H. Res. 1016 
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
April 23, 2008. 
Whereas William F. Buckley, Jr., was born on November 24, 
1925, in New York City, the sixth of 10 children in a de-
voutly Catholic family; 
Whereas William Buckley studied at the University of Mexico 
before serving his country in the Army and then later 
graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (in political science, 
economics, and history) with honors from Yale University 
in 1950; 
Whereas William Buckley worked briefly for the Central In-
telligence Agency; 
Whereas at the young age of 25, William Buckley published 
his first popular book, entitled ‘‘God and Man at Yale’’; 
Whereas William Buckley went on to write more than 55 
books and edit 5 more, including ‘‘Let Us Talk of Many 
Things: the Collected Speeches’’; the novel, ‘‘Elvis in the 
Morning’’; and his literary autobiography, ‘‘Miles Gone 
By’’; 
Whereas William Buckley wrote more than 4,500,000 words 
in his more than 5,600 biweekly newspaper columns, en-
titled ‘‘On the Right’’;
•HRES 1016 EH 
Whereas William Buckley founded the popular and influential 
National Review magazine in 1955, a respected journal 
of conservative thought and opinion; 
Whereas William Buckley wrote in the first issue of National 
Review that, in founding the magazine, it ‘‘stands 
athwart history, yelling Stop, at a time when no one is 
inclined to do so, or to have much patience with those 
who so urge it’’; 
Whereas William Buckley served as editor of National Review 
for 35 years, from its founding in 1955 until his an-
nounced retirement in 1990, and as editor-at-large until 
his death; 
Whereas in 1965, William Buckley ran for mayor of New 
York City and received 13.4 percent of the votes on the 
Conservative Party ticket; 
Whereas William Buckley was host of the Emmy Award-win-
ning and long-running ‘‘Firing Line’’, a weekly television 
debate program with such notable guests as Barry Gold-
water, Margaret Thatcher, Jimmy Carter, Ronald 
Reagan, and George H.W. Bush; 
Whereas the New York Times noted that ‘‘Mr. Buckley’s 
greatest achievement was making conservatism—not just 
electoral Republicanism, but conservatism as a system of 
ideas—respectable in liberal post-World War II America. 
He mobilized the young enthusiasts who helped nominate 
Barry Goldwater in 1964, and saw his dreams fulfilled 
when Reagan and the Bushes captured the Oval Office’’; 
Whereas as well-known columnist George Will once said, ‘‘be-
fore there was Ronald Reagan there was Barry Gold-
water, before there was Goldwater there was National
•HRES 1016 EH 
Review, and before there was National Review there was 
William F. Buckley’’; 
Whereas William Buckley’s consistent efforts facilitated the 
rise of Senator Barry Goldwater and, ultimately, the 
presidency of Ronald Reagan; 
Whereas William Buckley received the Presidential Medal of 
Freedom in 1991; 
Whereas William Buckley received numerous other awards, 
including Best Columnist of the Year, 1967; Television 
Emmy for Outstanding Achievement, 1969; the American 
Book Award for Best Mystery (paperback) for ‘‘Stained 
Glass’’, 1980; the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism 
Award, 1989; the Adam Smith Award, Hillsdale College, 
1996; and the Heritage Foundation’s Clare Booth Luce 
Award, 1999; 
Whereas William Buckley spent over 56 years married to the 
former Patricia Alden Austin Taylor, a devoted home-
maker, mother, wife, and philanthropist, before her pass-
ing in April 2007; 
Whereas William Buckley passed away on February 27, 
2008, and is survived by his son, Christopher, of Wash-
ington, DC; his sisters, Priscilla L. Buckley, of Sharon, 
Connecticut, Patricia Buckley Bozell, of Washington, DC, 
and Carol Buckley, of Columbia, South Carolina; his 
brothers, James L. Buckley, of Sharon, Connecticut, and 
F. Reid Buckley, of Camden, South Carolina; and a 
granddaughter and a grandson; 
Whereas William Buckley, by virtue of his distinct person-
ality, talents, good humor, and goodwill, led in a manner 
that earned the respect and friendship even of his adver-
saries; and
•HRES 1016 EH 
Whereas William Buckley was recognized as a towering intel-
lect, a man who, in the words of Ronald Reagan, ‘‘gave 
the world something different’’, and, most of all, a true 
gentleman who encountered everything he did with grace, 
dignity, optimism, and good humor: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) honors the life of William F. Buckley, Jr., for 
his lifetime commitment to journalism, his devotion to 
the free exchange of ideas, and his gentlemanly and well- 
respected contributions to political discourse; and 
(2) mourns the loss of William F. Buckley, Jr., and 
expresses its condolences to his family, his friends, and 
his colleagues. 
Attest: 
Clerk.