111th Congress, 2nd Session
A Joint Session to honor President Franklin D. Roosevelt
July 01, 1946
On this date, Congress held a Joint Session to honor the memory of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. More than a year after the passing of the late President, the House introduced the Joint Session legislation (H. Con Res. 152) on May 23, 1946, with the Senate agreeing to the resolution on June 1, 1946. The legislation created a joint committee to oversee the ceremony. The historic session included dignitaries from around the world as well as prominent figures in the U.S. government. With the rostrum covered in greens, Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn of Texas opened the session. House Chaplain James Shera Montgomery offered the invocation followed by Robert Merrill of the Metropolitan Opera who performed two solos. A personal friend of Roosevelt and former Ambassador to Great Britain, John Gilbert Winant of the United Nations Social and Economic Council, gave the address. Winant described his friend as, “Brave steadfast, one who dared to see the facts, to face them, and to act; one who believed, who hoped.” Senate Chaplain Frederick Brown Harris offered the closing benediction and the Joint Session was dissolved. The Joint Session coincided with the 14th anniversary of Roosevelt’s first nomination as the Democratic presidential candidate in Chicago in 1932.
Related Highlight Subjects
Cite this Highlight
Office of History and Preservation, Office of the Clerk, http://clerk.house.gov/art_history/highlights.html?action=view&intID=72, (December 08, 2010).For Additional Information
Office of History and Preservation(202) 226-1300
history@mail.house.gov
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James Shera Montgomery served as House Chaplain for 19 years. Montgomery’s predecessor, Henry Couden, served 26 years--the longest tenure of any House Chaplain.
Image courtesy of Library of Congress
Teaching Tip
House Legislation
Have students search the highlight dates and locate reference to any legislative document (bill, resolution, speech, etc.). Ask students to track down the document at a local depository library. Students should research the historical background of the document and make a brief presentation which includes reading all or portions of the document aloud. To locate a nearby federal depository library go to http://catalog.gpo.gov.
