SRES321DEC16

TheWeekInCongress.com

Week Ending December 16, 2005

S.RES.321 A resolution commemorating the life, achievements, and contributions of Alan A. Reich.

BRIEF

The Resolution depicts and active life of sports and civic and commercial involvement that did not stop when Alan Reich became paralyzed and was confined to a wheelchair. Reich learned to drive and write again and, among his many extraordinary accomplishments after becoming quadriplegic, spearheaded the fundraising that resulted in the 2001 unveiling of the addition to the Franklin D. Roosevelt memorial a statute of the later president in a wheelchair. Reich said of the addition to Roosevelt’s monument, “…what will be in your mind is that he did all this from a wheelchair.”

Sponsor: Senator Mike DeWine (OH)

Vote: Passed Senate by Unanimous Consent December 12, 2005.

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost.

MORE INFORMATION

Whereas Alan Reich devoted his life to civic involvement and efforts to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities;

Whereas Alan Reich was born in Pearl River, New York, was a well-respected and beloved member of his family, and served as an inspirational figure in the disability community;

Whereas Alan Reich--

(1) graduated from Dartmouth College in 1952, where he was an all-American track and field athlete;

(2) received a Master's degree in Russian literature from Middlebury College in 1953;

(3) was awarded a diploma in Slavic languages and Eastern European studies from the University of Oxford;

(4) received an M.B.A. from Harvard University in 1959; and

(5) was a brilliant linguist who spoke 5 languages;

Whereas Alan Reich served in the Army from 1953 to 1957 as an infantry officer and Russian language interrogation officer in Germany, and was named as a member of the United States Army Infantry Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame;

Whereas Alan Reich married Gay Forsythe Reich, and shared with her 50 years of marriage and a deep commitment to each other and their three children, James, Jeffery, and Elizabeth;

Whereas from 1960 to 1970, Alan Reich was employed as an executive at Polaroid Corporation when, at age 32, he became a quadriplegic due to a swimming accident, and used a wheelchair as a result of his injury;

Whereas although Alan Reich was told he would not drive or write again, he relearned both skills and returned to work at Polaroid Corporation;

Whereas Alan Reich--

(1) served in the Department of State from 1970 to 1975 as a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs;

(2) later served as Director of the Bureau of East-West Trade for the Department of Commerce;

(3) was named the President of the United States Council for the International Year of Disabled Persons in 1978; and

(4) was the first person to address the United Nations General Assembly from a wheelchair when the United Nations opened the International Year of the Disabled in 1981;

Whereas in 1982, Alan Reich transformed the Council for the International Year of Disabled Persons into the National Organization on Disability, an organization that actively seeks on national, State, and local levels full and equal participation for individuals with disabilities in all aspects of life;

Whereas Alan Reich--

(1) founded the Bimillennium Foundation in 1984 to encourage national leaders to set goals aimed at improving the lives of people with disabilities for the year 2000;

(2) served as past Chairman of the People-to-People Committee on Disability; and

(3) worked to advance research in regeneration of the central nervous system as Chairman of the Paralysis Cure Research Foundation and as President of the National Paraplegia Foundation;

Whereas Alan Reich, who used a wheelchair for 43 years, led an effort that raised $1,650,000 to add the statue of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in a wheelchair to the memorial of the former President in Washington, D.C.;

Whereas Alan Reich stated in 2001, `The unveiling is a major national moment, the removal of the shroud of shame that cloaks disability. The statue will become a shrine to people with disabilities, but it will also inspire everyone to overcome obstacles. When you see the memorial that follows the statue, what will be in your mind is that he did all this from a wheelchair.';

Whereas in July 2005, Alan Reich received the George H. W. Bush Medal, an award established to honor outstanding service under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.);

Whereas Alan Reich is survived by his wife, partner, and best friend, Gay, their 2 sons James and Jeffery, their daughter Elizabeth, and 11 grandchildren; and

Whereas Alan Reich passed away on November 8, 2005, and the contributions he made to his family, his community, and his Nation will not be forgotten: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate--

(1) honors the life, achievements, and contributions of Alan Reich;

(2) extends its deepest sympathies to the family of Alan Reich for their loss of this great and generous man; and

(3) respectfully requests the Secretary of the Senate to transmit a copy of this resolution to the family of Alan Reich.

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