Celebrating the role of mothers in the United States and supporting the goals and ideals of Mother's Day.

Mr. Speaker, I missed a number of votes on May 6th and 7th as I was attending the funeral service for a soldier who was from my Congressional District and was killed in Baghdad, Iraq while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

On Rollcall vote No. 249, H.R. 3658--a bill to amend the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to permit rest and recuperation travel to United States territories for members of the Foreign Service. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall vote No. 251, H. Con. Res. 317--a Condemning the Burmese regime's undemocratic draft constitution and scheduled referendum.. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall vote No. 252, Table Motion to Reconsider--H. Con. Res. 317--a Condemning the Burmese regime's undemocratic draft constitution and scheduled referendum.. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall vote No. 25, H. Con. Res. 1109--Honoring the memory of Dith Pran by remembering his life's work and continuing to acknowledge and remember the victims of genocides that have taken place around the globe. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall vote No. 252, Table Motion to Reconsider H. Con. Res. 1109--Honoring the memory of Dith Pran by remembering his life's work and continuing to acknowledge and remember the victims of genocides that have taken place around the globe. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall No. 255, On Motion to Adjourn. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall No. 256, S. 2929 to temporarily extend the programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall No. 257, Table Motion to Reconsider--S. 2929 To temporarily extend the programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall No. 258, On Motion to Instruct Conferees--Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall No. 259, Table Motion to Reconsider--Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall No. 260, On Motion to Adjourn. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall No. 261, On Motion to Adjourn. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall No. 262, On Motion to Adjourn. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall No. 263, H. Res. 1168--Congratulating charter schools and their students, parents, teachers, and administrators across the United States for their ongoing contributions to education, and for other purposes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall No. 264, table Motion to Reconsider--H. Res. 1168-- Congratulating charter schools and their students, parents, teachers, and administrators across the United States for their ongoing contributions to education, and for other purposes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall No. 265, H. Res. 1155--Honoring the recipients of the El Dorado Promise scholarship. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall No. 266, Table Motion to Reconsider--H. Res. 1155-- Honoring the recipients of the El Dorado Promise scholarship. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall No. 267, On Motion to Adjourn. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall No. 268, On Approving the Journal. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall No. 269, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding provocative and dangerous statements and actions taken by the Government of the Russian Federation that undermine the territorial integrity of the Republic of Georgia. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall No. 270. Table Motion to Reconsider--H. Res. 1166-- Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding provocative and dangerous statements and actions taken by the Government of the Russian Federation that undermine the territorial integrity of the Republic of Georgia. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall No. 271, On Motion to Adjourn. Had I been present. I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall No. 272, On Motion to Adjourn. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall No. 273. On Motion to Adjourn. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall No. 274, H. Res. 1113--Celebrating the role of mothers in the United States and supporting the goals and ideals of Mother's Day. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall No. 275, Table Motion to Reconsider--H. Res. 1113-- Celebrating the role of mothers in the United States and supporting the goals and ideals of Mother's Day. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall No. 276. On Motion to Adjourn. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall No. 277, H.R. 5937--To facilitate the preservation of certain affordable housing dwelling units. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall No. 278, Table Motion to Reconsider--H.R. 5937--To facilitate the preservation of certain affordable housing dwelling units. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall No. 279, On Motion to Adjourn. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall No. 280, On Motion to Adjourn. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall No. 281, H. Res. 1175--Providing for consideration of the Senate amendments to H.R. 3221. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall No. 282, Table Motion to Reconsider--H. Res. 1175-- Providing for consideration of the Senate amendments to H.R. 3221. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall No. 283, H. Res. 1175--Providing for consideration of the Senate amendments to H.R. 3221. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall No. 284, Table Motion to Reconsider--H. Res. 1175-- Providing for consideration of the Senate amendments to H.R. 3221. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall No. 285, On Motion to Adjourn. Had I been present. I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall No. 286, On Motion to Adjourn. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On Rollcall No. 287, On Ordering the Previous Question H. Res. 1174-- Providing for consideration of the bill. H.R. 5818, to authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to make loans to States to acquire foreclosed housing and to make grants to States for related costs. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall No. 288, Table Motion to Reconsider--H. Res. 1174-- Providing for consideration of the bill, H.R. 5818, to authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to make loans to States to acquire foreclosed housing and to make grants to States for related costs. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall No. 289, H. Res. 1174--Providing for consideration of the bill, H.R. 5818, to authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to make loans to States to acquire foreclosed housing and to make grants to States for related costs. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall No. 290, Table Motion to Reconsider--H. Res. 1174-- Providing for consideration of the bill H. Res. 1174--Providing for consideration of the bill, H.R. 5818, to authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to make loans to States to acquire foreclosed housing and to make grants to States for related costs. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

On Rollcall No. 291, On Motion to Adjourn. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 1113, ``Celebrating the Role of Mothers in the United States.'' I would like to thank my colleague, Congressman Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska, for introducing this heartfelt legislation.

Mr. Speaker, as a Mother myself, I am extremely proud to stand before you on a day recognizing mothers. Mothers are the strongest link in the family chain. She holds the family together, nurturing both child and husband.

I want to thank my own mother and grandmother for their support over the years. I also want to thank all of the mothers who take care of not only their natural children but also the children in the community, the children in foster care, and children overseas.

The annual number of Texas children in foster care has risen steadily in recent years. In November 2003, there were about 16,000 children in foster care and an additional 5,000 in other care, such as kinship care; 2,146 children were served in emergency shelters and homes; 671 children were served in placements outside the foster care system, such as nursing homes, mental health/mental retardation facilities, hospitals and juvenile justice facilities.

In a study by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, which oversees the Department of Family and Protective Services, they stated that Black children stay in foster care significantly longer, are less likely to be reunited with their families, and wait longer for adoption than white or Hispanic children.

They are everybody's children, and nobody's children. They are the forgotten children in the Texas foster care system. Black, White, Hispanic, Asian--they all need the love of a mother, the nurturing of a family, and the support of their community. Some of them find homes with caring foster parents, or in treatment centers with experienced and caring providers. And some do not.

Some foster children have been moved among 30, 40, or even more all- too-temporary ``homes.'' Some have been sexually, physically, and emotionally abused while in the system; some have run away and joined the ranks of the missing. A few have even died at the hands of those entrusted with their care.

The mission of the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, DPRS, now called the Department of Family and Protective Services, is to protect the unprotected--children, the elderly and people with disabilities--from abuse, neglect and exploitation. The system responsible for protecting our foster children sometimes is little better than the homes from which they were taken.

Many of these children are not safe, and their futures are uncertain. They didn't ask to be put in foster care, and many endured great suffering before entering the system.

These children need mothers too. They need families. At a time when we are celebrating all that mothers bring, all that grandmothers bring, and all that a real family brings to the upbringing of healthy and successful children; we must remember the children who do not have mothers and we must reach out.

As we near Mother's Day, let me say thank you to all the mothers near and far, in Congress, in my district, and even working in my office. I celebrate you and your children celebrate you. Thank you for all that you do for your children and for the community.

I urge my colleagues to remember not only their mothers but the other women they called mother in their schools, and in their communities. Let's celebrate mothers and H. Res. 1113.

Let me add parenthetically before I begin that I am sure the gentleman from Connecticut is a fine son as well. But thank you for your kind introduction.

Mr. Speaker, in 1908, the United States Senator from Nebraska, Elmer Burkett, rose before his colleagues to propose that Mother's Day be recognized as a national holiday. Notably, the Senator's proposal was defeated in a maelstrom of sensitivities concerning the role of women in society and the role of the Federal Government in honoring them. However, despite this setback, most States adopted Mother's Day celebrations 2 year after, and in 1914, due in large part to the unceasing dedication of support of a number of persons around the country, including Mrs. Jarvis that Representative Clay mentioned, Congress passed a resolution declaring the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day.

President Woodrow Wilson then issued a proclamation directing the flying of the flag as ``a public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.'' One hundred years later, I now have the honor of rising to renew Senator Burkett's beginning effort to support the goals and ideals of Mother's Day.

Mothers have been celebrated throughout history in many languages, religions, and cultures, yet the practice remains far from antiquated. Few traditions have withstood the test of time as the social celebration of mothers. From its early Egyptian roots to our modern American holiday, the commemoration of mothers is timeless.

We now honor all mothers without debate as to their role in politics or the Federal justification in doing so because they are mothers and thus make an immeasurable contribution to the very core of our society. Mothers sustain and strengthen our Nation through their leadership in the family and community. Despite the dynamic nature of society, the ability of mothers to rise to the challenge of raising their families, with love and understanding and compassion, remains constant.

As we commemorate mothers for the integral role they play in shaping the course of our Nation's past, present, and future, we also revere and emphasize the importance of the role of the family and the home as the true and ever-present foundation of America.

Each day in Congress, we tirelessly debate the challenges and nuances of maternity with limited time for appropriate philosophical reflection. So, Mr. Speaker, it is refreshing today that we have a resolution as this before us now. This Sunday, I and millions of Americans will thank our mothers who have shaped our lives and our country.

Mr. Speaker, I wish your mother and all mothers a Happy Mother's Day.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to prove to my mother that I am a better son than the gentleman that I need to yield to, given that it's his resolution, Mr. Fortenberry. So he gets the prize of being the best son in the Chamber.

I yield the gentleman from Nebraska such time as he may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume and rise in support of H. Res 1113 supporting the goals and ideals of Mother's Day and to celebrate its 100th anniversary.

This Sunday, May 11, many Americans will take a moment to remember the estimated 82 million mothers for their immeasurable contributions towards building strong families, thriving communities, and frankly, a strong country.

The first Mother's Day was celebrated in Grafton, West Virginia, on May 10, 1908. From there, the custom caught on, quickly spreading to 45 other States. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson declared the first national Mother's Day as a day for American citizens to show the flag in honor of those mothers whose sons had died in war.

Today, this holiday has grown to include all mothers in times of war and peace. Traditionally, mothers have represented the backbone of families in every culture throughout the world. Mothers are called upon to nurture, teach, and provide guidance to those that have been entrusted in their care. It is their responsibility to raise productive citizens of their communities and ultimately, the world.

As Washington Irving said, ``A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.''

It is that very peace in our hearts which brings us to honor the women we hold dear and to show steadfast support of our mother's love that helps shape us throughout our lives.

For this reason, I urge the passage of H. Res 1113. I thank all mothers, and I thank my mother, Margaret Oliver Shays.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1113) celebrating the role of mothers in the United States and supporting the goals and ideals of Mother's Day.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. Speaker, with the annual mother's holiday just a few short days away, I am pleased to join in the consideration of H. Res. 1113, which aims to recognize and celebrate the role of mothers in our country by supporting the goals and ideals of Mother's Day.