[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 104 (Tuesday, July 22, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7873-S7874]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CELEBRATING THE HISTORY OF OUR NATION

 Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, many of us returned home to our 
States to celebrate the Fourth of July and the birth of this great 
Nation. All across this country, in both urban and rural communities, 
we joined as one to honor our Founding Fathers and their commitment to 
freedom as reflected in the Declaration of Independence and the 
Constitution. Together these two documents form the foundation of our 
Nation.
  It seems most fitting and appropriate to take a moment after we have 
returned from our Fourth of July activities to take note of two groups 
of Wyoming students that came to our Nation's Capital recently as part 
of programs celebrating the history of our Nation and its place in the 
world.
  To celebrate the Constitution, and its effect on our lives as 
citizens, a team from Central High School in Cheyenne traveled to 
Washington to participate in a competition entitled ``We the People * * 
* The Citizen and the Constitution.'' In that event, students from 
across the United States competed against each other as they 
demonstrated their remarkable understanding of and sensitivity to the 
fundamental principles upon which this Nation was founded. They proved 
that the values that are embodied in our Nation's Constitution still 
resonate with meaning and importance in our lives today as they serve 
to fire our children's imaginations and interest in our past.
  In the process of preparing for this event, those students learned a 
lot about the Constitution. I would imagine many of them were surprised 
to learn that it is truly a living document. Through the years it has 
been changed and amended to address the problems of a growing 
democracy. It has weathered every storm, including a Civil War and 
countless crisis faced by our Nation's leaders. Through it all, it has 
continued to provide the guideposts we have followed to ensure that our 
Nation remains strong and free.
  It was very gratifying personally to see such attention focused on 
our Nation's Constitution. That document holds a great deal of meaning 
to me personally.
  I have always drawn inspiration from the words our Founding Fathers 
used as they drafted the U.S. Constitution. In fact, when I served as 
the mayor of Gillette, WY, I always had a copy in my coat pocket. I 
gave copies to the members of the council each year on Constitution Day 
and every other year we read it as part of our proceedings.
  Now that I have been elected to the Senate, I have to say it has new 
meaning for me. It refers to me. It is my job description. It is not 
just the basic rules for someone way off in Washington. It speaks 
directly to me and the purpose I serve as a Member of the Senate, a 
representative of the dreams, hopes, and ambitions of the people of my 
home State of Wyoming.
  Just a few weeks ago another group came to Washington as part of a 
program to promote and encourage our children's interest in and 
enthusiasm for history. We are all familiar with the famous quote of 
George Santayana,

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``Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.''
  That is why it is so important that we continue to encourage our 
children to study the past and learn about the mistakes that were made, 
and the triumphs, too, that have made this Nation what it is today.
  Looking over the list of subjects that those who participated in 
Wyoming History Day had worked on, I was quite impressed by the many 
different areas of history that had drawn their attention. I am certain 
they were all amazed by how much they had learned by examining the 
events they had chosen in detail as they prepared for the competition.
  Like those young students, I also enjoyed studying our Nation's 
history when I was in school. I was fascinated by the stories of our 
past, and I took a special interest in the history of Wyoming and the 
days of the Old West. I read everything I could get my hands on that 
had to do with the early days of the West and our State's first 
settlers. They were brave pioneers and together they faced a great many 
hardships and trials as they worked to make it out West. They were 
remarkable people blessed with special skills and strengths. The 
heritage they passed down to their children is still reflected in the 
faces of those who have a long history with and strong ties to the land 
they love and rely on for their lifeblood. Our grandfathers and great 
grandfathers passed down their great love of independence and freedom 
to us, and their lifestyles helped shape our character and made Wyoming 
what it is today: fiercely proud, independent, and strongly self-
reliant.
  These programs are the kind of projects we should continue to 
encourage our children to pursue as a regular part of their education. 
By studying and reading about the history of our Nation and the world, 
we will not only learn how to avoid the mistakes of the past, but we 
will also learn how to properly plan and prepare for our future. 
Studying about the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence and 
the work our Founding Fathers put into this great Nation at its 
conception is a good place to begin. What better time to take up this 
subject than now, so close to our Fourth of July celebration. That is 
what Independence Day is really all about. We take great pride in our 
history. We celebrate the lives and work of that relatively small group 
of individuals, banded together by their commitment to freedom, and the 
dream of democracy; and who saw the reality and reassurance of a new 
republic. On that day in July in 1776 they began a series of events 
that have served to change the face of the world forever.
  I am very proud of these and all our students who are studying the 
world's history, and our place in it. As the father of a schoolteacher, 
I know the commitment that is necessary to provide our children with a 
good education. For that process to be successful, we must all do our 
part--teachers, students, and parents. We should all continue to 
encourage our children to participate fully and actively in the 
programs and projects offered by their schools. The resulting 
challenges they will face and the rewards they will receive will have a 
dramatic effect on their lives. Congratulations to all those who won 
awards in these programs, and to those who gave their best efforts as 
participants. We are very proud of each one of you--and counting on you 
for the future.

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