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 President George Washington, President Abraham Lincoln, and other former presidents of the United States of America; and
     WHEREAS, Both February 22nd, the actual birthday of President George Washington, and February 12th, the actual birthday of President Abraham Lincoln, were kept and observed, until 1971, as the anniversaries of the births of these two great American presidents; 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, Although many Americans celebrate Presidents' Day as a time for specifically honoring the specific legacies of Presidents Washington, the first American president, and Abraham Lincoln, the 16th American president, many other Americans celebrate Presidents' Day as a time for honoring the legacies of former presidents John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses Grant, James Garfield, and Teddy Roosevelt, as well as the presidents of later decades; 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 a land of freedom and opportunity thanks to the tireless efforts of our forefathers, especially Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln; and
     WHEREAS, The first eight American presidents, comprising over a fifth of our forty-four 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, Presidents' Day celebration would not be complete without recognizing 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 first ladies such as Abigail Adams, 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 salute and celebrate Presidents' Day 2009, a time for recognizing and paying tribute to the tireless dedication of Presidents Washington and Lincoln and all our former presidents and first ladies; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, In recognition of the fact that any young person can grow up to be President of the United States of America, that copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives 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.