Commemorating the 40th anniversary of the May 4, 1970, Kent State University shootings.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1272) commemorating the 40th anniversary of the May 4, 1970, Kent State University shootings.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days in which Members may revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record.

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

I rise today to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Kent State University shootings. On May 4, 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard fired into a crowd of unarmed student demonstrators, killing four and wounding nine students.

Antiwar protests broke out on college campuses nationwide on Friday, May 1, following the announcement of the U.S. invasion of Cambodia as part of the Vietnam War. At Kent State University, students assembled in protest throughout the weekend. On May 4, the number of protesters grew in size until approximately 3,000 demonstrators and spectators were gathered on the commons area of the university. Ohio National Guardsmen, who were brought in as the protest grew, began firing in their direction.

Those who were lost that day were Allison Krause, a 19-year-old freshman honors student; Jeffrey Miller, a 20-year-old student who had recently transferred to the school; Sandra Scheuer, also 20, was simply walking to class with a friend when she came in the line of a bullet fired; and William Schroeder, who was not part of the protest and also on his way to class, died with schoolwork in his hands. In addition to those who perished, nine students were injured: Alan Canfora, John Cleary, Thomas Grace, Dean Kahler, Joseph Lewis, Donald MacKenzie, James Russell, Robert Stamps, and Douglas Wrentmore. All survived, but their lives were forever changed.

The site of the tragic campus shootings that occurred 40 years ago was just recently entered into the National Register of Historic Places, the official list of the Nation's historic places worthy of preservation. In order to preserve the memory of the May 4 shootings and encourage inquiry, learning and reflection, Kent State has established a May 4 memorial, as well as individual student memorial markers and scholarships in memory of the four students who lost their lives that day.

The university has also begun steps in the development of a May 4 visitors center which will serve as a central place where individuals can explore and better understand the shootings that took place on that terrible day.

Mr. Speaker, once again I express my support for House Resolution 1272 and the development of the May 4 visitors center as an additional primary resource to preserve and communicate the history of the May 4 shootings, its larger ethical and societal context and impact, and its enduring meaning for our democratic Nation.

I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan) for bringing this bill forward, and I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan) for 2 minutes.

I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of House Resolution 1272, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady.

Forty years ago yesterday, May 4, 1970, Ohio National Guardsmen opened fired on students at Kent State University who were protesting the U.S. invasion of Cambodia and the ongoing war in Vietnam. Four unarmed students, Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, and William Schroeder, were killed. Nine others, Alan John, Thomas, Dean, Joseph, Donald, James, Robert and Douglas, were injured at the noon- time rally. These students were exercising their right guaranteed by the United States Constitution to freely assemble and dissent from their government. The Kent State shootings were followed 10 days later by the shootings of two students protesting at Jackson State College in Mississippi.

The tragedy at Kent State has had a broad resonance in American history. Richard Nixon's former chief of staff, H.R. Haldeman, wrote in his book ``The Ends of Power'' that the Kent State shootings began the slide into the Watergate crisis, eventually dooming the Nixon Presidency. The shootings led to an uptick in student protests across the country, which prompted Richard Nixon to push for a series of unconstitutional moves to target his political enemies. These culminated in the Watergate break-in 2 years after the Kent State shootings.

Kent State University has established a number of resources to honor the 13 students shot on May 4, 1970. The university has established the May 4 Memorial; Kent B'nai B'rith Hillel Marker; individual student markers and scholarships in memory of Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, and William Schroeder; May 4 collections maintained by the university libraries, the department of art, and the Kent State Museum; the Center for Peaceful Change, now rededicated as the Center for Applied Conflict Management; and an experimental college course entitled ``May 4, 1970 and Its Aftermath''; an annual Symposium on Democracy; annual commemorations sponsored by the May 4 Task Force; and recognition of the site on the National Register of Historic Places.

We were honored, Mr. Speaker, several nights ago to have our colleague, John Lewis, attend and serve as the keynote speaker of the 40th anniversary of the May 4 shootings. He delivered a passionate, insightful speech, keynote address, which the people of Kent State University and the city of Kent enjoyed. But as we were milling around after, there has always been this tension between what happened at Kent State that day and the community and the students, and one person said this brought healing to Kent and Kent State, and that is what John Lewis has done for us, and I hope this resolution in some way helps to continue the healing process.

Madam Speaker, I was unable to participate in the following votes due to a natural disaster in my district. If I had been present, I would have voted as follows:

May 4, 2009.

Rollcall vote 243, on motion to suspend the rules and agree--H. Res. 1307--Honoring the National Science Foundation for 60 years of service to the Nation--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 244, on motion to suspend the rules and agree--H. Res. 1213--Recognizing the need to improve the participation and performance of America's students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, supporting the ideals of National Lab Day--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 245, on motion to suspend the rules and agree, as amended--H. Res. 1132--Honoring the USS New Mexico as the sixth Virginia-class submarine commissioned by the U.S. Navy to protect and defend the United States--I would have voted ``aye.''

May 5, 2010.

Rollcall vote 246, on motion to suspend the rules and agree, as amended--H. Res. 1320--Attempted Terrorist Attack in Times Square on May 1, 2010--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 247, on motion to suspend the rules and agree--H. Res. 1272--Commemorating the 40th anniversary of the May 4, 1970, Kent State University shootings--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 248, on motion to suspend the rules and agree, as amended--H. Res. 1301--Supporting the goals and ideals of National Train Day--I would have voted ``nay.''

May 6, 2010.

Rollcall vote 249, on agreeing to the resolution--H. Res. 1329-- Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5019) to provide for the establishment of the Home Star Retrofit Rebate Program, and for other purposes--I would have voted ``nay.''

Rollcall vote 250, on motion to suspend the rules and agree--H. Res. 1295--Celebrating the role of mothers in the United States and supporting the goals and ideals of Mothers Day--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 251, on motion to suspend the rules and pass, as amended--H.R. 1722--Telework Improvements Act--I would have voted ``nay.''

Rollcall vote 252, on agreeing to the amendment--H.R. 5019--Barton of Texas Amendment No. 2--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 253, on agreeing to the amendment--H.R. 5019--Burgess of Texas Amendment No. 4--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 254, on motion to recommit with instructions--H.R. 5019--Home Star Energy Retrofit Act--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 255, on passage--H.R. 5019--Home Star Energy Retrofit Act--I would have voted ``nay.''

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

House Resolution 1272 commemorates the 40th anniversary of the May 4, 1970, Kent State University shootings. On May 4, 1970, people gathered at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, protesting American involvement in Vietnam. Hostilities escalated and four students, Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, and William Schroeder, were shot, and nine others were injured. This year, 2010, marks the 40th anniversary of this tragic event.

The event will always be remembered and has been commemorated in several ways. The site of the shooting, as has been mentioned, has been entered in the National Register of Historic Places. Kent State University has established memorial markers, scholarships in memory of the students, a collegiate course on the events and effects of the shootings, and an annual commemoration. Kent State has also begun to design a visitors center to help people explore and understand the event.

The death and injuries that resulted from the May 4 shootings at Kent State are no doubt tragic. Kent State University, the National Guard, and this Nation have learned from the events, and have worked to ensure it does not happen again. The shootings evoked a national response and had far-reaching effects.

It is important that we commemorate the students who were at Kent State University that day, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1272, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the May 4, 1970, Kent State University shootings.

As a lifelong Northeast Ohioan and a graduate of Kent State University, I hold what took place on May 4th close to my heart.

After the announcement of the U.S. incursion into Cambodia, Kent State students began a weekend of anti-war protests that culminated in the deaths of four unarmed students on May 4th . . .

. . . Another nine were injured, including one of my constituents, Barberton resident and my very dear friend, Alan Canfora.

During the height of the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1971, 17 people were killed during anti-war protests on college campuses.

Many of these Vietnam War demonstrations, including those at Kent State, pitted students against their peers serving in the National Guard.

Forty years after the Kent State shootings, the tragic events of May 4th remain a symbol of the Vietnam War and the protests that ensued at college campus in Ohio and across the country.

I commend the recent placement of the site of the May 4th shootings on the National Register of Historic Places.

I also applaud the establishment of the May 4th Visitors Center, Memorial, and Historical Walking Tour on the campus.

May 4th took the lives of Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, and William Schroeder.

They will always live on in our memories.

They represent a generation and a tumultuous chapter of our Nation's history that should not ever be forgotten.