III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 31 

Honoring the life of Harris L. Wofford, Jr. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 25 (legislative day, JANUARY 24), 2019 

Mr. CASEY (for himself and Mr. TOOMEY) submitted the following resolution; 

which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the life of Harris L. Wofford, Jr. 

Whereas the life of service and commitment of Harris L. 

Wofford, Jr., is an inspiration to the people of the United 

States and people around the world and will be for years 

to come; 

Whereas Harris L. Wofford, Jr., served in the Army Air 

Corps during World War II; 

Whereas Harris L. Wofford, Jr., served on the Civil Rights 

Commission established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower; 

Whereas Harris L. Wofford, Jr., was a champion of civil 

rights and nonviolence and helped create and pass the 

Civil Rights Act of 1957 (Public Law 85–315; 71 Stat. 

634), the first civil rights legislation since Reconstruction; 


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•SRES 31 ATS 

Whereas Harris L. Wofford, Jr., served as Special Assistant 

to the President for Civil Rights and Chairman of the 

Subcabinet Group on Civil Rights under President John 

F. Kennedy; 

Whereas Harris L. Wofford, Jr., played a key role in the formation of the Peace Corps and served as the special representative to Africa and director and associate director 

of operations in Ethiopia; 

Whereas Harris L. Wofford, Jr., participated in the Selma to 

Montgomery Civil Rights marches in 1965 in support of 

voting rights for African Americans; 

Whereas Harris L. Wofford, Jr., was a staunch advocate for 

higher education and served as the President of the State 

University of New York at Old Westbury and the President of Bryn Mawr College; 

Whereas Harris L. Wofford, Jr., served as Secretary of 

Labor and Industry in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from 1987 to 1991; 

Whereas Harris L. Wofford, Jr., served as a United States 

Senator for Pennsylvania from May 8, 1991, to January 

3, 1995; 

Whereas Harris L. Wofford, Jr., was an advocate for health 

care access; 

Whereas Harris L. Wofford, Jr., championed national service 

and was instrumental in passing the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 (Public Law 103–82), 

which established AmeriCorps, the Senior Corps, and 

Learn and Serve America, and served as head of 

AmeriCorps; 

Whereas Harris L. Wofford, Jr., helped establish the Federal 

holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., 


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as a national day of service and worked on legislation directing the Corporation for National and Community 

Service to spearhead the effort marking this day of service; and 

Whereas, in 2012, Harris L. Wofford, Jr., was awarded the 

Presidential Citizens Medal, the second-highest civilian 

honor in the United States, for his lifetime of humanitarian work: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 (1) the Senate— 

3 (A) notes with deep sorrow and solemn 

4 mourning the death of Harris L. Wofford, Jr.; 

5 (B) extends heartfelt sympathy to the en6 tire family of Harris L. Wofford, Jr.; 

7 (C) honors and, on behalf of the United 

8 States, expresses deep appreciation for the out9 standing and important service of Harris L. 

10 Wofford, Jr., to the United States; and 

11 (D) respectfully requests that the Sec12 retary of the Senate communicate this resolu13 tion to the House of Representatives and trans14 mit an enrolled copy of this resolution to the 

15 family of Harris L. Wofford, Jr.; and 

16 (2) when the Senate adjourns today, it stands 

17 adjourned as a further mark of respect to the mem18 ory of Harris L. Wofford, Jr. 

Æ 


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