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In the House of Representatives, the persuasive arguments of Bloom and Keller failed to save the joint resolu- tion on 6 June 1938. Rep. Robert Luce of Massachusetts, who declared Christy to be "a painter of magazine covers," found his pictures "charming," but his portrait at the White House of Grace Coolidge "flamboyant" and "ornate." Rep. Thomas Amlie of Wisconsin called the Rainey portrait a "picture of a movie star" and not of the man who served. Keller's motion to suspend the rules and proceed with a unanimous consent gen- erated much discussion, and although it garnered 56 of the 108 votes cast, the vote fell well short of the two-thirds necessary to suspend the rules—effec- tively killing the resolution. Keller was incensed. Bloom later told Christy, "I never dreamt that Congress had so many experts on art." 32 Despite the loss, the vigorous dis- course was instructive, prompting Christy's steadfast proponents to take a different tack. To appease certain Mem- bers, Christy's name had to be removed from all resolutions; the Commission on the Fine Arts included in the process; and the purchase price reduced. After all, it was the Great Depression. For good measure, a few more judges needed to be added to the selection process. On 22 March 1939, Rep. Robert Secrest of Ohio introduced a joint reso- lution in the House creating a commis- sion consisting of the vice president of the United States, the Speaker of the House, and the Architect of the Capitol, to authorize and employ an artist to paint the signing of the Constitution. 33 The price was not to exceed $30,000, and the Commission of the Fine Arts was to be consulted. A similar resolution was in- troduced in the Senate. 34 The legislation passed and Roosevelt signed it into law. 35 It was an ingenious plan. Two years be- fore, Christy had painted the portraits of two of the three judges: Vice President 11 Fig. 13. On 10 March 1937, Christy stands next to his portraits of Vice President John Nance Garner and Speaker of the House William Bankhead as his sitters admire his handiwork. Fig. 14. In the spring of 1940, Christy proudly stands before his painting, The Scene at the Signing of the U.S. Constitution with his model, Elise Ford, viewing from the right. THE CAPITOL DOME