[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 812 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 812
Recognizing the 179th anniversary of the arrival of pioneers belonging
to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Great Salt
Lake Valley, honoring the enduring pioneer spirit that shaped the
American West, and celebrating its continued relevance to the unfolding
American story.
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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 23, 2026
Mr. Curtis (for himself, Mr. Lee, and Mr. Crapo) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary
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RESOLUTION
Recognizing the 179th anniversary of the arrival of pioneers belonging
to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Great Salt
Lake Valley, honoring the enduring pioneer spirit that shaped the
American West, and celebrating its continued relevance to the unfolding
American story.
Whereas the early members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
(referred to in this preamble as the ``Church'') sought nothing more
than the freedom to worship according to the dictates of their own
conscience;
Whereas, in the years following the establishment of the Church, the early
members of the Church endured repeated persecution, including mob
violence, the destruction of their homes and crops, the loss of their
property, and forced displacement from one settlement after another;
Whereas, on June 27, 1844, Joseph Smith, the leader and prophet of the Church,
was murdered by an armed mob, leaving the Church and its members facing
an uncertain future;
Whereas Brigham Young, who succeeded Joseph Smith as leader of the Church,
concluded that safety and religious liberty could only be found far
beyond the settled United States and organized the Church's members for
a journey into the wilderness of the American West;
Whereas, beginning in February 1846, thousands of Latter-day Saint pioneers set
out across the frozen Iowa plains and ultimately traveled more than
1,300 miles by wagon and, for many, by foot, crossing prairies, deserts,
mountains, and rivers to reach their new home;
Whereas the Latter-day Saint pioneers endured extreme cold, disease, hunger, and
exhaustion during the journey, and many families buried children,
parents, and spouses along the trail, their graves marking a path of
sacrifice across the American West;
Whereas, upon entering the Great Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847, Brigham
Young declared, ``This is the right place,'' foretelling how the valley
would become home to many Latter-day Saint pioneers and their posterity;
Whereas, within days of their arrival, the Latter-day Saint pioneers laid out a
city, plowed fields, irrigated the desert, and began to build homes,
mills, and churches where none had stood before;
Whereas, over the following decades, tens of thousands more Latter-day Saint
pioneers followed the same trail, and, together with earlier arrivals,
established more than 500 communities throughout the American West,
transforming the region into a place of prosperity;
Whereas the industry of the Latter-day Saint pioneers extended far beyond their
own settlements, as they built roads and bridges, operated ferries
across major rivers, planted way-station crops, and assisted thousands
of other westward-bound emigrants who relied on the resources and
goodwill the Latter-day Saint pioneers had established;
Whereas, on July 24, 1849, the Latter-day Saint pioneers held their first formal
commemoration of the anniversary of their arrival, gathering for a
procession and a public celebration of thanksgiving in Salt Lake City;
Whereas that observance has continued for 177 years and is now celebrated
annually as ``Pioneer Day,'' a Utah State holiday marked by parades,
rodeos, reenactments, fireworks, and civic gatherings that welcome
participants of every faith and background;
Whereas the story of the Latter-day Saint pioneers is, at its core, a distinctly
American story of a people who, having been denied protection and
refuge, built both for themselves and for the generations who followed;
Whereas the pioneer spirit of self-reliance, enterprise, and perseverance that
carried the Latter-day Saint pioneers across the plains continues today
in the character of the American West, which remains a place where
individuals and communities join together to solve hard problems and
build for the future; and
Whereas the legacy of the Latter-day Saint pioneers stands as a lasting reminder
that the American story is written not only by the founding generation,
but by every generation that chooses to press forward with unconquerable
faith and undaunted hope: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) recognizes the 179th anniversary of the arrival of
Latter-day Saint pioneers to the Great Salt Lake Valley on July
24, 1847, and the annual observance of ``Pioneer Day'' that
commemorates it;
(2) honors the extraordinary sacrifice of the Latter-day
Saint pioneers, including those who gave their lives along the
trail, in pursuit of religious liberty and a place to call
home;
(3) commends the Latter-day Saint pioneers and their
descendants for their foundational role in settling and
developing the American West, and for a legacy of industry,
cooperation, and faith that continues to benefit the United
States; and
(4) encourages all the people of the United States to
reflect on the enduring virtues of the Latter-day Saint
pioneers and to carry forward, in their own generation, that
same spirit of resilience in the continuation of the American
story.
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