IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 133 

Honoring Barack Hussein Obama and the significance of his becoming the 

first African-American President of the United States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 4, 2009 

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas (for herself, Ms. LEE of California, 

Mr. CLEAVER, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. AL GREEN of 

Texas, Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland, Ms. CLARKE, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. CLAY, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. 

SCOTT of Virginia, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, 

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of 

Texas, Mr. RUSH, and Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and 

Government Reform 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring Barack Hussein Obama and the significance of 

his becoming the first African-American President of the 

United States. 

Whereas, on January 20, 2009, Barack Hussein Obama was 

inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States, 

becoming the fifth-youngest President and the first African-American President; 

Whereas Barack Hussein Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on August 4, 1961; 


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•HRES 133 IH 

Whereas Barack Hussein Obama graduated from Columbia 

University and Harvard Law School, where he was the 

first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review; 

Whereas, in 1985, Barack Hussein Obama moved to Chicago, 

Illinois, where he worked as a community organizer with 

low-income residents of Chicago’s Roseland community 

and Altgeld Gardens public housing development; 

Whereas Barack Hussein Obama was a civil rights attorney 

in Chicago and taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago for more than a decade; 

Whereas Barack Hussein Obama’s work in the community 

and dedication to civil and constitutional rights led him 

to run for political office and he was elected, in 1996, to 

the Illinois State Senate as the representative from the 

Chicago neighborhood of Hyde Park; 

Whereas, as a State Senator, Barack Hussein Obama was 

known for working in a bipartisan manner to pass legislation with respect to ethics reform, health care services, 

early childhood education programs, and an earned income tax credit for the working poor; 

Whereas Barack Hussein Obama began his bid to become a 

United States Senator representing Illinois in 2003 and 

was selected to give the keynote address at the 2004 

Democratic National Convention; 

Whereas Barack Hussein Obama was elected to the United 

States Senate in 2004 and quickly became known for his 

legislative work to support alternative energy sources, reform Senate rules with respect to lobbyists and gifts, improve benefits for veterans, and destroy weapons of mass 

destruction in Eastern Europe and Russia; 


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•HRES 133 IH 

Whereas Barack Hussein Obama’s election as President signifies a milestone in the history of the United States, as 

he is the only African-American to hold that office; and 

Whereas prior to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 approximately only 100 African-Americans held elective office in 

all of the United States and less than 45 years later 

there are thousands of African-Americans in such offices, 

including the President: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the ascension of an African3 American to the office of President of the United 

4 States to be a historic achievement; and 

5 (2) honors the inauguration of Barack Hussein 

6 Obama as President of the United States. 

Æ 


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