H. Con. Res. 269
Agreed to November 15, 2005
One Hundred Ninth Congress
of the
United States of America 
AT THE FIRST SESSION 
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday, 
the fourth day of January, two thousand and five 
Concurrent Resolution
Whereas in 1964, John W. Gardner presented the idea of selecting 
a handful of outstanding men and women to come to Washington 
to participate as Fellows and learn the workings of the highest 
levels of the Federal Government to learn about leadership as 
they observed the Nation’s officials in action and met with these 
officials and other leaders of society, thereby strengthening the 
Fellows’ abilities and desires to contribute to their communities, 
their professions, and their country; 
Whereas President Lyndon B. Johnson established the President’s 
Commission on White House Fellowships, through Executive 
Order No. 11183, to create a program that would select between 
11 and 19 outstanding young Americans every year and bring 
them to Washington for ‘‘first hand, high-level experience in 
the workings of the Federal Government, to establish an era 
when the young men and women of America and their Govern-
ment belonged to each other—belonged to each other in fact 
and in spirit’’; 
Whereas the White House Fellows Program has steadfastly 
remained a nonpartisan program that has served 8 Presidents 
exceptionally well;
Whereas the more than 600 White House Fellows that have served 
have established a legacy of leadership in every aspect of Amer-
ican society that includes appointments as Cabinet officials and 
senior White House staff, election to the House of Representatives, 
Senate, and State and local government, appointments to the 
Federal, State, and local judiciary, appointments as United States 
Attorneys, leadership in many of the Nation’s largest corporations 
and law firms, service as presidents of colleges and universities, 
deans of our most distinguished graduate schools, officials in 
nonprofit organizations, distinguished scholars and historians, 
and service as senior leaders in every branch of the United 
States Armed Forces;
Whereas this legacy of leadership is a national resource that has 
been used by the Nation in major challenges including organizing 
resettlement operations following the Vietnam War, assisting 
with the national response to terrorist attacks, managing the 
aftermath of natural disasters such as Hurricanes Katrina and 
Rita, and reforming and innovating in national and international 
securities and capital markets;
Whereas the more than 600 White House Fellows have character-
ized their post-Fellowship years with a lifetime commitment to 
public service through continuing personal and professional
H. Con. Res. 269—2
renewal and association, creating a Fellows community of mutual 
support for leadership at every level of government and in every 
element of our national life; and
Whereas September 1, 2005, marked the 40th anniversary of the 
first class of White House Fellows to serve this Nation: Now, 
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concur-
ring), That Congress—
(1) recognizes the 40th anniversary of the White House 
Fellows program and commends the White House Fellows for 
their continuing lifetime commitment to public service; 
(2) acknowledges the legacy of leadership provided by White 
House Fellows over the years in their local communities, the 
Nation, and the world; and 
(3) expresses appreciation and support for the continuing 
leadership of White House Fellows in all aspects of our national 
life in the years ahead. 
Attest:
Clerk of the House of Representatives.
Attest:
Secretary of the Senate.