IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1139 

Honoring the life and accomplishments of Clare Boothe Luce and recognizing 

her leadership in the women’s suffrage movement and the influence 

she continues to have today. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 4, 2010 

Mr. ISSA submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on House Administration 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the life and accomplishments of Clare Boothe Luce 

and recognizing her leadership in the women’s suffrage 

movement and the influence she continues to have today. 

Whereas Clare Boothe Luce was born on April 10, 1903, in 

New York City; 

Whereas Mrs. Luce became interested in the women’s suffrage movement at the age of 10, through Mrs. O.H.P. 

Belmont, a New York City society matron and an advocate of women’s suffrage; 

Whereas Mrs. Luce was an accomplished news reporter, magazine editor, Member of Congress, and ambassador; 

Whereas during her career as a playwright Mrs. Luce wrote 

six successful plays, including The Women (1936), Kiss 

the Boys Goodbye (1938), and Margin of Error (1939); 


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2 

•HRES 1139 IH 

Whereas in 1940, Mrs. Luce traveled to Europe as a journalist for her husband’s publication, Life magazine, to report in the midst of World War II; 

Whereas in 1942, Mrs. Luce won a seat in the House of Representatives representing the Fourth Congressional District of Connecticut; 

Whereas Mrs. Luce was an influential Member of Congress 

who supported American troops and addressed issues 

concerning their eventual return to civilian life; 

Whereas after the death of her daughter in 1944, Mrs. Luce 

found peace in religious spiritualism and wrote many articles on religious subjects for national publications; 

Whereas Mrs. Luce returned to politics in 1953, when she became the first American woman ambassador to a major 

country, being appointed as ambassador to Italy; 

Whereas Mrs. Luce applied herself vigorously in her diplomatic duties and maintained a firm anti-communism 

stance against the Italian labor movement; 

Whereas in October 1954, Mrs. Luce arranged the conference 

between Italy and what was then Yugoslavia, which 

helped to settle the dispute over United Nations territorial lines in the city of Trieste; 

Whereas in 1981, President Reagan appointed Mrs. Luce to 

the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, on 

which she served until 1983; 

Whereas in 1983, Mrs. Luce was awarded the Presidential 

Medal of Freedom by President Reagan; 

Whereas Mrs. Luce died of brain cancer on October 9, 1987, 

in Washington DC; 


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•HRES 1139 IH 

Whereas Mrs. Luce established a legacy through the Clare 

Boothe Luce Program of the Henry Luce Foundation, 

which has become the single most significant source of 

private support for women in science, mathematics, and 

engineering; 

Whereas the first grants from the Clare Boothe Luce Program were given in 1989 and since then over 

$120,000,000 has been dispersed to more than 1,500 

women; and 

Whereas in 1994, Mrs. Luce was inducted into the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame for her outstanding accomplishments: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors 

2 the life and accomplishments of Clare Boothe Luce and 

3 recognizes her leadership in the women’s suffrage move4 ment and the influence she continues to have today. 

Æ 


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