[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 76 (Thursday, May 8, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S3980]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page S3980]]
                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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    SENATE RESOLUTION 555--RECOGNIZING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
                  FOUNDING OF THE CONGRESSIONAL CLUB.

  Mr. ENZI (for himself, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Wicker, and Mr. 
Nelson of Nebraska) submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 555

       Whereas the Congressional Club was organized in 1908 by 25 
     women who were influential in Washington's official life and 
     who wanted to establish a nonsectarian and nonpolitical group 
     that would promote friendship and cordiality in public life;
       Whereas those women founded the Club to bring the wives of 
     Members of Congress together in a hospitable and compatible 
     environment in the Nation's Capital;
       Whereas the Congressional Club was officially established 
     in 1908 by a unanimous vote in both the Senate and the House 
     of Representatives and is the only club in the world to be 
     founded by an Act of Congress;
       Whereas the Act entitled ``An Act to incorporate the 
     Congressional Club'' (35 Stat. 476, chapter 226) was signed 
     by President Theodore Roosevelt on May 30, 1908;
       Whereas the Congressional Club's founding was secured by 
     womanly wiles and feminine determination in the enactment of 
     that Act unanimously on May 28, 1908, in order to overcome 
     the opposition of Representative John Sharp Williams of 
     Mississippi, who opposed all women's organizations;
       Whereas, when Representative Williams was called out of the 
     chamber by Mrs. Williams, the good-mannered representative 
     obliged and withdrew his opposition and request for a 
     recorded vote, saying, ``upon this particular bill there will 
     not be a roll call, because it would cause a great deal of 
     domestic unhappiness in Washington if there were'';
       Whereas the first Congressional Clubhouse was at 1432 K 
     Street Northwest in Washington, District of Columbia, and 
     opened on December 11, 1908, with a reception for President-
     elect and Mrs. William Taft;
       Whereas, after Mrs. John B. Henderson of Missouri donated 
     land on the corner of New Hampshire Avenue and U Street 
     Northwest, the cornerstone of the current Clubhouse was laid 
     at that location on May 21, 1914;
       Whereas that Clubhouse was built by George Totten in the 
     Beaux Arts style and is listed on the National Register of 
     Historic Places;
       Whereas the mortgage on the Clubhouse was paid for by the 
     sales of the Club's cookbook and the mortgage document was 
     burned by Mrs. Bess Truman in a silver bowl on the 40th 
     anniversary of the Club's founding;
       Whereas the Congressional Club has remained a good neighbor 
     on the U Street corridor for more than 90 years, encouraging 
     the revitalization of the area during a time of socioeconomic 
     challenges and leading the way in upkeep and maintenance of 
     historic property;
       Whereas the Congressional Club honors and supports the 
     people in its neighborhood by inviting the local police and 
     fire departments to the Clubhouse for lunch and delivering 
     trays of Member-made cookies and candies to them during the 
     holidays, by hosting an annual Senior Citizens Appreciation 
     Day luncheon for residents of a neighborhood nursing home, 
     and by hosting an annual holiday brunch for neighborhood 
     children each December that includes a festive meal, gifts, 
     and a visit from Santa Claus;
       Whereas the Congressional Club has hosted the annual First 
     Lady's Luncheon every spring since 1912 and annually donates 
     tens of thousands of dollars to charities in the name of the 
     First Lady;
       Whereas, among its many charitable recipients, the 
     Congressional Club has chosen mentoring programs, United 
     National Indian Tribal Youth, literacy programs, the White 
     House library, youth dance troupes, domestic shelters, and 
     child care centers;
       Whereas the Congressional Club members, upon the suggestion 
     of Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, have been encouraged to become 
     discussion leaders on national security in their home States, 
     from the trials of World War II to the threats of terrorism;
       Whereas the Congressional Club extends the hand of 
     friendship and goodwill globally by hosting an annual 
     diplomatic reception to entertain the spouses of ambassadors 
     to the United States;
       Whereas the Congressional Club is solely supported by 
     membership dues and the sale of cookbooks and has never 
     received any Federal funding;
       Whereas the 14 editions of the Congressional Club cookbook, 
     first published in 1928, reflect the life and times of the 
     United States with recipes and signatures of Members of 
     Congress, First Ladies, Ambassadors, and members of the Club;
       Whereas the Congressional Club membership has expanded to 
     include spouses and daughters of Representatives, Senators, 
     Supreme Court Justices, and Cabinet members;
       Whereas 7 members of the Congressional Club have become 
     First Lady: Mrs. Florence Harding, Mrs. Lou Hoover, Mrs. Bess 
     Truman, Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy, Mrs. Patricia Nixon, Mrs. 
     Betty Ford, and Mrs. Barbara Bush;
       Whereas several members of the Congressional Club have been 
     elected to Congress, including Mrs. Jo Ann Emerson, Mrs. Lois 
     Capps, and Mrs. Mary Bono, and former presidents of the 
     Congressional Club Mrs. Lindy Boggs and Mrs. Doris Matsui;
       Whereas leading figures in politics, the arts, and the 
     media have visited the Clubhouse throughout the past 100 
     years;
       Whereas the Congressional Club is home to the First Lady's 
     gown display, a museum with replica inaugural and ball gowns 
     of the First Ladies from Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln to Mrs. Laura 
     Bush;
       Whereas the Congressional Club is charged with receiving 
     the Presidential couple, honoring the Vice President and 
     spouse, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and 
     spouse, and the Chief Justice and spouse, and providing the 
     orientation for spouses of new Members of Congress; and
       Whereas the Congressional Club will celebrate its 100th 
     anniversary with festivities and ceremonies during 2008 that 
     include the ringing of the official bells of the United 
     States Congress, a Founder's Day program, a birthday cake at 
     the First Lady's Luncheon, an anniversary postage stamp and 
     cancellation stamp, a 100-year pin and pendant designed by 
     former president Lois Breaux, and invitations to President 
     and Mrs. Bush, Speaker and Mr. Pelosi, and Chief Justice and 
     Mrs. Roberts to visit and celebrate 100 years of public 
     service, civility, and growth at the Congressional Club: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the 100th anniversary of the founding of the 
     Congressional Club;
       (2) acknowledges the contributions of political spouses to 
     public life in the United States and around the world through 
     the Congressional Club for the past 100 years;
       (3) honors the past and present membership of the 
     Congressional Club; and
       (4) encourages the people of the United States--
       (A) to strive for greater friendship, civility, and 
     generosity in order to heighten public service, elevate the 
     culture, and enrich humanity; and
       (B) to seek opportunities to give financially and to 
     volunteer to assist charitable organizations in their own 
     communities.

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