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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 555 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 555

Recognizing the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Congressional 
                                 Club.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 8, 2008

   Mr. Enzi (for himself, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Wicker, and Mr. 
   Nelson of Nebraska) submitted the following resolution; which was 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               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;
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 womanly wiles and 
        feminine determination in 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, encouraging 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;
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 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
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes the 100th anniversary of the founding of the 
        Congressional Club;
            (2) acknowledges the contributions of political spouses to 
        public life in the United States and around the world through 
        the Congressional Club for the past 100 years;
            (3) honors the past and present membership of the 
        Congressional Club; and
            (4) encourages the people of the United States--
                    (A) to strive for greater friendship, civility, and 
                generosity in order to heighten public service, elevate 
                the culture, and enrich humanity; and
                    (B) to seek opportunities to give financially and 
                to volunteer to assist charitable organizations in 
                their own communities.
                                 <all>
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