PRINTER'S NO. 4452
No. 705 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY DeWEESE, RYAN, LEVDANSKY, DERMODY, SHANER, SAINATO, COSTA, READSHAW, TRAVAGLIO, PIPPY, COLEMAN, HARHAI, STURLA, PALLONE AND WALKO, OCTOBER 8, 2002
ADOPTED, OCTOBER 8, 2002
A RESOLUTION 1 Requesting that the National Council of the Lewis and Clark 2 Bicentennial designate the planned events in Pittsburgh at 3 the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center 4 from July 15 through August 31, 2003, as a national signature 5 event. 6 WHEREAS, Nearly 200 years ago President Thomas Jefferson, 7 with congressional support, sought to furnish an expedition to 8 study native cultures, investigate geographic features, discover 9 useful plants and animals and inform Native Americans of the new 10 sovereignty of the United States, which had recently been 11 acquired from France as a result of the Louisiana Purchase; and 12 WHEREAS, The president turned to his young private secretary, 13 Captain Meriwether Lewis, to provide leadership in this 14 endeavor; and 15 WHEREAS, Lewis, joined by his co-commander William Clark, 16 began an exploration to find the source of the Missouri River 17 and tributaries and to find a suitable water passage to the 18 western ocean for the purpose of commerce and exploration; and 19 WHEREAS, This great voyage of discovery opened up the
1 American West and widened the horizons of America's manifest 2 destiny; and 3 WHEREAS, The Lewis and Clark Expedition increased the young 4 nation's knowledge of and pride in our precious natural 5 resources; and 6 WHEREAS, The expedition helped the nation gain a better 7 understanding of America's native cultures; and 8 WHEREAS, Most importantly, Lewis and Clark's indomitable 9 spirit and courage stand as a testament to American 10 resourcefulness, ingenuity and courage; and 11 WHEREAS, This expedition was a major event in the history of 12 the United States and helped shape the cultural and geographic 13 boundaries of our county; and 14 WHEREAS, The respect fostered between Native American tribes 15 and members of the expedition represents a fine example of 16 diplomacy and relationships between divergent nations and 17 cultures; and 18 WHEREAS, Lewis chose Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the 19 expedition's point of departure, not just for its fortuitous 20 confluence of rivers, but because only in Pittsburgh and its 21 environs could he find skilled workmen to build the keelboat he 22 needed for a transcontinental voyage; and 23 WHEREAS, Efforts to commemorate the 200th anniversary of this 24 great adventure have been organized throughout the nation; and 25 WHEREAS, American communities from Charlottesville, Virginia 26 to Astoria, Oregon, have been selected by the National Council 27 of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial as sites for national 28 heritage signature events during the bicentennial commemoration 29 of the Lewis and Clark Expedition from 2003 through 2006; and 30 WHEREAS, Each community was chosen for its place in the 20020H0705R4452 - 2 -
1 expedition's chronology, its historical relevance, cultural 2 diversity, tribal involvement, geographic location and 3 sponsoring organizations' capacity; and 4 WHEREAS, The National Council of the Lewis and Clark 5 Bicentennial has designated 15 national signature events to be 6 highlighted in the three-year celebration; therefore be it 7 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 8 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania recognize the pivotal role that 9 Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania played in this epic story 10 and conclude that the bicentennial must not pass unnoticed in 11 this entire area; and be it further 12 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives respectfully 13 request that the National Council of the Lewis and Clark 14 Bicentennial designate the planned events in Pittsburgh at the 15 Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center from July 16 15 through August 31, 2003, as a national signature event; and 17 be it further 18 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 19 the President of the United States, the Director of the 20 Smithsonian Institution, the President of the National 21 Geographic Society and to each member of Congress from 22 Pennsylvania. J8L82BIL/20020H0705R4452 - 3 -