WHEREAS, Washington is the only state named for an American president, George Washington, the father of our country, and as such, we Washingtonians hold the presidency and presidents in especially high regard; and
     WHEREAS, For many years our state and nation have set aside the third Monday in February to celebrate Presidents' Day, which honors former presidents of the United States of America; and
     WHEREAS, Both February 12th, the actual birthday of President Abraham Lincoln, and February 22nd, the actual birthday of President George Washington, were kept and observed, until 1971, as the anniversaries of the births of these two great American presidents; and
     WHEREAS, Presidents' Day, for many citizens, remains a time for specifically honoring the accomplishments of Washington, the first American president, and Lincoln, the 16th American president; and
     WHEREAS, It was in 1968 when federal legislation, the "Monday Holidays Act," was passed to install the Presidents' Day celebration that we have come to know and respect; and
     WHEREAS, Not only does Presidents' Day remain a time for celebrating the specific legacies of Presidents Washington and Lincoln, but former Presidents John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses Grant, James Garfield, and Teddy Roosevelt, as well as the presidents of later decades, are honored in numerous commemorations across the country; and
     WHEREAS, In 1985, the Washington State Legislature singled out the third Monday in February as a day for commemorating the births of Presidents Washington and Lincoln; and
     WHEREAS, It is recognized that this diverse, wonderful land of ours has been fashioned into an uplifting, multicultural quilt thanks to the tireless efforts of our forefathers, especially George Washington and Abraham Lincoln; and
     WHEREAS, The first eight American presidents, comprising almost a fifth of our 44 presidents to date, did not begin their lives as Americans because there was no America when they were born, thus in a special way our reputation as a land of opportunity was established; and
     WHEREAS, No Presidents' Day celebration would be complete without appropriate recognition for the invaluable service of the first ladies in our American presidential history; and
     WHEREAS, The first ladies of our nation have not only provided citizens with role models who exemplify what it means to be an American but icons such as Dolly Madison, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jacqueline Kennedy, and Nancy Reagan have served as symbols of strength in times of adversity throughout our history;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the state of Washington salute and celebrate Presidents' Day 2010, a time for recognizing and paying tribute to the tireless dedication of our former presidents and first ladies; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives, in recognition of the fact that any young person can grow up to be President of the United States of America, to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction for effective distribution among the schools of Washington state to help our young people strengthen their knowledge of our presidents and first ladies.