[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1026 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1026
Recognizing the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Congressional
Club.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 6, 2008
Mr. Bishop of Georgia (for himself, Mr. Tiahrt, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Miller
of Florida, and Mr. Tanner) submitted the following resolution; which
was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Congressional
Club.
Whereas the Congressional Club was organized in 1908 by 25 women who were
influential in Washington's official life and who wanted to establish a
nonsectarian and nonpolitical group that would promote friendship and
cordiality in public life, and founded the Club to bring the wives of
Members of Congress together in a hospitable and compatible environment
in the Nation's Capital;
Whereas the Congressional Club was officially established in 1908 by a unanimous
vote in both the House and Senate and is the only club in the world to
be founded by an act of Congress;
Whereas the resolution establishing the Congressional Club was signed by
President Theodore Roosevelt on May 30, 1908;
Whereas the Congressional Club's founding was secured by womanly wiles and
feminine determination in the passage of the enacting resolution
unanimously on May 28, 1908, in order to overcome the opposition of
Representative John Sharp Williams of Mississippi, who opposed all
women's organizations;
Whereas when Representative Williams was called out of the chamber by Mrs.
Williams, the good-mannered representative obliged and withdrew his
opposition and request for a recorded vote, saying, ``upon this
particular bill there will not be a roll call, because it would cause a
great deal of domestic unhappiness in Washington if there were'';
Whereas the first Congressional Clubhouse was at 1432 K Street Northwest in
Washington, DC, and opened on December 11, 1908, with a reception for
President-elect and Mrs. William Taft, but after Mrs. John B. Henderson
of Missouri donated land on the corner of New Hampshire Avenue and U
Street, the cornerstone of the current Clubhouse was laid at that
location on May 21, 1914;
Whereas the Congressional Clubhouse was built by George Totten in the Beaux Arts
style and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and its
mortgage was paid for by the sales of the Club's cookbook and burned by
Mrs. Bess Truman in a silver bowl on the 40th Anniversary of the Club's
founding;
Whereas the Congressional Club has remained a good neighbor on the U Street
corridor for over 90 years, encouraging the revitalization of the area
throughout the time of socioeconomic challenges, and leading the way in
upkeep and maintenance of historic property;
Whereas the Congressional Club honors and supports the people of its
neighborhood by inviting the local police and fire departments to the
Clubhouse for lunch and delivering trays of Member-made cookies and
candies to them during the holidays, by hosting an annual Senior
Citizens Appreciation Day luncheon for residents of a neighborhood
nursing home, and by hosting an annual holiday brunch for neighborhood
children each December which includes a festive meal, gifts, and a visit
from Santa;
Whereas the Congressional Club hosts the annual First Lady's Luncheon every
spring since 1912 to honor our First Lady, and donates tens of thousands
of dollars to charities in the name of the First Lady annually;
Whereas the Congressional Club has chosen among its many charitable recipients
mentoring programs, United National Indian Tribal Youth, literacy
programs, the White House library, youth dance troupes, domestic
shelters, and child care centers;
Whereas the Congressional Club members, upon the suggestion of Mrs. Eleanor
Roosevelt, are encouraged to become discussion leaders on national
security in their home States, from the trials of World War II to the
threats of terrorism;
Whereas the Congressional Club extends the hand of friendship and goodwill
globally by hosting an annual diplomatic reception to entertain the
spouses of ambassadors to the United States;
Whereas the Congressional Club is solely supported by membership dues and the
sale of cookbooks, and has never received any Federal funding;
Whereas the 14 editions of the Congressional Club cookbook, first published in
1928, reflect the life and times of the United States with recipes and
signatures of Members of Congress, First Ladies, Ambassadors, and
members of the Club;
Whereas the Congressional Club membership has expanded to include spouses and
daughters of Representatives, Senators, Supreme Court Justices, and
Cabinet members, and has included 7 members who became First Lady: Mrs.
Florence Harding, Mrs. Lou Hoover, Mrs. Bess Truman, Mrs. Jacqueline
Kennedy, Mrs. Patricia Nixon, Mrs. Betty Ford, and Mrs. Barbara Bush;
Whereas several members of the Congressional Club have been elected to Congress,
among whom are Past President Mrs. Lindy Boggs, Mrs. Jo Ann Emerson,
Mrs. Lois Capps, Mrs. Mary Bono, and Past President Mrs. Doris Matsui;
Whereas leading figures in politics, the arts, and the media have visited the
Clubhouse for the past 100 years;
Whereas the Congressional Club is home to the First Lady's gown display, a
museum with replica inaugural and ball gowns of the First Ladies from
Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln to Mrs. Laura Bush;
Whereas the Congressional Club is charged with receiving the Presidential
couple, honoring the Vice-President and spouse, the Speaker of the House
of Representatives and spouse, and the Chief Justice and spouse, and for
the orientation of spouses of new Members of Congress; and
Whereas the Congressional Club will celebrate its 100-year anniversary with
festivities and ceremonies during 2008 that include the ringing of the
official bells of the United States Congress, a Founder's Day program, a
birthday cake at the First Lady's Luncheon, an anniversary postage stamp
and cancellation stamp, a 100-year pin/pendant designed by Past
President Lois Breaux, and invitations to President and Mrs. Bush,
Speaker and Mr. Pelosi, Chief Justice and Mrs. Roberts to visit and
celebrate 100 years of public service, civility, and growth at the
Congressional Club: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the 100th anniversary of the founding of the
Congressional Club;
(2) acknowledges the contribution of political spouses to
public life in America and around the world through the
Congressional Club for the past 100 years;
(3) honors the past and present membership of the
Congressional Club;
(4) encourages all Americans to strive for greater
friendship, civility, and generosity in order to heighten
public service, elevate the culture, and enrich humanity; and
(5) encourages all Americans to seek out opportunities to
give financially and to volunteer to assist charitable
organizations in their own communities.
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