[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 552 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 552

 Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1964 World's Fair in Queens, 
                               New York.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 10, 2014

   Mr. Crowley (for himself, Mr. Engel, Mr. Grimm, Mr. Higgins, Mr. 
Israel, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Ms. Meng, Mr. Nadler, Mr. 
 Owens, and Mr. Rangel) submitted the following resolution; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1964 World's Fair in Queens, 
                               New York.

Whereas the 1964 New York World's Fair at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in 
        Queens, New York, opened April 22, 1964;
Whereas Queens had previously hosted the World's Fair in 1939, which inspired 
        the fair 25 years later;
Whereas over 51,000,000 people attended the 1964 World's Fair over its two 
        seasons, setting a new record for international expositions;
Whereas the theme for the 1964 World's Fair was ``Peace Through Understanding'';
Whereas the enduring symbol of the fair was the Unisphere, a 12-story high steel 
        sphere representing the earth, which was dedicated to ``Man's 
        Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe'';
Whereas the fair was attended by luminaries such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 
        and his family, and included tributes to President John F. Kennedy, who 
        had broken ground for the World's Fair pavilion in December 1962, but 
        had been assassinated in November 1963 before the fair opened;
Whereas the fair showcased American industry and technology, highlighting 
        innovations of the future and giving many attendees their first 
        opportunity to interact with computers, color televisions, and other 
        then-modern marvels;
Whereas the fair hosted a wide variety of countries and demonstrated a major 
        commitment to international culture, for which Queens has become famous;
Whereas the fair featured well-known displays from around the world, including 
        the Dead Sea Scrolls and Michelangelo's Pieta, displayed internationally 
        for the first time;
Whereas the fair recognized America's space program by displaying the Aurora 7 
        spacecraft piloted around the earth by Scott Carpenter, as well as 
        models of Gemini and Apollo rockets and spacecraft;
Whereas the fair demonstrated an architectural style and exhibits that would go 
        on to become icons of American culture, including the first Ford Mustang 
        and Disney's ``It's A Small World'' exhibit;
Whereas numerous states hosted pavilions exhibiting local industries and 
        cuisine, reflecting the diversity of our nation;
Whereas New York City exhibited the ``Panorama of the City of New York'' that 
        today is on permanent exhibit at the Queens Museum and continues to be 
        updated to reflect the ever-changing cityscape of New York City;
Whereas New York State hosted the event from its ``Tent of Tomorrow'' pavilion, 
        featuring the largest cable suspension roof in the world and a terrazzo 
        floor with a large scale replica of a New York State highway map;
Whereas the New York State Pavilion was added to the National Register of 
        Historic Places in 2009;
Whereas the legacy of the World's Fair remains strong in Queens, as the 
        investments in Flushing Meadows Corona Park made for the fair created an 
        enduring urban green space that has been used by generations of New 
        Yorkers;
Whereas many of the World's Fair structures are still used today by Queens 
        institutions like the New York Hall of Science, Queens Zoo, Queens 
        Theater and Queens Museum, which also incorporates structures from the 
        1939 World's Fair and was a temporary home for the United Nations 
        General Assembly;
Whereas the Unisphere, New York State Pavilion and the flying-saucer-shaped 
        observation towers have become recognized symbols of the World's Fair 
        and key landmarks of Flushing Meadows Corona Park;
Whereas the 1964 World's Fair and its legacy are a point of pride for the 
        borough of Queens and its residents; and
Whereas in the 50 years since the last World's Fair, New York City has continued 
        to enhance its reputation as a center of commerce, innovation, 
        technology, and international culture: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) celebrates the 50th anniversary of the 1964 New York 
        World's Fair;
            (2) recognizes the achievements of the 1964 World's Fair 
        and its lasting legacy in not only technology, industry, and 
        entertainment, but in the hearts and minds of America; and
            (3) commends the City of New York and the borough of Queens 
        for their furthering of the ideals and themes of the 1964 
        World's Fair over the past 50 years.
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