[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 4478-4479]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  AUTHORIZING USE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR GREATER WASHINGTON SOAP BOX 
                                 DERBY

  Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 119) authorizing the 
use of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 119

       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring),

     SECTION 1. USE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR SOAP BOX DERBY RACES.

       (a) In General.--The Greater Washington Soap Box Derby 
     Association (in this resolution referred to as the 
     ``sponsor'') shall be permitted to sponsor a public event, 
     soap box derby races (in this resolution referred to as the 
     ``event''), on the Capitol Grounds.
       (b) Date of Event.--The event shall be held on June 18, 
     2016, or on such other date as the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration 
     of the Senate jointly designate.

     SEC. 2. TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

       (a) In General.--Under conditions to be prescribed by the 
     Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board, the 
     event shall be--
       (1) free of admission charge and open to the public; and
       (2) arranged not to interfere with the needs of Congress.
       (b) Expenses and Liabilities.--The sponsor shall assume 
     full responsibility for all expenses and liabilities incident 
     to all activities associated with the event.

     SEC. 3. EVENT PREPARATIONS.

       Subject to the approval of the Architect of the Capitol, 
     the sponsor is authorized to erect upon the Capitol Grounds 
     such stage, sound amplification devices, and other related 
     structures and equipment as may be required for the event.

     SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS.

       The Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board 
     are authorized to make such additional arrangements as may be 
     required to carry out the event.

     SEC. 5. ENFORCEMENT OF RESTRICTIONS.

       The Capitol Police Board shall provide for enforcement of 
     the restrictions contained in section 5104(c) of title 40, 
     United States Code, concerning sales, advertisements, 
     displays, and solicitations on the Capitol Grounds, as well 
     as other restrictions applicable to the Capitol Grounds, with 
     respect to the event.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Curbelo) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Carson) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and to include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 119.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  H. Con. Res. 119 would authorize the use of the Capitol Grounds for 
the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby on June 18.
  I thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) for introducing this 
resolution and for his long-time support of this event.
  This annual event is designed to encourage children to show off their 
work, ingenuity, and creativity as they compete for trophies. These 
races have been run nationally since 1934. Today, they are held 
throughout the country, and a few are held throughout the world. The 
winners of each division are then qualified to compete in the All-
American Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio, in July.
  I support the passage of this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.

[[Page 4479]]

  I thank my good friend from Maryland, Representative Hoyer, for 
introducing this resolution on behalf of the Washington regional 
delegation.
  This annual competitive event, Mr. Speaker, encourages boys and 
girls, ages 9 through 16, to construct and operate their own soap box 
vehicles. The event has become a great tradition in the Washington, 
D.C., metropolitan area over the last 20 years. It provides a terrific 
opportunity for children to appreciate the workmanship that is 
necessary to build vehicles and to enjoy the thrill of competition.
  The Greater Washington Soap Box Derby organizers will work with the 
Architect of the Capitol and with the Capitol Police to ensure that the 
appropriate rules and regulations are in place and that the event 
remains free to the public.
  I support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to vote for this 
legislation, because it is critically important for the future of our 
children.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).
  Mr. HOYER. I thank both Mr. Curbelo, the chairman of the 
subcommittee, and the ranking member for moving this resolution 
forward. I think this is the 25th year that I have sponsored this 
resolution, and I have had great support throughout. I thank them both.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in support of this resolution, which 
I sponsor each year on behalf of the Washington metropolitan 
delegation, to permit the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby Association 
to hold its annual race on the grounds of the Capitol Building.
  This is a very special year for the soap box derby as it celebrates 
its 75th anniversary. For three-quarters of a century now, young people 
from across the Greater Washington, D.C., area have assembled at the 
Capitol for a fun, educational, and exciting event.
  First run in 1938, when Norman Rocca sped past 223 of his fellow 
young racers on New Hampshire Avenue to capture the first soap box 
derby victory, the race brings together those between ages 8 and 17 to 
compete in three divisions. Those divisions are Stock, Super Stock, and 
Masters. The winner of each division will qualify to race against the 
regional champions from across the country later this year at the All-
American Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio. This year's race here in 
Washington will take place on June 18.
  There is a reason, of course, the soap box derby has been called the 
``greatest amateur racing event in the world.'' It is not only because 
it is a thrill to watch on race day, but because of everything that 
happens before race day as well. For weeks in advance, the young 
drivers and their parents--and, yes, sometimes grandparents--gather in 
garages and basements to build, test, and improve their soap box racers 
together. It is a process that brings the generations together and 
teaches valuable lessons about hard work, science and engineering, 
sportsmanship, leadership, and pride of achievement. Many of the skills 
learned in building these soap box racers are the same ones that help 
students succeed in science, technology, engineering, and math--or the 
STEM subjects as we refer to them--which will prepare them for success 
in college and careers.
  In addition to bringing families together, the soap box derby brings 
entire communities together with civic groups, police and fire 
departments, and service organizations that sponsor participants in 
whom they see the future leaders of their communities and of our 
country.
  Mr. Speaker, I said before that this is the 75th anniversary of the 
Greater Washington Soap Box Derby. It also marks, as I said, the 25th 
year that I have had the honor of sponsoring this resolution. I have 
done so because I am incredibly proud of this tradition and of all of 
the young people from Maryland's Fifth District who have participated 
year after year. In fact, I say with some degree of pride that the 
Fifth District has been home to many soap box derby champions, 
including the winners of 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, and 2014, which 
is to say, recently, we have done pretty well, Mr. Speaker. Our racers 
even brought home national championship victories in 2007 and in 2008.
  I thank all of those who worked to make the Greater Washington Soap 
Box Derby possible. I also thank the cosponsors of this resolution: 
Representatives Chris Van Hollen, Gerry Connolly, Don Beyer, John 
Delaney, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Donna Edwards, and Barbara Comstock.
  I hope the House will offer its strong support once again for this 
great American pastime and for all of those young people and their 
families who participate.
  I thank the two gentlemen for their leadership.
  Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I congratulate the gentleman from Maryland on the 25th anniversary of 
his bringing forward this resolution. The gentleman from Maryland is 
someone who respects the traditions of this House and who, through his 
example, teaches younger and newer Members to also respect the 
traditions of this House. I am proud to support this resolution today, 
and I urge my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Curbelo) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 119.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________