Authorizing the printing of the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-2005.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 138) authorizing the printing of the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-2005.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise here today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 138. This bill authorizes the printing of the ``Biographical Directory of the United States Congress,'' again, something rather mundane but something necessary and the responsibility of the Committee on House Administration to make this publication available for both the historical, for research and for access of information purposes.

This is the first Federal Government printing of this publication since the 1989 bicentennial edition published pursuant to Senate Concurrent Resolution 85 passed in the 99th Congress.

This particular edition of the ``Biographical Directory'' will include over 12,000 entries providing valuable information about the individuals who have served in the Continental Congresses, as well as each man and woman who served the 1st through the 108th Congress. Since the first bicentennial edition, there have been an additional 1,198 Members who have become Representatives, and it will also include rosters of State congressional delegations and elected officers.

Under the direction of the Joint Committee on Printing, the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate will be responsible for the composition of new entries, as well as review all existing entries for accuracy and completeness. The Joint Committee on Printing has been responsible for the compilation and issuance of the ``Biographical Directory'' since 1928.

This edition of it would be the 16th in a series of such reference works published over the past 140 years, beginning with the 1859 publication of the ``Dictionary of Congress,'' which was a collection of biographers of former and sitting Members of Congress gathered by Charles Lanman, former secretary to Daniel Webster.

This particular publication will complement the online biographical directory, bioguide.congress.gov, which was first posted in the late 1990s and has been maintained by the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate.

Madam Speaker, I urge the passage and support of this particular measure.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I do not have any additional speakers at this time. I am urged to stall a bit because we are waiting the arrival of another Member on another issue, but I would be glad to let the gentleman have this time and then have a few remarks on closing.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I want to take just a minute since we do have some extra time, if I may, I want to thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson) and the minority staff, the other half of the Committee on House Administration. I have served on the committee in some rough times, and I am glad to say that I have served on the committee in some good times, good, bipartisan times; and no one has done a better job in service to any committee as ranking member than the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson).

I have seen the manner in which he has conducted the important business of the Committee on House Administration. It basically runs the House of Representatives and takes it on in a serious, bipartisan manner; and I want to compliment him and the staff for working together.

We have got a number of important projects, not just these mundane passage of publications that we are doing here, the construction of the visitors center, the oversight and again the operations of this institution, which belongs to the American people; but I do respect so much his work and his effort.

The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) is not with us at this time, and I have the privilege of handling these measures for him; and it is indeed an honor to work with such distinguished colleagues, both the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson), on this important legislation and responsibility of the Committee on House Administration.

Also, I must say that I am so glad that we will be publishing a ``Biographical Directory of the United States Congress,'' if for no other reason to get the Mica brothers straightened out. As my colleagues may know, and I was told by the former historian of the House, that the Mica brothers are the only two brothers since 1889 to serve in Congress from the same family but different political parties. We have the Kennedys all of one ilk, and we have the Hutchinsons all of another party; but my brother and I got separated somewhere slightly after birth.

He served with distinction as a member of the Democrat Party in the majority from 1978 to 1988, and I came in 1992. So, unfortunately, the Congress has been burdened with the Micas for 2 decades; but since I am not in this most recent publication, at least people will understand that there are two of these folks from different political parties and hopefully actually educate some of the Members who have introduced me as Dan Mica on numerous occasions, both from the Democrat side and the Republican side of the aisle.

I yield to the gentleman from Connecticut.

Again, I am deeply indebted to the gentleman for his kind words, not only about me and my brother and the Democrat side of my family, but also for mentioning my long-enduring and suffering-of-31- years wife. That will certainly enhance the remainder of my day.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume; and I, again, wish to associate myself with the remarks of the gentleman from Florida.

Madam Speaker, as the Chair and many of our colleagues know, I am an avid student of this great institution and its history and was proud to sponsor legislation, along with the Chair, that led to the writing of the history of the House by Professor Remini; and it should, therefore, be no surprise that I am an enthusiastic cosponsor of this resolution authorizing the printing of the ``Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774 to 2005.''

The volume, as the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) pointed out, was last printed in 1989 for the bicentennial of the establishment of the United States Government under the Constitution and before that in 1971. The Joint Committee on Printing has supervised the biographical directory's printing since 1928.

In the 1989 edition, the ``Biographical Directory'' listed more than 11,000 men and women who have served in the Congress of the United States, as well as the Continental Congress. The new and revised directory will contain more than 12,000 entries, as well as provide updated information on Members who were included in the 1989 edition.

There is no question that the new directory, like the 1989 edition, will promote a richer understanding of the contributions that the men and women of Congress have made over the 200 years of national growth, challenge, and change.

Some, like Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and Daniel Webster, were the heroes of their age. Others, like Jeannette Rankin, Margaret Chase Smith, and Shirley Chisolm, broke significant race and gender boundaries while rendering notable public service. Countless others have worked quietly behind the scenes, like the Chair, Madam Speaker, and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) seated to my right, and my esteemed colleague from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

The new edition of the ``Biographical Directory'' of the United States Congress will gather in one updated volume useful historical information for teachers, students, and others describing the careers of the men and women who have served in the United States Congress.

To be sure, much of the material in the biographical directory is available through the Clerk of the House Web site; but there is much that is not, such as listings of the congressional memberships by State and the multiple changes that occurred in each of those Congresses. There is much to be said to be able to leaf through a volume rich in historical detail and discover its secrets rather than simply researching specific items on the Web.

The ``Biographical Directory'' is an invaluable resource to students, teachers, historians, and all citizens who are interested in the history and the personalities of this great deliberative body. Anytime that we walk through these hallowed hallways or in Statuary Hall, where generations before President Lincoln sat, John Quincy Adams sat, it should give everyone in this body pause to celebrate the great institution that the House of Representatives is.

I urge my colleagues to support the concurrent resolution.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no other speakers at this time, but I would like to note for the record that the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) was a student of Professor Remini's in college; and we do not know what his grade point average was, but nonetheless we are proud to note that he was a student at that time.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for his gracious accolades, and I want my colleague to know that many Democrats, along with the gentleman's mother, pray continually for his conversion; but nonetheless, we are proud to note how well the gentleman has distinguished himself on the floor of the House, our great House and also as a person who has championed bipartisanship and the great role that he has also played along with his lovely wife in terms of making the annual bipartisan, biannual, bipartisan retreat such an enormous success because of his care for this great institution of ours.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H. Con. Res. 138, which is at the desk.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of H. Con. Res. 138, the concurrent resolution just agreed to.