[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 145 (Thursday, October 8, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S10326]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   ANNIVERSARY OF NEVADA'S STATEHOOD

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 309, submitted 
earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 309) recognizing and celebrating the 
     145th anniversary of the entry of Nevada into the Union as 
     the 36th State.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, does my distinguished colleague from Nevada 
wish to speak on this matter?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nevada.
  Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. President, I just want to applaud the senior Senator 
from Nevada, the leader of the Senate, for this resolution recognizing 
the 145th anniversary of Nevada's statehood.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, as it approaches Halloween, which is the 
real day, I will have more to say on this resolution.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed 
to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon 
the table; that there be no intervening action or debate, and any 
statements relating to this matter be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 309) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 309

       Whereas October 31, 2009, marks the 145th anniversary of 
     President Abraham Lincoln's proclamation admitting Nevada 
     into the Union as the 36th State;
       Whereas Nevadans celebrate the anniversary of ``Battle 
     Born'' statehood every year as Nevada Day;
       Whereas Nevada's State motto is ``All for Our Country'', 
     reflecting the patriotism and sense of duty demonstrated by 
     countless Nevadans since the State's entrance into the Union;
       Whereas Nevada's brave veterans and service members have 
     made critical contributions to our Nation's security in times 
     of war and of peace;
       Whereas the Henderson magnesium mines and the Nevada Test 
     Site played key roles in the United States' victories during 
     World War II and the Cold War, respectively;
       Whereas Nevada is honored to host our Nation's Armed Forces 
     at Nellis Air Force Base, Creech Air Force Base, Naval Air 
     Station Fallon, and the Hawthorne Army Depot, as well as 
     National Guard Armories and Reserve Readiness Centers 
     throughout the State;
       Whereas Nevada is a premier destination for tourists, 
     business travelers, family vacationers, and outdoor 
     enthusiasts throughout the United States and around the 
     globe;
       Whereas Nevada's unique features attract vacationers and 
     locals alike, including the pastoral Washoe Valley, the crags 
     of the Ruby Mountains, the ``Biggest Little City in the 
     World'', the Las Vegas Strip, the Hoover Dam, Lovers Lock 
     Plaza, and the annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering;
       Whereas mining became an important industry to the Silver 
     State with the 1859 discovery of the Comstock Lode, the most 
     valuable deposit of silver in the Nation;
       Whereas Nevada produces more gold than all other States 
     combined and is one of the largest sources of gold in the 
     world;
       Whereas the entrepreneurial spirit of Nevadans is reflected 
     in a versatile economy, from the world's largest gaming 
     establishments to small businesses that make up the vast 
     majority of Nevada's employers;
       Whereas Nevada has a rich cultural heritage that draws from 
     diverse populations, from multi-generational ranching 
     families to new residents, from Hispanic Americans to Asian 
     Americans and Pacific Islanders, and from Basque communities 
     to Mormon pioneers;
       Whereas Nevada recognizes the language, culture, and 
     generosity of Nevada's first dwellers, the Northern and 
     Southern Paiutes, Shoshone, and Washoe peoples;
       Whereas Nevada celebrates Thocmentony, or Sarah Winnemucca, 
     the first Native American woman to author a publication in 
     English, whose statue graces Emancipation Hall in the Capitol 
     Visitor Center;
       Whereas the snow-capped mountains of Nevada (pronounced 
     Nevada) were the inspiration for the Spanish origin of its 
     name;
       Whereas Nevada offers beautiful outdoor settings ranging 
     from vibrant desert landscapes to grand ski slopes, and from 
     picturesque hiking trails to flowing river currents;
       Whereas Lake Tahoe is one of the deepest and clearest 
     alpine lakes in the world, and Lake Mead is the largest 
     engineered reservoir in the United States;
       Whereas Nevada is home to Great Basin National Park, 17 
     State parks, 2 national forests, and 3,400,000 acres of 
     wilderness, including Sloan Canyon, Red Rock Canyon, and 
     Black Rock Desert;
       Whereas Nevada exemplifies the independence, opportunity, 
     and pioneering spirit of the West; and
       Whereas Nevada's delegation to the 111th Congress--Senator 
     Harry Reid, Senator John Ensign, Representative Shelley 
     Berkley, Representative Dean Heller, and Representative Dina 
     Titus--invite all to join in the celebration of Nevada 
     statehood: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate recognizes and celebrates the 
     145th anniversary of the entry of Nevada into the Union as 
     the 36th State.

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