S.Res. 57 (is) To support the commemoration of the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. ...

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S. Res. 57

                  In the Senate of the United States,

                                                          May 23, 1997.
Whereas the Expedition commanded by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, which 
        came to be called ``The Corps of Discovery'', was one of the most 
        remarkable and productive scientific and military exploring expeditions 
        in all American history;
Whereas President Thomas Jefferson gave Lewis and Clark the mission to ``. . . 
        explore the Missouri River & such principal stream of it, as, by its 
        course and communication with the waters of the Pacific ocean, whether 
        the Columbia, Oregon, Colorado or any other river may offer the most 
        direct & practicable water communication across this continent for the 
        purposes of commerce. . .'';
Whereas the Expedition, in response to President Jefferson's directive, greatly 
        advanced our geographical knowledge of the continent and prepared the 
        way for the extension of the American fur trade with Indian tribes 
        throughout the area;
Whereas President Jefferson directed the explorers to take note of and carefully 
        record the natural resources of the newly acquired territory known as 
        Louisiana, as well as diligently report on the native inhabitants of the 
        land;
Whereas Lewis and Clark and their companions began their historic journey to 
        explore the uncharted wilderness west of the Mississippi River at Wood 
        River, Illinois on May 14, 1804, and followed the Missouri River 
        westward from its mouth on the Mississippi to its headwaters in the 
        Rocky Mountains;
Whereas the Expedition spent its first winter at Fort Mandan, North Dakota, 
        crossed the Rocky Mountains by horseback in August 1805, reached the 
        Pacific Ocean at the mouth of the Columbia River in mid-November of that 
        year, and wintered at Fort Clatsop, near the present city of Astoria, 
        Oregon;
Whereas the Expedition returned to St. Louis, Missouri, on September 23, 1806, 
        after a 28-month journey covering 8,000 miles during which it traversed 
        11 future States: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, North 
        Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon;
Whereas the explorers faithfully followed the President's directives and 
        dutifully recorded their observations in their detailed journals;
Whereas these journals describe many plant and animal species, some completely 
        unknown to the world of science or never before encountered in North 
        America, and added greatly to scientific knowledge about the flora and 
        fauna of the United States;
Whereas accounts from the journals of Lewis and Clark and the detailed maps that 
        were prepared by the Expedition enhanced knowledge of the western 
        continent and routes for commerce;
Whereas the journals of Lewis and Clark documented diverse American Indian 
        languages, customs, religious beliefs, and ceremonies; as Lewis and 
        Clark are important figures in American history, so too are Black 
        Buffalo, Cameahwait, Sacagawea, Sheheke, Watkueis, Twisted Hair, 
        Tetoharsky, Yellept, and Comowool;
Whereas the Expedition significantly enhanced amicable relations between the 
        United States and the autonomous Indian nations, and the friendship and 
        respect fostered between the Indian tribes and the Expedition represents 
        the best of diplomacy and relationships between divergent nations and 
        cultures;
Whereas the Native American Indian tribes of the Northern Plains and the Pacific 
        Northwest played an essential role in the survival and the success of 
        the Expedition;
Whereas the Lewis and Clark Expedition has been called the most perfect 
        Expedition of its kind in the history of the world and paved the way for 
        the United States to become a great world power;
Whereas the President and the Congress have previously recognized the importance 
        of the Expedition by establishing a 5-year commission in 1964 to study 
        its history and the route it followed, and again in 1978 by designating 
        the route as the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail administered by 
        the Secretary of the Interior through the National Park Service; and
Whereas the National Park Service, along with other Federal, State, and local 
        agencies and many other interested groups are preparing commemorative 
        activities to celebrate the bicentennial of the Expedition beginning in 
        2003: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) expresses its support for the work of the Lewis and Clark Trail 
        Heritage Foundation, the National Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council 
        and all the Federal, State, and local entities as well as other 
        interested groups that are preparing bicentennial activities to 
        celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Expedition during 
        the years 2004 through 2006;
            (2) expresses its support for the events to be held in observance of 
        the Expedition at St. Louis, Missouri in 2004 and Bismarck, North Dakota 
        in 2005, and many other cities during the bicentennial observance; and
            (3) calls upon the President, the Secretary of the Interior, the 
        Director of the National Park Service, American Indian tribes, other 
        public officials, and the citizens of the United States to support, 
        promote, and participate in the many bicentennial activities being 
        planned to commemorate the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
            Attest:

                                                                      Secretary.

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