,,iv  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,h4 ,,res4 #bjg  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of
 ,,representatives  ,may #h1 #bjac ,mr4 
,kilmer 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,heck of     
,washington1 ,mr4 ,larsen of            
,washington1 ,ms4 ,del,bene1 ,mr4       
,mc,dermott1 ,mr4 ,reichert1 and ,mr4   
,smith of ,washington7 submitted the    
following resolution2 which was referred
 to the ,committee on ,oversight and    
,government ,reform  ,,resolution       
,recognizing the #ejth anniversary of   
the first ascent of ,mt4 ,everest by    
,united ,states citizens4  ,whereas     
,james ,w4 ,whittaker stood on top of   
,mt4 ,everest at #a3jj p4m4 on ,may #a1 
#aifc1 with ,sherpa ,nawang ,gombu1 and 
planted the ,american flag for the first
 time on the highest point of earth2    
,whereas ,mr4 ,whittaker was a part of a
 team led by ,swiss ,mountaineer ,norman
 ,dyhrenfurth1 that consisted of #ai    
,united ,states mountaineers1           
scientists1 writers1 and photographers1 
who were assisted by dozens of ,sherpas 

and hundreds of porters1 became the     
first ,united ,states team to reach the 
peak of ,mt4 ,everest2 ,whereas ,mr4    
,whittaker and the team stood as heroes 
and inspired the country during a time  
when the ,nation was consumed with the  
ongoing struggles of the ,cold ,war1 the
 ,cuban ,missile ,crisis1 high          
unemployment1 and the looming war in    
,vietnam2 ,whereas upon returning1 the  
team was recognized at a reception in   
the ,white ,house ,rose ,garden1 where  
,president ,john ,f4 ,kennedy presented 
each with the ,hubbard ,medal of the    
,national ,geographic ,society2 ,whereas
 ,robert ,f4 ,kennedy1 ,jr41 has called 
,mr4 ,whittaker's story a riveting saga 
of high adventure by one of history's   
greatest climbers2 ,whereas ,mr4        
,whittaker was the first full-time      
employee of one of the country's largest
 outdoor retailers1 ,recreational       
,equipment1 ,inc41 and went on to retire
 as its ,president and ,chief ,executive
 ,officer after #be years with the      

company2 ,whereas throughout his life1  
,mr4 ,whittaker has lived his life to   
the fullest1 leading numerous1          
high-profile climbing expeditions1      
including the first ascent of ,mt4      
,kennedy1 which was completed with      
,senator ,robert ,f4 ,kennedy in the    
,canadian ,yukon in #aife2 ,whereas ,mr4
 ,whittaker also led the first ascent by
 a ,united ,states citizen of ,k#b in   
#aigh1 and the successful ,mt4 ,everest 
,international ,peace ,climb in #aiij2  
and ,whereas ,mr4 ,whittaker is the     
author of the best-selling1             
award-winning memoir1 ,a ,life on the   
,edge3 ,memoirs of ,everest and ,beyond 
and has shared his story in person as a 
motivational speaker3 ,now1 therefore1  
be it  ,that the ,house of              
,representatives--  7#a7 congratulates  
,james ,w4 ,whittaker and his fellow    
climbers on the #ejth anniversary of the
 first ascent of ,mt4 ,everest by       
,united ,states citizens2  7#b7 honors  
,mr4 ,whittaker for his leadership in   

the outdoor recreation community2 and   
7#c7 recognizes the extraordinary feat  
,mr4 ,whittaker accomplished #ej years  
ago and how his story has inspired      
countless people in the ,northwest and  
beyond4