[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 291 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 291

  To designate November 18, 1996, as ``American Free Enterprise Day''.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 13, 1996

Mr. Brown submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

                           September 28, 1996

             Committee discharged; considered and agreed to

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                               RESOLUTION


 
  To designate November 18, 1996, as ``American Free Enterprise Day''.

Whereas American prosperity is founded on the free enterprise system of 
        individual opportunity and economic freedom;
Whereas the roots of American free enterprise can be found in the experiences of 
        the people of Jamestown and Plymouth, the earliest American colonies;
Whereas the basis of free enterprise is the right to ownership of private 
        property, which ensures to individuals the fruits of their own labor and 
        encourages the virtues of self-reliance, thrift, and industriousness;
Whereas the settlers at Jamestown and Plymouth were initially deprived of the 
        fruits of their own labor and therefore lacked the incentive for private 
        initiative and hard work;
Whereas William Bradford, Governor of the Plymouth Plantation, wrote that in 
        response to the misery and want experienced by the people of Plymouth he 
        decided ``that they should set corn every man for his own particular; 
        and that regard trust to themselves . . . . This had very good success, 
        for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted 
        than otherwise would have been by any means the Governor or any other 
        could use.'';
Whereas on November 18, 1618, ``The Great Charter'' endowed the colonists of 
        Virginia with the right to profit from property under their individual 
        control for the first time; and
Whereas the result of the Great Charter was a blossoming of individual 
        initiative and self-sufficiency that laid the foundations for the 
        American tradition of economic freedom, prosperity, and self-government: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) commends the men and women of our first colonies who 
        began the American tradition of hard work and individual 
        initiative;
            (2) honors all those who have defended the right of 
        individuals to own property, pursue their own initiative, and 
        to reap the fruits of their own labor; and
            (3) designates November 18, 1996, as ``American Free 
        Enterprise Day''.
The President is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation 
calling upon the people of the United States and Federal, State, and 
local administrators to observe the day with appropriate programs, 
ceremonies, and activities.
                                 <all>