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. KIL-
PATRICK, 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 re-
ferred 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 revolu-
tionary 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 Rail-
road 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 be-
came a reality when parts, components, and 140 assem-
blers 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 ve-
hicles, 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 horse-
power 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 ac-
ceptance in the late 1930s by the auto industry and be-
came 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 di-
vision; 
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 auto-
motive science and which houses some of the most mod-
ern 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 mar-
velous 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 larg-
est 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
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) recognizes the truly wondrous achievements 
of the Ford Motor Company, as its employees, retir-
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ees, suppliers, dealers, its many customers, auto-
motive enthusiasts, and friends worldwide, com-
memorate and celebrate its 100th anniversary mile-
stone; 
(2) recognizes the great impact that Ford has 
had on the lives of Americans and people of all na-
tions; and 
(3) congratulates the Ford Motor Company for 
this achievement and trusts that Ford will continue 
to have an even greater impact in the 21st century 
and beyond in providing innovative products that are 
affordable and environmentally sustainable, and that 
will enhance personal mobility for generations to 
come.
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