[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 664 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 664

Celebrating the centennial of Union Station in Washington, District of 
                               Columbia.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 17, 2008

  Mrs. Dole (for herself, Mr. Gregg, Mr. Lautenberg, and Mr. Cochran) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                    on Environment and Public Works

            December 11 (legislative day, December 10), 2008

             Committee discharged; considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Celebrating the centennial of Union Station in Washington, District of 
                               Columbia.

Whereas, on February 28, 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt signed into law the 
        act entitled ``An Act to provide a union railroad station in the 
        District of Columbia, and for other purposes'', and Daniel Burnham, a 
        noted architect from Chicago, Illinois, was chosen to design the 
        building;
Whereas, on October 27, 1907, Union Station officially opened at 6:50 a.m. when 
        the Baltimore and Ohio Pittsburgh Express pulled in to the station;
Whereas the building was ultimately completed in 1908;
Whereas, in 1924, 5,000 cheering fans met the victorious Washington Nationals at 
        Union Station after they defeated the Boston Red Sox to capture the 
        American League pennant;
Whereas, in 1951, President Harry Truman dedicated the Presidential Suite at 
        Union Station as a ``home away from home'' for members of the Armed 
        Services;
Whereas, in 1968, in preparation for the bicentennial of the United States, the 
        decision was made to transform the building into a National Visitor 
        Center;
Whereas Congress then passed the Union Station Redevelopment Act of 1981 (Public 
        Law 97-125; 95 Stat. 1667) to return Union Station to its original use 
        as a transportation center;
Whereas, in 1983, the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation was created to 
        oversee the development of the station into an operating railroad 
        station, to restore the architectural and historical elements of the 
        structure, to explore collaboration with the private sector in the 
        commercial development of the station, and to withdraw the Federal 
        Government from active management of the station;
Whereas the renovation and restoration of Union Station began on August 13, 
        1986, with the ringing of an old train bell;
Whereas the restoration of Union Station was the largest public-private 
        restoration project accomplished in the United States;
Whereas the restoration took 2 years and the grand reopening was held on 
        September 29, 1988;
Whereas, in 2008, Union Station includes more than 210,000 square feet of retail 
        space, including 50,000 square feet of restaurant space;
Whereas Union Station is the corporate headquarters for Amtrak and contains 
        200,000 square feet of Amtrak passenger and baggage facilities;
Whereas 32,000,000 people visit Union Station annually; and
Whereas Union Station is the most visited tourist destination in Washington, 
        District of Columbia: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) celebrates the centennial of Union Station in 
        Washington, District of Columbia;
            (2) applauds the efforts of the people who worked to 
        preserve this national treasure; and
            (3) encourages the people of the United States to continue 
        to visit and learn about Union Station and its storied history.
                                 <all>