III 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 261 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
DECEMBER 12, 2007 
Received and referred to the Committee on Armed Services 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Commemorating the centennial anniversary of the sailing 
of the Navy’s ‘‘Great White Fleet,’’ launched by Presi-
dent Theodore Roosevelt on December 16, 1907, from 
Hampton Roads, Virginia, and returning there on Feb-
ruary 22, 1909. 
Whereas the launching of the Great White Fleet marked the 
emergence of the United States as a true global 
seapower, able to dispatch 16 new battleships on a world-
wide deployment for 14 months; 
Whereas these battleships were painted entirely white, with 
gilded scrollwork on their bows, and subsequently came 
to be known as the ‘‘Great White Fleet’’; 
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HCON 261 RFS 
Whereas the 4 squadrons of 4 battleships each, manned by 
14,000 sailors, sailed 43,000 miles and made 20 port 
calls on 6 continents; 
Whereas the Fleet, in conducting visits to important nations 
such as Australia, served to reinforce a friendship and 
partnership that continues to this day; 
Whereas the Fleet, in providing a tangible demonstration of 
the forward naval presence of the United States in the 
Pacific, also reinforced the message of how important 
maritime stability and security are to the United States; 
Whereas the Fleet, in response to one of the worst natural 
disasters in European history, was able to immediately 
divert to Messina, Sicily, to offer humanitarian aid to the 
Italian people; and 
Whereas the Fleet, in executing a range of missions and re-
turning to the United States after 14 months at sea, dis-
played to the world a number of core American values, 
including compassion, showed its flexibility by responding 
to unforeseen events, and demonstrated the ability of the 
United States to project maritime power as a stabilizing 
force: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That the Congress— 
(1) commemorates the wisdom of President 
Theodore Roosevelt in developing and launching the 
Great White Fleet; 
(2) supports a one-time designation of a day to 
celebrate the 100th centennial of the Great White 
Fleet and the special role the Fleet played in build-
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HCON 261 RFS 
ing enduring friendships with important allies and 
partner nations; 
(3) commends efforts by the Department of the 
Navy to maintain and strengthen our cooperative 
partnerships with foreign nations and to safeguard 
our Nation’s interests in the maritime domain; 
(4) commends efforts by the Department of the 
Navy in leading the development of a Cooperative 
Strategy for 21st Century Seapower; and 
(5) honors the sacrifices made and services ren-
dered by the servicemembers of the Navy, Marine 
Corps, and the Coast Guard and the civilians who 
constitute our maritime services. 
Passed the House of Representatives December 11, 
2007. 
Attest: 
LORRAINE C. MILLER, 
Clerk. 
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