[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 17 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. CON. RES. 17

     Establishing a special task force to recommend an appropriate 
 recognition for the slave laborers who worked on the construction of 
                       the United States Capitol.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 5, 2003

 Mr. Santorum submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
         referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
     Establishing a special task force to recommend an appropriate 
 recognition for the slave laborers who worked on the construction of 
                       the United States Capitol.

Whereas the United States Capitol stands as a symbol of democracy, equality, and 
        freedom to the entire world;
Whereas the year 2003 marks the 203d anniversary of the opening of this historic 
        structure for the first session of Congress to be held in the new 
        Capital City;
Whereas slavery was not prohibited throughout the United States until the 
        ratification of the 13th amendment to the Constitution in 1865;
Whereas prior to that date, African American slave labor was both legal and 
        common in the District of Columbia and the adjoining States of Maryland 
        and Virginia;
Whereas public records attest to the fact that African American slave labor was 
        used in the construction of the United States Capitol;
Whereas public records further attest to the fact that the five-dollar-per-month 
        payment for that African American slave labor was made directly to slave 
        owners and not to the laborer; and
Whereas African Americans made significant contributions and fought bravely for 
        freedom during the American Revolutionary War: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That--
            (1) the Majority Leader of the Senate and the Speaker of 
        the House of Representatives shall establish a special task 
        force to include the Historian of the Senate, the Historian of 
        the House of Representatives, the Architect of the Capitol, and 
        the Librarian of Congress, to study the history and 
        contributions of these slave laborers in the construction of 
        the United States Capitol; and
            (2) such special task force shall produce a summary 
        document of the contributions of slave laborers and available 
        research for the public, and shall recommend to the Majority 
        Leader of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives an appropriate recognition for these slave 
        laborers which could be displayed in a prominent location in, 
        or near, the United States Capitol.
                                 <all>