Charles Skelton: “I thank my friend and gentlewoman from New York and friend and gentleman from Iowa for their support on this bill. Mr.…”

“I thank my friend and gentlewoman from New York and friend and gentleman from Iowa for their support on this bill. Mr. Speaker, several years ago, I hosted a small breakfast for the well-known historian Stephen Ambrose, and I asked him what it was that made America so great. Now, I fully expected him to mention the westward movement of American pioneer families in the 1800s. Instead, Mr. Ambrose replied, ``Look at Russia. They have abundant natural resources and a hearty workforce. But they never had a George Washington, a John Adams and a Thomas Jefferson. It was Thomas Jefferson who had the wisdom and the foresight to appoint Merriweather Lewis and William Clark to explore the Louisiana Territory.'' I am pleased that we are considering this legislation that will continue to honor the historic achievements of Lewis and Clark, and I want to thank my good friend, Jo Ann Emerson, for introducing the bill; and I appreciate the support of Financial Services Committee Chairman Mike Oxley and Ranking Member Barney Frank. This bill will designate the National Council of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial and the Missouri Historical Society as beneficiaries of proceeds from the sale of the Lewis and Clark commemorative coin. These nonprofit organizations have raised nearly $5 million to conduct Lewis and Clark Bicentennial promotional activities.…”