummer studied to become a minister, and felt 
     called to serve again in the United States military;
       Whereas in 1866, the 39th Congress passed legislation to 
     establish African-American military units and stipulated that 
     a chaplain be assigned to each regiment;
       Whereas in July 1884, Henry Plummer was appointed the first 
     African-American chaplain in the United States Regular Army 
     with a military rank equivalent of Captain;
       Whereas Chaplain Plummer served for more than 10 years with 
     the Ninth Cavalry and was stationed at Army forts in Kansas, 
     Wyoming, and Nebraska;
       Whereas during his time in uniform, Chaplain Plummer worked 
     to improve education and voter participation and reduce the 
     temptation of gambling, drunkenness, and prostitution among 
     soldiers under his ministry;
       Whereas Chaplain Plummer fought racism and other injustices 
     of the time while serving his country with the Ninth Calvary;
       Whereas Chaplain Plummer's records in Fort Riley and Fort 
     Robinson noted that he performed admirably in his work among 
     soldiers and in his efforts on behalf of their spiritual 
     well-being;
       Whereas Chaplain Plummer endured racial bias and animosity 
     throughout his time in uniform, including being denied 
     officer housing and being forced to live among enlisted 
     personnel despite holding the Army officer rank equivalent of 
     Captain;
       Whereas in 1894, Chaplain Plummer was court-martialed, 
     convicted, and dismissed from the Army under circumstances 
     tainted by racial and personal animus;
       Whereas the Army Board for Correction of Military Records 
     concluded that personal grudges and racial bias were driving 
     factors that led to Chaplain Plummer's court-martial;
       Whereas the Army Board for Correction of Military Records 
     noted evidence that shows Chaplain Plummer served his country 
     well and was a highly respected and admired officer;
       Whereas in 2005, the Army Board for Correction of Military 
     Records changed the status of Chaplain Plummer's military 
     discharge to ``honorable'';
       Whereas despite the unfair and racially charged atmosphere 
     that led to Chaplain Plummer's conviction and discharge, he 
     continued to ask for reinstatement in the military out of a 
     desire to serve his country;
       Whereas Chaplain Plummer was a devoted family man, 
     minister, veteran, and community leader committed to the 
     principles of liberty and opportunity for which the United 
     States stands; and
       Whereas Chaplain Plummer rose from the depths of slavery to 
     remarkable heights, and led a life of selfless contributions 
     to his country: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) celebrates the life and patriotism of Chaplain Henry 
     Vinton Plummer;
       (2) expresses its admiration for Chaplain Plummer for his 
     perseverance and resolve in the face of racial oppression in 
     the military history of the United States; and
       (3) congratulates Chaplain Plummer's extended family for 
     their work to commemorate his life of devotion to helping 
     others while overcoming tremendous adversity.

                              S. Res. 578

       Whereas the Summer Food Service Program provides healthy, 
     nutritious meals to an average 2,900,000 children each 
     weekday during the summer;
       Whereas there are 34,700 feeding sites in low-income 
     neighborhoods located at churches, schools, parks, recreation 
     centers, and summer camps in all 50 States;
       Whereas thousands volunteer at summer feeding sites;
       Whereas summer feeding programs play an important role in 
     providing safe places for children and teenagers to engage in 
     physical activity and provide educational opportunities to 
     spur learning during the summer months;
       Whereas data from the Department of Agriculture has shown 
     rates of hunger and food insecurity among school-age children 
     increase during the summer months;
       Whereas of the 19,500,000 children receiving free or 
     reduced priced meals through the National School Lunch 
     Program, only 1 in 9 receive meals at a summer feeding site 
     on an average day;
       Whereas there are only 34 summer food sites for every 100 
     school lunch programs; and
       Whereas many low-income, food insecure children in rural 
     areas lack access to summer feeding locations: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates June 2010 as ``Summer Food Service Program 
     Awareness Month'';
       (2) encourages schools, nonprofit institutions, churches, 
     parks, recreation centers, and summer camps to sponsor summer 
     feeding sites in their communities; and
       (3) encourages schools, local businesses, nonprofit 
     institutions, churches, cities, and State governments to 
     raise awareness of the availability of summer feeding sites 
     and support efforts to increase participation of children who 
     might otherwise go without meals if not for the Summer Food 
     Service Program.

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