[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S.J. Res. 32 Referred in House (RFH)]

  2d Session
S. J. RES. 32


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 27, 2002

              Referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
Congratulating the United States Military Academy at West Point on its 
bicentennial anniversary, and commending its outstanding contributions 
                             to the Nation.

Whereas establishing a military academy to teach the technical arts of war was a 
        desire of many of our founding fathers, particularly George Washington;
Whereas Congress passed legislation on March 16, 1802, to establish such a 
        military academy to be located at West Point, New York, a site that 
        Washington called the key to the continent because of its strategic 
        importance during the Revolution;
Whereas President Thomas Jefferson signed the legislation establishing the 
        United States Military Academy at West Point, an institution dedicated 
        to promoting scientific education to benefit the Nation and to 
        attracting a diverse array of young citizens to the Nation's military 
        leadership;
Whereas Sylvanus Thayer, who served as Superintendent of the Academy from 1817 
        to 1833, established the foundation of the Academy's strong academic 
        program, strict adherence to discipline, and emphasis on moral and 
        ethical conduct;
Whereas, under Douglas MacArthur's leadership as Superintendent from 1919 to 
        1922, the Academy was modernized to prepare its graduates for the 
        challenges of the 20th century;
Whereas the Academy, the first school in America to teach engineering, produced 
        graduates who were responsible for the construction of the Nation's 
        first railroad lines and many of its early harbor improvements, bridges, 
        roads, and canals;
Whereas Academy graduates introduced engineering education to numerous colleges 
        and universities, and carried out such monumental engineering projects 
        as the construction of the Panama Canal project;
Whereas Academy graduates have also distinguished themselves in the leadership 
        of such innovative scientific research and development projects as the 
        development of atomic bombs in the Manhattan Project during World War 
        II;
Whereas Academy graduates have served with character and distinction in all of 
        America's wars and military actions since the War of 1812;
Whereas 74 Academy graduates have earned the Nation's highest military honor, 
        the Medal of Honor;
Whereas 2 Academy graduates, Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower, served 
        both as distinguished general officers and as the President of the 
        United States, and many other graduates have served in all levels of 
        government;
Whereas dozens of Academy graduates have been astronauts, including the Academy 
        graduate who is the first American to walk in space and 2 Academy 
        graduates who walked on the moon;
Whereas hundreds of Academy graduates have utilized their talents in the private 
        sector, to provide managerial and technical expertise that is 
        responsible, in part, for nurturing and sustaining a system of 
        enterprise that is admired around the world;
Whereas the Academy has provided an opportunity for men and women of all races, 
        religions, and cultures to receive a college education and to begin a 
        life of service to the Army and the Nation; and
Whereas the motto of the Academy, ``Duty, Honor, Country'', exemplifies the 
        spirit of this Republic: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, That Congress congratulates 
the United States Military Academy on its bicentennial anniversary, 
recognizes it as an outstanding leadership development institution that 
upholds and promotes the highest virtues of American society, and 
commends all those who have led and taught at the Academy for 
inculcating its 58,000 graduates with moral, ethical, and intellectual 
values and skills that are the foundations for the dedicated service so 
honorably given by those graduates to the Army, the Nation, and friends 
of freedom and liberty around the world for 200 years.

            Passed the Senate February 25, 2002.

            Attest:

                                                  JERI THOMSON,

                                                             Secretary.