IA 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. J. RES. 130 

Honoring the life of William (Billy) F. Graham, Jr. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 27, 2018 

Mr. BUDD (for himself, Mr. MEADOWS, Mr. WALKER, Mr. JONES, Mr. 

ROUZER, Mr. HUDSON, Mr. HUIZENGA, Mrs. HANDEL, Mr. GOHMERT, 

Mr. ADERHOLT, Mr. YOHO, Mr. COLE, Mr. NORMAN, Mr. BOST, Mr. 

DUNCAN of South Carolina, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania, Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. ARRINGTON, Ms. JENKINS of Kansas, 

Mr. GOSAR, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mr. POSEY, Mr. HULTGREN, Mr. 

ABRAHAM, Mr. BRAT, Mr. GIBBS, Mr. MESSER, Mr. MCHENRY, Mr. 

MARSHALL, Mr. GOODLATTE, Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS, Mr. BACON, 

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia, Mr. BARR, Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas, 

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana, Mr. GRIFFITH, Mr. BURGESS, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. EMMER, Mr. MACARTHUR, Mrs. 

BLACK, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. PALAZZO, Mr. PALMER, Mr. HOLDING, 

Mr. WEBSTER of Florida, Mr. HUNTER, Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. NEWHOUSE, 

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana, Mr. GROTHMAN, and Ms. FOXX) submitted the 

following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

JOINT RESOLUTION 

Honoring the life of William (Billy) F. Graham, Jr. 

Whereas Reverend Graham was born on November 7, 1918, 

in Charlotte, North Carolina; 

Whereas Reverend Graham was ordained by Peniel Baptist 

Church in Florida in 1939; 


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Whereas Reverend Graham then studied at Florida Bible Institute and graduated from Wheaton College in Wheaton, 

Illinois in 1943; 

Whereas Reverend Graham married his wife of nearly 64 

years, Ruth McCue Bell, in 1943; 

Whereas Reverend Graham had 3 daughters, 2 sons, and 19 

grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren; 

Whereas Reverend Graham founded the Charlotte-based Billy 

Graham Evangelistic Association in 1950; 

Whereas Reverend Graham preached to nearly 215,000,000 

people in more than 185 countries and territories on 6 

continents; 

Whereas Reverend Graham provided spiritual counsel for 

every President since Harry Truman; 

Whereas Reverend Graham prayed with service members in 

the combat zones of South Korea and Vietnam; 

Whereas Reverend Graham spoke against the communist Soviet Union saying ‘‘communism has decided against God, 

against Christ, against the Bible, and against all religion’’; 

Whereas Reverend Graham fought for racial integration, invited Martin Luther King, Jr., to preach jointly in New 

York City in 1957, and bailed King out of jail when King 

was arrested for protesting segregation; 

Whereas Reverend Graham spoke words of hope and comfort 

to the Nation at Washington’s National Cathedral following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; 

Whereas Reverend Graham authored 34 books, including his 

best-selling autobiography ‘‘Just as I Am’’, discussing his 


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early life on a dairy farm in North Carolina through his 

career as a preacher and evangelist; and 

Whereas Reverend Graham has received numerous recognitions, including the North Carolina Award in Public 

Service, Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Ronald 

Reagan Presidential Foundation Freedom Award, and 

Congressional Gold Medal: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 That Congress— 

4 (1) extends its sympathies to the family of Billy 

5 Graham; and 

6 (2) honors the life and ministry of Billy Gra7 ham and his contribution to the State of North 

8 Carolina, to the United States of America, and to 

9 the moral and religious life of millions of people. 

Æ 


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