IV 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 133 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 4, 2009 Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas (for herself, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Cleaver, Mrs. Christensen, Ms. Fudge, Mr. Al Green of Texas, Ms. Edwards of Maryland, Ms. Clarke, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Clay, Mr. Meeks of New York, Mr. Butterfield, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Scott of Georgia, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Rush, and Mr. Thompson of Mississippi) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform RESOLUTION Honoring Barack Hussein Obama and the significance of his becoming the first African-American President of the United States.

Whereas, on January 20, 2009, Barack Hussein Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States, becoming the fifth-youngest President and the first African-American President; Whereas Barack Hussein Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on August 4, 1961; Whereas Barack Hussein Obama graduated from Columbia University and Harvard Law School, where he was the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review; Whereas, in 1985, Barack Hussein Obama moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he worked as a community organizer with low-income residents of Chicago’s Roseland community and Altgeld Gardens public housing development; Whereas Barack Hussein Obama was a civil rights attorney in Chicago and taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago for more than a decade; Whereas Barack Hussein Obama’s work in the community and dedication to civil and constitutional rights led him to run for political office and he was elected, in 1996, to the Illinois State Senate as the representative from the Chicago neighborhood of Hyde Park; Whereas, as a State Senator, Barack Hussein Obama was known for working in a bipartisan manner to pass legislation with respect to ethics reform, health care services, early childhood education programs, and an earned income tax credit for the working poor; Whereas Barack Hussein Obama began his bid to become a United States Senator representing Illinois in 2003 and was selected to give the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention; Whereas Barack Hussein Obama was elected to the United States Senate in 2004 and quickly became known for his legislative work to support alternative energy sources, reform Senate rules with respect to lobbyists and gifts, improve benefits for veterans, and destroy weapons of mass destruction in Eastern Europe and Russia; Whereas Barack Hussein Obama’s election as President signifies a milestone in the history of the United States, as he is the only African-American to hold that office; and Whereas prior to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 approximately only 100 African-Americans held elective office in all of the United States and less than 45 years later there are thousands of African-Americans in such offices, including the President: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1)recognizes the ascension of an African-American to the office of President of the United States to be a historic achievement; and (2)honors the inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama as President of the United States.