[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 91 (Thursday, June 12, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S3671]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE RESOLUTION 476--RECOGNIZING THE 350TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
     FOUNDING OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY AND HONORING THE VALUABLE 
              CONTRIBUTIONS OF PEOPLE OF THE GARDEN STATE

  Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself and Mr. Booker) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 476

       Whereas, in 1664, the parcel of land between the Delaware 
     and Hudson Rivers came under the control of the English, who 
     named the land New Jersey;
       Whereas the State of New Jersey played an instrumental role 
     in the success of the 13 original colonies during the 
     American Revolutionary War, serving as the location of more 
     military engagements than any other colony during the 
     American Revolutionary War, including 2 pivotal colonial 
     victories at Trenton and Princeton in the winter of 1776;
       Whereas, in 1789, the State of New Jersey became the first 
     state in the United States of America to ratify the Bill of 
     Rights, which is the first 10 amendments to the United States 
     Constitution;
       Whereas men and women of the State of New Jersey, such as 
     Thomas Mundy Peterson, Alice Paul, and Paul Robeson, bravely 
     challenged our country to recognize and support equal and 
     just rights of citizenship for all people of the United 
     States;
       Whereas the State of New Jersey has been a veritable 
     cauldron of culture, contributing iconic and talented artists 
     in literature, film, theater, dance, music, and visual arts;
       Whereas world renowned scientists and scholars, including 
     Thomas Alva Edison and Albert Einstein, conduct their 
     research and launch their discoveries in laboratories and 
     institutions throughout the State of New Jersey, resulting in 
     the State of New Jersey serving as a birth place for 
     inventions and innovations that fundamentally change the way 
     humans interact with each other and the world around them;
       Whereas the State of New Jersey has been a leader in 
     developing and engineering formative infrastructure and 
     transportation accomplishments, from the Morris Canal and the 
     Delaware and Raritan Canal to the iconic Garden State 
     Parkway, as well as the now ubiquitous ``Jersey Barriers'' 
     that provide for the safety of drivers and passengers on 
     roads throughout the United States;
       Whereas, in 1954, the New Jersey State Legislature passed 
     legislation for the State of New Jersey to officially adopt 
     the nickname of the ``Garden State'', a proud acknowledgment 
     of the State of New Jersey's strong agricultural heritage and 
     reflection of the continued abundance of blueberries, 
     cranberries, peaches, and other produce that contribute to 
     the State of New Jersey's robust agricultural industry;
       Whereas New Jerseyans take pride in enjoying and preserving 
     the State of New Jersey's vast natural resources, including 
     the 130 miles of sandy beaches along ``the shore'', as well 
     as the 1,000,000 acres of Pine Barrens that constitute the 
     United State's first National Reserve; and
       Whereas it is fitting and desirable that the people of New 
     Jersey and the United States celebrate the current and 
     historic role of the State of New Jersey in the United 
     States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate recognizes and celebrates the 
     350th aniversary of the founding of the State of New Jersey.

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