H. Res. 586

In the House of Representatives, U.S., 

December 19 (legislative day, December 18), 2005.

Whereas Alan A. Reich was a well respected and loved member of his family and an inspirational figure in the disability community, whose life was devoted to civic involvement and efforts to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities; 

Whereas Alan Reich was born in Pearl River, New York; 

Whereas Alan Reich graduated from Dartmouth College in 

1952, where he was an all-American track and field athlete, received a Master’s degree in Russian literature 

from Middlebury College in 1953, along with a diploma 

in Slavic languages and Eastern European studies from 

the University of Oxford, and received an M.B.A. from 

Harvard University in 1959; 

Whereas Alan Reich was a brilliant linguist, who spoke 5 languages; 

Whereas Alan Reich served in the United States Army from 

1953 to 1957, as an infantry officer and Russian language interrogation officer in Germany, and was named 

a member of the United States Army Infantry Officer 

Candidate School Hall of Fame; 

Whereas Alan Reich married his best friend and partner in 

life, Gay Forsythe Reich; they shared 50 years of mar-
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riage and were deeply committed to each other and their 

three children—James, Jeffrey, and Elizabeth; 

Whereas Alan Reich was employed from 1960 to 1970 as an 

executive at Polaroid Corporation when, at age 32, he became a quadriplegic due to a swimming accident which 

required him to use a wheelchair; 

Whereas, while Alan Reich was told he would not drive or 

write again, he relearned both skills and returned to work 

at Polaroid Corporation; 

Whereas Alan Reich joined the State Department from 1970 

to 1975, as a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Educational 

and Cultural Affairs; 

Whereas Alan Reich then served as Director of the Bureau 

of East-West Trade for the Department of Commerce, 

before he was named the President of the United States 

Council for the International Year of Disabled Persons in 

1978; 

Whereas, in this position, Alan Reich was the first wheelchair 

user to address the United Nations General Assembly 

when it opened the International Year of the Disabled in 

1981; 

Whereas, in 1982, Alan Reich transformed the Council into 

the National Organization on Disability, an organization 

that is active on a local, state, and national level in seeking full and equal participation for people with disabilities 

in all aspects of life; 

Whereas Alan Reich founded the Bimillennium Foundation in 

1984, to encourage leaders of nations worldwide to set 

year 2000 goals aimed at improving the lives of people 

with disabilities; 
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Whereas Alan Reich also served as Chairman of the Peopleto-People Committee on Disability, Chairman of the Paralysis Cure Research Foundation and President of the 

National Paraplegia Foundation; 

Whereas Alan Reich, who used a wheelchair for 43 years, led 

an effort that raised $1,650,000 to add the statue of 

President Franklin D. Roosevelt in a wheelchair to the 

former President’s Memorial in Washington, DC, for reasons that he best expressed himself at the unveiling of 

the statue: ‘‘The unveiling is a major national moment, 

the removal of the shroud of shame that cloaks disability. 

The statue will become a shrine to people with disabilities, but it will also inspire everyone to overcome obstacles. When you see the memorial that follows the statue, 

what will be in your mind is that he did all this from a 

wheelchair.’’; 

Whereas Alan Reich received the George H.W. Bush Medal 

in July of 2005, established to honor outstanding service 

under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; 

Whereas Alan Reich, through his leadership in the disability 

community, encouraged millions of Americans with disabilities to overcome obstacles to lead more independent 

and successful lives; 

Whereas Alan Reich is survived by his wife, partner, and best 

friend, Gay, their two sons James and Jeffrey, their 

daughter Elizabeth, and 11 grandchildren; and 

Whereas Alan Reich passed away on November 8, 2005, and 

the contributions he made to his family, his community, 

and his Nation will not be forgotten: Now, therefore, be 

it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
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(1) honors the life, achievements, and contributions 

of Alan A. Reich; and 

(2) extends its deepest sympathies to the family of 

Alan Reich for the loss of a great and generous man. 

Attest:

Clerk.