IV 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 642 
Recognizing magic as a rare and valuable art form and national treasure. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 14, 2016 
Mr. SESSIONS (for himself, Mr. STIVERS, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. DONOVAN, Mr. 
DENT, Mr. SIMPSON, and Mr. BUCK) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Re-
form 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing magic as a rare and valuable art form and 
national treasure. 
Whereas magic is an art form with the unique power and po-
tential to impact the lives of all people; 
Whereas magic enables people to experience the impossible; 
Whereas magic is used to inspire and bring wonder and hap-
piness to others; 
Whereas magic has had a significant impact on other art 
forms; 
Whereas magic, like the great art forms of dance, literature, 
theater, film, and the visual arts, allows people to experi-
ence something that transcends the written word; 
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•HRES 642 IH 
Whereas many technological advances can be directly traced 
to the influential work of magicians; 
Whereas futurist Arthur C. Clarke claimed that any suffi-
ciently advanced technology is indistinguishable from 
magic; 
Whereas one of the greatest artists of all time, Leonardo da 
Vinci, was inspired by magic and co-wrote one of the very 
first books on magic in the late 15th century; 
Whereas modern cinema would not exist today without the 
innovative work of the accomplished magician Georges 
Me´lie`s; 
Whereas magicians are visual storytellers who seamlessly 
interweave elements of mystery, wonder, emotion, and ex-
pression; 
Whereas magic is an outstanding artistic model of individual 
expression; 
Whereas magic fulfills some of the highest ideals and aspira-
tions of our country by encouraging people to question 
what they believe and see; 
Whereas magic is a unifying force across cultural, religious, 
ethnic, and age differences in our diverse Nation; 
Whereas magic is an art that transforms the ordinary into 
the extraordinary; 
Whereas the American magicians Harry Houdini and David 
Copperfield have been the most successful magicians of 
the past two centuries; 
Whereas David Copperfield, introduced to magic as a boy 
growing up in New Jersey, has been named a Living 
Legend by the Library of Congress; 
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Whereas David Copperfield, with 21 Emmy Awards, 11 
Guinness World Records, and over four billion dollars in 
ticket sales, has impacted every aspect of the global en-
tertainment industry; 
Whereas David Copperfield, through his magic, inspires great 
positive change in the lives of Americans; 
Whereas people consistently leave David Copperfield’s live 
magic show with a different perspective than when they 
entered; 
Whereas Rebecca Brown of Portland, Oregon, left a David 
Copperfield magic show with a newfound inspiration to 
pursue her lifelong, unfulfilled passion for dance; 
Whereas three months after Rebecca Brown attended the 
David Copperfield magic show, she performed her first 
choreographed recital in Portland, Oregon’s Pioneer 
Square; 
Whereas programs such as Project Magic, created by David 
Copperfield, use magic as a form of therapy for children 
with physical, psychological, and social disabilities; 
Whereas learning magic through programs such as Project 
Magic can help these children improve their physical and 
mental dexterity and increase their confidence; 
Whereas learning magic through programs such as Project 
Magic helps these children realize that they are no longer 
less able than their peers; 
Whereas programs such as Project Magic teach these chil-
dren that they are more capable and have a newfound 
ability to do what others cannot; 
Whereas cities such as Wylie, Texas, and its mayor, Eric 
Hogue, recognize and promote the art of magic with offi-
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cial proclamations, summer educational programs, and 
the first festival dedicated to the art of magic in the 
State of Texas; 
Whereas Mayor Eric Hogue, who learned the art of magic as 
a child, continues to use those skills to teach elementary 
school students about the different roles and responsibil-
ities of local government; 
Whereas magic is timeless in appeal and requires only the ca-
pacity to dream; 
Whereas magic transcends any barrier of race, religion, lan-
guage, or culture; 
Whereas magic has not been properly recognized as a great 
American art form, nor has it been accorded the institu-
tional status on a national level commensurate with its 
value and importance; 
Whereas there is not an effective national effort to support 
and preserve magic; 
Whereas documentation and archival support required by 
such a great art form has yet to be systematically applied 
to the field of magic; and 
Whereas it is in the best interest of the national welfare to 
preserve and celebrate the unique art form of magic: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes magic as a rare and valuable art 
form and national treasure; and 
(2) supports efforts to make certain that magic 
is preserved, understood, and promulgated. 
Æ 
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