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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 31 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 31

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 18, 2007

  Received and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
                              and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
  Honoring the Mare Island Original 21ers for their efforts to remedy 
   racial discrimination in employment at Mare Island Naval Shipyard.

Whereas over 45 years ago African-American workers employed by the Mare Island 
        Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California, despite having work experiences 
        and qualifications comparable to their counterparts, experienced racial 
        discrimination resulting in the denial of opportunities in employment, 
        training, and apprenticeship positions, supervisory positions, 
        promotions, and awards;
Whereas in March 1961 President John F. Kennedy issued Executive Order No. 10925 
        establishing the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity 
        and reaffirming the prohibition of discrimination against any employee 
        of, or applicant for employment by, the Federal Government because of 
        race, color, religion, or national origin;
Whereas Executive Order No. 10925 laid the foundation for title VII of the Civil 
        Rights Act of 1964;
Whereas on November 17, 1961, 21 African-American shipyard workers at Mare 
        Island Naval Shipyard filed a racial discrimination complaint with the 
        Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity;
Whereas the complaint outlined nine allegations of racial discrimination in 
        employment at Mare Island Naval Shipyard and requested that the 
        Committee investigate and correct the deplorable conditions at Mare 
        Island Naval Shipyard;
Whereas the filing of this complaint along with other similar complaints of 
        racial discrimination led to an acknowledgment by then Defense Secretary 
        Robert McNamara in 1963 that there was employment discrimination based 
        on race in the military;
Whereas on November 8, 1963, the Original 21ers Club was officially recognized 
        with the purpose of elevating qualified minorities in every phase of 
        Mare Island employment, creating a better relationship between 
        management and employees and better acquainting their membership with 
        the working conditions of every occupation;
Whereas the actions and persistence of the Original 21ers provided the means for 
        overturning racial discrimination in employment at Mare Island Naval 
        Shipyard and resulted in new employment opportunities for African-
        American workers at Mare Island Naval Shipyard;
Whereas the Original 21ers went on to organize for equal employment 
        opportunities in other local military facilities in the San Francisco 
        Bay Area of California; and
Whereas the heroic deeds of the Original 21ers have remained heretofore 
        unacknowledged: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),  
That the Congress--
            (1) recognizes the historic accomplishments of the Mare 
        Island Original 21ers in combating racial discrimination in 
        employment as envisioned in title VII of the Civil Rights Act 
        of 1964 and providing equal employment opportunities for 
        African-American shipyard workers;
            (2) recognizes the importance of the Committee on Equal 
        Employment Opportunity as a forerunner to the Equal Employment 
        Opportunity Commission which continues the fight in resolving 
        complaints of racial discrimination in employment; and
            (3) recognizes the importance of title VII of the Civil 
        Rights Act of 1964 as a powerful and ongoing tool for 
        eliminating racial discrimination in employment.

            Passed the House of Representatives January 17, 2007.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.
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