Recognizing the contributions of the American Kennel Club.

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

I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 160, honoring the American Kennel Club for its service to dog owners throughout the United States.

Founded in 1884, the Kennel Club operates the largest registry for purebred dogs in the U.S. and is the country's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to the study of dogs and their care. This organization has 609 member clubs and monitors 4,000 licensed and sanctioned clubs holding events under the American Kennel Club rules and regulations.

I have to say, I did show one dog that I had for a period of time, a basset hound, in Chicago, in the American Kennel Club at one of the shows, and it's quite an experience for anybody to do that. It's well run and well regulated.

The American Kennel Club has taken the lead in promoting responsible dog ownership and breeding practices as well as supporting thousands of volunteers across the country who teach safety to dog owners. In order to maintain the high standards for which the American Kennel Club is known, they conduct over 5,200 kennel inspections each year. And, as Mr. Price mentioned, youth ages 9 to 18 are enrolled in the National Junior Organization, which really helps to communicate the proper handling of dogs and allows them the opportunity to participate in shows at an early age.

It has also created a Canine Health Foundation, which funds research projects focused on the genetics of dog diseases and clinical studies. The club annually awards over $170,000 in scholarships to veterinary students and veterinary technical students and has reunited thousands of dogs with their owners through its Companion Animal Recovery program.

The American Kennel Club has been a part of communities of the United States since 1884 and continues to be a model for teaching responsible breeding, care, and ownership of dogs. So we congratulate the American Kennel Club on its 125th anniversary.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 160) honoring the American Kennel Club on its 125th anniversary, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and add any extraneous materials.

Madam Speaker, at this time, I would like to recognize the lead sponsor of this resolution, Representative David Price, my friend from North Carolina, for 5 minutes.

Madam Speaker, I simply want to stand and join with Mr. Price of North Carolina in honoring the American Kennel Club for its service on behalf of the study, the responsible breeding and ownership of dogs.

I do want to add that in addition to Mr. Price, who is the lead sponsor, this resolution has enjoyed the support of over 50 Members of Congress. As others have noted here, there's been a long and illustrious history of the AKC in the United States, and they sanction and regulate the events of its 609 member clubs as well as monitor over 400 licensed and sanctioned clubs located throughout the United States that hold events pursuant to AKC rules and regulations. And as has been noted, the American Kennel Club sanctioned or regulated nearly 23,000 individual events across the country last year.

Moreover, in promoting canine health and well-being, the American

Kennel Club has implemented a variety of kennel inspector training initiatives, with AKC-employed kennel inspectors conducting over 5,200 inspections each year. This is all great work that needs to be done and is proudly done by the AKC, an organization that funds research projects focused on the genetics of canine disease and to which the AKC has donated over $22 million since 1995.

So, in closing, I would simply ask Members on both sides of the aisle to support Mr. Price and his resolution.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of our time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

I thank the gentleman, Madam Speaker, and I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 160, honoring the contributions of the American Kennel Club on its 125th anniversary.

Over the course of these 125 years, the AKC has established itself as our Nation's leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement, study, responsible breeding, care, and ownership of dogs. Today, dog owners throughout the United States can be proud of the work the club does to promote the responsible care that dogs deserve.

With offices employing 300 constituents in my district in Raleigh, North Carolina, and additional staff in New York City, the AKC has also become a major source of good-paying jobs.

Each year, the American Kennel Club sanctions and regulates over 20,000 sporting events. It is also a leader in training inspectors and inspecting dog kennels, conducting more than 5,200 kennel inspections each year.

Through its national junior organization, the AKC has enrolled over 21,000 children aged 9 to 18 to promote responsible dog ownership, care, and handling.

In addition to serving as the world's largest purebred dog registry, the AKC has also started a mixed breed program to allow all dogs to participate in a variety of AKC's sanctioned events. Various AKC programs support the advancement of canine health and well-being, and educate the public on responsible dog ownership.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Lynch, Mrs. Biggert, Chairman Towns, and Ranking Member Issa for moving this resolution forward, and my colleague from North Carolina (Mr. Coble) and 51 other cosponsors for their help as well.

I urge my colleagues to join in support.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 160, honoring the American Kennel Club on its 125th anniversary.

As someone who is proud to have three loveable four-legged members of my own family, Chavo, Baloo, and Pippin, I was eager to be an original cosponsor of this resolution. The American Kennel Club provides invaluable services to dog owners and breeders across the country. For the past one hundred and twenty-five years, this organization has been counted upon to promote best practices for training, regulation, inspection, and registration.

Most Americans know the club for its annual dog shows, but it does much more. The American Kennel Club awards nearly $170,000 in scholarship money per year to veterinary students and has donated nearly $22 million to the Canine Health Foundation. Younger owners also learn proper skills for treatment and care of their dogs through the National Junior Organization.

Every dog owner knows the bond that can develop between a family and its four-legged member. The American Kennel Club has worked to cultivate and encourage this relationship. The individuals of the AKC have selflessly worked to achieve high standards in each club function and for this they are to be commended.

I want to thank the bill sponsor, Representative Price and my fellow co-sponsors for their strong support of the American Kennel Club.

Madam Speaker, unfortunately, I missed the following recorded votes on the House floor on Tuesday, December 15, 2009 and on the morning of Wednesday, December 16, 2009.

On Tuesday, December 15, 2009, had I been present I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 971 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 894); ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 972 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 1517); ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 973 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 3978); ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 974 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 971); ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 975 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 2194); ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 976 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 150); ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 977 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to S. 1472).

On December 16, 2009, had I been present I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 978 (on agreeing to H. Con. Res. 223, providing for the sin die adjournment of the first session of the 111th Congress); ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 979 (on ordering the previous question to H. Res. 973); ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 980 (on agreeing to H. Res. 973; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 981 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Con. Res. 160).