IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 642 

Recognizing magic as a rare and valuable art form and national treasure. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 14, 2016 

Mr. SESSIONS (for himself, Mr. STIVERS, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. DONOVAN, Mr. 

DENT, Mr. SIMPSON, and Mr. BUCK) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing magic as a rare and valuable art form and 

national treasure. 

Whereas magic is an art form with the unique power and potential to impact the lives of all people; 

Whereas magic enables people to experience the impossible; 

Whereas magic is used to inspire and bring wonder and happiness to others; 

Whereas magic has had a significant impact on other art 

forms; 

Whereas magic, like the great art forms of dance, literature, 

theater, film, and the visual arts, allows people to experience something that transcends the written word; 


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Whereas many technological advances can be directly traced 

to the influential work of magicians; 

Whereas futurist Arthur C. Clarke claimed that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from 

magic; 

Whereas one of the greatest artists of all time, Leonardo da 

Vinci, was inspired by magic and co-wrote one of the very 

first books on magic in the late 15th century; 

Whereas modern cinema would not exist today without the 

innovative work of the accomplished magician Georges 

Me ́lie`s; 

Whereas magicians are visual storytellers who seamlessly 

interweave elements of mystery, wonder, emotion, and expression; 

Whereas magic is an outstanding artistic model of individual 

expression; 

Whereas magic fulfills some of the highest ideals and aspirations of our country by encouraging people to question 

what they believe and see; 

Whereas magic is a unifying force across cultural, religious, 

ethnic, and age differences in our diverse Nation; 

Whereas magic is an art that transforms the ordinary into 

the extraordinary; 

Whereas the American magicians Harry Houdini and David 

Copperfield have been the most successful magicians of 

the past two centuries; 

Whereas David Copperfield, introduced to magic as a boy 

growing up in New Jersey, has been named a Living 

Legend by the Library of Congress; 


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Whereas David Copperfield, with 21 Emmy Awards, 11 

Guinness World Records, and over four billion dollars in 

ticket sales, has impacted every aspect of the global entertainment industry; 

Whereas David Copperfield, through his magic, inspires great 

positive change in the lives of Americans; 

Whereas people consistently leave David Copperfield’s live 

magic show with a different perspective than when they 

entered; 

Whereas Rebecca Brown of Portland, Oregon, left a David 

Copperfield magic show with a newfound inspiration to 

pursue her lifelong, unfulfilled passion for dance; 

Whereas three months after Rebecca Brown attended the 

David Copperfield magic show, she performed her first 

choreographed recital in Portland, Oregon’s Pioneer 

Square; 

Whereas programs such as Project Magic, created by David 

Copperfield, use magic as a form of therapy for children 

with physical, psychological, and social disabilities; 

Whereas learning magic through programs such as Project 

Magic can help these children improve their physical and 

mental dexterity and increase their confidence; 

Whereas learning magic through programs such as Project 

Magic helps these children realize that they are no longer 

less able than their peers; 

Whereas programs such as Project Magic teach these children that they are more capable and have a newfound 

ability to do what others cannot; 

Whereas cities such as Wylie, Texas, and its mayor, Eric 

Hogue, recognize and promote the art of magic with offiVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:45 Mar 15, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR642.IH HR642

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cial proclamations, summer educational programs, and 

the first festival dedicated to the art of magic in the 

State of Texas; 

Whereas Mayor Eric Hogue, who learned the art of magic as 

a child, continues to use those skills to teach elementary 

school students about the different roles and responsibilities of local government; 

Whereas magic is timeless in appeal and requires only the capacity to dream; 

Whereas magic transcends any barrier of race, religion, language, or culture; 

Whereas magic has not been properly recognized as a great 

American art form, nor has it been accorded the institutional status on a national level commensurate with its 

value and importance; 

Whereas there is not an effective national effort to support 

and preserve magic; 

Whereas documentation and archival support required by 

such a great art form has yet to be systematically applied 

to the field of magic; and 

Whereas it is in the best interest of the national welfare to 

preserve and celebrate the unique art form of magic: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes magic as a rare and valuable art 

3 form and national treasure; and 

4 (2) supports efforts to make certain that magic 

5 is preserved, understood, and promulgated. 

Æ 


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