This resolution honors the 165th anniversary of the peaceful resolution of the Pig War, a 1859 territorial dispute between the United States and Great Britain over the San Juan Islands between Washington and British Columbia. The crisis began when an American farmer shot a British-owned pig, but it was defused through diplomacy when U.S. Army Commander Winfield Scott negotiated a standdown with the British governor, leading to a 12-year joint military occupation where American soldiers and British Royal Marines developed lasting friendships. The boundary dispute was finally settled in 1872 through German arbitration in favor of the United States, establishing the current border along the 49th parallel. The resolution recognizes this historical event as a successful example of peaceful conflict resolution and celebrates the enduring alliance between the United States and the United Kingdom. This is a ceremonial resolution with no budgetary or enforcement provisions—it simply acknowledges the historical significance of the event and honors the diplomatic resolution of the dispute.
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