Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for a celebration of Citizenship Day.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 136) authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for a celebration of Citizenship Day.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 136.

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

Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 136 authorizes use of the Capitol Grounds for a celebration of Citizenship Day. This event will be sponsored by the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium. The bill is sponsored by Congresswoman Watson and has bipartisan support.

The Capitol Hill event will be part of a national program for Korean Americans who will gather in Washington on that day. The date for the event is planned for September 17, 2009. September 17 marks the anniversary of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and is commemorated as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. Citizenship Day was authorized by P.L. 108-447. As is required of all events on the Capitol Grounds, this event will be free and open to the public.

I support this resolution and reserve the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman. I ask the gentleman if he has any further speakers.

I yield back the remainder of my time and ask that the bill be approved by the House.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 136, to authorize the use of the Capitol Grounds for a public event to honor citizenship day.

September 17th marks the anniversary of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and is commemorated as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. It designates a time to honor the Constitution of the United States and learn more about this famous piece of legislation.

Constitution Day and Citizenship Day also recognizes ``all those who, whether by coming of age or by naturalization, have become citizens.'' The day is intended to encourage ``the complete instruction of citizens in their responsibilities and opportunities as citizens of the United States and of the State and locality in which they reside.''

H. Con. Res. 136 authorizes the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium to sponsor a free public event on the Capitol Grounds to celebrate Citizenship Day on September 17, 2009.

Activities on the Capitol Grounds conducted under H. Con. Res. 136 will be coordinated with the Architect of the Capitol, and will be free and open to the public.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Con. Res. 136.

The chairwoman has just explained this legislation, and it is obviously one that I support. It authorizes the use of the Capitol Grounds for a celebration of Citizenship Day, something that many people take for granted and yet we should not take for granted. This is the freest, the most wonderful, the most generous country that God has ever allowed men and women to create on this planet, and nothing is more sacred than citizenship of this wonderful land.

Again, it is wonderful that we are actually going to be celebrating that along with Constitution Day. The Constitution, again, is that document that has allowed all of this enterprise to take place, limited government, which our Founding Fathers understood was the key to greatness.

So, again, she already explained what this does, allowing the use of the Capitol Grounds for a celebration of Citizenship Day, and I would urge the adoption of this resolution.

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

I do not.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I might yield my time to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mario Diaz-Balart) to control.