IIA 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. J. RES. 53 

Honoring the life of William ‘‘Billy’’ F. Graham, Jr. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 28, 2018 

Mr. BURR (for himself, Mr. TILLIS, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. CARPER, Mr. CASSIDY, Mr. COCHRAN, Mr. CORKER, Mr. CORNYN, Mr. COTTON, Mr. CRUZ, Mr. DONNELLY, Mr. ENZI, Mrs. FISCHER, Mr. GARDNER, Mr. GRAHAM, Ms. HEITKAMP, Mr. HOEVEN, Mr. INHOFE, Mr. 

ISAKSON, Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. LANKFORD, Mr. MANCHIN, 

Mrs. MCCASKILL, Mr. MCCONNELL, Mr. NELSON, Mr. PAUL, Mr. 

PERDUE, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. THUNE, Mr. TOOMEY, Mr. WICKER, Mr. 

DAINES, Mr. SCOTT, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. WARNER, Mr. ROBERTS, Mrs. 

ERNST, Mr. GRASSLEY, Mr. HELLER, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. MORAN, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. HATCH, and Mr. SASSE) introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed 

JOINT RESOLUTION 

Honoring the life of William ‘‘Billy’’ F. Graham, Jr. 

Whereas William ‘‘Billy’’ F. Graham, Jr., was born on November 7, 1918, in Charlotte, North Carolina; 

Whereas, in 1939, Reverend Graham was ordained by Peniel 

Baptist Church in Florida; 

Whereas Reverend Graham studied at Florida Bible Institute 

and graduated from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, in 1943; 


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•SJ 53 CPS 

Whereas Reverend Graham married his wife of nearly 64 

years, Ruth McCue Bell, in 1943; 

Whereas Reverend Graham had 3 daughters, 2 sons, 19 

grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren; 

Whereas, in 1950, Reverend Graham founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which is based in Charlotte, North Carolina; 

Whereas Reverend Graham preached to nearly 215,000,000 

individuals in more than 185 countries and territories on 

6 continents; 

Whereas Reverend Graham provided spiritual counsel for 

every President since Harry Truman; 

Whereas Reverend Graham prayed with members of the 

Armed Forces in combat zones in South Korea and Vietnam; 

Whereas Reverend Graham spoke against the communist Soviet Union, saying, ‘‘Communism has decided against 

God, against Christ, against the Bible, and against all religion.’’; 

Whereas Reverend Graham— 

(1) fought for racial integration; 

(2) invited Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to preach 

with him in New York City in 1957; and 

(3) bailed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., out of jail 

when Dr. King was arrested for protesting segregation; 

Whereas, following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 

2001, Reverend Graham spoke words of hope and comfort to the people of the United States at the Washington 

National Cathedral; 


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Whereas Reverend Graham authored 34 books, including the 

bestselling autobiography, ‘‘Just as I Am’’, which began 

by discussing his early days on a dairy farm in North 

Carolina and continued through his career as a preacher 

and evangelist; and 

Whereas Reverend Graham received numerous honors, including— 

(1) the North Carolina Award for Public Service; 

(2) the Presidential Medal of Freedom; 

(3) the Ronald Reagan Freedom Award; and 

(4) the Congressional Gold Medal: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 That Congress— 

4 (1) extends its sympathies to the family of Wil5 liam ‘‘Billy’’ F. Graham, Jr.; and 

6 (2) honors— 

7 (A) the life and ministry of Reverend Gra8 ham; and 

9 (B) the contributions of Reverend Graham 

10 to— 

11 (i) the State of North Carolina; 

12 (ii) the United States of America; and 

13 (iii) the moral and religious lives of 

14 millions of individuals. 

Æ 


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