IV 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 100

Recognizing the 100th anniversary year of the founding of the Ford Motor 

Company, which has been a significant part of the social, economic, 

and cultural heritage of the United States and many other nations 

and a revolutionary industrial and global institution. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 25, 2003

Mr. MCCOTTER (for himself, Mr. DINGELL, Mr. UPTON, Mr. STUPAK, Mr. 

ROGERS of Michigan, Mr. CAMP, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. KNOLLENBERG, Mr. 

KILDEE, Mr. SMITH of Michigan, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. EHLERS, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. HOEKSTRA, Mrs. MILLER of Michigan, Mr. BASS, Mr. 

GRAVES, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Mr. SCHROCK, Mr. QUINN, Mr. 

OXLEY, Mrs. NORTHUP, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. FLETCHER, Mr. PORTMAN, 

and Mrs. EMERSON) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

RESOLUTION

Recognizing the 100th anniversary year of the founding of 

the Ford Motor Company, which has been a significant 

part of the social, economic, and cultural heritage of 

the United States and many other nations and a revolutionary industrial and global institution.

Whereas on June 16, 1903, then 39 year old Henry Ford and 

11 associates, armed with little cash, some tools, a few 

blueprints, and unbounded faith, submitted incorporation 

papers to Michigan’s capital, Lansing, launching the 

Ford Motor Company; 
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Whereas Ford began operations in a leased, small converted 

wagon factory on a spur of the Michigan Central Railroad in Detroit; 

Whereas the first commercial automobile to emerge from 

Ford was the original 8-horsepower, two-cylinder Model 

A vehicle in 1903, which was advertised as the 

‘‘Fordmobile’’ and had a two speed transmission, 28 inch 

wheels with wooden spokes, and 3 inch tires; 

Whereas between 1903 and 1908, Ford and his engineers 

went through 19 letters of the alphabet, creating Models 

A through S, with some of these cars being experimental 

models only and not available to the public; 

Whereas on October 1, 1908, Ford introduced its ‘‘universal 

car’’, the Model T (sometimes affectionately called the 

‘‘Tin Lizzie’’), which could be reconfigured by buyers to 

move cattle, haul freight, herd horses, and even mow 

lawns, and Ford produced 10,660 Model T vehicles its 

first year, an industry record; 

Whereas, while in the early days all automakers built one car 

at a time, the idea of moving the work to the worker became a reality when parts, components, and 140 assemblers stationed at different intervals inaugurated the first 

moving assembly line at Ford in 1913, and a new era of 

industrial progress and growth began; 

Whereas Henry Ford surprised the world in 1914 in setting 

Ford’s minimum wage at $5.00 per an 8-hour day, which 

replaced the prior $2.34 wage for a 9-hour day and was 

a truly great social revolution for its time; 

Whereas that same year, 1914, Henry Ford, with an eye to 

simplicity, efficiency, and affordability, ordered that the 

Model T use black paint exclusively because it dried fast-
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er than other colors, which meant more cars could be 

built daily at a lower cost, and Ford said the vehicle will 

be offered in ‘‘any color so long as it is black’’; 

Whereas, upon its completion in 1925, Ford’s self-contained 

Rouge Complex on the Rouge River encompassed diverse 

industries that allowed for the complete production of vehicles, from raw materials processing to final assembly, 

and was an icon of the 20th century and, with its current 

revitalization and redevelopment, will remain an icon in 

the 21st century; 

Whereas, in 1925, the company built the first of 196 Ford 

Tri-Motor airplanes, nicknamed the ‘‘Tin Goose’’ and the 

‘‘Model T of the Air’’; 

Whereas consumer demand for more luxury and power 

pushed aside the Model A, and on March 9, 1932, the 

Ford car, with the pioneering Ford single V-8 engine 

block, rolled off the production line; 

Whereas, while Ford offered only two models through 1937 

(Ford and Lincoln), due to increased competition, the 

first Mercury was introduced in 1938, with a distinctive 

streamlined body style, a V-8 engine with more horsepower than a Ford, and hydraulic brakes, thus filling the 

void between the low-priced Ford and the high-priced 

Lincoln; 

Whereas one of the largest labor unions in the Nation was 

formed as the United Automobile Workers (UAW) in 

1935, and after a rather tumultuous beginning, won acceptance in the late 1930s by the auto industry and became a potent and forceful leader for auto workers, with 

Ford building a strong relationship with the union 

through its policies and programs; 
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Whereas by government decree all civilian auto production in 

the United States ceased on February 10, 1942, and 

Ford, under the control of the War Production Board, 

produced an extensive array of bombers, tanks, armored 

cars, amphibious craft, gliders, and other materials for 

the World War II war effort; 

Whereas on September 21, 1945, Henry Ford II assumed the 

presidency of Ford and on April 7, 1947, Ford’s founder, 

Henry Ford passed away; 

Whereas a revitalized Ford met the postwar economic boom 

with Ford’s famed F-Series trucks making their debut in 

1948 for commercial and personal use, and the debut of 

the 1949 Ford sedan, with the first change in a Ford 

body since 1922, the first change in a chassis since 1932, 

and the first integration of body and fenders which would 

set the standard for auto design in the future; 

Whereas these new models were followed by such well-known 

cars as the Mercury Turnpike Cruiser, the Ford Sunliner 

Convertible, the high performing Thunderbird, introduced 

in 1955, the Ford Galaxy, introduced in 1959, and the 

biggest success story of the 1960s, the Mustang, which 

has been a part of the American scene for almost 40 

years; 

Whereas the Thunderbird wowed the NASCAR circuit in 

1959, winning more than 150 races in NASCAR’s top division; 

Whereas in 1953 President Dwight D. Eisenhower christened 

the new Ford Research and Engineering Center, which 

was a milestone in the company’s dedication to automotive science and which houses some of the most modern facilities for automotive research; 
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Whereas Ford’s innovation continued in the 1980s with the 

introduction of the Taurus, named the 1986 Car of the 

Year, which resulted in a new commitment to quality 

throughout Ford and future aerodynamic design trends 

in the industry; 

Whereas this innovation continued in the 1990s with the 

debut in 1993 of the Ford Mondeo, European Car of the 

Year, the redesigned 1994 Mustang, and the introduction 

in 1990 of the Ford Explorer, which redefined the sports 

utility segment and remains the best selling SUV in the 

world; 

Whereas as the 21st century begins, Ford continues its marvelous record for fine products with the best-selling car 

in the world, the Ford Focus, and the best-selling truck 

in the world, the Ford F-Series; 

Whereas the Ford Motor Company is the world’s second largest automaker, and includes Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, 

Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo, and Mazda, as 

well as other diversified subsidiaries in finance and other 

domestic and international business areas; and 

Whereas on October 1, 2001, William Clay Ford, Jr., the 

great-grandson of Henry Ford, became Chairman and 

Chief Executive Officer of Ford, concentrating on the 

fundamentals that have powered Ford to greatness over 

the last century and made it a world-class auto and truck 

manufacturer, and that will propel it in the 21st century 

to develop even better products and innovations: Now, 

therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

2 (1) recognizes the truly wondrous achievements 

3 of the Ford Motor Company, as its employees, retir-
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1 ees, suppliers, dealers, its many customers, auto2 motive enthusiasts, and friends worldwide, com3 memorate and celebrate its 100th anniversary mile4 stone; 

5 (2) recognizes the great impact that Ford has 

6 had on the lives of Americans and people of all na7 tions; and 

8 (3) congratulates the Ford Motor Company for 

9 this achievement and trusts that Ford will continue 

10 to have an even greater impact in the 21st century 

11 and beyond in providing innovative products that are 

12 affordable and environmentally sustainable, and that 

13 will enhance personal mobility for generations to 

14 come.

Æ