[107th Congress Public Law 152]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]


<DOC>
[DOCID: f:publ152.107]


[[Page 116 STAT. 77]]

Public Law 107-152
107th Congress

                            Joint Resolution


 
 Congratulating the United States Military Academy at West Point on its 
 bicentennial anniversary, and commending its outstanding contributions 
        to the Nation. <<NOTE: Mar. 14, 2002 -  [S.J. Res. 32]>> 

Whereas establishing a military academy to teach the technical arts of 
    war was a desire of many of our founding fathers, particularly 
    George Washington;
Whereas Congress passed legislation on March 16, 1802, to establish such 
    a military academy to be located at West Point, New York, a site 
    that Washington called the key to the continent because of its 
    strategic importance during the Revolution;
Whereas President Thomas Jefferson signed the legislation establishing 
    the United States Military Academy at West Point, an institution 
    dedicated to promoting scientific education to benefit the Nation 
    and to attracting a diverse array of young citizens to the Nation's 
    military leadership;
Whereas Sylvanus Thayer, who served as Superintendent of the Academy 
    from 1817 to 1833, established the foundation of the Academy's 
    strong academic program, strict adherence to discipline, and 
    emphasis on moral and ethical conduct;
Whereas under Douglas MacArthur's leadership as Superintendent from 1919 
    to 1922, the Academy was modernized to prepare its graduates for the 
    challenges of the 20th century;
Whereas the Academy, the first school in America to teach engineering, 
    produced graduates who were responsible for the construction of the 
    Nation's first railroad lines and many of its early harbor 
    improvements, bridges, roads, and canals;
Whereas Academy graduates introduced engineering education to numerous 
    colleges and universities, and carried out such monumental 
    engineering projects as the construction of the Panama Canal 
    project;
Whereas Academy graduates have also distinguished themselves in the 
    leadership of such innovative scientific research and development 
    projects as the development of atomic bombs in the Manhattan Project 
    during World War II;
Whereas Academy graduates have served with character and distinction in 
    all of America's wars and military actions since the War of 1812;
Whereas 74 Academy graduates have earned the Nation's highest military 
    honor, the Medal of Honor;
Whereas 2 Academy graduates, Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower, 
    served both as distinguished general officers and as the President 
    of the United States, and many other graduates have served in all 
    levels of government;

[[Page 116 STAT. 78]]

Whereas dozens of Academy graduates have been astronauts, including the 
    Academy graduate who is the first American to walk in space and 2 
    Academy graduates who walked on the moon;
Whereas hundreds of Academy graduates have utilized their talents in the 
    private sector, to provide managerial and technical expertise that 
    is responsible, in part, for nurturing and sustaining a system of 
    enterprise that is admired around the world;
Whereas the Academy has provided an opportunity for men and women of all 
    races, religions, and cultures to receive a college education and to 
    begin a life of service to the Army and the Nation; and
Whereas the motto of the Academy, ``Duty, Honor, Country'', exemplifies 
    the spirit of this Republic: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, That Congress congratulates the 
United States Military Academy on its bicentennial anniversary, 
recognizes it as an outstanding leadership development institution that 
upholds and promotes the highest virtues of American society, and 
commends all those who have led and taught at the Academy for 
inculcating its 58,000 graduates with moral, ethical, and intellectual 
values and skills that are the foundations for the dedicated service so 
honorably given by those graduates to the Army, the Nation, and friends 
of freedom and liberty around the world for 200 years.

    Approved March 14, 2002.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S.J. Res. 32:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 148 (2002):
            Feb. 25, considered and passed Senate.
            Mar. 6, considered and passed House.

                                  <all>