Commending American craft brewers.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding, and I rise today to recognize and congratulate America's craft brewers, one of the most vibrant and fast growing class of small businesses in America.

Craft brewers are entrepreneurs and hobbyists who create distinctive beverages in small independent breweries across the country. They represent the best in American ideals by combining a spirit of industrious entrepreneurship with a commitment to quality and civic responsibility. The result is a unique product that continues an enduring American tradition of home brewing that can be traced back to George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

Craft brewers have come a long way since then. Today, there are over 1,300 independent breweries throughout the country, and their numbers are continuing to grow. For the second straight year, craft beer is the fastest growing segment of the U.S. alcoholic beverage industry. In 2005, craft beer experienced a 9 percent increase in volume, nearly triple that of the growth experienced in the wine and spirits industry.

This industry occupies an important niche in our economy and its continued growth is beneficial to our communities. Not only do craft brewers provide over 33,000 of our constituents with quality jobs, they also support our agricultural economy by purchasing barley and malt and hops grown, processed, and shipped domestically. Furthermore, with over 100 diverse and flavorful beverages, craft brewers' beverages have attracted an international following that has strengthened and increased U.S. beer exports.

In my district, the F.X. Matt Brewing Company has become an integral part of our community. For 118 years, this regional brewery has continually reinvented itself and today is most famous for its line of Saranac beer. The brewery's capacity to respond to market changes and customer demands have ensured its continued ability to provide over 100 high-quality manufacturing jobs in an area that has experienced a decline in this sector.

Continuing the tradition of attention to the local community, the F.X. Matt Brewing Company fosters local pride and involvement through their association with the Boilermaker 15K Road Race, one of the finest in America, which culminates in an area-wide celebration at the brewery, and by hosting what we call ``Saranac Thursdays'' throughout the summer, from which all the proceeds benefit the United Way.

Craft brewers live and work in the community where their products are made, which underlies their continued commitment to local charitable and philanthropic institutions. They have supported children's hospitals, humane societies, chambers of commerce, disease research, and parent-teachers association. In short, they are just good citizens. Craft brewers are committed to promoting the safe and moderate consumption of their beverage, and work closely with their communities to prevent underage drinking and alcohol abuse.

American craft brewers are a testament to this country's entrepreneurial and community-based small businesses tradition, and I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the unique contributions they have made to our culture and economy by supporting this resolution.

Just let me make one last observation. Some people might say, watching the proceedings of this House, why are they spending time on resolutions like this when there are so many really pressing issues facing the Nation? And the answer is very simple. This is a small portion of our legislative week set aside for resolutions just like the ones we are discussing, important to America, not of grand importance, not everybody is concerned about them, but important to certain segments of America.

Tomorrow, we go on with the appropriations bills to discuss things like the war on terrorism. We dealt with homeland security today. We deal day in and day out with critically important issues, but I think it is just proper that we pause on occasion and dedicate a few minutes to saluting, as I am saluting the small brewers of America, and you can salute any small business you want to. They add to the very fabric of our Nation, and I am proud to identify with it.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with the gentleman from New York in commending American craft brewers. America's brewing landscape began to change during the late 1970s when the traditions and styles of brewing brought to our country by immigrants from all over the world began to disappear. Highly effective marketing campaigns were changing America's beer preference to light-adjunct lager. Low-calorie beers soon began driving and shaping the growth and nature of the American brewing industry.

The home brewing hobby began to thrive as American beer drinkers began brewing their own beer so that they could experience the beer traditions and styles of other countries. Those home brewing roots gave birth to what we now call the ``craft brewing'' industry. Today, American craft-brewed beer is an all-malt beer that is higher in calories and has greater flavor and aroma than the light beers of the 1970s.

Made by any one of America's 1,458 small regional microbreweries, our pub breweries, craft brewers produced 6.23 million barrels, or 3 percent, of the beer consumed in the American States in 2001. American craft brewers are small community-based businesses that employ 33,000 workers and exemplify the American entrepreneurial spirit.

Since 1978, the American craft beer industry has never lost market share. Craft brewers have succeeded in expanding the minds of beer consumers and in creating and establishing a niche in the American consumer market. Today's American beer consumers continue to provide support to the craft beer market.

Again, I join with the gentleman from New York and the gentleman from California in commending the home brewers, as many people like to call them, but the people who make their own so they can sip it, and taste it, and know what it is like before it is finished.

Mr. Speaker, I support this resolution, urge its passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of America's craft brewers. Our culture, our economy, and our communities have all benefited from the contributions craft brewers have made. The craft beer segment includes more than 1,300 small, traditional and independent breweries.

We have seen a boost in sales and growth for these small business entrepreneurs in recent years. This consumer appeal has created thousands of quality jobs in our country, helped stimulate a demand for American beer exports, and promoted our agricultural economy.

In recent years, breweries and brew pubs have flourished across the Nation. And, as the Representative from Oregon's fourth district, I have enjoyed seeing the diversity that craft brewery has fueled across the Nation. They bring with their craft a healthy dose of friendly competition and a loyal clientele base that appreciates their craft- made lagers and ales.

The pioneering spirit of Oregon lives on with its craft brewers. Oregon continues to enjoy more breweries per capita than any other State in the Nation. Even with Oregon having only 1 percent of the Nation's population, it is home to 7 percent of America's breweries and brew pubs. Five of those breweries are among the 50 biggest in the Nation.

In addition to their sales success, many of these small businesses support innumerable community-based charities, public institutions, local events and charities. Small craft brewers successfully balance that dedication between the quality of their beer and the quality of their community.

I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 753 in recognition of America's Craft Brewers.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 753) commending American craft brewers.

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 material on the resolution now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert).

Mr. Speaker, I will close in two important ways. One is to, first, urge all of my colleagues here and already at home tonight to vote for this resolution. I think it sets the right balance on an important segment of our craft industry. Much more than an alcohol industry, this is about the right of the small operation to do something that is a time-honored tradition.

Secondly, I would like to reiterate in the best possible terms why this time we spend here in the evening is different. Most of our colleagues have gone home for the evening or gone to their dinners, but, in fact, Members will choose to come here and take time that otherwise these Chambers would be dark to talk about issues that don't affect all of America but affect some part of America or their district, and I believe that this is the right balance.

I continue to support the idea that we should bring resolutions on suspensions to the floor when they are not controversial but important to segments of our economy.

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