Authorizing and requesting the President to issue a proclamation to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Constantino Brumidi.

Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of H. Con. Res. 264, I am very pleased to join in this effort to honor the life and accomplishments of Constantino Brumidi. An Italian immigrant of partial Greek descent, his beautiful works of art grace our greatest symbol of democracy, our Capitol building where we gather to conduct the nation's business and where we welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world each year.

Constantino Brumidi spent 25 years of his life, from 1855 to 1880, painting, decorating and enhancing the beauty of the United States Capitol. This talented artist was born in Rome, Italy to Stauros Brumidi from Greece and Anna Bianchini Brumidi of Rome on July 26, 1805. He was trained as an artist and painted in Rome and at the Vatican. He arrived in New York City as a political refugee on September 18, 1852 and became an American citizen in 1857. He began painting in the U.S. Capitol on February 19, 1855 and spent more than 25 years of his life painting, decorating and beautifying the corridors, committee rooms and the Rotunda of the Capitol. Brumidi created many magnificent paintings and decorations depicting the history, inventions, values and ideals of the United States, thus enhancing the dignity and beauty of the Capitol and inspiring tens of millions of visitors. In 1865, he painted in just 11 months his masterpiece, The Apotheosis of Washington in the canopy of the eye of the Capitol dome. In 1871, Brumidi created the first tribute to an African American in the Capitol when he placed the figure of Crispus Attucks at the center of his painting of the Boston Massacre. He died on February 19, 1880, exactly 25 years to the day that he first began work in the Capitol.

Brumidi also painted in Catholic churches in cities along the east coast, including Washington, DC (St. Aloyisus Church), Baltimore, Md., Philadelphia Pa. and most especially, in St. Stephen's Catholic Church in New York City. Brumidi is buried in Glenwood Cemetery in Washington, DC. His grave marker there was authorized and paid for by the U.S. Congress in 1950.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the Constantino Brumidi Society, and its Chair, Joseph N. Grano, for all of their hard work in promoting a deeper appreciation of the works of this great artist. The Constantino Brumidi Society was organized in February 2000 by individuals with a special interest in the U.S. Capitol and Italian culture for the purpose of educating the public about the life and work of Constantino Brumidi.

The lofty goal of the Constantino Brumidi Society is to make Americans more familiar with his works of art in the Capitol and elsewhere, and to encourage an appreciation for the fine art traditions of the Italian High Renaissance and Baroque which Brumidi studied and employed. They also aim to support and encourage the preservation and conservation of Brumidi's paintings and frescoes in the Capitol and elsewhere, particularly at Our Lady of the Scapular and St. Stephen's Catholic Church in New York City.

In forming this organization, it was also their hope that by celebrating Constantino Brumidi's life and art, this Italian immigrant and American citizen who did so much to beautify the most important building in his adopted country would become a household name, and that every American would come to know this wonderful story. His life story should be seen as emblematic of all the millions of immigrants who came to the United States to better themselves and in consequence enormously enriched their new homeland. In the moving words of Brumidi himself, ``I have no longer any desire for fame or fortune. My one ambition and my daily prayer is that I may live long enough to make beautiful the Capitol of the one country on earth in which there is liberty.''

The Society has as its special focus the year 2005, which will be the bicentennial of Constantino Brumidi's birth, the 150th anniversary of his commencing work in the Capitol and the 125th anniversary of his death.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution to honor a man who has secured a special place in our history and in our hearts, both as an extraordinary artist and an outstanding patriot.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 264) authorizing and requesting the President to issue a proclamation to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Constantino Brumidi.

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

I am pleased to offer a resolution, the fourth measure today. This bill passed

the Committee on Government Reform and will be considered by the full House at this time, a resolution which would honor the memory of Constantino Brumidi.

Not too many people have probably heard of Constantino Brumidi. He is not exactly a household word or name in America, but Constantino Brumidi has been called the Michelangelo of the United States Capitol Building. House Concurrent Resolution 264 was introduced to honor both the life and also the work and creative genius of Constantino Brumidi.

Mr. Brumidi was an Italian immigrant who spent 25 years, from 1855 to 1880, painting, decorating and making the United States Capitol as we know it even today a more beautiful place to live and visit and have as a treasure for our country.

Brumidi was born in Italy in 1805, and he worked as an artist in Rome. He also worked in the Vatican, where he had many commissions, including a famous portrait of Pope Pius IX.

In 1852, Brumidi immigrated to the United States; and he dedicated really the balance of his life to making this building, our United States Capitol, one of the most impressive structures in our great Nation.

In 1865, Brumidi spent 11 months walking dangerously and working high atop the Capitol rotunda where he labored on his masterpiece. His masterpiece, and we can see it today if we walk out into the rotunda and look up, is called The Apotheosis of Washington, and it is located in the very center, in the eye of the dome of the ceiling of the Capitol.

Six years later, he created the first tribute to an African American in the Capitol when he placed the figure of Crispus Attucks at the center of his painting of the Boston Massacre.

In 1878, at the age of 72 and in poor health, Brumidi began work on the rotunda frieze. If we look in the Capitol around the frieze, about midway, we can see his work. The frieze chronicles the history of the United States.

Constantino Brumidi's life and work exemplifies the lives of millions of immigrants who came to the United States, and they came from all lands, sometimes to escape adverse conditions, to build a better life, to leave the problems of their native lands, and they brought their skills and their hard work and their talents, which not only bettered their lives and those of their children but immensely created the art, the trade, the richness that we have in the United States and enjoy today.

There are many organizations supporting this resolution, including NAIF, which is the National American Italian Foundation. That is an organization that promotes Italian American relations, cultural and business relations. We also have other numerous United States Italian American groups who support the recognition that we are bringing forward today, again to recognize the life and talents of Constantino Brumidi.

The year 2005 is the bicentennial of Brumidi's work, and I can think of no better way to honor this patriotic Italian American's contribution to our great Nation, to this incredibly historic building, than by passing this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

In closing, I urge my colleagues to support House Concurrent Resolution 264, a resolution again recognizing the 200th anniversary of the birth of Constantino Brumidi. I urge its adoption.

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 264 to commemorate next year's 200th anniversary of the birth of Constantino Brumidi. I was pleased to join with my colleague, the gentleman from Florida, as an original cosponsor of this resolution.

Constantino Brumidi is known today as the Michelangelo of the United States Capitol building. He is most known for The Apotheosis of George Washington, the painting that depicts our first president's ascension into heaven, that adorns the interior ceiling of the central rotunda.

Brumidi was unknown in America when he began a mural to honor George Washington in 1855 shortly after immigrating to the United States. Over the next 25 years, he also painted the corridors on the first floor of the Senate wing and the first tribute to an African-American in the Capitol by depicting Crispus Attucks's patriotic death that touched off the Boston Massacre in 1770.

Initially, some believed that Brumidi's artistic styles and abilities were more suited to the Vatican and other buildings in Europe, places he contributed works before coming to America. But many historians have noted that Brumidi was the only person capable of painting the Capitol building in the glorious manner befitting the literal crowning achievement of liberty and democracy that it represents. Few in the United States had Brumidi's special talents as a fresco artist that utilized painting with watercolors on wet plaster.

Constantino Brumidi's experience is not unlike the ancestors of more than 26 million Americans of Italian descent that blended their centuries-old traditions with the relatively young history of the United States. Our country is indebted to their time, talents and skills that have beautified our country and inspired great achievements.

Each year, hundreds of Long Island school children gaze upward at Brumidi's work in the Capitol building's rotunda and sprawling corridors. They see important scenes in American history, from the development of the steam engine to the ending of the Civil War. Brumidi's work not only beautifies the Capitol, but it brings history to life and makes one dream of what the future holds for our great nation.

It is important that Brumidi's contributions and sacrifices are remembered. He is every bit as important to American history as the epic scenes and figures he brought to life. It is my hope that all of my colleagues will join me today in honoring Brumidi's legacy by voting in favor of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the proclamation to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Constantino Brumidi's birth. Often referred to as the Michelangelo of the Capitol, Constantino Brumidi's frescoes decorate the Capitol Rotunda, House Chamber, committee rooms, and corridors of the Capitol with their incorporation of classical artistic traditions and patriotic American themes.

Born in Italy in 1805, Constantino Brumidi studied at the Italian Academy of Arts and demonstrated his talent for fresco painting at a young age, painting several Roman palaces and working three years in the Vatican. He immigrated to America in 1852 at the age of forty-seven and settled in New York City. The artist later took on other important works such as the frescoes in St. Stephen's Church and an allegorical depiction of the Holy Trinity in a Mexico City cathedral. It was upon his return from Mexico that Constantino Brumidi stopped in Washington and visited the Capitol where he was excited about the opportunity to decorate its interiors.

Constantino Brumidi was hired by Captain Montgomery Meigs and his first art work in the Capitol was in the House Committee on Agriculture's room. Because his art garnered such favorable attention, he was awarded more commissions and eventually became a Government painter. While Brumidi created scores of frescoes depicting allegories and scenes from American history, perhaps his most important work was ``The Apotheosis of George Washington'' which appears in the Rotunda of the Capitol dome and depicts Washington's ascension to heaven. Today, no visit to the Capitol is complete without viewing this incredible work. Although immigrating to America later in life, he drew from his Italian artistic experience and blended it with the history of his new country. The artist took great pride in his new home, even signing one fresco, ``C. Brumidi Artist Citizen of the U.S.''

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my district's more than 62,000 constituents of Italian descent, I am proud to join this body in celebrating Constantino Brumidi's lasting contributions to our country as the 200th anniversary of his birth approaches.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I would consume.

Let me, first of all, commend the gentleman for his introduction of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res. 264 honors the 200th anniversary of the birth of Constantino Brumidi. Mr. Brumidi was a wonderful artist who dedicated over 25 years to painting the Capitol Building. He is a symbol of the American dream. Born in Italy, he moved to the United States and, like so many other immigrants, made wonderful contributions to our great country.

Although Mr. Brumidi was known for his masterpiece, The Apotheosis of Washington, located in the Capitol dome, I would like to mention the fact that he was first to use the Capitol to pay tribute to an African American when he painted Crispus Attucks in his portrayal of the Boston Massacre.

Another treasure is Brumidi's corridors, the beautifully decorated corridors on the first floor of the Senate wing in the Capitol.

Mr. Brumidi's work is enjoyed by the millions of visitors to the Capitol each year, as well as by those of us who have the privilege of using the Capitol for official business.

Mr. Speaker, an outstanding artist, whose work continues to delight and inspire millions of people each and every year as they come and visit the Capitol, as they view portraits of the Capitol and as they recognize the tremendous masterpiece that this edifice is, and so I commend my colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica), for introducing this resolution.

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