IV 117th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 111 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 30, 2022 Mr. Rouzer submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued in honor of Ava Gardner on her 100th birthday.

Whereas Ava Lavinia Gardner was born on December 24, 1922, in Grabtown, North Carolina, a rural community near Smithfield in Johnston County, North Carolina; Whereas December 24, 2022 will mark Ava Gardner’s 100th birthday, the communities and people she touched will be celebrating her centennial throughout 2022 and 2023; Whereas, for nearly half a century, Ava Gardner wowed audiences in over 60 films and television productions; Whereas films like Mogambo , The Barefoot Contessa , and The Night of the Iguana made her an international star, receiving recognition and accolades from critics, fans, and film festivals the world over, earning nominations for BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Oscar awards; Whereas she was asked to leave her hand and footprints at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in 1952 following her hit films Show Boat and The Snows of Kilimanjaro ; Whereas, in 1960, she was among the first phase of honorees to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; Whereas Ava Gardner was included on the American Film Institute’s 50 Greatest Screen Legends of the 20th Century; Whereas an icon and modern touchstone to women across the world, Ava Gardner portrayed strong-willed film characters and showed personal courage throughout her long career; Whereas never forgetting her humble beginnings in rural North Carolina, Ava Gardner spent her life championing social and political causes near and dear to her heart; Whereas a lifetime member of the NAACP, Ava Gardner contributed to special events designed to benefit underserved communities of color; Whereas Ava Gardner also spent her career and leveraged her fame to raise funds for philanthropic organizations like March of Dimes, the American Cancer Society, and the American Red Cross; Whereas her fame and individual independence were ahead of her time, especially for women of the time; Whereas the name Ava continues to be one of the most popular newborn girl names in the country, showcasing the impact she had on her own and future generations; Whereas Ava Gardner continues to grow her legacy with recent restorations of The Killers and Pandora and the Flying Dutchman as well as countless books, feature articles, and films that showcase her cultural impact; Whereas she has been celebrated with historical markers in the United States and England, a bronze statue of her overlooks the coast of Spain, and she has been featured on stamps in at least 8 other countries; and Whereas there is no better time than her 100th birthday to mark the iconic status of Ava Gardner through a commemorative stamp: Now, therefore, be it

That it is the sense of Congress that— (1) a commemorative postage stamp should be issued in honor of Ava Gardner and her 100th birthday, her iconic status and lasting contributions to international cinema, global fashion, and humanitarian causes; and (2) the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee should recommend to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued.