[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 75 (Tuesday, May 8, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H4609-H4611]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    COMMEMORATING THE 400TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE JAMESTOWN SETTLEMENT

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 117) commemorating the 
400th Anniversary of the settlement of Jamestown.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 117

       Whereas the founding of the colony at Jamestown, Virginia, 
     in 1607, the first permanent English colony in America, and 
     the capital of Virginia for 92 years, has major significance 
     in the history of the United States;
       Whereas the Jamestown Settlement owed its survival in large 
     measure to the compassion and aid of the Native people in its 
     vicinity;
       Whereas Native Virginia people substantially aided the 
     Jamestown colonists with food and supplies at times that were 
     crucial to their survival;
       Whereas the Native people served as guides to geography and 
     natural resources, crucial assistance in the Virginia 
     colonists' exploration of the Chesapeake Region;
       Whereas the Jamestown Settlement brought people from 
     throughout the Atlantic Basin together to form a society that 
     drew upon the strengths and characteristics of English, 
     European, African, and Native American cultures;
       Whereas the economic, political, religious, and social 
     institutions that developed during the first 9 decades of the 
     existence of Jamestown continue to have profound effects on 
     the United States, particularly in English common law and 
     language, cross cultural relationships, manufacturing, and 
     economic structure and status;
       Whereas the National Park Service, the Association for the 
     Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, and the Jamestown-
     Yorktown Foundation of the Commonwealth of Virginia 
     collectively own and operate significant resources related to 
     the early history of Jamestown;
       Whereas, in 2000, Congress established the Jamestown 400th 
     Commemoration Commission to ensure a suitable national 
     observance of the Jamestown 2007 anniversary, and Congress 
     commends the Commission's hard work and dedication;
       Whereas Congress reminds all Americans of the importance of 
     their country's history and founding at Jamestown; and
       Whereas the 2007 observance of the founding of Jamestown 
     commemorates the 400th anniversary of the first permanent 
     English colony in America: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring),  That Congress commemorates the 400th 
     Anniversary of the founding of the colony Jamestown in 1607 
     and urges

[[Page H4610]]

     all Americans to honor this seminal event in our Nation's 
     history.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleague in the 
consideration of H. Con. Res. 117, a bill that commemorates the 400th 
anniversary of the founding of the Jamestown settlement.
  H. Con. Res. 117, which has 77 cosponsors, was introduced by 
Representative Jo Ann Davis of Virginia on April 18, 2007. H. Con. Res. 
117 was reported from the Oversight Committee on May 1, 2007, by a 
voice vote.
  On May 14, 1607, Indians of the Powhatan tribe of Virginia saw three 
English sailing ships approaching their land. The 214 people on board 
of the Susan Constant, the Discovery, and the Godspeed had departed 
from London 5 months earlier. They would establish on the banks of the 
James River what would become America's first English settlement in the 
new world.
  While disease, famine, and continuing attacks from neighboring 
Indians took a tremendous toll on the settlers, only 60 of the original 
settlers survived just 2 years after arriving in America, England sent 
another three ships that arrived with supplies and new settlers to help 
stabilize the colony.
  Jamestown survived because the colonists worked together to cultivate 
the swamp-like land of the Virginia island and made it suitable for the 
growing of tobacco. By 1620 Jamestown had shipped almost 50,000 pounds 
of tobacco to England. Fifty years later Virginia and Maryland would 
ship 15 million pounds. Jamestown depended upon its agricultural 
products and trade to flourish as a new colony in America.
  Last Friday, on May 4, Queen Elizabeth II visited a tourist village 
at Jamestown to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of 
America's first English settlement. The Queen's last visit to Jamestown 
was 50 years ago. Jamestown represented a government that reflected 
many of our Nation's democratic ideals and institutions, including the 
rule of law and free enterprise.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague for seeking to commemorate the 
400th anniversary of Jamestown and urge swift passage of this 
resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to my 
distinguished colleague from the State of Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis).
  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support 
of H. Con. Res. 117, a resolution that I have introduced to commemorate 
the 400th anniversary of the settlement at Jamestown. I want to thank 
my colleague Tom Davis for his work on this resolution and also the 
entire Virginia delegation for their support.
  I feel very honored to represent the First District of Virginia, what 
I like to call America's First District.
  As we all know, in 1607 the first permanent English colony in North 
America was founded in Jamestown, Virginia. As we look back on this 
historic time 400 years later, it is obvious that the journey that 
began with the settlement of Jamestown has truly changed the world. 
Representative government in America began at Jamestown and many of our 
Nation's democratic ideals and institutions, including the rule of law, 
free enterprise, and cultural diversity, trace their roots to that 
beginning. It was not a perfect beginning, but nonetheless it was the 
start of an experiment that changed the course of history.
  I would be remiss if I did not mention the Native Americans' 
contributions to the early beginnings of this Nation. The Jamestown 
settlement owed its survival in large measure to the compassion and aid 
of the Virginia Indians. They provided the colonists with food and 
supplies at times that were crucial to their survival, and they served 
as guides to geography and natural resources, including the colonists' 
exploration of the Chesapeake Bay region. It is a fact that the 
settlement would not have survived without the Virginia Indians, and we 
owe them an enormous debt of gratitude.
  As Americans, we are so blessed with the freedoms that we enjoy and 
with the truth for which our country stands. Many of these ideals can 
be traced back to Jamestown, Virginia. And I urge my colleagues to vote 
for H. Con. Res. 117 to commemorate the events that took place 400 
years ago.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Virginia, Representative Bobby Scott.
  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding.
  I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 117, a resolution commemorating the 
400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, Virginia, introduced by 
my distinguished colleague from Virginia's, and America's, First 
Congressional District (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis).
  This is truly an exciting time for the Commonwealth of Virginia and 
our Nation as we commemorate the 400th anniversary of the founding of 
Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America and 
the cornerstone of our Republic. I have been honored to be one of the 
representatives of the most historic region in America, and all of the 
members of the Virginia delegation have worked hard to ensure that 
Federal funds and services have been readily available to prepare for 
this historic occasion beginning back in 2000 with the establishment of 
the Federal Jamestown 400th Commemoration Commission. And I would like 
to specifically acknowledge the hard work of Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis 
and her staff for their tireless efforts on behalf of Jamestown's 400th 
anniversary.
  Mr. Speaker, the spotlight of the world is now shining on the 
Commonwealth of Virginia. The Queen of England visited our State 
capital in Richmond and the Jamestown settlement just last week to 
commemorate this historic event.

                              {time}  1630

  Hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of people from all over our 
Nation and from all over the world will descend on Virginia this year 
to celebrate our 400th anniversary.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to visit Jamestown this 
year and encourage them to support this concurrent resolution.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, 400 years ago, a group of entrepreneurs from the 
Virginia Company landed on Jamestown Island with the intent of 
establishing a colony to find gold and a water route to the Orient. 
This landing spot became the first permanent English colony in America 
and would eventually become the capital of Virginia for 92 years. Built 
on a marshy and unhealthy site, the town suffered badly at the hands of 
fire and disease.
  The development of this great Nation clearly did not come about 
easily. By the end of 1607, after a particularly harsh winter, only 60 
of the original 214 settlers remained alive. The colony probably would 
have failed completely if it had not been for the courage and 
determination of Captain John Smith, who contrived to get food from the 
Indians, proving to be crucial for their survival.
  The suffering of these early settlers continued for many years. 
However, by 1614, John Rolfe introduced new techniques of curing the 
tobacco leaf which provided the first opportunity for the settlers to 
finally grow a crop that would sustain them for many years to come. 
Tobacco became the money crop for Jamestown and, ultimately, Virginia. 
In a short time, every farmer in Virginia was raising and exporting 
tobacco.
  Soon thereafter, a representative assembly called the House of 
Burgesses was established in the colony and met once a year. Meeting in 
the Jamestown

[[Page H4611]]

Church, it was the first legislature of elected representatives in 
America.
  Every farmer in Virginia was granted 40 acres of land, and with the 
income from farming tobacco, families began to sustain themselves. This 
community of small farmers, the great majority, 90 percent of them, not 
only owned but cultivated or owned land. Today, it is hard to fathom 
how Jamestown of Virginia survived with the suffering, malnutrition, 
disease and an appalling death rate. But, here we are 400 years later 
celebrating the quadricentennial of these brave peoples who included 
not only the British colonists, but the Native Americans they met upon 
arrival and the Africans who became indentured servants soon after.
  Furthermore, this year we have the honor to celebrate the 400th 
anniversary with people from around the world, including Queen 
Elizabeth II of England.
  I wholeheartedly encourage all Americans to visit this historic site. 
It offers an opportunity to learn how the first settlers survived and 
ultimately thrived as a result of their tenacity and steadfast desire 
to make this a place of which we can all be proud.
  Seeing how many of the democratic ideals which originated in 
Jamestown are still being preserved 400 years later, it is only natural 
for us to commemorate and honor the founding of Jamestown and how it 
led to the establishment of our great country.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, let me just say that I would hope 
to be one of those millions who visit Jamestown this year to celebrate 
its 400th anniversary. I commend Representative Jo Ann Davis for 
introducing this legislation, and I urge its passage.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. 
Res. 117.
  Mr. Speaker, 400 hundred years ago a group of entrepreneurs from the 
Virginia Company landed on Jamestown Island with the intent of 
establishing a colony to find gold and a water route to the Orient. 
This landing spot became the first permanent English colony in America 
and later became the capital of Virginia for 92 years.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask today that we take a moment to focus on the 
courage of those who lived there.
  In a strange land, yet not the land they sought, in an unhealthy 
place plagued by disease, fire and the elements, they banded together 
to make a life.
  And that life was not an easy one. By the end of 1607, after a 
particularly harsh winter, only 60 of the original 214 settlers 
remained alive. If Captain John Smith hadn't contrived to get food for 
the Indians, the American dream might well have died on those swampy 
shores.
  Suffering and hard work were not strangers to the colonists. By 1614, 
the settlers had a cash crop--tobacco--and they worked hard to see that 
it sustained the colony.
  To ensure order, they formed the House of Burgesses, the first 
representative assembly in America. Soon, every farmer in Virginia was 
granted 40 acres of land on which to farm tobacco.
  Still, they had little beyond that which they could get for 
themselves or the local Indians. It is hard today to fathom the courage 
of those who struggled against all to make the colony and their 
families a success.
  Today, 400 years later, we honor not just those brave people but the 
native Americans they encountered and the Africans who became 
indentured servants soon thereafter.
  I encourage all Americans to take a cue from the Queen of England and 
make the pilgrimage to Jamestown during this historic year.
  I encourage them to observe first-hand the hardships endured, the 
friendships forged, the commitment to something more than survival--the 
courage to leave behind far more comfortable lives in England and take 
the chance of a lifetime.
  These were the first Americans in many senses. They were the first to 
form a government, the first to be willing to push past tradition and 
comfort for adventure, for fairness, for democracy. That's why I am I 
proud to urge passage of H. Con. Res. 117.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. 
Con. Res. 117, which commemorates the 400th anniversary of the 
settlement of Jamestown.
  On May 14, 1607, just over 100 English settlers landed on the banks 
of the James River, in what is today the state of Virginia. The first 
permanent English settlement in North America, Jamestown weathered 
extreme hardship, starvation, and warfare to become the foundation upon 
which our Nation was built. We can recognize many of our democratic 
ideals in institutions developed by the Jamestown settlement. It was in 
this colony, in 1619, that the House of Burgesses, the first locally 
elected legislative body in the New World, was convened in a Jamestown 
church.
  As a nation, we have come a long way since our early colonial days. 
We fought a war with each other to abolish slavery, which was 
introduced in Jamestown in the same year as the House of Burgesses. We 
gradually extended full citizenship and equal rights to African 
Americans. While the settlers that landed in 1607 were all male, we 
have in the past 400 years, incorporated women into all aspects of our 
Nation's political, economic, and social life. And while the early 
colonial settlements fought wars with their Native American neighbors, 
we have, in recent decades, made serious efforts toward making amends 
for injustices done to native tribes.
  This resolution serves to remind and educate Americans about the 
importance of our history. It highlights that the economic, political, 
religious, and social institutions developed during our colonial past 
continue to form the backbone of our society today. Significantly, this 
resolution also draws attention to the crucial role the native people 
played in the success of the Jamestown colony, and in the formation of 
our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, this 
legislation urges us to understand and engage with our history as 
Americans. I strongly support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues 
to do the same.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my strong support 
for this resolution.
  Four hundred years ago in 1607, 104 English settlers took a dangerous 
voyage. The voyage alone was perilous, but their future in their new 
land was no less daunting. These courageous voyagers landed on the 
shores of what is now the great Commonwealth of Virginia. They set sail 
on what many have considered America's founding river, the James River, 
and established the first permanent English settlement at Jamestown.
  These brave settlers faced many hardships--sickness, war, hunger, and 
death. However, their faith and perseverance allowed this colony to 
flourish despite these seemingly insurmountable odds. These settlers 
established the foundation of this great Nation, and I am happy that 
we, in this House, are gathered here today to commemorate their 
sacrifice.
  These early settlers were the first to celebrate what we have now 
come to know as the American dream. Kathryn Lange said it best in her 
book, ``1607: A New Look At Jamestown,'' ``Jamestown was a place where 
the poor might become rich through hard work, where people could govern 
themselves and where cultures mixed to create a new, American way of 
life.''

  This profound, new way of life, was unlike anything else in the world 
at the time. The Jamestown Colony planted the seeds of the ideals of 
life and liberty, which sprouted into this great Nation. As a nation we 
have held fast to the ideals that flourished in this early colony, and 
we still celebrate those ideals today.
  Today we gather to commemorate that early settlement at Jamestown, 
but we do not commemorate just one colony, we commemorate the birth of 
a nation that sprung from that small colony.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in commemorating the 400th 
anniversary of the Jamestown settlement, and the birth of our Nation.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 117.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________