,,iii #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #bjd ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #cj1 #bjac ,mr4 ,king 7for himself and ,ms4 ,collins7 submitted the following resolution2 which was considered and agreed to ,,resolution ,designating ,august #g1 #bjac1 as ,national ,lighthouse and ,lighthouse ,preservation ,day4 ,whereas ,august #g1 #bjac1 marks the #bbdth anniversary of the signing by ,president ,george ,washington of the ,act entitled ,an ,act for the establishment and support of lighthouses1 beacons1 buoys1 and public piers1 approved ,august #g1 #aghi 7commonly known as the ,lighthouse ,act of #aghi7 7#a ,stat4 #ec1 chapter #i72 ,whereas that ,act1 the ninth act of the #ast ,congress1 established a ,federal role in the support1 maintenance1 and repair of all lighthouses1 beacon buoys1 and public piers necessary for safe navigation1 commissioned the first ,federal lighthouse1 and represents the first public works act in the young ,united ,states2 ,whereas the establishment of the ,united ,states system of navigational aids set the ,united ,states on a path to the forefront of international maritime prominence and established lighthouses that played an integral role in the rich maritime history of the ,united ,states1 as that history spread from the ,atlantic coast1 through the ,great ,lakes and the ,gulf coast1 to the ,pacific ,states2 ,whereas those iconic structures1 standing at land's end through #b centuries1 have symbolized safety1 security1 heroism1 duty1 and faithfulness2 ,whereas architects1 designers1 engineers1 builders1 and keepers devoted1 and in some cases jeopardized1 their lives for the safety of others during centuries of light tending by the ,united ,states ,lighthouse ,service and the ,united ,states ,coast ,guard2 ,whereas the automation of the light system exposed the historic lighthouse towers to the ravages of time and vandalism and yet1 at the same time1 opened an opportunity for citizen involvement in efforts to save and restore those beacons that mark the evolving maritime history of the ,united ,states and its coastal communities2 ,whereas the national lighthouse preservation movement has gained momentum over the past half century and is making major contributions to the preservation of maritime history and heritage and1 through the development and enhancement of cultural tourism1 to the economies of coastal communities in the ,united ,states2 ,whereas the ,national ,historic ,lighthouse ,preservation ,act of #bjjj 7,public ,law #ajf-cee2 #aad ,stat4 #ache71 enacted on ,october #bd1 #bjjj1 and with the aid of the lighthouse preservation community1 provides an effective process administered by the ,general ,services ,administration and the ,national ,park ,service for transferring lighthouses to the best possible stewardship groups2 ,whereas1 for the past several decades1 regional and national groups have formed within the lighthouse preservation community to promote lighthouse heritage through research1 education1 tourism1 and publications2 ,whereas the earliest and largest regional preservation group1 the ,great ,lakes ,lighthouse ,keepers ,association1 headquartered in ,michigan1 marks its #cjth anniversary in #bjac1 and the largest and oldest national group1 the ,united ,states ,lighthouse ,society1 which relocated from ,san ,francisco1 ,california1 to the ,state of ,washington in #bjjh1 marks its #cjth anniversary in #bjad2 ,whereas other groups have also been formed to promote lighthouse preservation and history1 many with regional chapters1 including-- 7#a7 a national leadership council and forum named the ,american ,lighthouse ,council 7formerly the ,american ,lighthouse ,coordinating ,committee71 currently headquartered in ,illinois2 7#b7 the ,american ,lighthouse ,foundation in ,maine2 7#c7 the ,michigan ,lighthouse ,alliance and ,michigan ,lighthouse ,conservancy2 7#d7 the ,maine ,lights ,program2 7#e7 the ,outer ,banks ,lighthouse ,society in ,north ,carolina2 7#f7 the ,new ,jersey ,lighthouse ,society2 7#g7 the ,florida ,lighthouse ,association2 and 7#h7 the ,lighthouse ,preservation ,society in ,massachusetts2 ,whereas major lighthouse publications1 including the ,united ,states ,lighthouse ,society's ,keeper's ,log and the ,lighthouse ,digest1 contribute greatly to the promotion of lighthouse heritage and preservation2 ,whereas single-lighthouse preservation efforts by individuals or organizations1 including historical societies and governments1 have even longer histories1 including preservation efforts in-- 7#a7 ,grosse ,point1 ,illinois1 established in #aice2 7#b7 ,buffalo1 ,new ,york1 established in #aifb2 7#c7 ,navesink ,twin ,lights1 ,new ,jersey1 established in #aifb2 7#d7 ,point ,fermin1 ,california1 established in #aigj2 7#e7 ,charlotte-,genesse near ,rochester1 ,new ,york1 established in #aife2 7#f7 ,key ,west1 ,florida1 established in #aifi2 7#g7 ,split ,rock ,lighthouse1 ,minnesota1 established in #aiga2 7#h7 ,ponce de ,leon ,inlet1 ,florida1 established in #aigb2 7#i7 ,st4 ,augustine1 ,florida1 established in #aiha2 and 7#aj7 ,fire ,island1 ,new ,york1 established in #aihb2 ,whereas1 despite progress1 many lighthouses in the ,united ,states remain threatened by erosion1 neglect1 vandalism1 and deterioration by the elements2 ,whereas ,congress passed1 and ,president ,ronald ,reagan signed1 a ,joint ,resolution entitled ,joint ,resolution designating the day of ,august #g1 #aihi1 as ,national ,lighthouse ,day1 approved ,november #e1 #aihh 7,public ,law #ajj-fbb2 #ajb ,stat4 #cbja71 in honor of the bicentennial of the ,united ,states ,lighthouse ,service2 and ,whereas the many completed1 ongoing1 or planned private and public efforts to preserve lighthouses demonstrate the public support for those historic structures3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 designates ,august #g1 #bjac1 as ,national ,lighthouse and ,lighthouse ,preservation ,day2 7#b7 encourages lighthouse grounds to be made open to the general public to the extent feasible2 and 7#c7 encourages the people of the ,united ,states to observe ,national ,lighthouse and ,lighthouse ,preservation ,day with appropriate ceremonies and activities4