123STA T . 2 4 4 6PUBLIC LA W 111 –8 4 —O CT. 28 , 2 0 0 9(12)OnApril 2 5, 1 860 , ‘ ‘Ol dI r o n s id e s ’ ’e vacu a t edt h e m id - shipmen o f the U nited S tates N aval Academ y from Annapolis, M aryland, to Ne w port, R hode Island, preventin g the young officers and the esteemed ship from falling into C onfederate hands . (1 3 )In18 9 6, Congressman J ohn F .‘‘ H oney Fit z ’’ Fitzgerald introduced legislation to return ‘‘Old Ironsides’’ from the P orts- mouth Naval Shipyard in New Hampshire, where she was moored pier side and largely forgotten, to B oston for her 100th b irthday. (1 4 ) T housands of school children contributed pennies between 1925 an 192 7 to help fund a much needed restoration for ‘‘Old Ironsides’’. (15) Between 1931 and 1934, more than 4,500,000 Ameri- cans gained inspiration, at the depth of the G reat D epression, by going aboard ‘‘Old Ironsides’’ as she was towed to 76 ports on the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts. (16) The 83rd Congress enacted the Act of July 23, 1954 (68 Stat. 527, chapter 565), which directed the Secretary of the Navy to transfer to the States and appropriate commissions four other historic ships then on the Navy inventory, and to repair and e q uip the U.S.S. Constitution, as much as prac- ticable, to her original condition, but not for active service. (17) Q ueen E lizabeth II paid a formal visit to the U.S.S. Constitution in 1976, at the start of her state visit mar k ing the bicentennial of the United States. (18) The U.S.S. Constitution, in celebration of her bicenten- nial, returned to sea under sail on July 21, 1997, for the first time since 1881, proudly setting sails purchased by the contributions of thousands of pennies given by school children across the United States. (19) The U.S.S. Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. (20) The U.S.S. Constitution is a national historic land- mark. (21) The U.S.S. Constitution continues to perform official, ceremonial duties, including in recent years hosting a congres- sional dinner honoring the late Senator John Chafee of Rhode Island, a special salute for the dedication of the John Moakley Federal Courthouse, a luncheon honoring British Ambassador Sir David Manning, and a special underway demonstration during which 60 Medal of Honor recipients each received a personal Medal of Honor flag. (22) The U.S.S. Constitution celebrated on October 21, 2007, the 210th anniversary of her launching. (23) The U.S.S. Constitution will remain a commissioned ship in the United States Navy, with the Navy retaining control of the ship, its material condition, and its employment. (24) The U.S.S. Constitution’s primary mission will remain education and public outreach, and any Ship of State functions will be an ad j unct to the ship’s primary mission. (b) D ESIGNAT I O NASA M E R I C A’S S H I P O F STATE. — (1) IN GENERA L .—The U.S.S. Constitution is hereby des- ignated as ‘‘America’s Ship of State’’. (2) REFERENCES.—The U.S.S. Constitution may be known or referred to as ‘‘America’s Ship of State’’.
