Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the District of Columbia Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 39) authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the District of Columbia Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on House Concurrent Resolution 39.

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

House Concurrent Resolution authorizes the use of the Capitol grounds for the District of Columbia's Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run. The Capitol Police, along with the D.C. Special Olympics, will participate in the torch run to be held on June 5, 2009.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Special Olympics is run nationwide by law enforcement officers, leading up to each State or national Special Olympics summer games.

Each year, nearly 50 local and Federal law enforcement agencies in Washington, D.C., participate to show their support of the D.C. Special Olympics. This torch relay event is a traditional part of the opening ceremonies for the Special Olympics.

Since its inception, over 15,000 District of Columbia citizens with disabilities have participated in the Special Olympics. Funds raised from the Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Special Olympics helps support year-round training and programs for Special Olympics in the District of Columbia. This type of support led to seven Special Olympics athletes competing in the Penn relays in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 2008.

The D.C. Special Olympics will work closely with the Capitol Police and the Architect of the Capitol to make sure that the event is in full compliance with the rules and regulations governing the use of the Capitol grounds. The event will be free and open to the public. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I may have additional speakers, and I reserve the time.

Mr. Speaker, the D.C. Special Olympics is a

really premier event in this region that highlights the athletic accomplishments of children and adults with disabilities. I would like to recognize and give special thanks to the tenacity of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and her family for exceptional work on behalf of persons with disabilities.

Mr. Speaker, as a young person I volunteered with the Special Olympics each year. And I recognize the talents, training and athleticism of young people from around the country and even from my congressional district. And each year law enforcement officers around the world participate in the local Torch Run events to raise money and awareness for the Special Olympics. In fact in 2008, the Law Enforcement Torch Run raised over $34 million for the Special Olympics. And here in the Washington, D.C. area, law enforcement officers who are part of the extensive volunteer network that support the games carry the ``Flame of Hope'' across the Capitol Grounds through the District of Columbia to Catholic University.

It is an amazing event. The event is scheduled of course to occur on June 5, 2009. And it will be open to the public and is free of charge on the Capitol Grounds. The games are a wonderful expression of inclusiveness and confirmation of individual contribution.

I enthusiastically support this resolution. And I thank the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) for presenting the resolution to us and this very worthwhile endeavor of the Special Olympics.

I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

I have no further speakers at this time on this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I also thank the gentleman from Florida for his patience today.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman for yielding. I certainly support this resolution. The Special Olympics is a wonderful program. Certainly using Capitol Grounds is appropriate. Americans all over the country and certainly here revere this Capitol, as well we all should.

In a couple of minutes, we will be voting on a privileged resolution that I have offered. This is the third one. It is similar to the others that have been offered but it differs a little. It is a bit narrowed.

Right now, Mr. Speaker, as much as we revere this institution, there is a cloud hanging over it. And that cloud is that there are investigations going on right now at the Department of Justice investigating the relationship between earmarks and campaign contributions. And as long as that is occurring without this body doing anything, there will be a cloud hanging over this institution.

Now some may say as long as other bodies outside of Congress are investigating this issue, that Congress has no obligation to do so. I think that is wrong. We have an obligation to uphold the dignity and decorum of this body. And we haven't been doing it very well. And as long as these investigations are swirling around us and we fail to act, then this cloud remains.

Some have mentioned that, in fact in one of the papers today, it referenced that this investigation is a Republican-led effort to embarrass the Democrats because the Democrats embarrassed Republicans beforehand. It is nothing of the sort. I did not consult with my party leadership before offering this resolution. I have not consulted with them during it. This is not a partisan resolution.

This is a bipartisan problem. The problem is that the perception is that earmarks are influencing campaign contributions and that campaign contributions are influencing earmarks. And there is really no other way to look at the situation but to draw that conclusion. That is why we need to vote on this resolution and allow the Ethics Committee to look into it.

Again this is not a partisan issue. This is a problem that afflicts both sides. I hope my colleagues see it that way. And we simply cannot allow this body to have the cloud hanging over it as it is right now.

And so I would encourage my colleagues, when it comes time to vote for this resolution, I'm sorry, vote against the tabling of the resolution, which would allow the Ethics Committee to look into it.

And I thank the gentleman for yielding.

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

Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 39 authorizes the use of the Capitol grounds for the District of Columbia's Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run to be held on June 5 of this year.

The Special Olympics is an internationally recognized organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults with disabilities through athletic competition and through athletic events in general.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run is the largest grassroots effort that raises funds and awareness for the Special Olympics program, Mr. Speaker. The event in D.C. is one of the many law enforcement torch runs throughout the country and across 35 Nations leading up to the summer Special Olympics.

The Torch Run is a special event during which members of law enforcement run the ``Flame of Hope'' to the site of the local Special Olympics games.

Mr. Speaker, this event has become a regular occurrence on the Capitol Grounds. And this year's event will represent the 24th time it has occurred on these grounds. I am pleased to be a cosponsor of this resolution along with the chairwoman of our Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.

I support this resolution and encourage my colleagues to do the same.

If I may at this time, Mr. Speaker, if I might inquire of the gentlewoman from Maryland if she has any further speakers.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Flake).

Mr. Speaker, before I yield back, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Maryland for doing a great job in leading us through all the bills. She has done a wonderful job. I thank her for her leadership today.

And with that, Mr. Speaker, I would yield back.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 39, authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the District of Columbia Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run.

The District of Columbia Special Olympics is the premier event in this region that highlights the athletic accomplishments of children and young adults with disabilities. I'd like to recognize and give special thanks to the tenacity to Eunice Kennedy Shriver and her family for exceptional work on behalf of persons with disabilities.

Each year, law enforcement officers around the world participate in local Torch Run events to raise money and awareness for the Special Olympics. In 2008, the Law Enforcement Torch Runs raised over $34 million for the Special Olympics.

In the Washington D.C. area, law enforcement officers, who are part of the extensive volunteer network that support the games, carry the ``Flame of Hope'' across the Capitol Grounds through the District of Columbia to Catholic University.

This event, scheduled to occur on June 5, 2009, will be open to the public and free of charge. The sponsors will work with the Capitol Police Board to ensure that all rules and regulations pertaining to the use of the Capitol Grounds are followed.

These games are a wonderful expression of inclusiveness and a confirmation of individual contribution. I enthusiastically support this resolution and the very worthwhile endeavor of the Special Olympics.

I urge my colleagues to join me in agreeing to H. Con. Res. 39.

Madam Speaker, at the request of the Secretary of State of the State of Texas, I am officially entering House Joint Resolution 39, as passed by the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009 of the State of Texas, into the Congressional Record.

A Joint Resolution

post-ratifying Amendment XXIV to the Constitution of the

United States prohibiting the denial or abridgment of the

right to vote for failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.