1Recognizing April 26, 2014, as "Pretzel Day" in Pennsylvania.

2WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is known as the Snack Food Capital of
3the World, with snack food and confectionery companies, large
4and small, generating more than $5.1 billion in sales annually;
5and

6WHEREAS, The production of pretzels represents a large
7portion of these sales, and it is estimated that this
8Commonwealth's pretzel bakeries provide about 80% of America's
9supply of this delicious, twisty treat; and

10WHEREAS, According to various sources, pretzels were created
11by monks in the 7th century A.D. by forming scraps of dough to
12represent a child's arms folded in prayer; and

13WHEREAS, More than 1,000 years later the tradition of
14pretzel-baking was brought to Pennsylvania by German-speaking
15immigrants; and

1WHEREAS, America's first commercial pretzel bakery was
2founded in 1861 in Litiz, Lancaster County, when Julius Sturgis
3started selling pretzels with a recipe and methods that are used
4by his descendants today; and

5WHEREAS, National Pretzel Day was initially declared in 1983
6by United States Representative Robert S. Walker of Lancaster
7County, Pennsylvania, who proclaimed that his favorite food
8deserved a holiday; and

9WHEREAS, Former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell redeclared
10the holiday in 2003 to acknowledge the importance of the pretzel
11to this Commonwealth's history and economy; therefore be it

12RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize April
1326, 2014, as "Pretzel Day" in Pennsylvania.