H. Res. 680

In the House of Representatives, U.S., 

March 28, 2006.

Whereas in 1988, Dr. I. King Jordan became the first deaf 

President of Gallaudet University, and the first deaf 

president of any institution of higher education in the 

United States; 

Whereas Gallaudet University grants more bachelor’s degrees 

to deaf people than any other institution of higher learning in the world, is the only such institution serving primarily deaf and hard of hearing students, and provides 

groundbreaking research in the field of deafness; 

Whereas deaf and hard of hearing graduates of Gallaudet 

University serve as leaders around the globe; 

Whereas Dr. I. King Jordan graduated from Gallaudet University in 1970 with a B.A. in Psychology, and received 

both a master’s degree and a doctorate in Psychology 

from University of Tennessee by 1973; 

Whereas before his appointment as president, Dr. I. King 

Jordan served as the Chair of the Department of Psychology and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and 

Science at Gallaudet University; 

Whereas Dr. I. King Jordan was a research fellow at 

Donaldson’s School for the Deaf in Edinburgh, Scotland, 

an exchange scholar at Jagiellonian University in 
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•HRES 680 EH 

Krakow, Poland, and a lecturer at schools in Paris, Toulouse, and Marseille, France; 

Whereas from 1997 to 2001, Dr. I. King Jordan led the first 

comprehensive capital campaign for Gallaudet University 

and successfully raised nearly $40,000,000, which was 

used by the University to strengthen academic programs, 

increase the endowment, and construct the Student Academic Center; 

Whereas Dr. I. King Jordan established the President’s Fellow program to increase the number of deaf and hard of 

hearing faculty members by providing support for deaf 

and hard of hearing college graduates to complete their 

terminal degree; 

Whereas in 1988, Dr. I. King Jordan proclaimed to the 

world, ‘‘Deaf people can do anything, except hear.’’; 

Whereas Dr. I. King Jordan is a strong advocate on the national and international level for deaf people and people 

of all disabilities, and was a lead witness in support of 

the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) during a joint 

session of Congress prior to the passage of ADA; 

Whereas in July 2005, Dr. I. King Jordan received the 

George Bush Medal for the Empowerment of People with 

Disabilities, an award established to honor those individuals who perform outstanding service to encourage the 

spirit of ADA throughout the world; 

Whereas Dr. I. King Jordan served in the Navy from 1962 

to 1966; 

Whereas Dr. I. King Jordan has shared nearly 38 years of 

marriage with Linda Kephart, with whom he has two 

children, King and Heidi; 
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•HRES 680 EH 

Whereas Dr. I. King Jordan is a strong supporter of physical 

fitness and has completed more than 200 marathons and 

40 100-mile marathons; 

Whereas Dr. I. King Jordan will retire as the first deaf president of Gallaudet University on December 31, 2006; and 

Whereas Dr. I. King Jordan is an accomplished, respected 

leader who devoted his life to Gallaudet University and 

efforts to improve the quality of life for individuals who 

are deaf or hard of hearing, and individuals with disabilities: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) congratulates Dr. I. King Jordan on his retirement; and 

(2) expresses appreciation to Dr. I. King Jordan for 

his many years of dedicated service to Gallaudet University, to the deaf and hard of hearing community, and to 

all individuals with disabilities.

Attest: 

Clerk.