IA

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. J. RES. 401

Designating the months of March 1995 and March 1996 as ‘‘Irish-American

Heritage Month’’.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

AUGUST 11, 1994

Mr. MANTON introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to

the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service

SEPTEMBER 30, 1994

Additional sponsors: Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. ANDREWS of New Jersey, Mr. APPLEGATE, Mr. BACCHUS of Florida, Mr. BARCIA of Michigan, Mr.

BARRETT of Wisconsin, Mrs. BENTLEY, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr.

BLACKWELL, Mr. BLUTE, Mr. BOEHLERT, Mr. BORSKI, Mr. BURTON of

Indiana, Mr. CALLAHAN, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. COYNE, Mr. CRANE, Mr.

DELLUMS, Mr. DINGELL, Mr. DREIER, Mr. FILNER, Mr. FISH, Mr.

FORD of Tennessee, Mr. GEKAS, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. GINGRICH, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. GORDON, Mr. HOAGLAND, Mr. HOKE, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr.

HOUGHTON, Mr. HYDE, Mr. JACOBS, Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota,

Mrs. KENNELLY, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. KING, Mr. KLEIN, Mr. KREIDLER,

Mr. LAZIO, Mr. LEHMAN, Mr. LEVY, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. LIGHTFOOT, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. LIVINGSTON, Mr. MACHTLEY, Mrs. MALONEY,

Mr. MARTINEZ, Mr. MATSUI, Mr. MCCLOSKEY, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr.

MEEHAN, Mrs. MEEK, Mr. MOAKLEY, Mr. MORAN, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Mr. OLVER, Mr. OWENS, Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey, Mr.

QUINN, Mr. RAVENEL, Mr. REYNOLDS, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. ROYCE,

Mr. SABO, Mr. SAXTON, Mr. SAWYER, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. SERRANO, Mr.

SHARP, Mr. SLATTERY, Mr. SOLOMON, Mr. TANNER, Mr. TOWNS, Mr.

VALENTINE, Mr. VOLKMER, Mr. WALSH, Mr. WELDON, Mr. WYNN, Mr.

BERMAN, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. COSTELLO, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. EVANS, Mr.

FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. FROST, Mr. HAMILTON, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr.

INHOFE, Mr. LANCASTER, Mr. LEWIS of California, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr.

MONTGOMERY, Mr. MOORHEAD, Mrs. MORELLA, Mr. MURTHA, Mr.

QUILLEN, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. RICHARDSON, Mr. SKELTON, Mr. SWETT,

Mr. TORKILDSEN, Mr. TORRICELLI, Mr. VENTO, Mr. BATEMAN, Mr. BE-
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VILL, Mrs. BYRNE, Mr. CASTLE, Mr. CLEMENT, Mr. CLINGER, Mr. DE

LUGO, Mr. DEUTSCH, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Mr. FAZIO, Mr. HEFNER, Mr.

HUTTO, Mr. KLECZKA, Mr. LEACH, Mrs. LOWEY, Mr. MCDADE, Mr.

PALLONE, Mr. PARKER, Mr. PASTOR, Mr. PETERSON of Florida, Mr.

ROEMER, Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO ́, Mr. SCOTT, Mr. SMITH of Iowa, Mr.

TAUZIN, Mrs. UNSOELD, Mr. WOLF, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. DE LA GARZA, Mr.

DUNCAN, Mr. FLAKE, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. KLINK, Mrs. LLOYD, Mr.

MCCOLLUM, Mr. NADLER, Ms. PRYCE of Ohio, Mr. SARPALIUS, Mr.

TRAFICANT, Mrs. VUCANOVICH, Mr. YATES, Mr. BOUCHER, Mr. COBLE,

Mr. GALLO, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. HOCHBRUECKNER, Mr.

KANJORSKI, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. REED, Mr.

SHAYS, Mr. SKEEN, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr.

BILBRAY, Mr. BRYANT, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Ms. DUNN, Mr.

HASTINGS, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr. KNOLLENBERG, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. LEVIN,

Mr. MARKEY, Mr. MOLLOHAN, Ms. NORTON, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr.

SANDERS, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. UNDERWOOD, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Ms. WATERS, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. YOUNG of Florida, Ms. FURSE, Mr. GEJDENSON, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. KIM,

Mr. LAFALCE, Mr. MCCRERY, Mr. MCHALE, Mr. MINETA, Mr. MYERS

of Indiana, Mr. POSHARD, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. ROSE, Mr. SHAW, Mr.

STOKES, Mr. STUDDS, Mr. WHITTEN, Mr. WILSON, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. ANDREWS of Maine, Mr. CALVERT, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. EDWARDS of Texas, Mr. GLICKMAN, Mr. GREENWOOD, Mr. HALL of Texas,

Mr. HAMBURG, Mr. HILLIARD, Mr. HUGHES, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mrs. MEYERS of Kansas, Mr.

NEAL of North Carolina, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. SISISKY, Mr. SPENCE, Mr.

CHAPMAN, Mr. PETE GEREN of Texas, Mr. HOYER, Ms. MOLINARI, Ms.

PELOSI, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. TUCKER, and Mr. WATT

SEPTEMBER 30, 1994

The Committee on Post Office and Civil Service discharged; considered and

passed

JOINT RESOLUTION

Designating the months of March 1995 and March 1996

as ‘‘Irish-American Heritage Month’’.

Whereas 150 years ago, the blight that struck Ireland’s potato crop (‘‘the single root that changed the history of

the world’’), known as the Great Famine, caused

2,000,000 of Ireland’s population to emigrate, mostly to

America’s shores;
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Whereas in 1847 alone, 25,000 Irish immigrants arrived in

Boston;

Whereas by 1851, the end of the famine exodus, 1,712 emigrant ships had sailed up the Narrows into New York

harbor;

Whereas during the ‘‘Great Hunger’’ (1845–1851) more people left Ireland than had emigrated in the previous 250

years;

Whereas within a few years of their arrival in the United

States, these Irish immigrants took jobs as laborers, built

railroads, canals, and schools, dedicated themselves to

help build this Nation, and this same legacy remains a

part of today’s American mainstream;

Whereas James Smith, George Taylor, Matthew Thornton,

and Charles Thomson, 4 of the individuals who signed

the Declaration of Independence, were Irish born and 9

other signers were of Irish ancestry;

Whereas Irish-born James Hoban designed and supervised

the building of the White House and its restoration after

it was burned in 1814;

Whereas more than 200 Irish-Americans have been awarded

the Congressional Medal of Honor;

Whereas 19 Presidents of the United States proudly claim

Irish heritage, included among them, the first President,

George Washington;

Whereas John W. O’Beirne, Founder of the American Foundation for Irish Heritage, first requested in 1990 that

Congress designate March as ‘‘Irish-American Heritage

Month’’; and
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Whereas the 44,000,000 Americans of Irish ancestry, like

their forebearers, continue to enrich all aspects of life in

the United States, in science, education, art, agriculture,

business, industry, literature, music, athletics, military

and governmental service: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 That the months of March 1995 and March 1996 are des4 ignated as ‘‘Irish-American Heritage Month’’. The Presi5 dent is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation

6 calling upon the people of the United States to observe

7 these months with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

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