III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 578 

Recognizing the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Congressional 

Club. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 22, 2008 

Mr. ENZI (for himself, Mr. NELSON of Florida, Mr. WICKER, and Mr. NELSON of Nebraska) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the 100th anniversary of the founding of the 

Congressional Club. 

Whereas the Congressional Club was organized in 1908 by 25 

women who were influential in Washington’s official life 

and who wanted to establish a nonsectarian and nonpolitical group that would promote friendship and cordiality in public life; 

Whereas those women founded the Club to bring the wives 

of Members of Congress together in a hospitable and 

compatible environment in the Nation’s Capital; 

Whereas the Congressional Club was officially established in 

1908 by a unanimous vote in both the Senate and the 

House of Representatives and is the only club in the 

world to be founded by an Act of Congress; 


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Whereas the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to incorporate the Congressional Club’’ (35 Stat. 476, chapter 226) was signed by 

President Theodore Roosevelt on May 30, 1908; 

Whereas the Congressional Club’s founding was secured by 

the enactment of that Act unanimously on May 28, 1908, 

in order to overcome the opposition of Representative 

John Sharp Williams of Mississippi, who opposed all 

women’s organizations; 

Whereas, when Representative Williams was called out of the 

chamber by Mrs. Williams, the good-mannered representative obliged and withdrew his opposition and request for 

a recorded vote, saying, ‘‘upon this particular bill there 

will not be a roll call, because it would cause a great deal 

of domestic unhappiness in Washington if there were’’; 

Whereas the first Congressional Clubhouse was at 1432 K 

Street Northwest in Washington, District of Columbia, 

and opened on December 11, 1908, with a reception for 

President-elect and Mrs. William Taft; 

Whereas, after Mrs. John B. Henderson of Missouri donated 

land on the corner of New Hampshire Avenue and U 

Street Northwest, the cornerstone of the current Clubhouse was laid at that location on May 21, 1914; 

Whereas that Clubhouse was built by George Totten in the 

Beaux Arts style and is listed on the National Register 

of Historic Places; 

Whereas the mortgage on the Clubhouse was paid for by the 

sales of the Club’s cookbook and the mortgage document 

was burned by Mrs. Bess Truman in a silver bowl on the 

40th anniversary of the Club’s founding; 

Whereas the Congressional Club has remained a good neighbor on the U Street corridor for more than 90 years, enVerDate Aug 31 2005 05:57 May 23, 2008 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR578.ATS SR578

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couraging the revitalization of the area during a time of 

socioeconomic challenges and leading the way in upkeep 

and maintenance of historic property; 

Whereas the Congressional Club honors and supports the 

people in its neighborhood by inviting the local police and 

fire departments to the Clubhouse for lunch and delivering trays of Member-made cookies and candies to them 

during the holidays, by hosting an annual Senior Citizens 

Appreciation Day luncheon for residents of a neighborhood nursing home, and by hosting an annual holiday 

brunch for neighborhood children each December that includes a festive meal, gifts, and a visit from Santa Claus; 

Whereas the Congressional Club has hosted the annual First 

Lady’s Luncheon every spring since 1912 and annually 

donates tens of thousands of dollars to charities in the 

name of the First Lady; 

Whereas, among its many charitable recipients, the Congressional Club has chosen mentoring programs, United National Indian Tribal Youth, literacy programs, the White 

House library, youth dance troupes, domestic shelters, 

and child care centers; 

Whereas the Congressional Club members, upon the suggestion of Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, have been encouraged to 

become discussion leaders on national security in their 

home States, from the trials of World War II to the 

threats of terrorism; 

Whereas the Congressional Club extends the hand of friendship and goodwill globally by hosting an annual diplomatic reception to entertain the spouses of ambassadors 

to the United States; 


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Whereas the Congressional Club is solely supported by membership dues and the sale of cookbooks and has never received any Federal funding; 

Whereas the 14 editions of the Congressional Club cookbook, 

first published in 1928, reflect the life and times of the 

United States with recipes and signatures of Members of 

Congress, First Ladies, Ambassadors, and members of 

the Club; 

Whereas the Congressional Club membership has expanded to 

include spouses and daughters of Representatives, Senators, Supreme Court Justices, and Cabinet members; 

Whereas 7 members of the Congressional Club have become 

First Lady: Mrs. Florence Harding, Mrs. Lou Hoover, 

Mrs. Bess Truman, Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy, Mrs. Patricia Nixon, Mrs. Betty Ford, and Mrs. Barbara Bush; 

Whereas several members of the Congressional Club have 

been elected to Congress, including Mrs. Jo Ann Emerson, Mrs. Lois Capps, and Mrs. Mary Bono, and former 

presidents of the Congressional Club Mrs. Lindy Boggs 

and Mrs. Doris Matsui; 

Whereas leading figures in politics, the arts, and the media 

have visited the Clubhouse throughout the past 100 

years; 

Whereas the Congressional Club is home to the First Lady’s 

gown display, a museum with replica inaugural and ball 

gowns of the First Ladies from Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln 

to Mrs. Laura Bush; 

Whereas the Congressional Club is charged with receiving the 

Presidential couple, honoring the Vice President and 

spouse, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and 

spouse, and the Chief Justice and spouse, and providing 


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the orientation for spouses of new Members of Congress; 

and 

Whereas the Congressional Club will celebrate its 100th anniversary with festivities and ceremonies during 2008 that 

include the ringing of the official bells of the United 

States Congress, a Founder’s Day program, a birthday 

cake at the First Lady’s Luncheon, an anniversary postage stamp and cancellation stamp, a 100-year pin and 

pendant designed by former president Lois Breaux, and 

invitations to President and Mrs. Bush, Speaker and Mr. 

Pelosi, and Chief Justice and Mrs. Roberts to visit and 

celebrate 100 years of public service, civility, and growth 

at the Congressional Club: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes the 100th anniversary of the 

3 founding of the Congressional Club; 

4 (2) acknowledges the contributions of political 

5 spouses to public life in the United States and 

6 around the world through the Congressional Club for 

7 the past 100 years; 

8 (3) honors the past and present membership of 

9 the Congressional Club; and 

10 (4) encourages the people of the United 

11 States— 

12 (A) to strive for greater friendship, civility, 

13 and generosity in order to heighten public serv14 ice, elevate the culture, and enrich humanity; 

15 and 


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1 (B) to seek opportunities to give financially 

2 and to volunteer to assist charitable organiza3 tions in their own communities. 

Æ 


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