Commemorating the service of General Lafayette to the United States on the bicentennial of his farewell tour.

Commemorating the service of General Lafayette to the United States on the bicentennial of his farewell tour.

Whereas, at just 19 years old, Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de Lafayette, the Marquis de Lafayette, volunteered to fight for American independence and commissioned and equipped his own expedition to join the Continental Army before France formally allied with the Colonies;

Whereas Lafayette was commissioned as a major general in the Continental Army, served without compensation, earned the trust and friendship of George Washington, and was one of the youngest generals in American history;

Whereas Lafayette wintered in Valley Forge with George Washington and fought with distinction at many key battles, including Brandywine, where he was wounded yet organized a successful retreat, Barren Hill, where he demonstrated tactical brilliance and courage;

Whereas Lafayette used his own fortune to provide money, uniforms, and supplies for the Continental Army, thereby alleviating shortages and supporting the troops during times of dire need;

Whereas Lafayette returned to France on temporary leave during the War and played a pivotal diplomatic role in persuading King Louis XVI to send critical troops, ships, and financial aid, which turned the tide of the war in America’s favor;

Whereas Lafayette commanded American troops in Virginia, harassing British forces and helping to trap Cornwallis at Yorktown, directly contributing to the decisive surrender at Yorktown on October 19, 1781;

Whereas his efforts forged a lasting alliance between France and the United States, symbolized by the French military intervention and financial support that proved crucial to American victory, and the friendship that remains strong today, as France is the oldest and one of the closest allies of the United States;

Whereas, upon the ratification of the United States Constitution in 1788, Lafayette was recognized as a natural-born citizen of the United States, due to an earlier act by Maryland’s legislature that made him and his male heirs “natural born citizens” of the State;

Whereas Lafayette championed the ideals of liberty, advocated for the abolition of slavery in America and France, and co-authored the Declaration of the Rights of Man during the French Revolution;

Whereas Lafayette was a lifetime abolitionist and an advocate for women’s rights, religious tolerance, and freedom of the press;

Whereas Lafayette was invited by Congress and President James Monroe to return to America as an official “Guest of the Nation”, and the ensuing farewell tour cemented his status as a beloved national hero;

Whereas, from August 1824 to September 1825, Lafayette traveled over 6,000 miles, visited all 24 States that were in the Union at the time, and nearly half of the citizens of the United States saw Lafayette during his farewell tour;

Whereas, on December 10, 1824, Lafayette became the first foreign dignitary to address the United States Congress;

Whereas, on September 6, 1825, on Lafayette’s 68th birthday, he was hosted by President John Quincy Adams for a state dinner at the White House, his last visit to the Executive Residence;

Whereas Lafayette’s unwavering commitment to American independence, democracy, and human rights has left an indelible mark on the Nation’s identity, earning him enduring gratitude and the title “Hero of Two Worlds”;

Whereas a portrait of Lafayette, given to the House of Representatives, was first displayed in 1825 and now hangs in the House Chamber opposite the portrait of George Washington; and

Whereas the American Friends of Lafayette organized the Lafayette Farewell Tour Bicentennial from August 2024–September 2025, a 13-month, 24-State, 350 event commemoration to educate all Americans about Lafayette’s contributions to the country’s founding, his lifetime passion for human rights, and the importance of the Franco-American Alliance: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) recognizes the invaluable service of Lafayette to the independence and ideals of the United States;

(2) expresses gratitude for Lafayette’s sacrifice in fighting during the American Revolution; and

(3) acknowledges Lafayette on the bicentennial of his farewell tour to our Nation.