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







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. 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

                           February 25, 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, and Mrs. Emerson) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               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 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, 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 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 in 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 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, the Ford car, with the pioneering Ford single V-8 
        engine block, 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 was formed as the United 
        Automobile Workers (UAW) 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 bombers, tanks, 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 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 
        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 cars as the Mercury 
        Turnpike Cruiser, the Ford Sunliner Convertible, 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 redefined the 
        sports utility 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, as well as other 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 it in 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.
                                 <all>