The S.S. Mayaguez Crisis — This Week in 1975
President Ford briefs the Bipartisan Congressional Leadership on the seizure of the American merchant ship S.S. Mayaguez on May 14, 1975.
The Mayaguez had been seized in international waters off the coast of Cambodia on May 12. Over the next two days President Ford and the National Security Council closely monitored the situation, ultimately deciding to use air strikes and send in Marines to rescue the boat’s crew.
President Ford received word that the Mayaguez and its entire crew had been safely recovered shortly after 11:00 p.m. on the 14th, and at 12:30 a.m. he made the official announcement to the press.
In accordance with the War Powers Act, on May 15 President Ford sent a letter to the Speaker of the House and president pro tem of the Senate regarding the Mayaguez incident. Read the President’s account of his actions here.
-from the Ford Library
Congressional Resolution on the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt and confidence in Harry S. Truman
After the enexpected death of President Roosevelt on April 12, 1945, Harry Truman was sworn in just eighty-two days after taking the oath as Vice President.
This resolution expresses sorrow for the passing of FDR and the confidence of Congress in the new President, Harry S. Truman. It is signed by Alben W. Barkley and Leslie L. Biffle. It is dated April 20, 1945.
-from the Truman Library
By George, It’s Washington’s Birthday!
Over two centuries ago, on April 30, 1789, George Washington delivered his first Inaugural Address knowing that he had little to guide him in the job that lay ahead but the principles stated in the Constitution.
During Washington’s first year in office, Congress ordered 600 copies of the Acts of Congress to be printed and distributed to Federal and state government officials. The book compiled the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and other legislation passed by the first session of Congress.
George Washington’s personal copy of the Acts of Congress contains his own handwritten notes in the margins.
Washington rarely wrote on the pages of his books, and the presence of his distinct handwriting makes the historic volume even more remarkable. Customarily, Washington preferred to take notes on a separate sheet of paper, which he would insert into a book. But in his copy of the Acts of Congress, he not only wrote directly in the margins but also drew brackets next to the passages of particular interest to him.
Last year, the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association secured the book at an auction, bringing it back to George Washington’s home. At $9,826,500, it broke world auction records for an American historic document.
Beginning next week, Washington’s Acts of Congress will travel the country and visit the 13 Presidential Libraries of the National Archives through a partnership with Mount Vernon. Learn more at http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/02/18/archives-george-washington-writes-margins .
Happy birthday George Washington!
February 22, 1732 - December 14, 1799
Photo: George Washington’s copy of the Acts of Congress. His signature appears inside. Printed in 1789. Courtesy of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association.
Did you resolve to try something new in 2013? Why not start with a recipe from the Republican Congressional Cookbook, circa 1962?
Republicans from all 50 states contributed to a compendium of regional dishes, including Chicken Luau, Maine Lobster Pie, and Scalloped Cabbage, Spaghetti, and Wisconsin Cheese.
Take a look at the cookbook from the Ford Presidential Library.
Source: http
Armistice Day was officially made a federal holiday by Congress in 1938 as a day to honor the end of World War I. In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed HR7786, which established Veterans Day in place of Armistice Day to honor those who served in World War II and the Korean War.
Photo: DDE signing HR7786, changing Armistice Day to Veterans Day 1954. 6/1/54.
Source: senate.gov
George W. and Laura Bush campaigning from the back of a pickup truck for the 1978 Congressional race in West Texas.
Source: georgewbushlibrary.smu.edu
Jerry Gets Things Done
Campaign flyer for Gerald Ford’s 1970 Congressional Campaign.
Source: presidentialtimeline.org
In May of 1947, the House Un-american Activities Committee (HUAC) held a series of closed-door hearings to investigate communist influence in Hollywood, which led to the famous Hollywood Ten investigation. This document was created on September 21, 1948, almost a year after the Hollywood Ten investigation began. The document illustrates the committee’s belief that communist persuasion continued to infiltrate the industry, thus continued monitoring of Hollywood was necessary. It also suggests that the Hollywood Ten investigation did not prevent the creation of “un-American” movies.
Communist Techniques in Hollywood, 9/21/1948, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives
Happy Birthday Hawaii!
On August 21, 1959, Hawaii became the 50th state to join the United States of America. Hawaii’s journey to becoming a state had started five months prior when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Hawaii Admission Act on March 18, 1959.
This cover is from a brochure compiled by the Associated Students of the University of Hawaii that outlines student support for Hawaiian statehood. It features reasons for statehood from students, staff, and a number of American public figures. It was included as part of a statehood petition sent by University of Hawaii students to Representative Hugh Peterson (D-GA), then chairman of the House Committee on Territories.
The brochure is titled “Hawaii: 49th State” because Alaska had not yet entered the union.
RG 233, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives
-From the Eisenhower Library
Source: archives.gov
July 9, 1964. LBJ writes this note to Larry O’Brien about the Poverty Bill then up before Congress:
“This bill means more to me than any other in our program.”
LBJ Library, Handwriting File, July 9, 1964, Box 3.
