A resolution recognizing the historical significance of the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico on the occasion of its 400th anniversary.

Mr. President, I rise today to submit a resolution commemorating the 400th anniversary of the founding of the City of Santa Fe, NM. This bill is cosponsored by Senator Tom Udall and a companion bill will be introduced in the House by Representatives Ben Ray Lujan, Martin Heinrich, and Harry Teague.

Over the next year the City of Santa Fe will commemorate the arrival of Spanish settlers and the designation of the City as the capital city of the Spanish territory now known as New Mexico. On their arrival the Spaniards found a thriving Native American culture. These Native American and Spanish cultures served to enrich each other and led the creation of a vibrant social, cultural, and financial center that made the settlement of the Western United States possible.

Despite the difficulties and periodic clashes the Spanish, Native American, and Anglo cultures in Santa Fe fought and worked to create a unique and vibrant culture that enriched all in the area. It is this confluence of cultures and the incomparable natural beauty of the area that make Santa Fe, The City Different, an American treasure that should be recognized and celebrated.

Santa Fe is celebrated worldwide for its thriving artistic community, including the Santa Fe Opera, museums, and working artists. Many of these artists were drawn to its natural beauty, the light and air of the place. It is this special something that led artists like D.H. Lawrence and Georgia O'Keefe and countless others to visit and move to the area.

We in New Mexico know how lucky we are to have Santa Fe and its treasures the entire state stands with the City to commemorate its 400th anniversary. That is why I am proud to introduce this resolution with the entire New Mexico delegation calling on the Congress to recognize the historical significance of Santa Fe and calling on the People of the United States to observe the anniversary with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

Mr. President, it gives me great pleasure to rise today and join my senior Senator in submitting a resolution commemorating the 400th anniversary of the founding of the city of Santa Fe, NM.

The Villa de Santa Fe was founded in 1609 by Don Pedro de Peralta as the capital of the Spanish province of New Mexico, making it the oldest capital city in the U.S.

The city of Santa Fe is blessed with a diversity of cultures, rooted in its remarkable history. At the time Spanish colonists arrived in New Mexico, they found many thriving Pueblo communities, including in the area around what was to become Santa Fe. Although there were conflicts between the two people, they learned from each other, shared knowledge, traditions, and skills, while preserving their own unique cultures that persist to this day. Descendents of the original Spanish colonists can still be found in Santa Fe, and the nearby Pueblos continue to enrich the city and the region today. The city continued to evolve and grow through history with influences from the Mexican Revolution and characters from the western American frontier such as Billy the Kid.

With the breathtaking landscape of the high desert, snow-capped Sangre de Cristo Mountains as a backdrop, and well-preserved historical landmarks including the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and the Palace of the Governors, Santa Fe has become a major tourist destination and an inspiration to many artists, including Georgia O'Keeffe and D.H. Lawrence.

Today, Santa Fe is a modern American city, steeped in its rich history, arts, culture, and traditions. It is a treasure for the state of New Mexico and the Nation. I hope my colleagues will join us in honoring its past and celebrating the future of the ``City Different.''