THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY R. TAYLOR, BRADFORD, BRENNAN, BROWN, CALTAGIRONE, D. COSTA, DALEY, DeLUCA, DENLINGER, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, FREEMAN, GEIST, GODSHALL, HAHN, HARHART, HARKINS, HARPER, HELM, HORNAMAN, KIRKLAND, KORTZ, LENTZ, LONGIETTI, ROEBUCK, ROSS, SAINATO, SAYLOR, SANTONI, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER, SEIP, K. SMITH, STABACK, SWANGER, VULAKOVICH, WAGNER, YOUNGBLOOD, MAHONEY, FAIRCHILD, GEORGE, MAJOR, MANN, MARKOSEK, McGEEHAN, METCALFE, MILLARD, MIRABITO, MOUL, OBERLANDER, M. O'BRIEN, PALLONE, PETRI, PICKETT, PYLE, QUINN AND READSHAW, JUNE 28, 2010

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, JUNE 28, 2010  

A RESOLUTION

Recognizing June 28, 2010, as "German-American Day" in

Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, Thirteen families, invited by William Penn, settled

in Germantown under the leadership of Francis Daniel Pastorius

and helped to build a fledgling nation; and

WHEREAS, German Americans were staunch supporters of

democracy and freedom of the press; and

WHEREAS, German Americans were instrumental in writing the

Declaration of Independence, so much so that the original

version was printed in the German language; and

WHEREAS, Not only did German Americans campaign for the

abolition of slavery, but during the Civil War when the call was

issued for volunteers, many German-born men quickly responded to

save the Union, forming regiments, including Pennsylvania-German

regiments; and

WHEREAS, Today, 50,764,352 Americans, more than any other

ancestry, proudly claim German heritage; and

WHEREAS, Prominent Pennsylvanians of German heritage,

including Milton J. Hershey, Henry Heinz and Grace Kelly, and

less celebrated persons of German ancestry have contributed

significantly to the social, economic and religious fabric of

the United States; and

WHEREAS, All of the members of the Speaker Muhlenberg German-

American Caucus, named for Pennsylvanian Frederick Muhlenberg,

the first Speaker of the United States House of Representatives,

call upon the people of this Commonwealth to commemorate the

contributions of Pennsylvania Germans to the history and culture

of Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS, The act of June 29, 1976 (P.L.458, No.113), provides

for the observance of June 28 of each year as "Pennsylvania

German Day" and authorizes the Governor "to issue a proclamation

each year calling upon the people of the Commonwealth to

commemorate the contributions of the Pennsylvania German people

to the history and culture of the Commonwealth, and to observe

that day with appropriate honors and ceremonies"; therefore be

it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize June

28, 2010, as "German-American Day" in Pennsylvania and call upon

the citizens of this Commonwealth to observe the day with

appropriate ceremonies and activities.