[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Page 3961]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   COMMEMORATING ARIZONA'S STATEHOOD

  Mr. KYL. Madam President, 95 years ago today Arizona became the 48th 
State in the Union when, on February 14, 1912, President William Taft 
signed the Arizona Statehood Act.
  Today, just as almost a century ago, Americans are drawn to Arizona's 
economic opportunity, culture, and natural beauty. At the time of 
statehood, Arizona's population numbered in the hundreds of thousands, 
but it was growing quickly, from around 200,000 in 1910 to over 330,000 
in 1920. Today, it is the Nation's fastest growing State, with a 
population of more than 6 million.
  Tourists flock to the State for its cultural heritage and scenic 
beauty. Arizona is home to four national parks and many other national 
monuments and historic sites. Many who visit these sites are heeding 
the advice of Theodore Roosevelt, who said of the Grand Canyon, ``You 
cannot improve on it. But what you can do is to keep it for your 
children, your children's children, and all who come after you, as the 
one great sight which every American should see.''
  From its days as a rough Wild West territory to the dynamic State it 
is today, Arizona's beauty and culture has captivated those who have 
experienced it. I wish the State a happy birthday.

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