III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 13 

Recognizing the historical importance of Associate Justice Clarence Thomas. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 12, 2017 

Mr. CORNYN (for himself, Mr. HATCH, Mr. LEE, Mr. SCOTT, and Mr. CRUZ) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the historical importance of Associate Justice 

Clarence Thomas. 

Whereas, in 1948, Clarence Thomas was born outside of Savannah, Georgia, in the small community of Pin Point, 

Georgia; 

Whereas Clarence Thomas was born into poverty and under 

segregation; 

Whereas, notwithstanding his humble beginnings and the 

many impediments he faced, Clarence Thomas demonstrated incredible intellect, discipline, and strength in 

attending and graduating from St. Benedict the Moor 

Catholic School, St. John Vianney Minor Seminar, the 

College of the Holy Cross, and Yale Law School; 


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•SRES 13 IS 

Whereas Clarence Thomas had a distinguished legal career 

with service in State government and all branches of the 

Federal Government, including the Senate, the Department of Education, the Equal Employment Opportunity 

Commission, and the United States Court of Appeals for 

the District of Columbia Circuit; 

Whereas, on July 1, 1991, President George Herbert Walker 

Bush nominated Clarence Thomas to be an Associate 

Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (in 

this preamble referred to as the ‘‘Supreme Court’’); 

Whereas Justice Thomas is the second African American to 

serve on the Supreme Court; 

Whereas, during his quarter century on the Supreme Court, 

Justice Thomas has made a unique and indelible contribution to the jurisprudence of the United States; 

Whereas Justice Thomas has propounded a jurisprudence 

that seeks to faithfully apply the original meaning of the 

text of the Constitution of the United States; 

Whereas Justice Thomas has brought renewed focus to constitutional doctrines that the Framers intended to undergird our republican form of government, including federalism and the separation of powers; 

Whereas, in fostering this philosophy of law, Justice Thomas 

reinvigorated not only the jurisprudence of the United 

States, but also the democracy of the United States; 

Whereas Justice Thomas has been a remarkably prolific Associate Justice, writing influential opinions on topics including constitutional law, administrative law, and civil 

rights; 

Whereas, on August 10, 1846, in the name of founding an 

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edge, Congress established the Smithsonian Institution as 

a trust to be administered by a Board of Regents and a 

Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution; 

Whereas diversity, including intellectual diversity, is a core 

value of the Smithsonian Institution and the museums of 

the Smithsonian Institution should capitalize on the richness inherent in differences; 

Whereas, upon opening, the National Museum of African 

American History and Culture (in this preamble referred 

to as the ‘‘Museum’’) is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture; 

Whereas the Museum omits the contribution made by Justice 

Thomas to the United States; and 

Whereas the Senate is hopeful that the Museum will reflect 

that important contribution: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that— 

2 (1) Associate Justice Clarence Thomas is a his3 torically significant African American who has— 

4 (A) overcome great challenges; 

5 (B) served his country honorably for more 

6 than 35 years; and 

7 (C) made an important contribution to the 

8 United States, in particular the jurisprudence 

9 of the United States; and 

10 (2) the life and work of Justice Thomas are an 

11 important part of the story of African Americans in 

12 the United States and should have a prominent 


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1 place in the National Museum of African American 

2 History and Culture. 

Æ 


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