[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 17] [House] [Pages 24976-24982] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]FATHER THEODORE M. HESBURGH CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1932) to authorize the President to award a gold medal on behalf of the Congress to Father Theodore M. Hesburgh, in recognition of his outstanding and enduring contributions to civil rights, higher education, the Catholic Church, the Nation, and the global community. The Clerk read as follows: H.R. 1932 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Father Theodore M. Hesburgh Congressional Gold Medal Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. The Congress finds that-- (1) Father Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., has made outstanding and enduring contributions to American society through his activities in civil rights, higher education, the Catholic Church, the Nation, and the global community; (2) Father Hesburgh was a charter member of the United States Commission on Civil Rights from its creation in 1957 and served as chairperson of the Commission from 1969 to 1972; (3) Father Hesburgh was president of the University of Notre Dame from 1952 until 1987, and has been president emeritus since 1987; (4) Father Hesburgh is a national and international leader in higher education; (5) Father Hesburgh has been honored with the Elizabeth Ann Seton Award from the National Catholic Education Association and with more than 130 honorary degrees; (6) Father Hesburgh served as co-chairperson of the nationally influential Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics and as chairperson, from 1994 to 1996, of the Board of Overseers of Harvard University; (7) Father Hesburgh served under President Ford as a member of the Presidential Clemency Board, charged with deciding the fates of persons committing offenses during the Vietnam conflict; (8) Father Hesburgh served as chairman of the board of the Overseas Development Council and in that capacity led fundraising efforts that averted mass starvation in Cambodia in 1979 and 1980; (9) Father Hesburgh served from 1979 to 1981 as chairperson of the Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee Policy, which made recommendations that served as the basis of congressional reform legislation enacted 5 years later; (10) Father Hesburgh served as ambassador to the 1979 United Nations Conference on Science and Technology for Development; and (11) Father Hesburgh has served the Catholic Church in a variety of capacities, including his service from 1956 to 1970 as the permanent Vatican representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna and his service as a member of the Holy See's delegation to the United Nations. SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. (a) Presentation Authorized.--The President is authorized to present, on behalf of the Congress, a gold medal of appropriate design to Father Theodore M. Hesburgh in recognition of his outstanding and enduring contributions to civil rights, higher education, the Catholic Church, the Nation, and the global community. (b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary. SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 3 under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold medal. SEC. 5. NATIONAL MEDALS. The medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code. SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; PROCEEDS OF SALE. (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be charged against the Numismatic Public Enterprise Fund an amount not to exceed $30,000 to pay for the cost of the medal authorized by this Act. (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sales of duplicate bronze medals under section 4 shall be deposited in the Numismatic Public Enterprise Fund. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus). Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we are not only here to honor a great American, a great university president, but in doing that, this Congress is also saluting and paying tribute to the Catholic higher education in America and its significant contribution. Catholic universities and colleges constitute an extraordinary variety of institutions. The high quality of the education they provide is well known to most Americans, and the contribution they make to the life of this Nation and the world is tremendously positive. So we not only salute a great American, but the gentleman from Indiana, the chief sponsor of the bill, the gentlewoman from California and I and the entire Committee on Banking and Financial Services in doing so wish to salute Catholic higher education in America. Mr. Speaker, I will be talking about some of those great institutions as we consider this coin. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of bestowing the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor to a very worthy and outstanding American. Father Hesburgh was educated at Notre Dame and the Georgian University in Rome, for which he received a bachelor of philosophy degree in 1939. He was ordained a priest by the congregation of the Holy Cross in Sacred Heart Basilica on the Notre Dame campus June 24, 1943 by Bishop John F. Knoll of Fort Wayne. [[Page 24977]] Following his ordination, Father Hesburgh continued his study of sacred theology at the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., receiving his doctorate in 1945. In 1952 he was named the 15th president of Notre Dame, where he served until retiring in 1987, ending the longest tenure among active presidents of American institutions of higher learning. Father Hesburgh has held 15 presidential appointments over the years, most recently to the U.S. Institute for Peace, and they involved him in virtually all of the major social issues: civil rights, peaceful issues of atomic energy, campus unrest, and Third World development, to name only a few. His stature as an elder statesman in American higher education is reflected in his 133 honorary degrees, the most ever awarded to any American. Highlighting a lengthy list of awards to Father Hesburgh is the Medal of Freedom, the Nation's highest civilian honor, bestowed on him by president Lyndon Johnson in 1964. Notre Dame's president emeritus has served four Popes, three as permanent Vatican city representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna from 1956 to 1970. Justice has been the focus of many of his outside involvements. He was a charter member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, created in 1957, and he chaired the Commission from 1969 to 1972, when President Nixon replaced him as chairman for his criticism of the administration's civil rights record. Among his more recent and visible off-campus activities has been as co-chairman of the nationally-influential Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, and his involvement with the Center for Civil and Human Rights. {time} 1645 There are 292 cosponsors of this legislation, and, of course, it is led by my colleague and friend the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer), who has done a magnificent job in helping to organize and focus us on the fact that this human being has contributed so much we need to give him special recognition. Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), the chairman of the Committee on Banking and Financial Services. Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished friend, the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus) for yielding me this time, and also thank him for his leadership and that of the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) and, of course, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer), for bringing this bill before us. The United States Congress rarely authorizes gold medals. In this case, it is choosing to do so for a man who symbolizes the most profound of American values, a faith-based commitment to civil rights, to quality education, to peace and the processes needed to produce a more civil world. Father Hesburgh is a man of and for all seasons. His life is worthy of admiration and, more importantly, replication. Heroes are many kinds, but if there is such a thing as a hero of faith, it is Father Hesburgh. He has ennobled his church, his university, his country. With this Congressional Gold Medal, we honor his life and his contribution to our times. By so doing, we also pay homage to the role of Catholic education and church leadership in America. Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, there are approximately 230 Catholic institutions of higher education in our country. There are 600,000 students enrolled in those institutions; and, as I said, there is extraordinary variety in these institutions. They literally are spread across the map of the United States. If one goes to Maine, one will find Saint Joseph's College. If one goes to Honolulu, one will find Chaminade University; if one goes to Florida, one will find Barry University; St. Thomas in Miami. If one goes to Washington State, one will find Gonzaga in Spokane; Seattle University in Seattle, a tremendous number of these institutions making a tremendous contribution. One of the premier institutions is Notre Dame and it is the president of that institution that we honor today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I proudly yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer), the chief sponsor of the bill. Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, first of all, we would not be here without the strong bipartisan support of the Committee on Banking and Financial Services that has jurisdiction over this issue. I want to thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) for her dedication and her commitment to bringing this bill honoring Father Hesburgh as a Holy Cross priest and the University of Notre Dame to the floor today. I want to thank the chairman, the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus) for his strong support and his commitment to Catholic education. I want to thank the chairman, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), who just had those eloquent words to say. I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce), our ranking member. I also want to thank the Members who helped me get this resolution started. The gentleman from New York (Mr. King) was very helpful, a Republican; the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), a Democrat; the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), a Democrat; the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder), a Republican, those were the people that started talking about many of these issues, and with my good friend who served with Father Hesburgh on the Civil Rights Commission, the gentleman from California (Mr. Horn), who took the case to the United States Congress to honor with distinction, with dedication, with integrity this great man and we now have 292 cosponsors on this bill. It is interesting, and I say to my colleagues, about the history of the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor, that we have awarded it initially and primarily to military leaders for their bravery. We honored notables in science and math, explorers and space pioneers going up into the heavens. We have honored athletes and we have honored authors and poets and we have honored humanitarians and public servants. People such as George Washington, adorned right here on this wall; John Paul Jones and Charles Lindbergh; Thomas Edison and Jonas Salk garnered this high honor. What is so unusual about Father Hesburgh, what is so unique about what he brings to this award is not just his devotion and passion for people and for equality and civil rights, it is not just his dedication to public service or his strong feelings about the importance of higher education and ethics and integrity and teaching those things at a Catholic University, but it is the three things that he has done with his life that we honor here today. It is public service. It is devotion to higher education. It is passionate commitment to religion as a Holy Cross priest. Now, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) and the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) and others have talked about these three areas. Let me just spend a bit more time on each of them. First of all, his dedication to public service. He has held 15 different presidential appointments, and I think among them, the most proud times that I have spent with him at lunch and dinner he has talked so passionately about his charter membership on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and how he fought so diligently in the 1960s, with the Kennedy and the Johnson administration, for the passage of the historic 1964 Civil Rights Act. That is something that Father Hesburgh continues to fight hard for and feels passionately about those civil rights for each and every American. He also joined, in 1971, the Board of the Overseas Development Council; and he led fund-raising efforts on that council in 1979 and 1980 that averted mass starvation in Cambodia. He saved thousands of lives with his commitment to try and prevent starvation and trying to encourage more access to [[Page 24978]] food and relief around the world, especially for Third World nations. He also has been strongly committed to higher education, where he served for 35 years as the President of the University of Notre Dame. When he came to Notre Dame, I think some had said it was a very good school, with a great football team. Well, today it is an internationally recognized research and teaching institution that attracts the best students and the best faculty and also, by the way, still has a great football team. He continues to emphasize the important things such as moral and intellectual dimensions and faith- based learning at the University of Notre Dame. He also encourages the students at the University of Notre Dame through the center for social concerns to volunteer in the local community and around the United States, and globally in the world to help fight through volunteerism to make a difference with their lives, not only at Notre Dame but after they leave that institution. By the way, 80 percent of Notre Dame graduates have volunteered in some capacity before they graduate from the University of Notre Dame. Finally, the third area that Father Hesburgh has devoted so much of his life to, as a Catholic priest, as a CSC priest and his religious beliefs, he has taught the value of volunteering. He has stressed the issues of social justice, not just in South Bend, Indiana, not just in the United States but in Cambodia, in Africa, in the Middle East, where he continues to be very involved in trying to gain peace and tolerance there. Father Hesburgh, through fighting for social justice, has always been amplifying the voice of the homeless, has always been advocating the concern of the poor and has always been trying to put a voice out there for those that are voiceless and poor and not able to lobby the government of the United States. So I have deep admiration for Father Hesburgh, and it is with great joy that this bill, H.R. 1932, comes to the House Floor and that we recognize Father Hesburgh's achievements over the many years. In conclusion, Father Hesburgh probably was a man for all seasons, a man of many causes, a man of deep devotion to the Catholic church, a man of dedication to higher education, a man of overwhelming commitment to public service and to justice for all. I thank this body for bringing this bill to the House Floor. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1932, to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C. Since I introduced this legislation with Representatives Peter King, John Lewis, Pete Visclosky, Mark Souder, Anne Northup and 85 original cosponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives, it has enjoyed strong bipartisan support. Currently, my legislation is cosponsored by 292 of my colleagues. This bipartisan legislation recognizes Father Hesburgh for his many outstanding contributions to the United States and the global community. The bill authorizes the President to award a gold medal to Father Hesburgh on behalf of the United States Congress, and it also authorizes the U.S. Mint to strike and sell duplicates to the public. The public service career of Father Hesburgh, president emeritus of the University of Notre Dame, is as distinguished as his many educational contributions. Over the years, he has held 15 Presidential appointments and he has remained a national leader in the fields of education, civil rights and the development of the Third World. Highlighting a lengthy list of awards to Father Hesburgh is the Medal of Freedom, our Nation's highest civilian honor, bestowed on him by President Lyndon Baines Johnson in 1964. Mr. Speaker, justice has been the primary focus of Father Hesburgh's pursuits throughout his life. He was a charter member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, created by Congress in 1957 as a compromise to end a filibuster in the U.S. Senate to prevent passage of any and all legislation concerning civil rights in general and voting rights in particular. Father Hesburgh chaired the commission from 1969 to 1972, until President Nixon replaced him as chairman because of his criticism of the Administration's civil rights record. Additionally, Father Hesburgh was a member of President Ford's Presidential Clemency Board, charged with deciding the fate of various groups of Vietnam offenders. In 1971, he joined the board of the Overseas Development Council, a private organization supporting interests of the underdeveloped world, and chaired it until 1982. During this time, he led fund-raising efforts that averted mass starvation in Cambodia in 1979-80. Between 1979-81 he also chaired the Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee Policy, the recommendations of which became the basis of Congressional reform legislation five years later. In 1979, Father Hesburgh was appointed Ambassador to the United Nations Conference on Science and Technology for Development--the first time a priest has served in a formal diplomatic role for the U.S. government. He was involved during the 1980s in a private initiative which sought to unite internationally known scientists and world religious leaders in condemning nuclear weapons. He helped organize an 1982 meeting in Vatican City of 58 world class scientists, from East as well as West, who called for the elimination of nuclear weapons and subsequently brought together in Vienna leaders of six faith traditions who endorsed the view of these scientists. Father Hesburg stepped down as head of the University of Notre Dame in 1987, ending the longest tenure among active presidents of American institutions of higher learning. He continues in retirement as much as he did as the Nation's senior university chief executive officer--as a leading educator and humanitarian inspiring generations of students and citizens, and generously sharing his wisdom in the struggle for the rights of man. During the period of unrest on American campuses, a time when educational leaders were at a loss to understand or deal with the inexplicable reactions of students, people like Father Hesburg stepped forward to explain the ethical purpose and goals of the campus: ``Education is essentially a work of the spirit--the formation of intelligence, the unending search for knowledge. Why then be concerned with values? Because wisdom is more than knowledge; man is more than his mind, and without values man may be intelligent but less than fully human.'' As a member of the U.S. Institute of Peace Board is presently working to find solutions for Middle East tensions as well as those in Eastern Europe. He recently participated in a fact-finding trip to Kosovo with the U.S. Association for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, to view first-hand conditions facing refugees in the aftermath of last spring's NATO bombing campaign and subsequent UN-peacekeeping efforts. He met with senior members of the UNHCR missions and conducted briefings with NATO, Red Cross and other officials in Pristina. They also traveled in the countryside near Pristina to assess the rebuilding process. He recently collected his 140th and 141st honorary degrees this year, the most every bestowed upon one person, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. The latest came from the State University of New York and Connecticut College. I am personally grateful to Father Hesburg for his friendship and guidance during my years as a student at the University of Notre Dame. My family shares my gratitude. My grandfather, William Roemer, was a professor of philosophy during the early years of Father Hesburg's presidency, and my parents, Jim and Mary Ann Roemer, also worked during his tenure at the University. Mr. Speaker, I once asked Father Hesburg for advice about how to raise a happy healthy family with children. His reply was helpful, insightful and advice I continue to follow today: ``Love their mother.'' I strongly believe Father Hesburg's response here was just one of many shining examples illustrating that his contributions to family values in American society are as numerous and meaningful as his devoted contributions to human rights, education, the Catholic Church and the global community. Mr. Speaker, the Congressional Gold Medal has been awarded to individuals as diverse as George Washington, Bob Hope, Joe Louis, the Wright Brothers, Robert Frost, and Mother Teresa. These people, along with 250 individuals and the American Red Cross, share the common bond of outstanding and enduring contributions to benefit mankind. Through the award, Congress has expressed gratitude for distinguishing contributions, dramatized the virtues of patriotism, and perpetuated the remembrance of great events. This tradition, or authorizing individually struck gold medals bearing the patriots of those so honored or images of events in which they participated, is rich with history. I believe that this is the most appropriate time for Congress and the entire Nation to join me in recognizing this remarkable man and living legend of freedom in America. I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation and urge the House of [[Page 24979]] Representatives to pass this important measure. I would like to thank my colleagues who have given their support and worked so hard to move this legislation forward. Additionally, I thank the leadership of the House and the Committee on Banking for their support and efforts to expedite consideration of this bill. Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, there are 24 Catholic colleges and universities in the State of New York and among them is Saint Francis College in Brooklyn. One of the original cosponsors of this bill is a graduate not only of Saint Francis but also of Notre Dame. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. King). Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want to commend him for the outstanding work he has done in bringing this resolution to the floor. I also have to pay tremendous gratitude and express a great debt to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer) for the absolutely tireless job he has done in procuring the signatures, of working hard, of making the case of just being relentless in making sure that this resolution went forward and he certainly has every reason to be proud of himself for the great job he has done. Most importantly, Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to stand up and speak on behalf of this resolution honoring Father Hesburgh. Father Hesburgh is an outstanding educator, an outstanding religious leader, and an outstanding American. As the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer) and others have mentioned, he has done a truly magnificent job during the 35 years that he was president of the University of Notre Dame. I had the privilege of being a law student during the time that he was the President of the university and had firsthand knowledge of the tremendous impact he had on the campus, on all the schools, all its efforts but most importantly of imparting to the students of Notre Dame the obligation of the sense that they had to make a difference, that they had to put into practice what they learned, that religion was not just something that one spoke about in church but something that one lived every day of their life in every endeavor in which one was engaged. Father Hesburgh did that. He did that by his commitment to civil rights, by his commitment to justice, by his commitment to peace, and by his dedication to his country which is why he is such an outstanding American serving President after President on so many issues, always making himself available to make this a better country and to make this a better world. Certainly, as a religious leader, he realized the importance of using religion to bring people together, not to divide them, of exemplifying the very best of Christianity, of Catholicism, indeed of all religions, in showing the one God that binds us all, that brings us all together. That was Father Hesburgh, a man who even to this day is a renowned leader. I was at the Notre Dame campus this weekend and even to this day his presence is still there, not just in the bricks and mortar of the enormous library that is named after him, not just the various programs that are named after him but as the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer) said, in the spirit of volunteerism that the students at Notre Dame have accepted and have taken from the Hesburgh tradition; the acknowledgment, the realization that they have the obligation to go out and work among their fellow men and women, those who are not as fortunate as they are, to use the abilities and talents that were brought to fruition in Notre Dame on behalf of those less fortunate than themselves. {time} 1700 So to present the Congressional Gold Medal to Father Hesburgh, it is a great moment for Congress, it is a great moment for Notre Dame, it is a great moment for Father Hesburgh, it is a great moment for all of us who have had the opportunity to know him, to work with him, to meet with him, and to realize that he is getting this recognition which he so much deserves. I urge the adoption of the resolution. Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I have no speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we have several other speakers that wish to be heard. I also want to commend the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer). As I read this statement, I attribute this to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer) and his hard work, and that statement is that H.R. 1932 complies with all rules of the Committee on Banking for coin and medal bills and exceeds the requirement that two-thirds of the Members of the House sponsor the bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Horn), former president of Long Beach State University, who worked with Father Hesburgh. Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Alabama for the time. I thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer) for his legislation to award a Congressional Gold Medal to a very distinguished citizen. Father Theodore ``Ted'' Hesburgh is one of the great citizens of America and the World. He has served at the call of Presidents of both parties. He was an original member of the United States Commission on Civil Rights, appointed by President Eisenhower in 1957. He served on that nonpartisan commission through the presidency of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Baines Johnson and the first term of the presidency of President Richard M. Nixon. Nixon had urged the then President of Notre Dame to accept the directorship of the Office of Economic Opportunity, the anti-poverty program. When Father Hesburgh rejected the full-time offer because he wished to stay at his beloved Notre Dame, President Nixon then offered him the chairmanship of the Civil Rights Commission which was part-time. At that time, 1969, the President also appointed me to the Commission as the vice chairman. I had an opportunity to see Father Ted's leadership skills close at hand. Believe me, his leadership skills are many and effective. Father Ted is beloved by all who have known him. He spoke out for human rights and against dictatorships. He has secured the safety for individuals who had fought for human rights in different parts of the world. Working together with our other four colleagues on the Commission, we were able to begin a systematic analysis of the degree to which cabinet departments and independent agencies were obeying and implementing the great laws--such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Father Hesburgh's inspirational leadership and steady optimism were appreciated by us all. We got things done. Presidents listened. Father Hesburgh has served his Nation well, not only on matters of civil rights here and abroad, and unemployment, poverty, hunger and agriculture for developing nations so they can feed their people. Although duties to American higher education off the campus, his door was always open to students when he was at Notre Dame. When the light was on, students knew he was in and climbed up the ladder or the stairs to his quarters for a 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. discussion on philosophy, ethics, and all the other things that he cared about in higher education. Of course, with great affection, the students kidded about Father Ted's absence. They would ask ``What is the difference between God and Father Ted?'' Answer: ``God is everywhere. Father Ted is everywhere but at Notre Dame.'' Sometimes he would write the student body from ``high over the Andes.'' But the fact was they knew that he was always approachable, both to students and alumni. His goal was to serve as a parish priest. He had that role to help the veterans from the Second World War who returned or began at Notre Dame. Although he achieved many other accomplishments working with Presidents, Prime Ministers, potentates, kings, [[Page 24980]] queens, dictators, he always remembered that all human begings should have human rights. America and the World gained much from the dedication and the devotion of the man who saw his role as the local parish priest. Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I will enter into the Record a rollcall of the 230 Catholic institutions of higher education in our country. Among these colleges is Georgetown University, our oldest Catholic university, which celebrated its 250th birthday. The gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer), the sponsor of this bill, I told him that I once heard a debate between two of my friends as to which was the premier Catholic university, and it was between Holy Cross and Georgetown. I asked them which one of those universities was the premier Catholic university. He told me both of them were wrong, that it was Notre Dame. Of course, the gentleman is from Indiana. Among these colleges and universities is Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama. Spring Hill College was the oldest Catholic college in the Southeast, the fifth oldest in the United States. Among the original cosponsors of this bill today is the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis). Spring Hill was praised by Martin Luther King, Jr., as one of the first colleges in the South to integrate racially. As an Alabaman, I am proud of that distinction. Mr. Speaker, let me mention some of the universities and colleges throughout the Nation which contribute so mightily to the life of this Nation and to the world. I mentioned Georgetown and Holy Cross; Fordham University in New York; St. Louis University; Boston College; Catholic University here in Washington; University of Detroit; the three Loyolas in New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Chicago; DePaul University in Chicago; Marquette University, Creighton University in Omaha; the University of Santa Clara; Villanova, of Saint John's University in New York. A college that one of my friends went to, and I saw it listed, I take sort of personal privilege in saying Manhattan College, a college that gave many youth on limited income a chance to get ahead with the scholarship. Many fine women colleges, Catholic colleges for women: St. Mary's College, Notre Dame's sister institution; Trinity College here in Washington, D.C.; and a college that a good friend of mine attended, that being Manhattan in New York. There are many, many others, but I will simply introduce into the Record all 230. Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield? Mr. BACHUS. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana. Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, I will not object to the gentleman from Alabama entering into the Record all 230 universities as long as Notre Dame is the first university entered in. Is that all right? Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, he had told me that. The gentleman from New York (Mr. King) has requested that Notre Dame also be first on the list with St. Francis College in Brooklyn to be added second. So I will consent to that request. So I offer the list referred to into the Record, moving Notre Dame to the front of the list. [From the association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, Washington, DC] u.s. catholic colleges and universities Albertus Magnus College, Allentown College of Saint Francis de Sales, Alvernia College, Alverno College, Ancilla College, Anna Maria College, Aquinas College, Aquinas College, Inc., Assumption College, Assumption College for Sisters, Avila College, Barat College, Barry University, Bellarmine College, Belmont Abbey College, Benedictine College, Benedictine University, Boston College, Brescia University, Briar Cliff College, Cabrini College, Caldwell College. Calumet College of Saint Joseph, Canisius College, Cardinal Stritch University, Carlow College, Carroll College, Castle College, Chaminade University of Honolulu, Chatfield College, Chestnut Hill College, Christendom College, Christian Brothers University, Clarke College, College Misericordia, College of Mount Saint Joseph, College of Mount Saint Vincent, College of New Rochelle, College of Notre Dame, College of Notre Dame of Maryland, College of Our Lady of the Elms, College of Saint Benedict, College of Saint Elizabeth, College of Saint Francis, College of Saint Mary, College of Saint Rose, College of Saint Thomas More, The College of Santa Fe, College of St. Catherine. College of St. Joseph, College of St. Scholastica, College of the Holy Cross, Creighton University, D'Youville College, DePaul University, Divine Word College, Dominican College of Blauvelt, Dominican College of San Rafael, Dominican University, Donnelly College, Duquesne University, Edgewood College, Emmanuel College, Fairfield University, Felician College, Fontbonne College, Fordham University, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Gannon University, Georgetown University, Georgian Court College, Gonzaga University, Gwynedd-Mercy College, Heritage College, Hilbert College. Holy Cross College, Holy Family College, Holy Name College, Immaculata College, Iona College, John Carroll University, King's College, La Roche College, La Salle University, Laboure College, Le Moyne College, Lewis University, Loras College, Lourdes College, Loyola College in Maryland, Loyola Marymount University, Loyola University New Orleans, Loyola University of Chicago, Madonna University, Manhattan College, Manor Junior College, Maria College, Marian College, Marian College of Fond du Lac, Marian Court College, Marist College, Marquette University. Marygrove College, Marylhurst University, Marymount College, Marymount Manhattan College, Marymount University, Marywood University, Mater Dei College, Mercy College of Northwest Ohio, Mercyhurst College, Merrimack College, Molloy College, Mount Aloysius College, Mount Carmel College of Nursing, Mount Marty College, Mount Mary College, Mount Mercy College, Mount Saint Clare College, Mount Saint Mary College, Mount Saint Mary's College, Nazareth College of Rochester, Neumann College, Newman University, Niagara University, Notre Dame College, Notre Dame College of Ohio. Ohio Dominican College, Our Lady of Holy Cross College, Our Lady of the Lake College, Our Lady of the Lake University, Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, Presentation College, Providence College, Queen of the Holy Rosary College, Quincy University, Regis College, Regis University, Rivier College, Rockhurst College, Rosemont College, Sacred Heart University, Saint Anselm College, Saint Gregory's University, Saint John's University, Saint John's University, Saint Joseph College, Saint Joseph's College, Saint Joseph's University, Saint Leo College, Saint Louis University, Saint Mary College. Saint Mary's College, Saint Mary's College of CA, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, Saint Michael's College, Saint Norbert College, Saint Peter's College, Saint Vincent College, Saint Xavier University, Salve Regina University, Santa Clara University, Seattle University, Seton Hall University, Seton Hill College, Siena College, Siena Heights University, Silver Lake College, Spalding University, Spring Hill College, Springfield College, St. Ambrose University, St. Bonaventure University, St. Catharine College, St. Edward's University, St. Elizabeth College of Nursing, St. Francis College. St. Francis College, St. John Fisher College, St. Martin's College, St. Mary's University, St. Thomas Aquinas College, St. Thomas University, St. Vincent's College, Stonehill College, The Catholic University of America, Thomas Aquinas College, Thomas More College, Trinity College, Trinity College of Vermont, Trocaire College, Universidad Central De Bayamon, University of Dallas, University of Dayton, University of Detroit Mercy, University of Great Falls, University of Mary, University of Notre Dame, University of Portland, University of Saint Francis, University of San Diego, University of San Francisco, University of Scranton, University of St. Thomas, University of St. Thomas, University of the Incarnate Word, University of the Sacred Heart, Ursuline College, Villa Julie College, Villa Maria College of Buffalo, Villanova University, Viterbo College, Walsh University, Wheeling Jesuit University, Xavier University, Xavier University of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I want to comment on one other thing about Father Hesburgh, something I did not know about him until I studied about this coin bill, but something that I think is very striking to any of us that were on college campuses in 1969. In fact, not only was I attending the University of Alabama at that time, but I was also a member of the Army Reserves. So this really comes home to me. Father Hesburgh has received numerous awards from educational groups and from others. We have heard about some of those. Among those was the prestigious John Nickel award given to him in 1970 by the American Association of University Professors. This award, which honors those who uphold academic freedom, recognizes Father Hesburgh's crucial role in blunting the [[Page 24981]] attempt of the Nixon administration in 1969 to use Federal troops to quell campus disturbances. Now, as someone who was both a university student and also a member of the Army Reserve, I want to commend Father Hesburgh personally. I know that there are a lot of other Americans that applaud his stand on this who know, looking back at this time in history, how great a contribution that was. But we know that it obviously could have avoided some tragic times in our country. This is one of many, many contributions that he made. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), Chairman of the Committee on International Relations. Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus), the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer), the initial sponsor of this measure, and for introducing this legislation and for affording me this opportunity to speak today. I want to commend the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) for her support on this measure honoring Father Hesburgh. As a priest, the university president, and a public servant, Father Theodore Hesburgh dedicated his life to providing a better life for all of us and for the development of an improved society. Throughout his lifetime, Father Hesburgh has served on 15 presidential commissions, most recently to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, peaceful uses of atomic energy, campus unrest, treatment of Vietnam offenders, Third World development, and immigration reform, to name just a few. Father Hesburgh has significantly contributed to our Nation as a national leader in the field of education, serving on many commissions and study groups, examining matters ranging from public funding of independent colleges and universities to the role of foreign languages and international studies and higher education. Father Hesburgh's stature as an elder statesman in America's higher education is reflected in his 135 honorary degrees, the most degrees ever awarded to any one American. Throughout my tenure in the Congress, it has been a pleasure to work with Father Hesburgh to value his distinguished leadership on a number of worthy causes throughout the international spectrum. Accordingly, I am pleased to join with my colleagues in commending Father Hesburgh for his outstanding efforts and accomplishments. I strongly support this recognition of his achievements for our Nation with a Congressional Medal of Honor. Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time we have remaining. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shimkus). The gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus) has 1 minute remaining. Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, when we think of Notre Dame, many of us think of Knute Rockne. They think of the 1913 game when an obscure team from an obscure college at that time, at least obscure to most Americans, played Army and upset them 35 to 13. They think of Knute Rockne and the fighting Irish. They think of that great coach. But that is what we think about on Saturday. But there is another man we honor today, and that is a man that left his mark on the institution from Monday through Friday, which built Notre Dame into a great academic university. His contributions deserve to be discussed today. {time} 1715 It is for that reason, Mr. Speaker, that this Congress fittingly honors this man, Father Hesburgh. I would just close by again thanking the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer); his companion, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky) in the Indiana Congressional delegation; the gentleman from New York (Mr. King); the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder); the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis); and also the gentlewoman from Kentucky (Mrs. Northup). Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of legislation to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Reverend Theodore Hesburgh in recognition of his outstanding and enduring contributions to civil rights, higher education, the Catholic Church, and the nation. I want to thank my colleague from Indiana, Tim Roemer, for his initiative in introducing this bill. It has been a pleasure to co-sponsor this legislation. Father Hesburgh is a man known for the wide scope of his influence. However, for me personally as a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Father Hesburgh will remain etched in my mind as a legendary figure in the field of higher education. The tenacity and passion that he continues to carry into the academic arena are clearly evident. Serving as Notre Dame's president from 1952-87, Father Hesburgh led the University in its rise to national prominence. When he stepped down as head of Notre Dame--after nearly 35 years--he ended the longest tenure among presidents of American colleges and universities. His position as a fixture in American higher education is reflected in his 135 honorary degrees, the most ever awarded to an American. Father Hesburgh's influence as an educator goes far beyond measurable successes. His unique vision of the contemporary Catholic university as an institution responsible for touching the moral, as well as the intellectual dimensions, of scholarly inquiry has benefited countless university students--myself included. ``The Catholic University should be a place,'' he wrote, ``where all the great questions are asked, where an exciting conversation is continually in progress, where the mind constantly grows as the values and powers of intelligence and wisdom are cherished and exercised.'' Father Hesburgh instills in students that they have a moral obligation to make a positive contribution to society both inside the classroom as well as in the larger community. Today over eighty percent of Notre Dame students volunteer their time to serve those who are less fortunate. The public service career of Father Hesburgh is as distinguished as his many educational contributions. Over the years, he has held 15 presidential appointments, served four popes, and he has remained a national leader in the fields of education, civil rights and the development of the third world. The lengthy list of awards honoring Father Hesburgh includes the Medal of Freedom, our nation's highest civilian honor, bestowed on him by President Johnson in 1964. Finally, social justice has been the focus of many of his involvements outside of the university. He was a charter member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, created by Congress in 1957, and chaired the Commission from 1969 to 1972. Mr. Speaker, as an original co-sponsor of this bill, I strongly encourage my colleagues to join me in bestowing this high honor upon this excellent American. Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1932, a bill to award a Congressional gold medal to Father Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., in recognition of his contributions to civil rights, higher education, the Catholic Church, the Nation, and the global community. Before saying more, I would like to commend the bill's author, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer), for his leadership on this bill. Father Hesburgh was the 15th president of the University of Notre Dame, holding that position from 1952 until 1987, and has been president emeritus since 1987. For half a century, Father Hesburgh has been one of our Nation's greatest public servants and his enormous humanitarian contributions have been widely recognized. In 1964, President Johnson awarded Father Hesburgh the Medal of Freedom, our nation's highest civilian honor. He has held fifteen U.S. presidential appointments in such areas as the peaceful use of atomic energy, Third World development, immigration (having chaired the Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee Policy from 1979 to 1981), and civil rights (having chaired the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights from 1969 to 1972). In each case, Father Hesburgh has served with distinction. It is not surprising, given this record of principled, dedicated public service, that the University of Notre Dame founded the Hesburgh Program in Public Service in 1987. The Hesburgh Program seeks to prepare Notre Dame students for an active life devoted to the pursuit of effective and just responses to issues in American society. In short, it encourages young men and women to emulate Father Hesburgh's years of selfless, devoted service. Moreover, two buildings on the Notre Dame campus bear the Hesburgh name. In 1987, the Memorial Library was renamed the Hesburgh Library in recognition of his active role in the establishment of the library in 1959, [[Page 24982]] the fulfillment of its goals in the years since, and the personal example he has set for Americans young an old as a lifelong learner. The second building honored with his name is the Hesburgh Center for International Studies. Home to the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and the Helen Kellogg Institute for International Studies, the Hesburgh Center reflects Father Hesburgh's vital contribution and desire to expand our understanding of the world around us, improve the resolution of violent conflicts, and promote human rights, equitable development, and social justice here and abroad. It is with the utmost respect and admiration for Father Hesburgh and his life's work that I support today's recognition of his accomplishments which have benefitted our nation and urge unanimous passage of H.R. 1932. Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shimkus). The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1932. The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________