III 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 534 

Relative to the death of William L. Armstrong, former United States Senator 

for the State of Colorado. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 13, 2016 

Mr. GARDNER (for himself and Mr. BENNET) submitted the following 

resolution; which was considered and agree to 

RESOLUTION 

Relative to the death of William L. Armstrong, former 

United States Senator for the State of Colorado. 

Whereas William L. Armstrong (in this preamble referred to 

as ‘‘Bill Armstrong’’) was born in Fremont, Nebraska, 

and attended Tulane University and the University of 

Minnesota; 

Whereas Bill Armstrong was a broadcaster and owner of 

media outlets, such as radio stations and newspapers; 

Whereas Bill Armstrong served in the Army National Guard 

of the United States from 1957 to 1963, which brought 

him to Colorado; 

Whereas at age 25 Bill Armstrong was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives, where he served from 

1963 to 1964; 


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•SRES 534 ATS 

Whereas Bill Armstrong then served in the Colorado Senate 

from 1965 to 1972, where he became Majority Leader 

after only 4 years of service; 

Whereas Bill Armstrong served the people of Colorado in the 

United States House of Representatives from 1973 to 

1979 and in the United States Senate from 1979 to 

1991; 

Whereas Bill Armstrong served honorably as the Chairman of 

the Senate Republican Policy Committee from 1985 to 

1991; 

Whereas Bill Armstrong was a strong conservative who consistently advocated for such matters as fiscal discipline 

and tax reform, pay and benefits for military service 

members, and the support of small businesses; 

Whereas Bill Armstrong worked to pass the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 (Public Law 97-34, 95 Stat. 172) 

and was recognized multiple times with the ‘‘Taxpayers’ 

Friend’’ award by the National Taxpayers Union; 

Whereas Bill Armstrong was named the ‘‘military pay champion’’ of the Senate by the Army Times; 

Whereas Bill Armstrong was an ardent champion of small 

business; 

Whereas Bill Armstrong earned the ‘‘Guardian of Small 

Business’’ award from the National Federation of Independent Business, and the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry Public Service Award in 1982 for his 

distinguished service to the people of Colorado; 

Whereas Bill Armstrong was instrumental to the passage of 

title I of Public Law 96-560 (94 Stat. 3265) (commonly 

known as the ‘‘Colorado National Forest Wilderness Act 

of 1980’’), which preserved 1,400,000 acres of land; 


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Whereas Bill Armstrong continued to serve the people of Colorado for the last 10 years as president of Colorado 

Christian University; 

Whereas Bill Armstrong possessed a strong faith and lived 

his life accordingly; 

Whereas Bill Armstrong led hundreds of prayer breakfasts 

and served on the board of Campus Crusade for Christ 

and Christian Businessmen’s Committee USA; 

Whereas Bill Armstrong was a person of firm principle, 

worked towards meaningful solutions, and described himself as ‘‘relatively inflexible on principles, but flexible on 

the details’’; 

Whereas, throughout his life, Bill Armstrong demonstrated 

great integrity and remarkable leadership; and 

Whereas Bill Armstrong touched the lives of all those he 

served and helped families across Colorado through his 

devotion to public service: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 (1) the Senate has heard with profound sorrow 

3 and deep regret the announcement of the death of 

4 the Honorable William L. Armstrong, former mem5 ber of the United States Senate; 

6 (2) the Senate instructs the Secretary of the 

7 Senate to communicate this resolution to the House 

8 of Representatives and transmit an enrolled copy of 

9 this resolution to the family of William L. Arm10 strong; and 


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•SRES 534 ATS 

1 (3) when the Senate adjourns on the date of 

2 adoption of this resolution, it stands adjourned as a 

3 further mark of respect to the memory of the Hon4 orable William L. Armstrong. 

Æ 


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