III 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 513 

Recognizing December 17 as ‘‘Wright Brothers Day’’ and commemorating 

the 120th anniversary of the first powered flight. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 18, 2023 

Mr. TILLIS (for Mr. BUDD (for himself, Mr. BROWN, Mr. TILLIS, Mr. VANCE, 

Mr. BRAUN, and Mr. YOUNG)) submitted the following resolution; which 

was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing December 17 as ‘‘Wright Brothers Day’’ and 

commemorating the 120th anniversary of the first powered flight. 

Whereas, on December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright 

(referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘Wright Brothers’’) 

of Dayton, Ohio, performed the first powered, controlled, 

sustained, heavier-than-air flight, near Kitty Hawk, 

North Carolina; 

Whereas the Wright Brothers continued their experiments 

and flights in the United States and throughout Europe 

for people to see the miracle of flight; 

Whereas the successful first flight by the Wright Brothers 

launched a new era of exploration, from the solo transVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:18 Dec 19, 2023 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR513.ATS SR513
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•SRES 513 ATS 

atlantic flight by Charles Lindbergh, to the Apollo 11 

moon landing by Neil Armstrong, and beyond; 

Whereas people of the United States achieved the first supersonic flight less than 50 years after the first flight by the 

Wright Brothers, and achieved manned spaceflight less 

than 60 years after the first flight by the Wright Brothers; 

Whereas the modern commercial aviation system that links 

the world through commerce, trade, and travel owes its 

existence to the work of the Wright Brothers; 

Whereas the 3-axis control system devised for the ‘‘Wright 

Flyer’’ remains the standard for fixed-wing aircraft; 

Whereas the original ‘‘Wright Flyer’’ remains on display at 

the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian 

Institution on the National Mall; 

Whereas the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill 

Devil Hills, North Carolina, welcomes more than 400,000 

visitors annually to the location of the first flight by the 

Wright Brothers; 

Whereas the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical 

Park in Dayton, Ohio, welcomes more than 90,000 visitors annually to the locations where the Wright Brothers 

lived, worked, and conducted many test flights; 

Whereas the Wright Brothers gave rise to a world of aviation 

supported and enjoyed by enthusiasts, hobbyists, and 

aeronautical professionals across the world; 

Whereas the Wright Brothers finally realized the ancient and 

universal human aspiration to defy gravity; 

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•SRES 513 ATS 

Whereas, in 1959 and 1961, Congress passed, and the President signed into law, joint resolutions designating December 17 as ‘‘Wright Brothers Day’’; 

Whereas, in 1963, Public Law 88–209 (36 U.S.C. 143) permanently designated December 17 each year as ‘‘Wright 

Brothers Day’’; and 

Whereas the inventive, courageous, and perseverant nature of 

the Wright Brothers exemplifies the spirit of the United 

States and the people of the United States; Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes December 17 as ‘‘Wright Broth3 ers Day’’; 

4 (2) commemorates December 17, 2023, as the 

5 120th anniversary of the first flight of Orville and 

6 Wilbur Wright; and 

7 (3) calls on the people of the United States to 

8 observe ‘‘Wright Brothers Day’’ with appropriate 

9 programs, ceremonies, and activities. 

Æ