The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Congress" id="mwrQ" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="United States Congress">U.S. Congress</a> passes the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spooner_Act" id="mwrg" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Spooner Act">Spooner Act</a>, authorizing President <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt" id="mwrw" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Theodore Roosevelt">Theodore Roosevelt</a> to acquire rights from Colombia for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_Canal" id="mwsA" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Panama Canal">Panama Canal</a>.