Congressional Record UNUM

E PLURIBUS

United States

of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 110th

 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION

b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m.

Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor.

.

H10869 

Vol. 154 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2008 No. 185 

House of Representatives 

The House met at 10 a.m. and was 

called to order by the Speaker pro tempore (Mrs. TAUSCHER

f 

). 

DESIGNATION OF THE SPEAKER 

PRO TEMPORE 

The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following communication from the Speaker: 

WASHINGTON, DC, 

December 10, 2008. 

I hereby appoint the Honorable ELLEN O. 

TAUSCHER to act as Speaker pro tempore on 

this day. 

NANCY PELOSI, 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

f 

PRAYER 

The Chaplain, the Reverend Daniel P. 

Coughlin, offered the following prayer: 

Lord of the ages, ever-faithful to 

Your promises, be with Your people, 

now and forever. 

The sun grows dim and the daylight 

is measured. In the darkness, phantoms 

loom. The eye cannot discern as the 

distance fades. Be for us light. 

Help Your people make clear judgments that will propel us into the future. Remove any shadowy cloud so we 

follow the patterns of silent stars. 

O Lord of the ages, ever-faithful to 

Your promises, be with Your people 

now and forever. 

Amen. 

f 

THE JOURNAL 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The 

Chair has examined the Journal of the 

last day’s proceedings and announces 

to the House her approval thereof. 

Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved. 

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam 

Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I 

demand a vote on agreeing to the 

Speaker’s approval of the Journal. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The 

question is on the Speaker’s approval 

of the Journal. 

The question was taken; and the 

Speaker pro tempore announced that 

the ayes appeared to have it. 

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam 

Speaker, I object to the vote on the 

ground that a quorum is not present 

and make the point of order that a 

quorum is not present. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8, rule XX, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. 

The point of no quorum is considered 

withdrawn. 

f 

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Will the 

gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. 

FOXX) come forward and lead the House 

in the Pledge of Allegiance. 

Ms. FOXX led the Pledge of Allegiance as follows: 

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the 

United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, 

indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. 

f 

DISPENSING WITH CALENDAR 

WEDNESDAY BUSINESS TODAY 

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam 

Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 

the business in order under the Calendar Wednesday rule be dispensed 

with today. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there 

objection to the request of the gentleman from Washington? 

There was no objection. 

f 

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER 

PRO TEMPORE 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The 

Chair will entertain up to 15 requests 

for 1-minute speeches on each side. 

MOVE THAT BUS 

(Mr. COURTNEY asked and was 

given permission to address the House 

for 1 minute.) 

Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Speaker, 

Carol Girard of Voluntown, Connecticut, is an inspiration to all of us. 

Last year a devastating fire forced 

Carol, her husband, Thomas, and family from their home and into a camper 

in the shadow of the home’s charred remains. After that loss, Carol suffered 

the ultimate tragedy when her husband, Thomas, and their son, Marc, 

drowned in Connecticut’s Green Falls 

Pond. 

This week the television show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition answered Voluntown’s call for help. 

Today, where her house once stood, a 

new home, a new life and restored hope 

have arisen for Carol and her surviving 

children, Lucas, Hannah, Jacqueline 

and Adam. 

Hundreds upon hundreds of volunteers have poured on to the site this 

week making the construction of a new 

beautiful home possible. In particular, 

Home Designs by Bruno of Colchester, 

Connecticut, deserves America’s 

thanks for coordinating this effort. 

In honor of the great work of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and the 

Girard family, I join all of Eastern 

Connecticut in saying ‘‘Move That 

Bus!’’ 

f 

ZIMMER ORTHOPAEDICS OF 

STATESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 

(Ms. FOXX asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 

minute and to revise and extend her remarks.) 

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, earlier 

this fall I had the privilege to visit 

Zimmer Manufacturing in Statesville, 

North Carolina. During my visit to 

Zimmer’s Statesville facility, I witnessed a thriving company committed 

to producing high quality surgical