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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 315 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 315

To commemorate the bicentennial anniversary of the arrival of Lewis and 
                      Clark at the Pacific Ocean.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 15, 2005

 Ms. Cantwell (for herself, Mr. Wyden, and Mrs. Murray) submitted the 
        following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
To commemorate the bicentennial anniversary of the arrival of Lewis and 
                      Clark at the Pacific Ocean.

Whereas, on January 18, 1803, President Thomas Jefferson began an extraordinary 
        journey by sending a secret message to Congress requesting approval and 
        funding to establish the ``Corps of Volunteers for Northwest Discovery'' 
        to explore the most direct and practical water route across the 
        continent of the United States all the way to the Pacific Ocean;
Whereas, on May 14, 1804, the journey up the Missouri River and across the vast 
        and newly acquired Louisiana Territory began at Camp Dubois, Illinois, 
        led by Captain Meriwether Lewis and Second Lieutenant William Clark;
Whereas after a long year and a half and 4,133 arduous miles, the expedition 
        endured a dangerous storm of wind, rain, and waves for 6 days at Clark's 
        Dismal Nitch;
Whereas, on November 13, 1805, the Corps of Discovery moved further west to 
        Station Camp and beheld their first comprehensive view of the Pacific 
        Ocean, and thereby began the realization of the vision of President 
        Jefferson of a country ``from sea to shining sea'';
Whereas Station Camp also marks the occurrence of a historical democratic vote 
        to determine where to stay for winter that included all members of the 
        expedition, including Sacagawea, an Indian woman, and York, an African 
        American slave;
Whereas, on November 19, 1805, Clark and 11 of his men set out on an ocean 
        excursion, hiking 25 miles to Cape Disappointment to get a complete view 
        of the Pacific Ocean and reach the furthest western point of the 
        expedition;
Whereas the expedition built their winter camp on the south side of the Columbia 
        River at Fort Clatsop, Oregon, named in honor of the friendly local 
        Clatsop Indians, and the 33 member party spent 106 days among lush old-
        growth forest, wetlands, and wildlife preparing for their long journey 
        back to St. Louis, Missouri;
Whereas Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery produced detailed journals with 
        maps, charts, samples, and descriptions of the previously undocumented 
        western geography, climate, plants, animals, and native cultures from 
        which the Nation continues to benefit today;
Whereas the Lewis and Clark Expedition marks a significant benchmark in American 
        history and a crucial step in securing the claim and the eventual 
        creation of all the States in the Pacific Northwest;
Whereas the exploration of the western frontier of our fledgling Nation was the 
        great odyssey of America, symbolic of the core values of teamwork, 
        courage, perseverance, science, and opportunity held by the United 
        States;
Whereas, on October 30, 2004, President George W. Bush signed into law 
        legislation creating the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park which 
        preserves these 3 Washington State sites integral to the dramatic 
        arrival of the expedition at the Pacific Ocean, and incorporates Fort 
        Clatsop of Oregon and important State parks for the benefit and 
        education of generations to come; and
Whereas, during November 2005, Washington and Oregon are hosting, ``Destination: 
        The Pacific'', a unique commemoration of the 200 year anniversary of the 
        arrival of the Corps of Discovery in the Pacific Northwest: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) commemorates the bicentennial anniversary of the 
        arrival of Lewis and Clark at the Pacific Ocean; and
            (2) recognizes that by exploring the unknown frontier, 
        Lewis and Clark expanded the boundaries of our great Nation and 
        pushed the limits of what we are capable of as citizens.
                                 <all>
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