Celebrating the 200th anniversary of Jefferson Barracks in Missouri and recognizing its contributions to the military history and national security of the United States.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1419 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1419

Celebrating the 200th anniversary of Jefferson Barracks in Missouri and
  recognizing its contributions to the military history and national
                     security of the United States.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 6, 2026

 Mrs. Wagner submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
 the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on
 Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

Celebrating the 200th anniversary of Jefferson Barracks in Missouri and
  recognizing its contributions to the military history and national
                     security of the United States.

Whereas Jefferson Barracks was established on July 10, 1826, as the first
        Infantry School of Practice of the Army, replacing Fort Bellefontaine,
        and remains the oldest operational military installation west of the
        Mississippi River;
Whereas the post was named in honor of President Thomas Jefferson and was
        founded on 1,702 acres acquired from residents of the former French
        Village of Carondelet, serving initially to provide hands-on training
        complementing academic instruction at West Point;
Whereas during the 1820s and 1830s, troops from Jefferson Barracks played a key
        role in westward expansion;
Whereas on March 2, 1833, Congress authorized the U.S. Regiment of Dragoons at
        Jefferson Barracks, the first permanent cavalry unit in the U.S. Army,
        which later evolved into the 1st Cavalry and served as a precursor to
        modern armored forces;
Whereas during the Mexican-American War from 1846 to 1848, Jefferson Barracks
        functioned as a rest and supply station, recruiting center, and staging
        ground, with troops under General Zachary Taylor distinguishing
        themselves in battle;
Whereas by the 1840s, Jefferson Barracks had grown into the largest military
        installation in the United States, expanding its roles to include an
        ordnance depot, engineer base, cavalry post, general hospital, induction
        and separation center, and basic training facility;
Whereas during the Civil War from 1861 to 1865, over 100 general officers from
        both the Union and Confederacy served at Jefferson Barracks, and it
        hosted the first Union action in Missouri with the capture of Camp
        Jackson on May 10, 1861, under Captain Nathaniel Lyon;
Whereas the installation became a major hospital during the Civil War, treating
        over 18,000 soldiers, supplemented by floating hospitals, and serving as
        a burial site for many, while also functioning as a recruitment depot;
Whereas during World War I from 1917 to 1918, Jefferson Barracks became an
        enlistment and deployment center for recruits from 12 Midwestern States,
        housing over 12,000 recruits at its peak and contributing an estimated
        200,000 men to the war effort through training and troop movements;
Whereas Dwight D. Eisenhower began his military career at Jefferson Barracks in
        1911, preparing for West Point entrance exams, before later becoming
        Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during World War II and President of
        the United States;
Whereas after World War II, Jefferson Barracks was declared surplus and
        decommissioned in 1946, with facilities transferred to the State of
        Missouri for the Missouri National Guard, marking its ongoing role in
        the reserve components;
Whereas Jefferson Barracks was listed on the National Register of Historic
        Places in 1998, and today serves as a county park, historic site, and
        museum district, including the Missouri Civil War Museum founded in
        2002, the POW/MIA Museum, and the Ordnance Museum;
Whereas the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, established in 1827, is the
        final resting place for over 200,000 veterans from all U.S. wars,
        including 16,000 soldiers of the Civil War, and continues to operate
        with memorials and daily burials;
Whereas Jefferson Barracks remains an active military installation, home to
        units of the Missouri Air National Guard and Army National Guard, a
        Veterans Affairs hospital complex, and recreational amenities like
        trails, disc golf, and archery, offering free public access and
        symbolizing 200 years of dedication, resilience, and remembrance;
Whereas in the present day, Jefferson Barracks continues to support national
        security through Reserve and National Guard operations, historic
        preservation, veteran services, and community engagement, making it an
        invaluable cornerstone of Missouri's military heritage and the defense
        of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) celebrates Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis County,
        Missouri, on its 200th anniversary;
            (2) commends the thousands of men and women who have
        served, trained, and worked at Jefferson Barracks throughout
        its history;
            (3) recognizes the enduring contributions of Jefferson
        Barracks to the military history, innovations, and national
        security of the United States;
            (4) encourages continued investment in, and preservation
        of, Jefferson Barracks as a vital military, historical, and
        community asset; and
            (5) acknowledges the ongoing role of Missouri in supporting
        national defense through facilities like Jefferson Barracks and
        its associated National Guard, veteran services, and historic
        sites.
                                 <all>