Bill Clinton: “it gives me pride and pleasure to introduce revised legislation to establish the Champlain Quadricentennial…”

“it gives me pride and pleasure to introduce revised legislation to establish the Champlain Quadricentennial Commemoration Commission and the Hudson-Fulton 400th Commemoration Commission. I began this effort with legislation I introduced 4 years ago during the 107th Congress. Because my colleagues in the other body and I were not able to enact our bill that time, we returned in the 108th Congress with new legislation including needed revisions. I now lay down the next version of the bill that incorporates welcomed input and reflects a consensus reached among key leaders who share the goal of honoring important events in our Nation's and New York State's history. The United States of America has long been celebrated for its leadership in innovation, exploration, and ingenuity. These qualities have been evident dating back as far as 1609 when Englishman Henry Hudson became the first European to sail up the river later named for him in the vessel Half Moon. Also in 1609, French explorer Samuel de Champlain became the first European to see the lake later named for him, as well as the shores in Northern New York and Vermont. These explorations led to the establishment of trading posts, military posts, and settlements as far south as Lake George. From these early establishments came trade, commerce, cultural, and religious impact deep into the Mohawk Valley and as far west as Lake Erie.…”