Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the University of Nebraska at Omaha and recognizing the partnership between the City of Omaha, its citizens, and the University to build a vibrant and dynamic community.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman who is the sponsor of House Resolution 1372 and an alumnus of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, as opposed to the University of Nebraska at New Orleans or something, such time as he may consume for this particular issue.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to say a few words in support of this particular resolution that congratulates the University of Nebraska at Omaha in its 100th anniversary of its founding, which will be 100 years on September 19 of this year. I would like to thank my colleague, Mr. Terry, for introducing this resolution. I also have to clarify that he was not the alumnus. His wife is the alumna of this institution. And I want to recognize the contributions the University of Nebraska at Omaha has made to the education of the citizens of this Nation.

It was founded with just 26 students and now serves over 14,000. In the 2006-2007 academic year, the university awarded over 2,400 degrees to its students. The University of Nebraska at Omaha is nationally recognized for a strong academic program. Last year alone, the university was honored as one of the Best Colleges 2007 list, and the Best Midwestern College 2007 list and the Best Graduate Schools 2009 list, as published by ``U.S. News & World Report.'' In addition, the College of Business Administration's masters in business in administration students rank in the top 5 percent nationally, while the undergraduate students ranked in the top 15 percent on the most recent standardized exam on business topics.

University of Nebraska at Omaha has graduated such notable alumni as Marlin Briscoe, Peter Fonda, and a couple of Senators. Despite that fact, it is still a good school. I would like to congratulate all of the students, the alumni, and past and present employees on all they have accomplished over the last 100 years at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

While I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, our efforts to help these college students will still be incomplete if we don't recognize the factors that all colleges are facing. Our higher education system is being squeezed by the high energy costs, just as the rest of society is. Schools are being forced to limit their operations, to reduce the number of school days just to save on utility costs and save their students the price of a day's commute. I know in both regular education as well as secondary education that the budgets for those particular institutions are written very narrowly and that whenever there is an unusual spike in something like the cost of electricity and the cost of fuel, that it is taken out primarily either in the short term or the long-term from the funds that are available for the faculty and for teachers for their salaries. It is simply a fact of life that if we do not get control of this energy crisis that is burgeoning, every school district in this Nation, whether it be a secondary, elementary, public or private or university level, every one of those schools is going to have the costs that will be borne by the teachers either in suppressed salaries at the current time or suppressed salaries into the future. That is the price we are paying for our failure to try to grasp this particular concept.

The majority has been meeting behind closed doors to craft a bill to offer what seems to be, at least from leaks

coming out, more political cover than actual reform. I am reminded of the U.S. Senate. The U.S. House has always had galleries so that people could watch what is taking place. But at the very beginning of the United States, the Senate convened in a closed room and no one could see what was taking place in that particular Chamber. The first employee of the United States Senate was actually the Senate secretary, a protege of John Adams who held the job for 25 years. The second employee of the Senate was the doorkeeper whose responsibility was to make sure that the public and House Members did not enter into the Chamber of the United States Senate. In fact, the Senate went on at that time to establish a funding schedule that would pay all Members of Congress $6 a day and Members of the Senate $7 a day. They also established a rule that a secretary could take any communication to the House, but at least two House Members had to be responsible for taking any communication to the Senate.

Well, the doorkeeper turned into the Sergeant of Arms as time went on. And eventually the Senate broke down and decided to actually allow people to watch the proceedings on the floor. Yet once again we find ourselves in an amazingly similar situation where the most important issue of our time is what we do with this energy crisis, and yet the bill that is supposed to be debated this day, this week on the floor, supposed to be being heard in Rules Committee as we speak, has yet to be heard in any public forum, has not had any kind of public hearing, and has not had any kind of committee work. And my bets are still that there won't be a heck of a lot of amendments that will be allowed to that particular procedure, all of it done in secret and private and then unveiled on the floor.

That is not the way of good regular order. Regular order should allow public process and open vetting so that all ideas are explored and the best ideas are those that surface to the top. We are not doing that this week. And we vitally and desperately need to do that, or just go back to the days where we keep a couple of doorkeepers around so the wrong people are not allowed to participate in the process of the policy of the United States.

We need to do that. We need a real energy policy that looks good not on paper, but keeps vital American resources viable and usable, not under lock and key. The students of this college need that for their future. All students need that for their future. Teachers need that if their retirement and their salaries are going to be kept impact. All of us need that if this economy is going to be vibrant and move forward.

Mr. Speaker, I do not have other speakers at this time, and I would yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1372) celebrating the 100th anniversary of the University of Nebraska at Omaha and recognizing the partnership between the city of Omaha, its citizens, and the university to build a vibrant and dynamic community, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H. Res. 1372 into the Record.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in full support of H.R. 1372, which celebrates the University of Nebraska at Omaha's 100 years of service and partnership between the City of Omaha and its citizens.

Founded in 1908, Omaha, Nebraska and Bellevue citizens worked together to create a nonsectarian university where local high school residents could receive a college education.

Starting with only 26 students in their first class, the University of Nebraska at Omaha has blossomed into an esteemed university. Today, the University enrolls almost 14,000 students and offers a diverse range of academic courses.

With only 71 undergraduate majors, 45 masters degree programs, 17 graduate certificates and six doctoral programs, UNO possesses a wide array of courses for its students. The school makes a tremendous social and financial impact on its students and city. Students receive a quality college education, and the school generates $350 million per year for the community.

UNO's unique history speaks to its accepting and inclusive culture. UNO started off as the University of Omaha. Due to financial difficulties and the high number of students who wanted to attend, in 1929 the board of trustees voted to establish a municipal university. The newly named Municipal University of Omaha prospered and relocated to its final location on 60th and Dodge Streets in the fall of 1936.

Later the university regents agreed to merge with the University of Nebraska. As a result, University of Nebraska at Omaha was born. That merger created a more sustainable and affordable college education, a principle the school lives by today.

Mr. Speaker, once again, I express my full support for the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers on this bill. But before I give up my time, I want to say to Congressman Lee Terry that there's no doubt in my mind that the University of Nebraska is certainly one to be reckoned with, and the University of Texas Longhorns always have to think very, very hard and be very well prepared to be able to take those Nebraska Cornhuskers.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers, and I wish to yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman, and I thank the committee leadership for bringing this resolution to the floor. I, of course, as the author, rise in support of H. Res. 1372, a resolution celebrating the 100th anniversary of the University of Nebraska at Omaha. I do want to start off at the beginning to tell my friend from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa) that this is not the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Huskers. This is the number-sixth-rated-in-the-Nation University of Nebraska at Omaha Division II football. That is a distinction that, once made, garnered a lot more supporters. So when it comes to voting, I want to make that distinction.

In October of 1908, 26 students gathered to form the first class at the University of Omaha, achieving the goal the city fathers decreed to create a nonsectarian university where local high school graduates could receive a college education. Over the tumultuous years ahead, the University of Omaha grew in size and reputation, outgrowing its original buildings and then relocating to its current home near Memorial Park in what was then the far west edge of the town and now known as ``Midtown.''

In time, the University of Omaha would be known as the Municipal University of Omaha and in 1968 would become part of the University of Nebraska system, developing doctoral programs in conjunction with the flagship campus in Lincoln, as well as a number of independent programs in the field of public administration and criminal justice. UNO, as it then would become to be known, would become known for its remarkable programs in engineering, IS&T, and technology fields that are housed in the Peter Kiewit Institute as well as the university's renowned aviation program.

Today the University of Nebraska at Omaha has a significant impact on eastern Nebraska and western Iowa, serving over 250 communities and contributing nearly $300 million in economic impact to that area. With a current enrollment of nearly 15,000 students, the University of Nebraska at Omaha has grown significantly and in measurable ways. It has bettered the lives of the citizens of Omaha and has taken its place among some of the finest public universities of its size in the region.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my fellow Members to vote in favor of this resolution in recognition of a truly unique and outstanding educational institution as it celebrates its 100th anniversary in October of this year. And go Mavericks!

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the motions to suspend the rules relating to the following measures be considered as adopted in the form considered by the House on Monday, September 15, 2008:

House Resolution 1255, House Resolution 1372, House Resolution 1425, House

Concurrent Resolution 410, H.R. 2352, H.R. 2535, H.R. 3437, H.R. 5293, H.R. 5350, H.R. 5736, H.R. 6064, H.R. 6503, and H.R. 6855.