Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise in support of the nomination of Dr. Carla Hayden to be the head of the Library of Congress. President Obama nominated her on February 24, 2016, and the Rules Committee held a hearing on April 20, 2016. I thank the chairman of the Rules Committee, the Senator from Missouri, Mr. Blunt, and Senator Schumer. Why is there an urgency to confirm Dr. Hayden? Speaking as the vice chair of appropriations committee, the Library of Congress has $600 million of appropriations funded through the legislative branch and 3,000 employees. In addition to the work they do that is well known with the Library of Congress, they also oversee the U.S. Copyright Office for the entire Nation, which needs leadership and resources. The Library of Congress also needs to move into the digital age, and that is why President Obama nominated Dr. Carla Hayden. As Senators from Maryland, Senator Cardin and I know Dr. Hayden well. She has been head of the Maryland Enoch Pratt Free Library for 23 years. She is distinguished. She was the past president of the American Library Association and was confirmed by the Senate in 2010 to serve on the National Museum and Library Services Board and has received numerous awards. She has proven herself to be a skilled manager of large, complex projects and handling large budgets. She moved the Enoch Pratt Free Library into the digital age by leading the renovation of IT infrastructure dating back to the 1930s.…”