III 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 178 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
SEPTEMBER 24, 2009 
Received and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of Congress that we reaffirm the his-
toric ties between the United States and the Netherlands 
by recognizing the Quadricentennial celebration of the 
discovery of the Hudson River and honoring the enduring 
values of the settlers of New Netherland that continue 
to permeate American society. 
Whereas the Netherlands and the United States are two 
countries united by shared values and historic ties; 
Whereas 2009 marks the Quadricentennial year that Henry 
Hudson captained the ship ‘‘Halve Maen’’ under the aus-
pices of the Dutch East India Company and discovered 
the Hudson River; 
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HCON 178 RFS 
Whereas the discovery of that river and its fertile lands gave 
rise to the establishment of the New Netherland settle-
ment and the ensuing positive relations between the 
Netherlands and America; 
Whereas the Netherlands was the first country to salute the 
U.S. flag in 1776 at St. Eustatius; 
Whereas the drafters of the Declaration of Independence 
were influenced by the Dutch Constitution; 
Whereas the Netherlands has remained a friend and staunch 
ally of the United States, from providing necessary loans 
during the Revolutionary War to standing shoulder-to- 
shoulder in Afghanistan in defense of democratic values, 
protection of human rights and promotion of the rule of 
law; 
Whereas the New Netherland settlement left a legacy of val-
ues such as open-mindedness, entrepreneurship, democ-
racy, tolerance and hard work, as well as freedom of reli-
gion and speech; 
Whereas the bonds of free trade, open markets and commerce 
have continuously linked the Dutch and the Americans to 
such an extent that the Netherlands remains among the 
top four foreign investors in the U.S.; 
Whereas the Netherlands provided immediate assistance in 
the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and continues today 
by sharing expertise in water management that will help 
rebuild New Orleans and its levees; and 
Whereas the heritage of 400 years of friendship between the 
Netherlands and the United States is a laudable example 
and should be properly extolled: Now, therefore, be it 
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HCON 178 RFS 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that we reaf-
firm the historic ties and friendship between the United 
States 
and 
the 
Netherlands 
by 
recognizing 
the 
Quadricentennial celebration of the discovery of the Hud-
son River and honoring the enduring values of the settlers 
of New Netherland that continue to permeate American 
society. 
Passed the House of Representatives September 23, 
2009. 
Attest: 
LORRAINE C. MILLER, 
Clerk. 
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