H1118 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 31, 2007 ‘‘Each time they were adding to my ‘‘I am now applying to the European chitect of the United States Capitol, fame as the enemy of the Turk. Court of Human Rights. I don’t know Alan M. Hantman. And I am pleased to ‘‘In the corridors of the courthouse, how long the case will take, but I do rise this evening to recognize his serv- the fascists physically attacked me know that I will continue living here in ice. with racist curses. Turkey until the case is finalized. Of course, we have had many presi- ‘‘They bombarded me with insults. ‘‘And if the Court rules in my favor, dents, we have had many Speakers of Hundreds of threats hailed down for I will be very happy and will never the House. We have only had 10 archi- months by phone, e-mail and post, in- have to leave my country. tects who have been in charge of this creasing all the time. ‘‘2007 will probably be an even harder incredible structure that we call our ‘‘I persevered through all of this with year for me. The Court cases will con- United States Capitol. patience, awaiting the decision that tinue. New ones will be initiated and Alan Hantman will leave his service, would acquit me. God knows what kind of additional in- leaving a legacy untold by almost any ‘‘Then the truth would prevail and justices I will have to face. of his predecessors. And it has been my all those people would be ashamed of ‘‘I may see myself as frightened as a honor and pleasure to work with him what they had done. pigeon, but I know that in this country on a project that will dramatically ‘‘My only weapon was my sincerity. people do not touch pigeons. change the nature of the United States But when the decision came out, my ‘‘Pigeons can live in cities, even in Capitol, that is, the United States Cap- hopes were crushed. From then on, I crowds. A little scared perhaps, but itol Visitors Center. was in the most distressed situation a free.’’ Let me reminisce for just a minute, person can possibly be in. Well, Mr. Dink, unfortunately, found as I thank him for his 10 years of dedi- ‘‘The judge had made a decision in otherwise when he was gunned down cated and sometimes difficult and try- the name of the Turkish nation and it outside of his office by young men no ing service to Congress. But let me had legally registered that I had deni- doubt inflamed by the passions that reminisce, if I may, about Alan grated Turkishness. I could have coped the government did so little to quell. Hantman coming to serve as our with anything but this. Hrant Dink, who had the courage to United States Capitol architect. ‘‘In my understanding, the denigra- talk about some of the darkest periods I have been involved in the Capitol tion of a person on the basis of any dif- of Ottoman history, of the genocide of Visitors Center for some 14 years, since ference, ethnic or religious, is racism, the Armenian people, the first genocide I came to Congress, committed that and there was no way this could ever of last century that claimed a million the people who visit this institution be forgiven . and a half lives, paid for that courage should have the opportunity to have an ‘‘Those who tried to single me out with his life. enjoyable, informative and memorable and weaken me have succeeded. With Well, we will have the courage here visit to the United States Capitol. In- the false information they oozed into soon to take up a resolution on the Ar- stead, in the past, they have stood in society, they created a significant seg- menian genocide. All we have to do is the rain, snow, sleet, cold, ice, without ment of the population who saw Hrant vote. That is very little compared to even common comforts or courtesy in Dink as someone who insults what Hrant Dink did and the price that front of our most historic structure, Turkishness. he paid. and sometimes denied access to the ‘‘The memory of my computer is I had a chance to meet him in structure or again common conven- filled with angry, threatening lines Istanbul a couple of years ago. He was iences. sent by citizens from this sector. optimistic about the future. He was op- I was a little bit afraid because I ‘‘How real are these threats? To be timistic about Turkey’s future, about know the way this place runs, when honest, it is impossible for me to know its willingness to examine its past. Re- they were selecting an architect, some for sure. grettably, that optimism was mis- 10 years ago, that they might find ‘‘What is truly threatening and un- placed. someone in this process that would bearable for me is the psychological Today we remember a courageous deep six the project, so I spent a par- torture I placed myself in. The ques- journalist, Hrant Dink. And his legacy ticular amount of time as author of tion that really gets to me is: What are lives on. two authorization measures for the these people thinking about me? project, talking to Alan Hantman, and ‘‘Unfortunately, I am now better f I was convinced he was the right per- known than before and I feel people The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a son at the right time in the history of looking at me, thinking: Oh, look, isn’t previous order of the House, the gen- the United States Capitol. he that Armenian guy? tleman from California (Mr. DREIER) is He undertook that expansion of the ‘‘I am just like a pigeon, equally ob- recognized for 5 minutes. United States Capitol Building, the sessed by what goes on on my left and (Mr. DREIER addressed the House. largest in history. It will increase the right, front and back. My head is just His remarks will appear hereafter in volume, the sheer volume of the Cap- as mobile and fast. the Extensions of Remarks.) itol by some 70 percent. And he has ‘‘What did foreign Minister Gul say? f done an incredible job. Or Justice Minister Cicek? There is no At the same time, he has had to HONORING ALAN M. HANTMAN need to exaggerate about Article 301 on make this Capitol run. I often joked insulting Turkishness. Has anyone The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a when I first came here that the U.S. been actually put in prison? previous order of the House, the gen- Capitol was run like a southern planta- ‘‘As if going to prison was the only tleman from Florida (Mr. MICA) is rec- tion with bad management. price to pay. This is the price. This is ognized for 5 minutes. Alan Hantman changed that. He the price. Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased brought professionalism to his position ‘‘Do you ministers know the price of tonight to come to the floor for a spe- and to service and to, again, to the making someone as scared as a pigeon? cial order presentation. Let me start most monumental project, not on be- ‘‘What my family and I have been out by reading some names. Dr. Wil- half of those who serve here. The Cap- through has not been easy. I have con- liam Thornton, Benjamin Henry La- itol Visitor Center, in fact, is the first sidered leaving this country at times trobe, Charles Bulfinch, Thomas U. structure and expansion to the Capitol ... Walter, Edward Clark, Elliott Woods, in the history of the Capitol for the ‘‘But leaving a boiling hell to run to David Lynn, J. George Stewart, George public, for those who own the place and a heaven is not for me. I wanted to M. White, and Alan M. Hantman. to make, again, their visit an enjoy- turn this hell into heaven. My colleagues, I read these names. able, informative and educational expe- ‘‘We stayed in Turkey because that They are the names of the 10 architects rience. was what we wanted, out of respect for of the United States Capitol. Alan brought with him great experi- the thousands of people here who sup- This week will mark the last days in ence from the private sector with more ported me in my fight for democracyer. service to the United States Congress, than 10 years heading up the Rocke- ... and this historic structure, of the Ar- feller Center Management Corporation VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:56 Feb 01, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00062 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K31JA7.098 H31JAPT1 bajohnson on PROD1PC61 with HOUSE January 31, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H1119 in New York City, overseeing that curity responsibilities while also ful- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a great project, and then coming here. filling its other critical missions, in- previous order of the House, the gentle- Now, I know he has had 535 bosses, a cluding drug interdiction, search and woman from California (Ms. WOOLSEY) smaller group of Capitol preservation rescue, and maritime safety oversight. is recognized for 5 minutes. on which I serve, and then the leaders We began that effort just yesterday (Ms. WOOLSEY addressed the House. of the House and Senate and some of with an oversight hearing on the Coast Her remarks will appear hereafter in the appropriators and other author- Guard’s $24 billion, 25-year Deepwater the Extensions of Remarks.) izers.