PUBLIC LAW 107–152—MAR. 14, 2002 116 STAT. 77

Public Law 107–152

107th Congress

Joint Resolution

Congratulating the United States Military Academy at West Point on its bicentennial

anniversary, and commending its outstanding contributions to the Nation.

Whereas establishing a military academy to teach the technical

arts of war was a desire of many of our founding fathers, particularly George Washington;

Whereas Congress passed legislation on March 16, 1802, to establish

such a military academy to be located at West Point, New York,

a site that Washington called the key to the continent because

of its strategic importance during the Revolution;

Whereas President Thomas Jefferson signed the legislation establishing the United States Military Academy at West Point, an

institution dedicated to promoting scientific education to benefit

the Nation and to attracting a diverse array of young citizens

to the Nation’s military leadership;

Whereas Sylvanus Thayer, who served as Superintendent of the

Academy from 1817 to 1833, established the foundation of the

Academy’s strong academic program, strict adherence to discipline, and emphasis on moral and ethical conduct;

Whereas under Douglas MacArthur’s leadership as Superintendent

from 1919 to 1922, the Academy was modernized to prepare

its graduates for the challenges of the 20th century;

Whereas the Academy, the first school in America to teach

engineering, produced graduates who were responsible for the

construction of the Nation’s first railroad lines and many of

its early harbor improvements, bridges, roads, and canals;

Whereas Academy graduates introduced engineering education to

numerous colleges and universities, and carried out such monumental engineering projects as the construction of the Panama

Canal project;

Whereas Academy graduates have also distinguished themselves

in the leadership of such innovative scientific research and

development projects as the development of atomic bombs in

the Manhattan Project during World War II;

Whereas Academy graduates have served with character and

distinction in all of America’s wars and military actions since

the War of 1812;

Whereas 74 Academy graduates have earned the Nation’s highest

military honor, the Medal of Honor;

Whereas 2 Academy graduates, Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D.

Eisenhower, served both as distinguished general officers and

as the President of the United States, and many other graduates

have served in all levels of government;

Mar. 14, 2002

[S.J. Res. 32]

116 STAT. 78 PUBLIC LAW 107–152—MAR. 14, 2002

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S.J. Res. 32:

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 148 (2002):

Feb. 25, considered and passed Senate.

Mar. 6, considered and passed House.

Æ

Whereas dozens of Academy graduates have been astronauts,

including the Academy graduate who is the first American to

walk in space and 2 Academy graduates who walked on the

moon;

Whereas hundreds of Academy graduates have utilized their talents

in the private sector, to provide managerial and technical expertise that is responsible, in part, for nurturing and sustaining

a system of enterprise that is admired around the world;

Whereas the Academy has provided an opportunity for men and

women of all races, religions, and cultures to receive a college

education and to begin a life of service to the Army and the

Nation; and

Whereas the motto of the Academy, ‘‘Duty, Honor, Country’’,

exemplifies the spirit of this Republic: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the

United States of America in Congress assembled, That Congress

congratulates the United States Military Academy on its bicentennial anniversary, recognizes it as an outstanding leadership development institution that upholds and promotes the highest virtues

of American society, and commends all those who have led and

taught at the Academy for inculcating its 58,000 graduates with

moral, ethical, and intellectual values and skills that are the foundations for the dedicated service so honorably given by those graduates

to the Army, the Nation, and friends of freedom and liberty around

the world for 200 years.

Approved March 14, 2002.