Recognizing February 14, 2012 as the centennial of the State of Arizona.

Whereas after many changes in government administration, territorial divisions, and additions, including lands acquired through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the Gadsden Purchase, the Territory of Arizona came into existence nearly 150 years ago after serving as a sacred home to native cultures for thousands of years;

Whereas Arizona is home to many of our Nation’s greatest natural treasures, including the Sedona Red Rocks, the White Mountains, the Painted Desert, the Petrified Forest, Monument Valley, Saguaro National Park, the 12,000-foot San Francisco Peaks, and the Grand Canyon, one of the Seven Wonders of the World and one that explorer John Wesley Powell said could not be adequately represented in symbols of speech, nor by speech itself;

Whereas Arizona is also home to man-made wonders, including innovative projects that have allowed much-needed fresh water to flow to Arizona communities for decades, such as the Hoover Dam, Glen Canyon Dam, Central Arizona Project, and the Salt River Project and its keystone element, the Theodore Roosevelt Dam;

Whereas Arizona has long been recognized for its richness in natural resources, including the famous Five Cs of copper, cattle, cotton, citrus, and climate that continue to sustain its and our Nation’s economy;

Whereas Arizona is a mosaic of cultures, cuisines, and traditions, drawing continuing influence from 21 proud American Indian tribes and its earliest prospectors, ranchers, cowboys, adventurers, and missionaries, as well as a dynamic Hispanic community;

Whereas all of these Arizonans were and remain bound by a strong sense of independence and a willingness to persevere against the odds, and today are again picking themselves up in the wake of devastating wildfires and economic challenges;

Whereas this unique Arizona spirit has nurtured leaders in the arts, justice, conservation, and science, as well as some of our Nation’s greatest 20th century statesmen, including Senators McFarland, Hayden, and Goldwater, Representative Udall, and Supreme Court Justices Rehnquist and O’Connor;

Whereas Arizona's many military installations have provided valuable contributions to the defense of the United States, and will continue to do so for years to come;

Whereas after nearly half a century as a United States territory, Arizona became the 48th official member of the United States, and its last contiguous State, on February 14, 1912; and

Whereas Congress now takes this opportunity to celebrate what has made Arizona so special for the past 100 years—its natural splendor, innovative spirit, and cultural diversity—and what will continue to make it special in the centuries to come: Now, therefore, be it