III 110th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 664 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

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.