[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 156 (Friday, September 10, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E965]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





HONORING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE THEODORE ROOSEVELT INAUGURAL SITE 
                               FOUNDATION

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                           HON. CHRIS JACOBS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 10, 2021

  Mr. JACOBS of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the 
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site Foundation on its 50th anniversary.
  On Friday September 6, 1901, President William McKinley was shot by 
anarchist Leon Czolgosz during a trip to the Pan-American Exposition in 
Buffalo, New York. Closely monitoring the situation from a family 
vacation in the Adirondack Mountains, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt 
traveled to Buffalo to pay his respects when it became apparent that 
President McKinley would not survive his injuries. President McKinley 
died the day of Roosevelt's arrival, on Saturday, September 14, 1901.
  It was only a matter of hours before the Vice President assumed the 
Office of the President of the United States. That same day, Vice 
President Roosevelt was sworn in as president at the residence of his 
close friend, and an esteemed lawyer, Mr. Ansley Wilcox, located at 641 
Delaware Avenue. In taking his Oath of Office, Roosevelt declared, ``In 
this hour of deep and terrible national bereavement, I wish to state 
that it shall be my aim to continue, absolutely without variance, the 
policy of President McKinley, for the peace and honor of our beloved 
country.''
  In conjunction with the National Park Service, the Theodore Roosevelt 
Inaugural Site Foundation has maintained the residence on Delaware 
Avenue since 1971, with several missions in mind. First and foremost, 
the foundation strives to uphold educational dialogues around the 
Roosevelt Presidency, ranging from the inauguration itself to his life, 
policy choices, and legacy. The foundation also highlights the 1901 
Pan-American Exposition, which introduced Buffalo to the world as the 
first electrified city of light, powered by nearby Niagara Falls. More 
generally, the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site Foundation highlights 
a period in Western New York's history when it served the country as an 
industrial powerhouse filled with driven, creative individuals seeking 
to build a new and better future.
  Today, the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site Foundation offers a 
variety of programs and experiences that aim to preserve the legacy of 
President Roosevelt. The foundation displays a variety of exhibits and 
showcases within the home that examine Roosevelt's inauguration and 
time in office. Tours are offered at the nearby museum, as well as at 
sites of importance across the City of Buffalo. The foundation also 
hosts a ``Speaker Nite'' series of events, inviting esteemed 
individuals to explore issues of significance from President 
Roosevelt's tenure and share how these issues remain relevant today.
  I thank the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site Foundation for its 
commitment to preserving the unique history of the Western New York 
region, and I again congratulate the foundation on its 50th 
anniversary.

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