Recognizing and honoring the signing by President Abraham Lincoln of the legislation authorizing the establishment of collegiate programs at Gallaudet University.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 77) recognizing and honoring the signing by President Abraham Lincoln of the legislation authorizing the establishment of collegiate programs at Gallaudet University.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 77 into the Record.

I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 77, which congratulates Gallaudet University for 145 years of exceptional service to the hearing-impaired student community.

In 1856, Mr. Speaker, Amos Kendall, a local businessman in Washington, D.C., adopted five deaf children. He soon learned that there were few opportunities for education for blind and deaf kids in Washington, D.C., so he took it upon himself to do something about the state of education, and he donated two acres of his estate to create a school that would ensure these students a place to learn.

In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed a charter to allow the school to confer college degrees. Beginning with just 18 students, Gallaudet University is now the world leader in liberal education and career development for over 1,600 deaf and hard-of-hearing college students yearly. With nearly 40 undergraduate and 12 graduate programs, Gallaudet boasts a strong and diverse academic program. Approximately 90 percent of its courses include an online component, making Gallaudet a leader in technology in the classrooms. Gallaudet is the only institution that focuses on educational programs for hearing-impaired students from preschool through the doctoral level.

Gallaudet is also a world leader in the fields of education and research. It is home to the Gallaudet Research Institute, which is the preeminent source of demographics of deaf youth in the United States. It is also home to the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School and the Model Secondary School for the Deaf, both of which disseminate innovative curriculum, materials and teaching strategies to schools throughout the country on ways to serve children with hearing impairments.

Gallaudet considers public service an integral part of its student life. Just last year, Gallaudet students and faculty served 56,000 people by teaching sign language classes and by providing sign language interpretation at conferences throughout the world.

Gallaudet graduates move on to distinguished careers, including as lawyers, investment bankers, scholars, and entrepreneurs. It is clear that Gallaudet University is providing hearing-impaired students with an unrivaled education, and I congratulate the university on its 145th anniversary.

As a congressional member of its board of trustees, I am pleased to have worked with Senator Sherrod Brown, who also serves on the board, to introduce this concurrent resolution. I urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 77.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. I do not know if we have any other speakers on the other side of the aisle, Mr. Bishop.

Then are you prepared to close?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Miller and the Committee on Education and Labor for their help in bringing Congressman Kennedy's resolution to the floor.

I urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 77, which congratulates Gallaudet University for the 145th anniversary of the signing of its charter by President Abraham Lincoln.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 77, a resolution recognizing and honoring the 145th anniversary of the signing of the law that established collegiate programs at the excellent institution of higher learning, Gallaudet University.

It was on April 8, 1864 that President Abraham Lincoln signed a Federal law authorizing Gallaudet University to confer collegiate degrees. The signing of this law finally gave deaf students an opportunity to pursue a higher education in an environment specifically designed to meet their communication needs. Gallaudet is still the only institution in the world that focuses on education programs for deaf and hard-of-hearing students from preschool through the doctoral level.

As of the 2007-2008 academic year, Gallaudet enrolled over 1,600 students. These students have the opportunity to choose from more than 40 undergraduate majors and have the opportunity to take advantage of a state-of-the-art facility. Additionally, each of these students who graduates from Gallaudet will receive a diploma that has been signed by the sitting President of the United States.

I extend my congratulations to Gallaudet University on the 145th anniversary of its creation, and wish all of Gallaudet's faculty, staff, students, and alumni continued success in their endeavors. I ask my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

We do not.

Mr. Speaker, with my profound respect for this particular institution and for the job that they do in creating a service for a specific need that is out there, I urge the support of this resolution.

I yield back the balance of my time.