A bill to award posthumously a Congressional gold medal to Constantino Brumidi.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 254) to award posthumously a Congressional gold medal to Constantino Brumidi.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 254 which would posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal to Constantino Brumidi and would authorize the striking of duplicate medals for sale to the public.

Mr. Speaker, for those of us who work here in the Capitol, we are very fortunate to be surrounded by Constantino Brumidi's genius every day. Brumidi's awesome, inspiring murals and frescos are remarkable as they are ubiquitous. Constantino Brumidi's works can be found in three Senate Appropriations Committee rooms, the House Appropriations Committee room, the Senate Democratic Policy Committee room, the Brumidi corridors, the Senate reception area, the Office of the Vice President and, of course, the Rotunda. Like his masterful works throughout the Capitol, Constantino Brumidi's story is uniquely American.

Brumidi was born in Rome in 1805 to an Italian mother and a Greek father. His artistic ability was cultivated at an early age. In his early years, he was commissioned to paint frescos and murals in various Roman palaces. And then in 1849, as did so many of our ancestors, Brumidi, who was already an established artist in Italy and who spent 3 years working for Pope Gregory XVI in the Vatican, migrated to the United States and began a new life in New York City. There he proudly became a naturalized American citizen in 1852.

It was on a return trip from Mexico that Constantino Brumidi first saw the U.S. Capitol. It was a fortuitous twist of fate: at a time when Congress and President Franklin Pierce were preparing to expand the Capitol, a word-class Italian American artist, who just happened to be passing through Washington, inspired by both the freedoms and liberties represented by the seat of Congress and the vast open spaces in the Capitol that seemed to invite frescos and murals, offered his services to Quartermaster General Montgomery C. Meigs. Wisely, Meigs commissioned Brumidi to become the artist of the Capitol.

Brumidi's first work was in the Agricultural Committee room. This masterpiece received such favorable attention that he was given a raise and tasked with painting other larger works culminating with the works in the Capitol Rotunda.

There is no work in the Capitol more impressive or more renowned than ``The Apotheosis of Washington.'' Brumidi completed the fresco in 11 months at the end of the Civil War, soon after the new dome was completed. This absolutely stunning work soars 180 feet above the Rotunda floor. To compensate for the distance from the floor to the ceiling, Brumidi, who spent years mastering depth and scale, painted 15-foot tall figures so that the work could be appreciated from the Rotunda floor.

Another Brumidi masterpiece, ``The Frieze of American History,'' appears just underneath the dome and spans the entire 360 degrees of the Capitol Rotunda. The frieze, which initially looks to be carved or sculpted, as all who view it believe it to be three dimensional, was, in actuality, meticulously painted with the use of scaffolding. While Brumidi first sketched a design of the frieze in 1859, Congress did not authorize work to begin on this piece until 18 years later, in 1877.

The work masterfully displays America's history, beginning with the landing of Christopher Columbus and continuing to the discovery of gold in California. While many visitors to the Capitol have seen Brumidi's genius in the frieze over the years, they may not realize that he nearly lost his life while painting it. While working on a figure of William Penn, 76-year-old Brumidi fell from the scaffolding, but saved himself by clinging to the rung of a ladder for 15 long minutes before he was rescued. While he subsequently ascended the scaffolding once more to continue his work, he died a few months later in 1880. It took two additional artists and 73 years to finish the masterpiece that Constantino Brumidi first began.

Mr. Speaker, Constantino Brumidi's service to the Capitol, and our country, span the administration of six, six Presidents: Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes. On and on, Brumidi worked. All of us here in the Capitol that have the privilege of working in this living museum, as well as the millions of visitors that tour our building each year, who admire and relish Brumidi's works, but precious few know the story of the artist of the Capitol.

In addition to awarding Constantino Brumidi with the Congressional Gold Medal, S. 254 directs the Architect of the Capitol to display the gold medal as an exhibition in the new visitor's center dedicated to Brumidi's life and work. I believe such an exhibit is long past due and would be to the benefit of future generations of Americans who come to see the Capitol and admire the brilliant works of Constantino Brumidi, reminding us yet again that we are a Nation built by immigrants.

Mr. Speaker, Constantino Brumidi was a great son of Italy and a great American. His achievements are a

great source of pride for Italian Americans, and S. 254 would bestow Brumidi, and the Italian American community, with the recognition the artist's great contributions so rightly deserve.

Special thanks are due to Representative Bill Pascrell from New Jersey, the main sponsor of this bill that we have before us in the House today.

And I'd like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of somebody who visits us here in the gallery today, Mr. Speaker, Joseph Grano, who's the president of the Constantino Brumidi Society, for his long and tireless efforts on this behalf.

Mr. Speaker, this is a great day for those who love fine art, creativity, American history, and who appreciate the contributions of Italian American immigrants and all immigrants for the culture and history of our country.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the sponsor of the bill, Bill Pascrell of New Jersey.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney).

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, May 16, 2007, at 9:30 a.m. to mark up an original bill entitled Foreign Investment and National Security Act of 2007; an original bill to make technical corrections to title III of SAFETEA-LU; H.R. 1675, Preservation Approval Process Improvement Act of 2007; H.R. 1676, Native American Home Ownership Opportunity Act of 2007; S. 254, a bill to award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal to Constantino Brumidi; an original bill entitled the International Emergency Economic Powers Enforcement Act of 2007; and to vote on the nominations of Mr. David George Nason, of Rhode Island, to be Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Institutions; Mr. Mario Mancuso, of New York, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration; Mr. Michael W. Tankersley, of Texas, to be Inspector General of the Export-Import Bank of the United States; Mr. Robert M. Couch, of Alabama, to be General Counsel of the Department of Housing and Urban Development; Ms. Janis Herschkowitz, of Pennsylvania, to be a member of the board of directors of the National Consumer Cooperative Bank; Mr. David George Nason, of Rhode Island, to be a member of the board of directors of the National Consumer Cooperative Bank; and Dr. Nguyen Van Hanh, of California, to be a member of the board of directors of the National Consumer Cooperative Bank.

Committee on commerce, Science, and Transportation

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to hold a business meeting during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, May 16, 2007, at 2:30 p.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building. The purpose of this meeting will be to consider and approve S. 1300, S. 694, the nomination of David James Gribbin, IV, to be General Counsel of the United States Department of Transportation, and nominations for promotion in the United States Coast Guard.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, May 16, 2007, at 10 a.m., in 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building, to hear testimony on ``U.S. Preference Programs: How well do they work?''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to conduct a hearing entitled, ``Rogue Online Pharmacies: The Growing Problem of Internet Drug Trafficking'' on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 at 10 a.m. in Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226.

Witness list: Francine H. Haight, Founder of Ryan's Cause, Laguna Niguel, CA; Joseph T. Rannazzisi, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Diversion Control, Drug Enforcement Administration, Arlington, VA; Joseph A. Califano, Jr., Chairman and President, National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, Former Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, New York, NY; Philip B. Heymann, James Barr Ames Professor of Law, Harvard Law School, Former Deputy U.S. Attorney General, Cambridge, MA; Thomas McClellan, Ph.D., Executive Director, Treatment Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate for a markup of S. 1256 ``Small Business Lending Reauthorization and Improvements Act of 2007'' on Wednesday, May 16, 2007, beginning at 2 p.m. in room 428A of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be auhorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, May 16, 2007, to hold a hearing on the nomination of Dr. Michael J. Kussman to be Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The hearing will take place in room 562 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building beginning at 10 a.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Joint Economic Committee be authorized to conduct a hearing entitled, ``Are the Explosive Costs of Elder Care Hurting Family Finances and Business Competition?, in room 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building, Wednesday, May 16, 2007, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Special Committee on Aging be authorized to meet on Wednesday, May 16, 2007, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Dirksen 106 for the purpose of conducting a hearing regarding Medicare Advantage, Marketing, and Sales.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, May 16, 2007, at 10 a.m. in room 406 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Agenda

``The State of Mercury Regulation, Science, and Technology.''

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to stand in strong support of S. 254, or H.R. 1609 in the House, to award this posthumous Congressional Gold Medal to Constantino Brumidi which would be displayed in the Capitol Visitor's Center. This American immigrant was the creator of some of the most beautiful works of art in the United States Capitol Building.

As the sponsor of the House version of this bill and as cochair of the Congressional Italian American delegation, this is an issue very close to me, Mr. Speaker.

Now, these things don't happen in a vacuum. I want to express my sincere gratitude to Senator Enzi and Senator Clinton, to Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, to Congressman John Mica, to Congressman Zack Space and Gus Bilirakis, and my very close friend Gary Ackerman, John Sarbanes, Michael Burgess, and Rick Renzi for their tireless work in garnering support for this worthy initiative.

If it were not for the diligent advocacy efforts of the Constantino Brumidi Society, the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, and the National Italian American Foundation, we would not be standing here today. It's as simple as that.

Born in Rome of Italian and Greek heritage in 1805, Constantino Brumidi trained in drawing, painting and sculpture at Rome's prestigious Accademia di San Luca.

In 1840, this rigorous artistic training was put on display when Brumidi and several other artists were commissioned to restore the richly decorated frescos in the Vatican Palace.

He immigrated to the United States in 1852, with nothing in his pocket, and when he died, he had nothing in his pocket. His only objective was to come here and become an American citizen, and he did that in 5 years. He gave it all, as you walk through this beautiful edifice of freedom that everyone knows all over the world.

In 25 years, from 1854 to 1879, he decorated the Capitol with murals and frescos. His frescos in this Capitol were probably the first true frescos to be painted in the United States of America.

Brumidi believed that the classical architecture of the Capitol Building required real fresco, like the palaces of Augustus and Nero, and the baths of Titus and Livia at Rome, and the admired relics of the painting at Herculaneium and Pompei.

His art drew heavily on his training and experience in Rome, incorporating the history and symbols of the United States into his classical repertoire. His most significant influences included ancient Greek and Roman wall paintings and Raphael's classical decoration in the Vatican.

Although he's often called the Michelangelo of the Capitol, this immigrant who came here and gave everything to this country, Brumidi perhaps should be called the Raphael of the Capitol, since it was Raphael who was his greatest inspiration.

Brumidi's creations in the Capitol Building include his masterpiece, the allegorical fresco, ``The Apotheosis of Washington,'' in the 4,664- square foot canopy over the eye of the dome, 180 feet above the floor of the Rotunda. He also painted the extensive frescos in the Brumidi corridors throughout this Capitol.

His last years were spent painting the historic scenes in the Rotunda frieze, even carrying out his own historic research for his work.

Outside of his work in this Capitol, he also was well-connected in the Catholic church. His commissions included altar pieces and murals in important cathedrals in Mexico City, New York City, Washington, Baltimore, and Philadelphia.

The consummate American, Brumidi is reported to have remarked: ``My one ambition and my daily prayer is that I may live long enough to make beautiful the Capitol of the one country on Earth which there is liberty.''

Sadly, at the time of his death in 1880, as I said, he was penniless. Following his death, his work was roundly criticized by the artistic establishment of his day. However, the 1970s, not that far long ago, brought a renewed appreciation for Victorian architecture and decoration and the growth of the historic preservation, and work was done to restore Brumidi's art to its former glory. Today's scholars are able to fully comprehend the full extent of his talent.

Even though he is long gone, it is imperative that we fully recognize the transcendental beauty, the intricate grace he brought to the building that we stand in and that we work in every day.

There is widespread bipartisan support for this initiative. You heard how many cosponsors in the Senate, as my

good friend from West Virginia pointed out how many, 307, right here in the House of Representatives. What great testimony.

I urge my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, to support this legislation and to remember the background of this individual, his Italian and his Greek heritage, and think of all the immigrants when we think of Brumidi and his contributions.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 254, a bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal honoring the great artistic work of Constantino Brumidi on this great Capitol building. The bill was introduced by Senator Enzi and has 99 cosponsors in the Senate, and in the House, a companion bill was introduced by our colleague, Mr. Pascrell, which has 307 cosponsors.

As we've heard much of Mr. Brumidi's history, he created artworks in the House of Representatives Chamber, many committee rooms, the President's Room, the Senate Chamber, and throughout the corridors of the Capitol. His most famous work within these halls is ``The Apotheosis of George Washington,'' which appears on the Capitol dome in the Rotunda. Mr. Brumidi painted these hallowed halls, and in so doing, he depicted the narrative that is the vivid history of these United States.

Born in Italy in 1805, Constantino Brumidi studied at the Italian Academy of the Arts. In 1852, at the age of 47, he emigrated to America and devoted the rest of his years completing frescoes, sculptures, and paintings in the Capitol Building.

The story of Constantino Brumidi is important not only because he was the artist who gave life to these walls, but because his story is the American story. He was an immigrant to this country, and he used the skill that he had to contribute what he could. In the process, he, like millions of others, built this country into what it is today. Immigrants built this Nation's building, constructed its factories, fed its people, and when called upon, defended its sovereignty. Men and women from this great Nation's inception contributed whatever they could to make this Nation better.

Constantino Brumidi contributed his talents as an artist. And now, because of his efforts, we and all who walk through the Capitol may see not only his talent but this country's history and be filled with the same sense of awe and hope that filled those who walked these halls before us. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a wonderful gift.

On February 19, 1880, at the age of 74, Constantino Brumidi died four-and-a-half months after falling from a scaffolding while working on the Rotunda frieze that chronicles the history of America. He spent his entire time in this country contributing and attempting to fulfill his life's goal. He said, ``My one ambition and my daily prayer is that I may live long enough to make beautiful the Capitol of the one country on Earth in which there is liberty.''

As we stand here today and walk these halls, it is clear to all that Constantino Brumidi accomplished his goal.

This bill awards Constantino Brumidi the Congressional Gold Medal for his contribution. The medal will be displayed in the Capitol Visitor's Center as part of a display honoring his work.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the bill's immediate passage.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he would consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis).

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

I thank my good friend and colleague from the great State of New York for his hard work on this and so many endeavors. And I rise today, as the cochair and cofounder on the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, in strong support of S. 254, to award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal to Constantino Brumidi.

I'm so pleased to join 307 of my colleagues here in this legislative body. We were led so well by our colleague and good friend, Representative Pascrell. And we acknowledge the hard work of Congressman Pascrell and also the Hellenic Caucus and the Italian- American Caucus in getting the necessary cosponsors.

Brumidi was the son of a Greek father and an Italian mother. He fled Rome and immigrated to the United States in 1852. From 1868 to 1879, he was a resident in my congressional district of New York City. And while he was there, he painted 43 murals at St. Stephen's Church, which is in my district, and scholars come from around the world to study his work there, and here in the Capitol.

He is most famous, however, for his artistic achievement here in our great Capitol. ``The Apotheosis of George Washington'' on the dome in the Rotunda is one of the highlights of his brilliant work. He was called the Michelangelo of the Capitol.

He worked flat on his back on wooden scaffolding through the intense summer temperatures, and he created masterpieces throughout our Capitol. His artwork can be found in the Chamber, the House of Representatives Chamber, several committee rooms, the President's Room, the Senate Reception Room, and truly throughout the corridors of our Capitol. I am thrilled that we are recognizing such an outstanding artist and an important contributor to the history of art and the history of our Nation.

The Capitol building is special because of its beautiful architecture and priceless artistic treasures. Without Brumidi's influence, tours of the Capitol simply would not be certainly as beautiful or interesting to Americans. He is truly deserving of the honor we are bestowing upon him. Like many immigrants, he has brought many treasures to our country.

I thank all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their important work in bringing this legislation to the floor.