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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 321 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 321

  Commemorating the life, achievements, and contributions of Alan A. 
                                 Reich.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 18, 2005

    Mr. DeWine (for himself and Mr. Harkin) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
  Commemorating the life, achievements, and contributions of Alan A. 
                                 Reich.

Whereas Alan Reich devoted his life 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, was a well-respected and 
        beloved member of his family, and served as an inspirational figure in 
        the disability community;
Whereas Alan Reich--

    (1) graduated from Dartmouth College in 1952, where he was an all-
American track and field athlete;

    (2) received a Master's degree in Russian literature from Middlebury 
College in 1953;

    (3) was awarded a diploma in Slavic languages and Eastern European 
studies from the University of Oxford;

    (4) received an M.B.A. from Harvard University in 1959; and

    (5) was a brilliant linguist who spoke 5 languages;

Whereas Alan Reich served in the Army from 1953 to 1957 as an infantry officer 
        and Russian language interrogation officer in Germany, and was named as 
        a member of the United States Army Infantry Officer Candidate School 
        Hall of Fame;
Whereas Alan Reich married Gay Forsythe Reich, and shared with her 50 years of 
        marriage and a deep commitment to each other and their three children, 
        James, Jeffery, and Elizabeth;
Whereas from 1960 to 1970, Alan Reich was employed as an executive at Polaroid 
        Corporation when, at age 32, he became a quadriplegic due to a swimming 
        accident, and used a wheelchair as a result of his injury;
Whereas although 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--

    (1) served in the Department of State from 1970 to 1975 as a Deputy 
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs;

    (2) later served as Director of the Bureau of East-West Trade for the 
Department of Commerce;

    (3) was named the President of the United States Council for the 
International Year of Disabled Persons in 1978; and

    (4) was the first person to address the United Nations General Assembly 
from a wheelchair when the United Nations opened the International Year of 
the Disabled in 1981;

Whereas in 1982, Alan Reich transformed the Council for the International Year 
        of Disabled Persons into the National Organization on Disability, an 
        organization that actively seeks on national, State, and local levels 
        full and equal participation for individuals with disabilities in all 
        aspects of life;
Whereas Alan Reich--

    (1) founded the Bimillennium Foundation in 1984 to encourage national 
leaders to set goals aimed at improving the lives of people with 
disabilities for the year 2000;

    (2) served as past Chairman of the People-to-People Committee on 
Disability; and

    (3) worked to advance research in regeneration of the central nervous 
system as Chairman of the Paralysis Cure Research Foundation and as 
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 Franklin Delano Roosevelt in a 
        wheelchair to the memorial of the former President in Washington, D.C.;
Whereas Alan Reich stated in 2001, ``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 in July 2005, Alan Reich received the George H. W. Bush Medal, an award 
        established to honor outstanding service under the Americans with 
        Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.);
Whereas Alan Reich is survived by his wife, partner, and best friend, Gay, their 
        2 sons James and Jeffery, 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 Senate--
            (1) honors the life, achievements, and contributions of 
        Alan Reich;
            (2) extends its deepest sympathies to the family of Alan 
        Reich for their loss of this great and generous man; and
            (3) respectfully requests the Secretary of the Senate to 
        transmit a copy of this resolution to the family of Alan Reich.
                                 <all>
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