IV 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 207 
Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the first ascent of Mt. Everest by 
United States citizens. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 8, 2013 
Mr. KILMER (for himself, Mr. HECK of Washington, Mr. LARSEN of Wash-
ington, Ms. DELBENE, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. REICHERT, and Mr. 
SMITH of Washington) submitted the following resolution; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the first ascent of Mt. 
Everest by United States citizens. 
Whereas James W. Whittaker stood on top of Mt. Everest at 
1:00 p.m. on May 1, 1963, with Sherpa Nawang Gombu, 
and planted the American flag for the first time on the 
highest point of earth; 
Whereas Mr. Whittaker was a part of a team led by Swiss 
Mountaineer Norman Dyhrenfurth, that consisted of 19 
United States mountaineers, scientists, writers, and pho-
tographers, who were assisted by dozens of Sherpas and 
hundreds of porters, became the first United States team 
to reach the peak of Mt. Everest; 
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•HRES 207 IH 
Whereas Mr. Whittaker and the team stood as heroes and in-
spired the country during a time when the Nation was 
consumed with the ongoing struggles of the Cold War, 
the Cuban Missile Crisis, high unemployment, and the 
looming war in Vietnam; 
Whereas upon returning, the team was recognized at a recep-
tion in the White House Rose Garden, where President 
John F. Kennedy presented each with the Hubbard 
Medal of the National Geographic Society; 
Whereas Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has called Mr. Whittaker’s 
story ‘‘a riveting saga of high adventure by one of his-
tory’s greatest climbers’’; 
Whereas Mr. Whittaker was the first full-time employee of 
one of the country’s largest outdoor retailers, Rec-
reational Equipment, Inc., and went on to retire as its 
President and Chief Executive Officer after 25 years with 
the company; 
Whereas throughout his life, Mr. Whittaker has lived his life 
to the fullest, leading numerous, high-profile climbing ex-
peditions, including the first ascent of Mt. Kennedy, 
which was completed with Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 
the Canadian Yukon in 1965; 
Whereas Mr. Whittaker also led the first ascent by a United 
States citizen of K2 in 1978, and the successful Mt. Ev-
erest International Peace Climb in 1990; and 
Whereas Mr. Whittaker is the author of the best-selling, 
award-winning memoir, ‘‘A Life on the Edge: Memoirs of 
Everest and Beyond’’ and has shared his story in person 
as a motivational speaker: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
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•HRES 207 IH 
(1) congratulates James W. Whittaker and his 
fellow climbers on the 50th anniversary of the first 
ascent of Mt. Everest by United States citizens; 
(2) honors Mr. Whittaker for his leadership in 
the outdoor recreation community; and 
(3) recognizes the extraordinary feat Mr. Whit-
taker accomplished 50 years ago and how his story 
has inspired countless people in the Northwest and 
beyond. 
Æ 
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