The United States House of Representative
May 19, 2008
Section 23
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In This Section...
 | Rep. Serrano [D-NY16]: I thank the gentlewoman from California.
I want to thank both the chairmen and the ranking members of both the subcommittee and the committee for bringing this... |
 | Rep. Issa [R-CA49]: Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill and I commend the gentleman from New York. I regret that I have to follow the gentleman from New York, because I too grew... |
Record Text
FRANK SINATRA DAY -- (House of Representatives - May 19, 2008)<p><center><pre>[Page: H4078]
Rep. Diane Watson [D-CA33]:
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1144) expressing support for designation of a "Frank Sinatra Day" on May 13, 2008, in honor of the dedication of the Frank Sinatra commemorative stamp, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
Whereas over 150 years ago, United States commemorative stamps began honoring the people, places, and events that have shaped our country's history;<p> Whereas more than 22,000,000 Americans, including children, collect and learn about our country through stamps, making it one of the most popular hobbies in the Nation and the world;<p> Whereas it is important that we pause to reflect on our Nation's history and culture;<p> Whereas stamps honor statesmen and soldiers as they fought for freedom and democracy, recognize our scientific and technological achievements, pay tribute to our artistic and cultural legacy, and celebrate the strength of our diversity;<p> Whereas Frank Sinatra, a monumental figure in American popular culture, has been selected as part of the 2008 commemorative stamp program;<p> Whereas, on May 14, 1997, the President signed into law legislation to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Frank Sinatra in recognition of his accomplishments as an entertainer and humanitarian; and<p> Whereas the United States Postal Service dedicated the Frank Sinatra commemorative stamp in New York City, and in Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 13, 2008: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the United States House of Representatives expresses support for designation of a "Frank Sinatra Day" in honor of the dedication of the Frank Sinatra commemorative stamp.<p>
Chair: Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) each will control 20 minutes.
Chair: The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.
Rep. Diane Watson [D-CA33]:
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
Chair: Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from California?
Chair: There was no objection.
Rep. Diane Watson [D-CA33]:
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I stand to join my colleagues in the consideration and support of H. Res. 1144, as amended, which expresses support for the designation of Frank Sinatra Day in honor of the dedication of the Postal Service's Frank Sinatra commemorative stamp.
Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 1144 was introduced by our colleague, Congressman José Serrano of New York, on April 23, 2008, and at the moment the measure enjoys the cosponsorship of nearly 60 Members of Congress. H. Res. 1144 was considered and approved by the Oversight panel on March 13, 2008, by a voice vote, after being amended for technical purposes.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my colleague from New York (Mr. Serrano).
(Mr. SERRANO asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)
Rep. José Serrano [D-NY16]:
I thank the gentlewoman from California.
I want to thank both the chairmen and the ranking members of both the subcommittee and the committee for bringing this resolution in such a timely fashion to the floor.
Last week, on May 13, I joined Alan Kessler, the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the U.S. Postal Service, Nancy Sinatra, Frank Sinatra, Jr., and A.J. Lambert, Frank Sinatra's granddaughter, at a formal ceremony in New York City's Gotham Hall, where the Postal Service issued the Frank Sinatra commemorative stamp. Immediately thereafter, 120 million stamps honoring this great icon in American culture, who was both an entertainer and a humanitarian, went on sale nationwide. <center><pre>[Page: H4079]</pre></center>
I am pleased that today the House of Representatives, through its recognition of that special day of the stamp issuance as Frank Sinatra Day, is giving another well-deserved honor to this man who contributed so much to our Nation and our culture. It has been 10 years since the death of Frank Sinatra, talented singer, actor and caring person, and Sinatra's music continues to speak to each of us today in a way that is both personal and emotional.
My colleagues, of course, know of my personal love for Mr. Sinatra's music. At this age, I carry close to 2,000 songs on my iPod from Sinatra alone. I was introduced to the English language by listening to Frank Sinatra records when my father came back from World War II. At that time, I remember my father saying something profound. He said, "You know, the English language takes a bad rap. People say that it is not a romantic language." He said this to me in Spanish. "But," he said, "if you listen to the way this man sings the English language, you will recognize that it is indeed a romantic language if sung properly."
Through the years, I used those records at the beginning of my time in New York City to learn to enunciate and to imitate the way he used the English language, because when he sang it was perfect. In fact, in Germany, in Japan, and other countries, businessmen use Frank Sinatra records to learn how to pronounce the English language. Maybe that is the reason why I am the only New Yorker who says "Tuesday" instead of "Toosday," because Mr. Sinatra would have never tolerated "Toosday."
Personally, for me as a fan, I know the big difference between those songs that everybody recognizes from Mr. Sinatra like "New York, New York" and "My Way," and those other bittersweet melodies that he made famous that you only listen to sometimes at 3 o'clock in the morning. That was Sinatra the singer.
Then there was another side very briefly to Mr. Sinatra. At a time when certain entertainers were not allowed to stay in certain hotels in this country, it was Mr. Sinatra who said, If they can play, I want them in my band. I don't care what they look like, I don't care what their religion is, I don't know what their color is, I don't care. If they can play and they have talent, I want them in my band. It was because of that that Las Vegas began to integrate for the first time due to that work. This was the other side of Frank Sinatra.
And lastly, the one you will see on TV this month, Sinatra, the actor, the one that could either give you the happy-go-lucky Pal Joey, or the very daring Man With a Golden Arm, talking about drug addiction at a time when that was not a subject.
This was the whole of Frank Sinatra, and we as Americans honor him this week with a commemorative stamp. I commend all of us to buy that stamp, and just think of this as I close. Our gossip notes, our water bills, and, yes, our love letters will carry the smile of Frank Sinatra for a time to come.
Rep. Darrell Issa [R-CA49]:
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill and I commend the gentleman from New York. I regret that I have to follow the gentleman from New York, because I too grew up listening to Sinatra wondering if the Rat Pack would be my future. Now I am in Congress; it could be that it came true.
But whether you admire Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, or Frank Sinatra, they all had one thing in common; they changed the world with their bigger than life behavior. They also changed the world with their generosity. Frank Sinatra was famous for his generosity. Even better than that, he was also famous for having problems with people, and then turning around and being overly generous to people that he had had difficulties with. He helped some years, many years ago give Buddy Rich, a famous jazz drummer, money to start a band even though only a few years earlier they had been arch enemies. He picked up the hospital bills of Bela Lugosi and many others. He funded hospital activities around the world. He lived his life big and he lived it every day. He stretched. He was in fact a great actor. He was in fact somebody who would act in parts that perhaps lesser men would have shied away from, wanting to preserve their image.
And certainly his music spanned not only generations and decades, but it spanned every genre. He was able to do that. He was able to reinvent himself from the forties, the fifties, the sixties, and even the seventies. In fact, even as his age increased and perhaps just a slight bit of that famous beautiful voice disappeared, he found ways to redo music, and his music lives on today. I am not surprised that a thoroughly modern man from New York would have 2,000 Frank Sinatra songs. My only question is, why don't you have more?
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time totally in support of this resolution.
Rep. Diane Watson [D-CA33]:
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from New York for sponsoring the measure at hand, and I would certainly urge passage of this bill.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Chair: The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1144, as amended.
The question was taken.
Chair: In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Rep. Darrell Issa [R-CA49]:
Mr. 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.
Chair: Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
Chair: The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
