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 pro-
ductive 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 prin-
cipal stream of it, as, by its course and communication
with the waters of the Pacific ocean, whether the Colum-
bia, 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;
•HRES 144 EH
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 Da-
kota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and
Oregon;
Whereas the explorers faithfully followed the President’s di-
rectives and dutifully recorded their observations in their
detailed journals;
Whereas these journals describe many plant and animal spe-
cies, 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
•HRES 144 EH
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 fig-
ures in American history, so too are Black Buffalo,
Cameahwait, Sacajawea, Sheheke and Watkueis;
Whereas the Expedition significantly enhanced amicable rela-
tions between the United States and the autonomous
American Indian nations, and the friendship and respect
fostered between the American Indian tribes and the Ex-
pedition represents the best of diplomacy and relation-
ships 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 rec-
ognized 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 ad-
ministered 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-
•HRES 144 EH
brate the bicentennial of the Expedition beginning in
2003: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) expresses its support for the work of the
National Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council and
all the Federal, State, and local entities and other
interested groups that are preparing bicentennial ac-
tivities to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the
Lewis and Clark Expedition;
(2) expresses its support for the events to be
held in observance of the Expedition at Council
Bluff near present-day Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, at
St. Louis, Missouri, at Portland and Fort Clatsop,
Oregon, and at Bismarck, North Dakota, and many
other cities during the bicentennial observance; and
(3) calls upon the President, the Secretary of
the Interior, the Director of the National Park Serv-
ice, American Indian tribes, other public officials,
and the citizens of the United States to support,
promote, and participate in the many bicentennial
activities being planned to commemorate the Lewis
and Clark Expedition.
Attest:
Clerk.