[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 21077]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 254--HONORING, COMMEMORATING, AND CELEBRATING THE 
     HISTORIC TIES OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE NETHERLANDS ON THE 
QUADRICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF THE DISCOVERY OF THE HUDSON RIVER, AND 
RECOGNIZING THE SETTLEMENT AND ENDURING VALUES OF NEW NETHERLAND, WHICH 
                 CONTINUE TO INFLUENCE AMERICAN SOCIETY

  Mrs. GILLIBRAND submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 254

       Whereas the Netherlands and the United States are 2 
     countries with one spirit united by values, history, and a 
     vision for the future;
       Whereas 2009 marks the quadricentennial year that Henry 
     Hudson captained the Ship ``Halve Maen'', under the auspices 
     of the Dutch East India Company, and discovered the Hudson 
     River;
       Whereas the discovery of the Hudson River and its fertile 
     lands gave rise to the establishment of the New Netherland 
     settlement and the ensuing historical ties between the 
     Netherlands and the United States;
       Whereas the Netherlands, in 1776 at Sint Eustatius, was the 
     first country to salute the United States flag, influenced 
     the writing of the United States Declaration of Independence, 
     and has remained a staunch ally to the United States, from 
     providing necessary loans during the Revolutionary War to 
     standing shoulder-to-shoulder in Afghanistan in defense of 
     values and the rule of law;
       Whereas the New Netherland settlement left a legacy of 
     values such as open-mindedness, entrepreneurship, democracy, 
     tolerance, and hard work, as well as freedom of religion and 
     speech;
       Whereas the bonds of free trade, open markets, and commerce 
     have continuously linked the Netherlands and the United 
     States to such an extent that the Netherlands remains among 
     the top 4 foreign investors in the United States;
       Whereas the Netherlands provided assistance in the 
     aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and is sharing expertise in 
     water management and helping to rebuild New Orleans and its 
     levees; and
       Whereas the heritage of 400 years of friendship between the 
     Netherlands and the United States is a laudable example and 
     should be properly extolled: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) on the quadricentennial celebration of the discovery of 
     the Hudson River, honors, commemorates, and celebrates the 
     historic ties and friendship between the United States and 
     the Netherlands; and
       (2) recognizes the settlement and enduring values of New 
     Netherland which continue to influence American society.

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