H. Res. 144

In the House of Representatives, U.S.,

September 23, 1998.

Whereas the Expedition commanded by Meriwether Lewis

and William Clark, which came to be called ‘‘The Corps

of Discovery’’, was one of the most remarkable and productive scientific and military exploring expeditions in all

American history;

Whereas President Thomas Jefferson gave Lewis and Clark

the mission to ‘‘explore the Missouri River & such principal stream of it, as, by its course and communication

with the waters of the Pacific ocean, whether the Columbia, Oregon, Colorado or any other river may offer the

most direct & practicable water communication across

this continent for the purposes of commerce’’;

Whereas the Expedition, in response to President Jefferson’s

directive, greatly advanced our geographical knowledge of

the continent and prepared the way for the extension of

the American fur trade with American Indian tribes

throughout the area;

Whereas President Jefferson directed the explorers to take

note of and carefully record the natural resources of the

newly acquired territory known as Louisiana, as well as

diligently report on the native inhabitants of the land;
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Whereas Lewis and Clark and their companions began their

historic journey to explore the uncharted wilderness west

of the Mississippi River at Wood River, Illinois, on May

14, 1804, and followed the Missouri River westward from

its mouth on the Mississippi to its headwaters in the

Rocky Mountains;

Whereas the Expedition held its first meeting with American

Indians at Council Bluff near present-day Fort Calhoun,

Nebraska, in August 1804, spent its first winter at Fort

Mandan, North Dakota, crossed the Rocky Mountains by

horseback in August 1805, reached the Pacific Ocean at

the mouth of the Columbia River in mid-November of

that year, and wintered at Fort Clatsop, near the present

city of Astoria, Oregon;

Whereas the Expedition returned to St. Louis, Missouri, on

September 23, 1806, after a 28-month journey covering

8,000 miles during which it traversed 11 future States:

Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and

Oregon;

Whereas the explorers faithfully followed the President’s directives and dutifully recorded their observations in their

detailed journals;

Whereas these journals describe many plant and animal species, some completely unknown to the world of science or

never before encountered in North America, and added

greatly to scientific knowledge about the flora and fauna

of the United States;

Whereas accounts from the journals of Lewis and Clark and

the detailed maps that were prepared by the Expedition
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enhanced knowledge of the western continent and routes

for commerce;

Whereas the journals of Lewis and Clark documented diverse

American Indian languages, customs, religious beliefs,

and ceremonies; as Lewis and Clark are important figures in American history, so too are Black Buffalo,

Cameahwait, Sacajawea, Sheheke and Watkueis;

Whereas the Expedition significantly enhanced amicable relations between the United States and the autonomous

American Indian nations, and the friendship and respect

fostered between the American Indian tribes and the Expedition represents the best of diplomacy and relationships between divergent nations and cultures;

Whereas the American Indian tribes of the Northern Plains

and the Pacific Northwest played an essential role in the

survival and the success of the Expedition;

Whereas the Lewis and Clark Expedition has been called the

most perfect expedition of its kind in the history of the

world and paved the way for the United States to become

a great world power;

Whereas the President and the Congress have previously recognized the importance of the Expedition by establishing

a 5-year commission in 1964 to study its history and the

route it followed, and again in 1978 by designating the

route as the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail administered by the Secretary of the Interior through the

National Park Service; and

Whereas the National Park Service, along with other Federal,

State, and local agencies and many other interested

groups, are preparing commemorative activities to cele-
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brate the bicentennial of the Expedition beginning in

2003: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

2 (1) expresses its support for the work of the

3 National Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council and

4 all the Federal, State, and local entities and other

5 interested groups that are preparing bicentennial ac6 tivities to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the

7 Lewis and Clark Expedition;

8 (2) expresses its support for the events to be

9 held in observance of the Expedition at Council

10 Bluff near present-day Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, at

11 St. Louis, Missouri, at Portland and Fort Clatsop,

12 Oregon, and at Bismarck, North Dakota, and many

13 other cities during the bicentennial observance; and

14 (3) calls upon the President, the Secretary of

15 the Interior, the Director of the National Park Serv16 ice, American Indian tribes, other public officials,

17 and the citizens of the United States to support,

18 promote, and participate in the many bicentennial

19 activities being planned to commemorate the Lewis

20 and Clark Expedition.

Attest:

Clerk.