|Sponsor||Rep. McCarthy, Carolyn| |Committee||Oversight and
Government Reform| |Date||April 21, 2009 (111th Congress, 1st
Session)| |Staff Contact||Adam Hepburn| H.Res. 254 is being
considered on the floor under suspension of the rules, requiring
a two-thirds majority vote for passage. This legislation was
introduced by Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) on March
17, 2009. H.Res. 254 resolves that the House of Representatives:
• "Honors Irish-Americans for their contributions to the United
States; • "Recognizes the significance of Irish-Americans in the
history and progress of the United States; and • "Encourages
individuals to observe this month with appropriate ceremonies,
programs, and activities." According to the resolution's
findings, 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence were of
Irish origin and 19 Presidents of the United States have Irish
heritage, including George Washington. Large numbers of Irish
immigrants came to the United States during the Great Famine of
the 1840s, transforming Am