III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 454 

Relative to the death of Zell Bryan Miller, the former Governor and Senator 

of the State of Georgia. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 10, 2018 

Mr. ISAKSON (for himself, Mr. PERDUE, Mr. MCCONNELL, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. 

ALEXANDER, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. BENNET, Mr. 

BLUMENTHAL, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. BROWN, 

Mr. BURR, Ms. CANTWELL, Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. CARPER, Mr. 

CASEY, Mr. CASSIDY, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. COONS, Mr. CORKER, Mr. CORNYN, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, Mr. COTTON, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. CRUZ, Mr. 

DAINES, Mr. DONNELLY, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. ENZI, 

Mrs. ERNST, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mrs. FISCHER, Mr. FLAKE, Mr. GARDNER, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. GRASSLEY, Ms. HARRIS, Ms. 

HASSAN, Mr. HATCH, Mr. HEINRICH, Ms. HEITKAMP, Mr. HELLER, Ms. 

HIRONO, Mr. HOEVEN, Mrs. HYDE-SMITH, Mr. INHOFE, Mr. JOHNSON, 

Mr. JONES, Mr. KAINE, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. KING, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. 

LANKFORD, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. LEE, Mr. MANCHIN, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. 

MCCAIN, Mrs. MCCASKILL, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. MORAN, 

Ms. MURKOWSKI, Mr. MURPHY, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. NELSON, Mr. PAUL, 

Mr. PETERS, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. REED, Mr. RISCH, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. 

ROUNDS, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. SASSE, Mr. SCHATZ, Mr. 

SCOTT, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. SHELBY, Ms. SMITH, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. 

SULLIVAN, Mr. TESTER, Mr. THUNE, Mr. TILLIS, Mr. TOOMEY, Mr. 

UDALL, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. WARNER, Ms. WARREN, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. WICKER, Mr. WYDEN, and Mr. YOUNG) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Relative to the death of Zell Bryan Miller, the former 

Governor and Senator of the State of Georgia. 


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•SRES 454 ATS 

Whereas Zell Bryan Miller (referred to in this preamble as 

‘‘Zell Miller’’) was born to Stephen Grady Miller and 

Birdie Bryan Miller (referred to in this preamble as 

‘‘Birdie Miller’’) on February 24, 1932, in Young Harris, 

Georgia; 

Whereas Stephen Grady Miller died when Zell Miller was 17 

days old; 

Whereas Birdie Miller, a new mother and widow, raised Zell 

Miller alone in a home that she built for herself and for 

Zell Miller with rocks from a nearby stream in Young 

Harris; 

Whereas Zell Miller grew up in Young Harris and graduated 

from Young Harris College in 1951; 

Whereas Zell Miller served in the Marine Corps from 1953 

to 1956 and rose to the rank of sergeant; 

Whereas Zell Miller credited his success to the discipline that 

he learned as a Marine and the independence that he 

learned from Birdie Miller; 

Whereas, on January 14, 1954, Zell Miller met his wife Shirley Carver, to whom Zell Miller was married for 64 years 

and with whom Zell Miller had 2 sons; 

Whereas Zell Miller obtained a master’s degree in history 

from the University of Georgia in 1958 and returned to 

Young Harris to begin a long career as an educator; 

Whereas Zell Miller served as mayor of Young Harris from 

1959 to 1960; 

Whereas Zell Miller served as a Georgia State Senator from 

1961 to 1964; 

Whereas Zell Miller was a member of the Georgia State 

Board of Pardons and Paroles from 1973 to 1975; 


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Whereas Zell Miller served as Lieutenant Governor of the 

State of Georgia for 16 years, and was the longest-serving lieutenant governor in the history of the State of 

Georgia; 

Whereas, on January 14, 1991, Zell Miller was sworn in as 

the 79th Governor of the State of Georgia and served the 

State for 2 4-year terms; 

Whereas, as Governor of the State of Georgia, Zell Miller— 

(1) in 1992, created the Helping Outstanding Pupils 

Educationally scholarship, known today as the ‘‘HOPE’’ 

scholarship, which has enabled more than 1,800,000 students to attend college in the State of Georgia; 

(2) in 1993, launched the first pre-kindergarten program in the United States, which became a national 

model for early childhood development programs; 

(3) in 1996, welcomed the Olympic summer games 

to Atlanta, Georgia; 

(4) in 1998, led Georgia to be first among 50 states 

in academic-based student financial aid due to ‘‘HOPE’’ 

scholarships; and 

(5) on leaving office in 1999, enjoyed an 85 percent 

approval rating, which was a record high in the State of 

Georgia for a governor; 

Whereas from 1999 to 2000 Zell Miller returned to his roots 

as an educator and held teaching positions at Young 

Harris College, Emory University, and the University of 

Georgia; 

Whereas Zell Miller was appointed to the Senate in 2000 to 

fill the vacancy created by the passing of former Senator 

Paul Coverdell; 


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Whereas Zell Miller was elected to the Senate in a special 

election in November 2000 to serve out the term through 

2005; 

Whereas, on January 4, 2005, Zell Miller gave a farewell 

speech on the floor of the Senate; 

Whereas, in 2008, the Zell B. Miller Learning Center at the 

University of Georgia was dedicated in honor of Zell Miller; 

Whereas, in 2011, the Zell Miller Scholarship was created by 

the State Legislature of Georgia; 

Whereas, in 2014, the Zell and Shirley Miller Library at 

Young Harris College was dedicated in honor of Zell Miller and Shirley Miller; 

Whereas, in 2016, the Miller Institute was established to preserve, promote, and continue the legacy of Zell Miller; 

Whereas Zell Miller was a lifetime member of the Board of 

Trustees at Young Harris College and a member of the 

Board of Trustees at Mercer University; 

Whereas, at the time of his death, Zell Miller and Shirley 

Miller resided in Young Harris in the same house that 

Birdie Miller built in the early 1930s; 

Whereas Zell Miller is survived by his wife of 64 years, his 

2 sons, Murphy Carver Miller and Matthew Stephen Miller, 4 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren; 

Whereas the Marine Corps values of patriotism and loyalty 

possessed by Zell Miller guided his career in service to 

the State of Georgia and to the United States; and 

Whereas the State of Georgia and the United States are 

deeply indebted to Zell Miller for his passion as an educator, lifelong dedication to public service, and commitment 


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to improving the lives of all of the people in the State 

of Georgia and in the United States: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 (1) the Senate— 

3 (A) extends deepest condolences and grati4 tude to the family of Zell Bryan Miller; and 

5 (B) honors the legacy and life of Zell 

6 Bryan Miller, his commitment to the people of 

7 the State of Georgia and the United States, and 

8 his service to the Senate; and 

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

10 adjourned as a further mark of respect to the mem11 ory of the late Zell Bryan Miller. 

Æ 


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