Acknowledging April 17, 2024, as the 500th anniversary of the discovery of New York Bay by Giovanni da Verrazzano.

Bill: 118-hres-1139
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11]
Introduced: 2024-04-12
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Latest action: action_date: 2024-04-12
text: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

Summaries:
action_date: 2024-04-12
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This resolution acknowledges April 17, 2024, as the 500th anniversary of the discovery of New York Bay by Giovanni da Verrazzano. The resolution&nbsp;also recognizes the contributions of his voyage to North America.</p>

tv_txt: IV 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1139 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 12, 2024 Ms. Malliotakis (for herself, Mr. Meeks , Ms. Stefanik , Mr. Lawler , Ms. Clarke of New York , Mr. Van Drew , Mr. Molinaro , Ms. Meng , Ms. Tenney , Mr. Langworthy , Mr. Garbarino , Mr. Smith of New Jersey , Mr. Williams of New York , Mr. D'Esposito , Mr. LaLota , Mr. Goldman of New York , Mr. Pascrell , Mr. Suozzi , Mr. Pallone , and Mr. Panetta ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability RESOLUTION Acknowledging April 17, 2024, as the 500th anniversary of the discovery of New York Bay by Giovanni da Verrazzano.

Whereas Giovanni da Verrazzano was born in 1485 in Val di Greve, Republic of Florence, which is now a part of the Italian Republic; Whereas King Francis I of France commissioned Verrazzano to lead an expedition aimed at finding a western passage from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean; Whereas Verrazzano's discovery of New York Bay expanded maritime knowledge of what became the East Coast of the United States and laid the foundation for future commerce and settlements in North America; Whereas Verrazzano's voyage sparked future explorations of the New World, including, 85 years later, Henry Hudson's 1609 voyage to New York Bay to establish New Amsterdam; Whereas New Amsterdam became New York on September 8, 1664; Whereas New York City has the highest economic impact of any city in the United States and continues to serve as a major global economic hub, and New York Bay continues to be a major hub for trade and commerce; Whereas New York Bay, home to the Statue of Liberty, is where 12 million immigrants legally passed through Ellis Island at a rate of 5,000 people per day from 1892 to 1954; Whereas the New York City metropolitan area is home to over 2.5 million Italian Americans; Whereas to commemorate and underscore the significant impact of Giovanni da Verrazzano’s discovery of New York Bay, on March 9, 1960, Governor Nelson Rockefeller signed legislation that named the bridge connecting the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn as the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge; Whereas the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge was inaugurated on November 21, 1964, was the world's longest suspension bridge until 1981, and spans the Narrows; and Whereas the legacy of Giovanni da Verrazzano is further honored at Battery Park, New York City, and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, recognizing Verrazzano’s impact as the first European explorer to chart what became the East Coast of the United States: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1) acknowledges April 17, 2024, as the 500th anniversary of the discovery of New York Bay by Giovanni da Verrazzano; and (2) recognizes the contributions of Giovanni da Verrazzano’s voyage to North America, highlighting Verrazzano’s pivotal role in the mapping and exploration of the continent and Verrazzano’s lasting impact on the foundation of New York City and the United States.