•HRES 1026 IH 
Whereas the resolution establishing the Congressional Club 
was signed by President Theodore Roosevelt on May 30, 
1908; 
Whereas the Congressional Club’s founding was secured by 
womanly wiles and feminine determination in the passage 
of the enacting resolution unanimously on May 28, 1908, 
in order to overcome the opposition of Representative 
John Sharp Williams of Mississippi, who opposed all 
women’s organizations; 
Whereas when Representative Williams was called out of the 
chamber by Mrs. Williams, the good-mannered represent-
ative obliged and withdrew his opposition and request for 
a recorded vote, saying, ‘‘upon this particular bill there 
will not be a roll call, because it would cause a great deal 
of domestic unhappiness in Washington if there were’’; 
Whereas the first Congressional Clubhouse was at 1432 K 
Street Northwest in Washington, DC, and opened on De-
cember 11, 1908, with a reception for President-elect and 
Mrs. William Taft, but after Mrs. John B. Henderson of 
Missouri donated land on the corner of New Hampshire 
Avenue and U Street, the cornerstone of the current 
Clubhouse was laid at that location on May 21, 1914; 
Whereas the Congressional Clubhouse was built by George 
Totten in the Beaux Arts style and is listed on the Na-
tional Register of Historic Places, and its mortgage was 
paid for by the sales of the Club’s cookbook and burned 
by Mrs. Bess Truman in a silver bowl on the 40th Anni-
versary of the Club’s founding; 
Whereas the Congressional Club has remained a good neigh-
bor on the U Street corridor for over 90 years, encour-
aging the revitalization of the area throughout the time 
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•HRES 1026 IH 
of socioeconomic challenges, and leading the way in up-
keep and maintenance of historic property; 
Whereas the Congressional Club honors and supports the 
people of its neighborhood by inviting the local police and 
fire departments to the Clubhouse for lunch and deliv-
ering trays of Member-made cookies and candies to them 
during the holidays, by hosting an annual Senior Citizens 
Appreciation Day luncheon for residents of a neighbor-
hood nursing home, and by hosting an annual holiday 
brunch for neighborhood children each December which 
includes a festive meal, gifts, and a visit from Santa; 
Whereas the Congressional Club hosts the annual First 
Lady’s Luncheon every spring since 1912 to honor our 
First Lady, and donates tens of thousands of dollars to 
charities in the name of the First Lady annually; 
Whereas the Congressional Club has chosen among its many 
charitable recipients mentoring programs, United Na-
tional Indian Tribal Youth, literacy programs, the White 
House library, youth dance troupes, domestic shelters, 
and child care centers; 
Whereas the Congressional Club members, upon the sugges-
tion of Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, are encouraged to become 
discussion leaders on national security in their home 
States, from the trials of World War II to the threats of 
terrorism; 
Whereas the Congressional Club extends the hand of friend-
ship and goodwill globally by hosting an annual diplo-
matic reception to entertain the spouses of ambassadors 
to the United States; 
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•HRES 1026 IH 
Whereas the Congressional Club is solely supported by mem-
bership dues and the sale of cookbooks, and has never re-
ceived any Federal funding; 
Whereas the 14 editions of the Congressional Club cookbook, 
first published in 1928, reflect the life and times of the 
United States with recipes and signatures of Members of 
Congress, First Ladies, Ambassadors, and members of 
the Club; 
Whereas the Congressional Club membership has expanded to 
include spouses and daughters of Representatives, Sen-
ators, Supreme Court Justices, and Cabinet members, 
and has included 7 members who became First Lady: 
Mrs. Florence Harding, Mrs. Lou Hoover, Mrs. Bess 
Truman, Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy, Mrs. Patricia Nixon, 
Mrs. Betty Ford, and Mrs. Barbara Bush; 
Whereas several members of the Congressional Club have 
been elected to Congress, among whom are Past Presi-
dent Mrs. Lindy Boggs, Mrs. Jo Ann Emerson, Mrs. 
Lois Capps, Mrs. Mary Bono, and Past President Mrs. 
Doris Matsui; 
Whereas leading figures in politics, the arts, and the media 
have visited the Clubhouse for the past 100 years; 
Whereas the Congressional Club is home to the First Lady’s 
gown display, a museum with replica inaugural and ball 
gowns of the First Ladies from Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln 
to Mrs. Laura Bush; 
Whereas the Congressional Club is charged with receiving the 
Presidential couple, honoring the Vice-President and 
spouse, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and 
spouse, and the Chief Justice and spouse, and for the ori-
entation of spouses of new Members of Congress; and 
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•HRES 1026 IH 
Whereas the Congressional Club will celebrate its 100-year 
anniversary with festivities and ceremonies during 2008 
that include the ringing of the official bells of the United 
States Congress, a Founder’s Day program, a birthday 
cake at the First Lady’s Luncheon, an anniversary post-
age stamp and cancellation stamp, a 100-year pin/pend-
ant designed by Past President Lois Breaux, and invita-
tions to President and Mrs. Bush, Speaker and Mr. 
Pelosi, Chief Justice and Mrs. Roberts to visit and cele-
brate 100 years of public service, civility, and growth at 
the Congressional Club: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes the 100th anniversary of the 
founding of the Congressional Club; 
(2) acknowledges the contribution of political 
spouses to public life in America and around the 
world through the Congressional Club for the past 
100 years; 
(3) honors the past and present membership of 
the Congressional Club; 
(4) encourages all Americans to strive for 
greater friendship, civility, and generosity in order to 
heighten public service, elevate the culture, and en-
rich humanity; and 
(5) encourages all Americans to seek out oppor-
tunities to give financially and to volunteer to assist 
charitable organizations in their own communities. 
Æ 
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