Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1180196
O n Wednesday, May 1, 2019, the Congress officially dedicated a historic room off of National Statuary Hall to Abraham Lincoln. During the 115th Congress, then-Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana unoffi- cially named the room after our 16th president and began displaying Lincoln memorabilia therein. During the 2018 observation of the Illinois Bicentennial, Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Darin LaHood of Illinois intro- duced the bipartisan legislation to formally dedicate the room to his memory. The United States Capitol Histor- ical Society participated in the event to provide historic context. Krishnamoorthi and LaHood both spoke about renaming the room in honor of Lincoln. Hon. Jerry Weller, a former Member of Congress from Illinois, pres- ident of the Illinois State Society, and an active USCHS volunteer, gave remarks thanking Krishnamoorthi and LaHood for their efforts in getting the naming legislation passed. John O'Brien, president of the Lincoln Group of Washington, D.C., gave remarks of gratitude for the lead- ership of the late John Elliff, a former member of the Abraham Lincoln Association who passed away before the dedication occurred; Elliff's wife Linda was on hand to celebrate. At the conclusion of the formal program, guests were invited to enter and explore the Lincoln Room. Once inside, Samuel Holliday, USCHS manager of communications, gave remarks on the conditions of the House Chamber at the time Lincoln served. USCHS thanks the offices of Reps. Krishnamoor- thi and LaHood for organizing this event and for the opportunity to participate; the office of Majority Whip James Clyburn for opening its historic space for this event; and the Illinois State Society and Abraham Lin- coln Association for their leadership in calling for this commemoration. O n Wednesday, January 30, 2019 the United States Captol Historical Society held an event to honor its volunteers and partners. Following a reception of drinks and heavy hors d'oeuvres, USCHS Board of Trustees member Brig. Gen. Tim White (ret.), Ph.D., welcomed the more than 70 guests and thanked them for the vital role they play in the organization. White also officially introduced the Hon. Jane L. Campbell as the Society's new president and CEO. Campbell emphasized the importance of volunteers and partners to the Society's success, and expressed her excitement at leading the organization at this time. The evening's featured speaker was the Hon. Ste- phen T. Ayers, the recently-retired 11th Architect of the Capitol, who presented on perhaps the keynote achieve- ment of his tenure: the full restoration of the Capitol Dome. In his talk entitled "The Capitol Dome: A 30,000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle," Ayers shared amusing anecdotes and fascinating facts about the project. From the unique challenges of repairing more than 150-year-old cast iron elements to humorous encounters with adventurous ani- mals, he kept the audience spellbound for more than half an hour. USCHS would like to thank Altria for hosting the event. 43 THE CAPITOL DOME USCHS Trustee Tim White, former Architect of the Capitol Stephen T. Ayers, and USCHS President/CEO Jane L. Campbell BRUCE GUTHRIE KATIE GARLOCK/PORTAITIONS The Hon. Jerry Weller, Rep. Darin LaHood, Linda Elliff, John O'Brien, and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi USCHS Assists as Congress Dedicates Lincoln Room USCHS Honors Volunteers and Partners