Everyone's favorite former ballplaying Republican got a 'heritage' motion passed on the Senate floor yesterday:
S.RES.294 [110th]
Title: A resolution designating September 2007 as "National Bourbon Heritage Month".
Sponsor: Sen Bunning, Jim [R-KY] (introduced 8/2/2007)
Latest Major Action: 8/2/2007 Passed/agreed to in Senate.
Status: Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.
Former Ohio Rep. Bob Ney, who sponsored 2003's 'Freedom Fries' change in the Congressional cafetarias, issued a statement from his jail cell in response:
"It's all well and good that my friend from Kentucky seeks to honor his state's patriotic American distillers of fine liquors," Ney said in his jailhouse statement.
He went on, "But Bourbon is far too French a name to honor a uniquely American drink. When we raise our glasses, the embodiment of a French royal family should not be what we tipple."
Instead, Ney announced a petition of his own.
"I call on Congress to change the name of Bourbon to 'Freedom Fire Water,' herewith," he said.