Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 335) authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include any extraneous materials on H. Con. Res. 335.

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

House Concurrent Resolution 335, introduced by my friend and sorority sister, Ms. Diane Watson from California, is a bill to authorize the use of the Capitol Grounds for the 100th anniversary of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and this anniversary event is scheduled for July 17, 2008. The event coordinators will work with the office of the Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board regarding staging the event with all events on the Capitol Grounds, and will be free and open to the public.

This sorority was founded on the campus of Howard University 100 years ago. Ms. Diane Watson is a 50-year member. I'm a 35-year life member. And it was founded by nine visionary young women at the time, Ethel Hedgeman Lyle, Anna Easter Brown, Beulah Burke, Lillie Burke, Marjorie Hill, Margaret Flagg Holmes, Lavinia Norman, Lucy Slowe and Marie Woolfolk Taylor. The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority is the oldest Greek-letter organization established for African American college- trained women.

The formation of the sorority during this moment in American history is significant because it helped jump-start a movement of educated African American women who were resolute and determined to eliminate barriers for African Americans at a time when opportunities were limited for minorities.

These courageous young women, one generation removed from slavery, were the forebears of an entity that has progressively evolved into an organization of 200,000 plus members and 975 chapters in both the U.S. and abroad.

Today, membership in this organization represents a diverse constituency of women, from educators to heads of state, politicians, lawyers, medical professionals, media personalities, decision-makers of major corporations.

Built upon the principle of service, scholarship and sisterhood, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority extensively works to improve social and economic conditions through community partnerships and programs. These cornerstone values of the sorority will be on full display in the coming weeks as members, young and old, from across the globe come to our Nation's capital to honor the organization's 100th anniversary.

More than 20,000 members of the sorority will converge upon Washington, DC from July 11 until July 18. Members will participate in a variety of empowerment forums, lectures, workshops, community service activities centered on these principles throughout the length of the convention.

During this week-long celebration, members will reflect on 100 years of achievement, enjoy the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood, and look to the future as the organization prepares for the challenges of the next 100 years.

As a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, I extend my congratulations and very best wishes to all of my sorors as they gather here in our Nation's Capital, birthplace of our sorority, to pay tribute to 100 years of service, scholarship and sisterhood.

Madam Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this resolution authorizing the use of Capitol Grounds for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to Representative Diane Watson of California.

Madam Speaker, I urge support of this resolution, and I yield back the balance of our time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 335, a bill to authorize the use of the Capitol Grounds for the 100th anniversary celebration of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority was founded on January 15th, 1908 by nine visionary women at Howard University. As America's first Greek-letter sorority founded by and for African American women to improve life for all African Americans, Alpha Kappa Alpha is truly celebrating a long tradition of commitment to sisterhood and service.

Driven by these noble ideals, Alpha Kappa Alpha has evolved into one of the world's leading service organizations with 975 chapters and approximately 200,000 members worldwide. One of those members, in particular, is near and dear to my heart. Mariama Carson, my lovely wife shares in the unique bond that is found among the sisters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. I truly believe her dedication to service was fostered through her membership in Alpha Kappa Alpha, and has helped her development as an accomplished and successful teacher in Indianapolis. She, like many of her fellow sorors, chose Alpha Kappa Alpha as a means of self-growth through volunteer service.

Madam Speaker, AKA's have touched the stars of our universe through members like Dr. Mae Jemison and have brought conscience to this body through members like Congresswoman Shelia Jackson-Lee and Ms. Erika Barrera, Communications Director for Congressman Bruce Braley. But their stories are not isolated cases.

Throughout its 100 years of history, Alpha Kappa Alpha is full of women who have emerged as leaders in their professions and communities. Through distinguished members like Liberian President Ellen Johnson- Sirleaf; actress Phylicia Rashad; and the 102-year-old Mrs. Hazel Hainsworth Young, one of the Sorority's most senior members, Alpha Kappa Alpha has and will continue to be an organization of focused and compassionate women committed to changing the world.

Madam Speaker, I am proud and honored to support this resolution; because I believe this sorority has and will continue to be an amazing organization that helps to better communities around the world. I hope all my colleagues will join me in granting Alpha Kappa Alpha the use of the Capitol Grounds and supporting their 100 year anniversary.

I want to thank the gentlewoman from Texas.

I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 335 which authorizes the use of the Capitol Grounds on Thursday, July 17, for a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

In January of this year, the sorority began its year-long celebration of its 100-year anniversary. Founded in 1908 on the campus of Howard University in Washington, DC, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated is the first Greek-letter organization founded by African American college women.

Alpha Kappa Alpha is a sisterhood of women who have consciously chosen to improve the socioeconomic conditions in their city, in their State, in the Nation and in the world. Its history tells a story of changing patterns of human relations in America in the 20th Century. The small group who organized the sorority was just 1 generation removed from slavery.

Through the years, the sorority directed its efforts towards improving the quality of life for all mankind, while living our sorority's motto, ``by culture and by merit.''

I am so proud to count myself and Eddie Bernice Johnson as members and proud members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Throughout the years, I have witnessed firsthand how the power, vision and commitment of our founders and members have inspired Alpha Kappa Alpha to endure and prosper through 10 decades.

I encourage my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 335, which will ensure that a vital component of the 100th anniversary celebration will take place on these distinguished grounds of the United States Capitol.

I want you to know, our membership is very tuned in to the issues that we face domestically and we face internationally. And they would want to see all of us be able to benefit from the legislation that is passing both Chambers and going to the Governor to reduce the prices of oil, to address our infrastructure, to provide the right to health care for every American, to be sure that Americans can receive and realize the American dream to home ownership.

I am so proud to stand here in support of H. Con. Res. 335, to allow our membership to come in and get into this progressive atmosphere and to celebrate their 100th year of existence.

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

This resolution authorizes the use of the Capitol Grounds for the 100th anniversary celebration of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. AKA, Alpha Kappa Alpha, was founded in 1908 on the campus of Howard University, right here in Washington, DC. The sorority performs various community service projects and encourages its members to contribute to the community, while pursuing academic excellence.

The centennial program on the Capitol Grounds will be just one part of the year-long celebration. The event will be free and open to the public.

Alpha Kappa Alpha will assume liability for accidents and will be responsible for event costs in accordance with the policies of the Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police.

While we debate this concurrent resolution, which is strictly a managerial responsibility of this Congress, people across the country are worrying about how they will afford their next trip to the gas station, and not about this particular celebration.

Since the Democrats took over Congress, the price of gasoline has increased more than a $1.50 a gallon. It's unfortunate, but Democrats seem to ignore the law of supply and demand.

What you've heard here previously on the resolution before the House dealt with opening up the supply that's immediately available in this country, American energy supply. The current majority has done nothing to increase energy supplies, and then wonder why gas prices continue to soar. It is simply unbelievable that the Democrat majority refuses to debate the skyrocketing costs of fuel.

Madam Speaker, while I do support this resolution and request my colleagues to be likewise supportive, I would reserve the balance of my time at this time.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 335, authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. I am pleased to support this resolution and recognize the contributions that the Alpha Kappa

Alpha Sorority has made to strengthening networks that cut across racial, geographical, political, and social barriers. This event is a fitting tribute to the organization and I congratulate the sorority on its 100th anniversary.

The commitment of Alpha Kappa Alpha members to public service is long and legendary. The sorority has evolved over its 100-year history from a college-based organization in support of young women in their intellectual and cultural development to an organization that dedicates itself to a variety of humanitarian programs.

These programs include the Mississippi Health Project, the Educational Advancement Foundation, and the IVY AKAdemy. The IVY AKAdemy program promotes early learning and mastery of basic reading skills, enhances the school experience of children and young people through hundreds of local programs around the country and in South Africa. For members of AKA, community service and sisterhood are life- long commitments. Many members of Alpha Kappa Alpha stay active in the organization for more than 50 years.

It is fitting that the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority celebrates its 100th anniversary here on Capitol Hill.

I urge my colleagues to join me in agreeing to H. Con. Res. 335.