III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 664 

Celebrating the centennial of Union Station in Washington, District of 

Columbia. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 17, 2008 

Mrs. DOLE (for herself, Mr. GREGG, Mr. LAUTENBERG, and Mr. COCHRAN) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on Environment and Public Works 

DECEMBER 11 (legislative day, DECEMBER 10), 2008 

Committee discharged; considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Celebrating the centennial of Union Station in Washington, 

District of Columbia. 

Whereas, on February 28, 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt signed into law the act entitled ‘‘An Act to provide 

a union railroad station in the District of Columbia, and 

for other purposes’’, and Daniel Burnham, a noted architect from Chicago, Illinois, was chosen to design the 

building; 

Whereas, on October 27, 1907, Union Station officially 

opened at 6:50 a.m. when the Baltimore and Ohio Pittsburgh Express pulled in to the station; 

Whereas the building was ultimately completed in 1908; 


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SRES 664 ATS 

Whereas, in 1924, 5,000 cheering fans met the victorious 

Washington Nationals at Union Station after they defeated the Boston Red Sox to capture the American 

League pennant; 

Whereas, in 1951, President Harry Truman dedicated the 

Presidential Suite at Union Station as a ‘‘home away 

from home’’ for members of the Armed Services; 

Whereas, in 1968, in preparation for the bicentennial of the 

United States, the decision was made to transform the 

building into a National Visitor Center; 

Whereas Congress then passed the Union Station Redevelopment Act of 1981 (Public Law 97–125; 95 Stat. 1667) 

to return Union Station to its original use as a transportation center; 

Whereas, in 1983, the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation was created to oversee the development of the 

station into an operating railroad station, to restore the 

architectural and historical elements of the structure, to 

explore collaboration with the private sector in the commercial development of the station, and to withdraw the 

Federal Government from active management of the station; 

Whereas the renovation and restoration of Union Station 

began on August 13, 1986, with the ringing of an old 

train bell; 

Whereas the restoration of Union Station was the largest 

public-private restoration project accomplished in the 

United States; 

Whereas the restoration took 2 years and the grand reopening was held on September 29, 1988; 


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SRES 664 ATS 

Whereas, in 2008, Union Station includes more than 210,000 

square feet of retail space, including 50,000 square feet 

of restaurant space; 

Whereas Union Station is the corporate headquarters for 

Amtrak and contains 200,000 square feet of Amtrak passenger and baggage facilities; 

Whereas 32,000,000 people visit Union Station annually; and 

Whereas Union Station is the most visited tourist destination 

in Washington, District of Columbia: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) celebrates the centennial of Union Station 

3 in Washington, District of Columbia; 

4 (2) applauds the efforts of the people who 

5 worked to preserve this national treasure; and 

6 (3) encourages the people of the United States 

7 to continue to visit and learn about Union Station 

8 and its storied history. 

Æ 


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