[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 100 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 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, and
congratulating Ford Motor Company for its achievements.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 26, 2003
Mr. McConnell (for himself, Mr. Levin, Mr. Allen, Mr. Dayton, Mr.
Bunning, Mr. Miller, Mr. Chambliss, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Coleman,
Mr. Durbin, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Voinovich, and Mr. Warner)
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on the JudiciaryYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
_______________________________________________________________________
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, and
congratulating Ford Motor Company for its achievements.
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,
launched the Ford Motor Company by submitting incorporation papers in
Lansing, Michigan;
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 emerged from the Ford Motor Company in
1903 and was the original 8-horsepower, 2-cylinder Model A vehicle,
which was advertised as the ``Fordmobile'' and had a 2-speed
transmission, 28-inch wheels with wooden spokes, and 3-inch tires;
Whereas between 1903 and 1908, Henry Ford and his engineers developed numerous
models named after the letters of the alphabet, with some of the models
being only experimental 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 model year, an industry record;
Whereas the Ford Motor Company inaugurated the first automotive integrated
moving assembly line in 1913, changing the old manner of building 1 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 for 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, also in 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, allowing cars to 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,
completed in 1925, 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 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 current
model, and, on March 9, 1932, a Ford vehicle with the pioneering Ford V-
8 engine block cast in 1 piece rolled off the production line;
Whereas, while Ford offered only 2 models through 1937 (Ford and Lincoln), due
to increased competition, in 1938 Ford introduced the first Mercury, 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;
Whereas the United Automobile Workers (UAW), one of the largest labor unions in
the Nation, was formed in 1935 and, after a rather tumultuous beginning,
won acceptance by the auto industry, becoming a potent and forceful
leader for auto workers with Ford, which built 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 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'', the Mercury Turnpike Cruiser, the retractable hardtop
convertible Ford Skyliner, the high performing Ford Thunderbird
(introduced in 1955), the Ford Galaxy (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 a new commitment to quality at Ford and in future
aerodynamic design trends in the industry;
Whereas Ford's 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 sport 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 30, 2001, William Clay Ford, Jr., the great-grandson of
Henry Ford, became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ford Motor
Company, and as such is concentrating on the fundamentals that have
powered the 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 with even better products and
innovations: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) recognizes--
(A) 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; and
(B) 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 on June 16, 2003;
(2) congratulates the Ford Motor Company for its
achievements; and
(3) expects that the Ford Motor Company will continue to
have an even greater impact in the 21st century and beyond by
providing innovative products that are affordable and
environmentally sustainable, and that will enhance personal
mobility for generations to come.
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