III 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 161 

Honoring the life of Robert M. La Follette, Sr., on the sesquicentennial 

of his birth. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 7, 2005 

Mr. FEINGOLD (for himself and Mr. KOHL) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the life of Robert M. La Follette, Sr., on the 

sesquicentennial of his birth. 

Whereas Robert M. La Follette, Sr., better known as ‘‘Fighting Bob’’ La Follette, was born 150 years ago, on June 

14, 1855, in Primrose, Wisconsin; 

Whereas Fighting Bob was elected to 3 terms in the United 

States House of Representatives, 3 terms as Governor of 

Wisconsin, and 4 terms as a United States Senator; 

Whereas Fighting Bob founded the Progressive wing of the 

Republican Party; 

Whereas Fighting Bob was a lifelong supporter of civil rights 

and women’s suffrage, earning respect and support from 

such distinguished Americans as Frederick Douglass and 

Harriet Tubman Upton; 
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•SRES 161 IS

Whereas Fighting Bob helped to make the ‘‘Wisconsin Idea’’ 

a reality at the Federal and State level, instituting election reforms, environmental conservation, railroad rate 

regulation, increased education funding, and business 

regulation; 

Whereas Fighting Bob was a principal advocate for the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United 

States, which calls for the election of United States Senators by popular vote; 

Whereas Fighting Bob delivered an historic speech, ‘‘Free 

Speech in Wartime’’, opposing the public persecution of 

those who sought to hold their Government accountable; 

Whereas Fighting Bob played a key role in exposing the corruption during the Teapot Dome Scandal; 

Whereas Fighting Bob and his wife, Belle Case La Follette, 

founded La Follette’s Weekly, now renamed The Progressive, a monthly magazine for the Progressive community; 

Whereas Fighting Bob ran for the presidency on the Progressive ticket in 1924, winning more than 17 percent of the 

popular vote; 

Whereas the Library of Congress recognized Fighting Bob in 

1985 by naming the Congressional Research Service 

reading room in the Madison Building in honor of both 

Robert M. La Follette, Sr., and his son, Robert M. La 

Follette, Jr., for their shared commitment to the development of a legislative research service to support the 

United States Congress; 

Whereas Fighting Bob was honored in 1929 with 1 of 2 statues representing the State of Wisconsin in National Statuary Hall in the United States Capitol; 
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•SRES 161 IS

Whereas Fighting Bob was chosen as 1 of ‘‘Five Outstanding 

Senators’’ by the Special Committee on the Senate Reception Room in 1957; 

Whereas a portrait of Fighting Bob was unveiled in the Senate Reception Room in March 1959; and 

Whereas Fighting Bob was revered by his supporters for his 

unwavering commitment to his ideals, and for his tenacious pursuit of a more just and accountable Government: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) celebrates the sesquicentennial of the birth 

3 of Robert M. La Follette, Sr.; 

4 (2) recognizes the important contributions of 

5 Robert M. La Follette, Sr., to the Progressive move6 ment, the State of Wisconsin, and the United States 

7 of America; and 

8 (3) directs that the Secretary of the Senate 

9 transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to the 

10 family of Robert M. La Follette, Sr., and the Wis11 consin Historical Society. 

Æ