[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5915-5916]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  AUTHORIZING USE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR GREATER WASHINGTON SOAP BOX 
                                 DERBY

  Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 36) 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. 36

       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 17, 
     2017, 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 
Georgia (Mr. Ferguson) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Ferguson).


                             General Leave

  Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous materials on H. Con. Res. 36.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Georgia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  H. Con. Res. 36 authorizes the use of the Capitol Grounds for the 
annual Greater Washington Soap Box Derby in June.
  Since the first official All-American Soap Box Derby in 1934, the 
mission of the soapbox derby has been to build knowledge and character 
and to teach fair and honest competition. This tradition also allows 
children to demonstrate their dedication and creativity.
  Winners from this local competition will join those from other races, 
including from my home State of Georgia, in competing at the world 
championship in Akron, Ohio.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this resolution, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I would like to, first of all, thank my good friend from Maryland, 
Representative Steny Hoyer, for introducing this resolution on behalf 
of the entire Washington regional delegation. The Greater Washington 
Soap Box Derby is an annual competitive event that encourages boys and 
girls, ages 9 through 16, to construct and race their own soapbox 
vehicles.
  This Capitol Hill event has become a great tradition in Washington, 
D.C., in our metropolitan area over the last 20 years. It provides a 
terrific opportunity for children to appreciate the workmanship 
necessary to build the vehicles and enjoy the thrill of competition.
  The Greater Washington Soap Box Derby organizers will work with the 
Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police to ensure 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.
  You know, the Washington Soap Box Derby was an event that was being 
held during the times that I was here in Washington, D.C., growing up. 
I was born and raised here in Washington, D.C. I left at the age of 17 
to come to Georgia. When I got to Georgia, I fell in love with Georgia; 
and I have been there for the last 47 years or so, and it has been a 
good run for me.
  But I tell you, remembering those occasions when the soapbox derby 
came to Washington, D.C., in my youth and going to watch the races, 
and, you know, it was really a joyful occasion, mass crowds gathered, 
people are rooting for their neighbors and their relatives and their 
friends, and pretty soon everybody is rooting for everybody. And to see 
the cars, the craftsmanship that went into building those cars, it is 
really a joy.
  I haven't been to a soapbox derby since those times, so I imagine the 
craftsmanship that is going into these vehicles now is probably 
astounding what these young people and their supporters do in 
preparation for this soapbox derby. But still, although the vehicles 
have probably gotten more sophisticated and the preparation has gotten 
more detailed, the aspiration of the soapbox derby remains the same, 
and that is for young people to challenge themselves to do something, 
get out of their comfort zone, construct something, build something, 
then watch it actually move, and then even win the competition. So it 
is a great thrill, I am sure.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for 
yielding, and I thank the chairman for bringing this resolution to the 
floor.
  Mr. Speaker, as I was sitting here listening to Congressman Johnson, 
I got

[[Page 5916]]

so inspired that I just want to go out and jump in a soapbox or jump on 
a soapbox to give my talk.
  I have been at this for a very long period of time. The soapbox derby 
has been going on for 76 years; 36 of those years, I had the great 
privilege of serving in this body. I rise each year to sponsor the 
resolution allowing the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby Association 
to hold its annual race on the Capitol Grounds. It is appropriate, I 
think, that it is here at the Capitol. The inspiration of the Capitol, 
the inspiration of the dome, the inspiration and excitement of which 
Congressman Johnson just spoke, I think, captures the sense of what 
``soapbox derby'' means.
  This year marks, as I said, the 76th year of the derby, Mr. Speaker, 
at which young people from around the region, from age 8 all the way to 
age 17, compete in three divisions. Those divisions are stock, super 
stock, and masters. So you are talking about these sophisticated 
soapboxes. They are not your father's soapbox, that is for sure.
  It is not only a fun and exciting event, it is also educational and 
brings children together, young people together, young adults together 
with their parents, grandparents, siblings, and neighbors to plan and 
build their soapbox racers.
  You know, one of the things we need in America is more engineers. I 
am a lawyer. I don't know that we need more lawyers. And we need 
doctors, of course, but people tell me, if we are going to make things 
in America, we need more engineers, people who work with their hands, 
people who create, people who design, and that is what this soapbox 
derby is about.
  Doing so, participating in this contest helps connect these young 
people with hands-on engineering and manufacturing lessons which 
promote greater interest in the STEM fields which we all talk about: 
science, technology, engineering, and math. This has been the case, Mr. 
Speaker, since the first soapbox derby in 1938, and this long tradition 
now continues in the 21st century.
  The winner in each division will then qualify to race against the 
regional champions from across the Nation later this year, at Derby 
Downs, at the All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio.
  This year, the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby will be held on June 
17, Mr. Speaker. The derby has been called ``the greatest amateur 
racing event in the world.'' I don't know whether it is the greatest, 
but it is certainly one of the great contests in the world and teaches 
participating youth about fortitude, about leadership, about 
engineering, sportsmanship, and pride of achievement.

                              {time}  1645

  In addition to bringing families together, the Soap Box Derby brings 
communities closer together, Mr. Speaker. Many of the races are 
sponsored and cheered by their local civic groups, police, fire 
departments, and service organizations.
  I have been proud, as I said, Mr. Speaker, to sponsor this resolution 
for 26 years, and I believe strongly in the importance of this 
tradition and am convinced of the very positive impact the Derby has on 
young people from my district who participate, around this region, and 
around the country.
  Maryland's Fifth District, my district, has been home to a number of 
Greater Washington Soap Box Derby winners, including the winners from 
2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, and 2014.
  The Washington region is millions of people. My young people and 
their advisers, otherwise may be called parents, are doing pretty well 
in this, and we are proud of that. Our racers even won the national 
championship in 2007 and 2008.
  I hope my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, will join me in supporting this 
resolution and thanking the organizers of the Greater Washington Soap 
Box Derby. I hope they will also join me in congratulating, in advance, 
all of the young people from the region who will be participating on 
June 17.
  I also want to thank my cosponsors: Gerry Connolly, Don Beyer, John 
Delaney, Jamie Raskin, Anthony Brown, Eleanor Holmes Norton, and 
Barbara Comstock. This is a bipartisan resolution. I am sure everybody 
will support it, and I am sure that the excitement of which Congressman 
Johnson spoke will be experienced by those young people as they race 
towards victory. Whether they win the number one spot, they will be 
winners for having participated in this creative contest that makes 
them better people.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. FERGUSON. 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 Georgia (Mr. Ferguson) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 36.
  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.

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