[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 100 Engrossed in House (EH)]
In the House of Representatives, U.S.,
May 21, 2003.
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 the Ford Motor Company 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 the Ford Motor Company in
1903 was the original 8-horsepower, two-cylinder Model A vehicle with a
two speed transmission, 28 inch wheels with wooden spokes, and 3 inch
tires;
Whereas, between 1903 and 1908, Henry Ford and his engineers went through 19
letters of the alphabet, creating Models A through S, with some of these
cars being experimental models only and not available to the public;
Whereas, on October 1, 1908, the Ford Motor Company 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 the Ford Motor Company inaugurated the first automotive integrated
assembly line in 1913, changing the old manner of building one car at a
time through moving the work to the worker by having parts, components,
and assemblers stationed at different intervals, and beginning a new era
of industrial progress and growth;
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 Ford's self-contained Rouge Manufacturing Complex on the Rouge River
encompassed diverse industries, including suppliers, that allowed for
the complete production of vehicles, from raw materials processing to
final assembly, 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 199 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 then current
model, and on March 9, 1932, a Ford vehicle with the pioneering Ford V-8
engine block rolled off the production line;
Whereas, while Ford offered only two brands through 1937 (Ford and Lincoln), due
to increased competition, the first Mercury was introduced in 1938, a
car 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 brands;
Whereas one of the largest labor unions in the Nation was formed as the United
Automobile Workers (UAW) in 1935, and after a rather tumultuous
beginning, won acceptance 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-24 aircraft,
armored cars, amphibious craft, gliders, and other materials for the
World War II war effort;
Whereas Ford dealers rallied to aid the Ford Motor Company in its postwar
comeback, proving their merit as the public's main point of contact with
the company;
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 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 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 cars as the Mercury
Turnpike Cruiser, the retractable hardtop convertible Ford Skyliner, the
high performing Thunderbird, introduced in 1955, the Ford Galaxie,
introduced in 1959, and the biggest success story of the 1960s, the Ford
Mustang, which has been a part of the American scene for almost 40
years;
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 through the 1980s with the introduction of
the Ford Taurus, which was named the 1986 Motor Trend Car of the Year,
and which resulted in future aerodynamic design trends throughout the
industry;
Whereas this innovation continued through the 1990s with the debut in 1993 of
the Ford Mondeo, European Car of the Year, the redesigned 1994 Ford
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 other diversified
subsidiaries in finance and other domestic and international business
areas; and
Whereas, on October 30, 2001, William Clay Ford, Jr., the great-grandson of
Henry Ford, became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Ford
Motor Company, and as such is concentrating on the fundamentals that
have powered the Ford Motor Company to greatness over the last century
and made it a world-class auto and truck manufacturer, and that will
continue to carry the company through the 21st century to develop even
better products and innovations: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(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.
Attest:
Clerk.