[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 100 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 100

  Recognizing the 100th anniversary year of the founding of the Ford 
    Motor Company, which has been a significant part of the social, 
  economic, and cultural heritage of the United States and many other 
     nations and a revolutionary industrial and global institution.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 18, 2003

  Mr. McCotter (for himself, Mr. Dingell, Mr. Upton, Mr. Stupak, Mr. 
Rogers of Michigan, Mr. Camp, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Knollenberg, Mr. Kildee, 
   Mr. Smith of Michigan, Mr. Levin, Mr. Ehlers, Ms. Kilpatrick, Mr. 
Hoekstra, Mrs. Miller of Michigan, Mr. Bass, Mr. Graves, Mr. Jackson of 
Illinois, Mr. Schrock, Mr. Quinn, Mr. Oxley, Mrs. Northup, Ms. Kaptur, 
Mr. Fletcher, Mr. Portman, Mrs. Emerson, Ms. McCollum, and Mr. Brown of 
Ohio) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred 
                to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Recognizing the 100th anniversary year of the founding of the Ford 
    Motor Company, which has been a significant part of the social, 
  economic, and cultural heritage of the United States and many other 
     nations and a revolutionary industrial and global institution.

Whereas on June 16, 1903, then 39 year old Henry Ford and 11 associates, armed 
        with little cash, some tools, a few blueprints, and unbounded faith, 
        submitted incorporation papers to Michigan's capital, Lansing, launching 
        the Ford Motor Company;
Whereas Ford began operations in a leased, small converted wagon factory on a 
        spur of the Michigan Central Railroad in Detroit;
Whereas the first commercial automobile to emerge from Ford was the original 8-
        horsepower, two-cylinder Model A vehicle in 1903, which was advertised 
        as the ``Fordmobile'' and had a two speed transmission, 28 inch wheels 
        with wooden spokes, and 3 inch tires;
Whereas between 1903 and 1908, Ford and his engineers developed numerous models 
        using letters of the alphabet, A through S, with some of these cars 
        being experimental models only and not available to the public;
Whereas on October 1, 1908, Ford introduced its ``universal car'', the Model T 
        (sometimes affectionately called the ``Tin Lizzie''), which could be 
        reconfigured by buyers to move cattle, haul freight, herd horses, and 
        even mow lawns, and Ford produced 10,660 Model T vehicles its first 
        year, an industry record;
Whereas, while in the early days all automakers built one car at a time, the 
        idea of moving the work to the worker became a reality when parts, 
        components, and 140 assemblers stationed at different intervals 
        inaugurated the first automotive integrated moving assembly line at Ford 
        in 1913, and a new era of industrial progress and growth began;
Whereas Henry Ford surprised the world in 1914 by setting Ford's minimum wage at 
        $5.00 per an 8-hour day, which replaced the prior $2.34 wage for a 9-
        hour day and was a truly great social revolution for its time;
Whereas that same year, 1914, Henry Ford, with an eye to simplicity, efficiency, 
        and affordability, ordered that the Model T use black paint exclusively 
        because it dried faster than other colors, which meant more cars could 
        be built daily at a lower cost, and Ford said the vehicle will be 
        offered in ``any color so long as it is black'';
Whereas, upon its completion in 1925, Ford's self-contained Rouge Manufacturing 
        Complex on the Rouge River encompassed diverse industries that allowed 
        for the complete production of vehicles, from raw materials processing 
        to final assembly, and was an icon of the 20th century and, with its 
        current revitalization and redevelopment, will remain an icon in the 
        21st century;
Whereas, in 1925, the company built the first of 196 Ford Tri-Motor airplanes, 
        nicknamed the ``Tin Goose'' and the ``Model T of the Air'';
Whereas consumer demand for more luxury and power pushed aside the Model A, and 
        on March 9, 1932, a Ford vehicle with the pioneering Ford V-8 en bloc 
        engine, cast in one piece, rolled off the production line;
Whereas, while Ford offered only two models through 1937 (Ford and Lincoln), due 
        to increased competition, the first Mercury was introduced in 1938, with 
        a distinctive streamlined body style, a V-8 engine with more horsepower 
        than a Ford, and hydraulic brakes, thus filling the void between the 
        low-priced Ford and the high-priced Lincoln;
Whereas one of the largest labor unions in the Nation, the United Automobile 
        Workers (UAW), was formed in 1935, and after a rather tumultuous 
        beginning, won acceptance in the late 1930s by the auto industry and 
        became a potent and forceful leader for auto workers, with Ford building 
        a strong relationship with the union through its policies and programs;
Whereas by government decree all civilian auto production in the United States 
        ceased on February 10, 1942, and Ford, under the control of the War 
        Production Board, produced an extensive array of tanks, B-25 aircraft, 
        armored cars, amphibious craft, gliders, and other materials for the 
        World War II war effort;
Whereas on September 21, 1945, Henry Ford II assumed the presidency of Ford and 
        on April 7, 1947, Ford's founder, Henry Ford passed away;
Whereas Ford dealers rallied to aid Ford Motor Company in its postwar comeback, 
        providing their merit as the public's main point of contact with the 
        company;
Whereas a revitalized Ford met the postwar economic boom with Ford's famed F-
        Series trucks making their debut in 1948 for commercial and personal 
        use, and the debut of the 1949 Ford sedan, with the first major change 
        in a Ford body since 1922, the first change in a chassis since 1932, and 
        the first integration of body and fenders which would set the standard 
        for auto design in the future;
Whereas these new models were followed by such well-known vehicles as Ford 
        ``Woodies'', as the Mercury Turnpike Cruiser, the retractable hardtop 
        convertible Ford Skyliner, the high performing Thunderbird, introduced 
        in 1955, the Ford Galaxy, introduced in 1959, and the biggest success 
        story of the 1960s, the Mustang, which has been a part of the American 
        scene for almost 40 years;
Whereas the Thunderbird wowed the NASCAR circuit in 1959, winning more than 150 
        races in NASCAR's top division;
Whereas in 1953 President Dwight D. Eisenhower christened the new Ford Research 
        and Engineering Center, which was a milestone in the company's 
        dedication to automotive science and which houses some of the most 
        modern facilities for automotive research;
Whereas Ford's innovation continued in the 1980s with the introduction of the 
        Taurus, named the 1986 Car of the Year, which resulted in a new 
        commitment to quality throughout Ford and future aerodynamic design 
        trends in the industry;
Whereas this innovation continued in the 1990s with the debut in 1993 of the 
        Ford Mondeo, European Car of the Year, the redesigned 1994 Mustang, and 
        the introduction in 1990 of the Ford Explorer, which defined the sports 
        utility vehicle (SUV) segment and remains the best selling SUV in the 
        world;
Whereas as the 21st century begins, Ford continues its marvelous record for fine 
        products with the best-selling car in the world, the Ford Focus, and the 
        best-selling truck in the world, the Ford F-Series;
Whereas the Ford Motor Company is the world's second largest automaker, and 
        includes Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover, 
        Volvo, and Mazda automotive brands, as well as diversified subsidiaries 
        in finance and other domestic and international business areas; and
Whereas on October 1, 2001, William Clay Ford, Jr., the great-grandson of Henry 
        Ford, became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ford, concentrating 
        on the fundamentals that have powered Ford to greatness over the last 
        century and made it a world-class auto and truck manufacturer, and that 
        will propel the company in the 21st century to develop even better 
        products and innovations: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) recognizes the truly wondrous achievements of the Ford 
        Motor Company, as its employees, retirees, suppliers, dealers, 
        its many customers, automotive enthusiasts, and friends 
        worldwide commemorate and celebrate its 100th anniversary 
        milestone;
            (2) recognizes the great impact that Ford has had on the 
        lives of Americans and people of all nations; and
            (3) congratulates the Ford Motor Company for this 
        achievement and trusts that Ford will continue to have an even 
        greater impact in the 21st century and beyond in providing 
        innovative products that are affordable and environmentally 
        sustainable, and that will enhance personal mobility for 
        generations to come.
                                 <all>