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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ON HIS SECOND TERM

INAUGURATION AS THE 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

     Introduced By: Senators Pichardo, Metts, Miller, Felag, and Lombardi

     Date Introduced: February 12, 2013

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

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     WHEREAS, Ralph Waldo Emerson once stated, "Nothing great was ever achieved

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without enthusiasm," and as millions of Americans made the pilgrimage to the nation’s capital,

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and millions more sat in front of their televisions, mesmerized by the unfolding events, America

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beheld the hope, the magnitude, and the absolute truth of those words; and

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     WHEREAS, On January 20th of 2009, the world stood witness to history in the making as

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Barack Hussein Obama, II, was inaugurated as the first African American and the 44th President

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of the United States of America, the world was captivated, as well, on January 21, 2013, as

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millions watched the public swearing in of President Barack Obama for his second term; and

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     WHEREAS, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., stated, "A genuine leader is not a searcher for

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consensus but a molder of consensus." President Barack Obama has been a leader who has

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dedicated his life to awakening the consciousness and empowering those underserved in America;

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and

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     WHEREAS, The son of an immigrant father from Kenya and a white mother from

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Kansas, Barack Obama grew up in Hawaii, Indonesia, and the Continental United States, and is a

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graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School; and

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      WHEREAS, Barack Obama became President of the Harvard Law Review, taught

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constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School, but most importantly, as a

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community organizer, he empowered many of the people in Chicago’s neighborhoods to envision

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and build a brighter future; and

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     WHEREAS, As a United States Senator, Barack Obama was introduced to the national

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public at the Democratic National Convention in 2004, where he provided the keynote address,

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and brought himself national acclaim for his ability to enlighten and motivate; and

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     WHEREAS, As a candidate for president, and throughout the months to follow, Barack

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Obama displayed the intelligence and vision, the charisma and warmth, and the down-to-earth

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humanity that eventually earned him the faith and confidence of this nation; and

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     WHEREAS, President Obama’s ascension is a significant milestone in this country’s

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struggle for racial equality, as well as a richly deserved personal achievement, and his munificent

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accomplishments are an inspiration to all people, especially during these difficult times; and

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     WHEREAS, President Obama has renewed the sense, within our fellow citizens, that all

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things are possible if we work hard enough to achieve them. He reminds us of the strength we

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have in our union, and reassures us that though the road may not always be easy, we will endure

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and we will get through this crisis; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

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hereby congratulates President Barack Hussein Obama on his second term of office as the 44th

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President of the United States of America. As the first African-American to hold the highest

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office in this country, he continues to carry with him the hopes and dreams of a nation that is

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facing historic economic challenges. By the example of his achievements, we can think of no one

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who holds the trust and confidence of this country closer to his heart, and we look forward to a

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productive and successful future for all Americans; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the President of the United States, Barack

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Obama.

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