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

1immigrants; and

2WHEREAS, America's first commercial pretzel bakery was
3founded in 1861 in Litit◄z, Lancaster County, when Julius Sturgis
4started selling pretzels with a recipe and methods that are used
5by his descendants today; and

6WHEREAS, National Pretzel Day was initially declared in 1983
7by United States Representative Robert S. Walker of Lancaster
8County, Pennsylvania, who proclaimed that his favorite food
9deserved a holiday; and

10WHEREAS, Former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell redeclared
11the holiday in 2003 to acknowledge the importance of the pretzel
12to this Commonwealth's history and economy; therefore be it

13RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize April
1426, 2014, as "Pretzel Day" in Pennsylvania.