[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 19 (Thursday, February 13, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S1408]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 57--CONCERNING THE BICENTENNIAL OF THE LEWIS AND 
                            CLARK EXPEDITION

  Mr. DORGAN (for himself, Mr. Bond, Mr. Burns, Mr. Conrad, Mr. 
Cochran, Mr. Craig, Mr. Daschle, Mr. Gorton, Mr. Kerrey, Ms. Moseley-
Braun, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Smith of Oregon, and Mr. Reid): submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources:


                               S. Res. 57

       Whereas the Expedition commanded by Meriwether Lewis and 
     William Clark, which came to be called ``The Corps of 
     Discovery'', was one of the most remarkable and productive 
     scientific and military exploring expeditions in all American 
     history;
       Whereas President Thomas Jefferson gave Lewis and Clark the 
     mission to ``. . . explore the Missouri River & such 
     principal stream of it, as, by its course and communication 
     with the waters of the Pacific ocean, whether the Columbia, 
     Oregon, Colorado or any other river may offer the most direct 
     & practicable water communication across this continent for 
     the purposes of commerce. . .'';
       Whereas the Expedition, in response to President 
     Jefferson's directive, greatly advanced our geographical 
     knowledge of the continent and prepared the way for the 
     extension of the American fur trade with Indian tribes 
     throughout the area;
       Whereas President Jefferson directed the explorers to take 
     note of and carefully record the natural resources of the 
     newly acquired territory known as Louisiana, as well as 
     diligently report on the native inhabitants of the land;
       Whereas Lewis and Clark and their companions began their 
     historic journey to explore the uncharted wilderness west of 
     the Mississippi River at Wood River, Illinois on May 14, 
     1804, and followed the Missouri River westward from its mouth 
     on the Mississippi to its headwaters in the Rocky Mountains;
       Whereas the Expedition spent its first winter at Fort 
     Mandan, North Dakota, crossed the Rocky Mountains by 
     horseback in August 1805, reached the Pacific Ocean at the 
     mouth of the Columbia River in mid-November of that year, and 
     wintered at Fort Clatsop, near the present city of Astoria, 
     Oregon;
       Whereas the Expedition returned to St. Louis, Missouri, on 
     September 23, 1806, after a 28-month journey covering 8,000 
     miles during which it traversed 11 future States: Illinois, 
     Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, 
     Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon;
       Whereas the explorers faithfully followed the President's 
     directives and dutifully recorded their observations in their 
     detailed journals;
       Whereas these journals describe many plant and animal 
     species, some completely unknown to the world of science or 
     never before encountered in North America, and added greatly 
     to scientific knowledge about the flora and fauna of the 
     United States;
       Whereas accounts from the journals of Lewis and Clark and 
     the detailed maps that were prepared by the Expedition 
     enhanced knowledge of the western continent and routes for 
     commerce;
       Whereas the journals of Lewis and Clark documented diverse 
     American Indian languages, customs, religious beliefs, and 
     ceremonies; as Lewis and Clark are important figures in 
     American history, so too are Black Buffalo, Cameahwait, 
     Sacajawea, Sheheke and Watkueis;
       Whereas the Expedition significantly enhanced amicable 
     relations between the United States and the autonomous Indian 
     nations, and the friendship and respect fostered between the 
     Indian tribes and the Expedition represents the best of 
     diplomacy and relationships between divergent nations and 
     cultures;
       Whereas the Native American Indian tribes of the Northern 
     Plains and the Pacific Northwest played an essential role in 
     the survival and the success of the Expedition;
       Whereas the Lewis and Clark Expedition has been called the 
     most perfect Expedition of its kind in the history of the 
     world and paved the way for the United States to become a 
     great world power;
       Whereas the President and the Congress have previously 
     recognized the importance of the Expedition by establishing a 
     5-year commission in 1964 to study its history and the route 
     it followed, and again in 1978 by designating the route as 
     the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail administered by 
     the Secretary of the Interior through the National Park 
     Service; and
       Whereas the National Park Service, along with other 
     Federal, State, and local agencies and many other interested 
     groups are preparing commemorative activities to celebrate 
     the bicentennial of the Expedition beginning in 2003: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) expresses its support for the work of the National 
     Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council and all the Federal, 
     State, and local entities as well as other interested groups 
     that are preparing bicentennial activities to celebrate the 
     200th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Expedition during 
     the years 2004 through 2006;
       (2) expresses its support for the events to be held in 
     observance of the Expedition at St. Louis, Missouri in 2004 
     and Bismarck, North Dakota in 2005, and many other cities 
     during the bicentennial observance; and
       (3) calls upon the President, the Secretary of the 
     Interior, the Director of the National Park Service, American 
     Indian tribes, other public officials, and the citizens of 
     the United States to support, promote, and participate in the 
     many bicentennial activities being planned to commemorate the 
     Lewis and Clark Expedition.

     

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