[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S.J. Res. 24 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. J. RES. 24

  Honoring Maureen Reagan on the occasion of her death and expressing 
condolences to her family, including her husband Dennis Revell and her 
                         daughter Rita Revell.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 4, 2001

 Mr. Specter introduced the following joint resolution; which was read 
          twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
  Honoring Maureen Reagan on the occasion of her death and expressing 
condolences to her family, including her husband Dennis Revell and her 
                         daughter Rita Revell.

Whereas the Congress is greatly saddened by the tragic death of Maureen Reagan 
        on August 8, 2001;
Whereas Maureen Reagan's love of life and countless contributions to family and 
        the Nation serve as an inspiration to millions;
Whereas Maureen Reagan was a remarkable advocate for a number of causes and had 
        many passions, the greatest being her dedication to addressing the 
        scourge of Alzheimer's disease;
Whereas in 1994 when former President Ronald Reagan announced that he had been 
        diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, Maureen Reagan joined her father and 
        Nancy Reagan in the fight against Alzheimer's disease and became a 
        national spokesperson for the Alzheimer's Association;
Whereas Maureen Reagan served as a tireless advocate to raise public awareness 
        about Alzheimer's disease, support care givers, and substantially 
        increase the Nation's commitment to research on Alzheimer's disease;
Whereas Maureen Reagan helped inspire the Congress to increase Federal research 
        funding for Alzheimer's disease by amounts proportionate to increases in 
        research funding for other major diseases;
Whereas Maureen Reagan went far beyond merely lending her name to the work of 
        the Alzheimer's Association: she was a hands-on activist on the 
        association's board of directors, a masterful fund-raiser, a forceful 
        advocate, and a selfless and constant traveler to anywhere and 
        everywhere Alzheimer's advocates needed help;
Whereas at every stop she made and every event she attended in her efforts to 
        eradicate Alzheimer's disease through research, Maureen Reagan 
        emphasized that researchers are in a ``race against time before 
        Alzheimer's reaches epidemic levels'' with the aging of the Baby 
        Boomers;
Whereas Maureen Reagan stated before the Congress in 2000 that ``14 million Baby 
        Boomers are living with a death sentence of Alzheimer's today'';
Whereas despite her declining health, Maureen Reagan never decreased her efforts 
        in her battle to eliminate Alzheimer's disease;
Whereas during the last six months of her life, from her hospital bed and home, 
        Maureen Reagan urged the Congress to invest $1,000,000,000 to fund 
        research at the National Institutes of Health focused on Alzheimer's 
        disease;
Whereas Maureen Reagan said, ``The best scientific minds have been brought into 
        the race against Alzheimer's, a solid infrastructure is in place, and 
        the path for further investigations is clear. What's missing is the 
        money, especially the Federal investment, to keep up the pace.''; and
Whereas Maureen Reagan's remarkable advocacy for the millions affected and 
        afflicted by Alzheimer's disease will forever serve as an inspiration to 
        continue and ultimately win the battle against the illness: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, That the Congress, on the 
occasion of the tragic and untimely death of Maureen Reagan--
            (1) recognizes Maureen Reagan as one of the Nation's most 
        beloved and forceful champions for action to cure Alzheimer's 
        disease and treat those suffering from the illness; and
            (2) expresses deep and heartfelt condolences to the family 
        of Maureen Reagan, including her husband Dennis Revell and her 
        daughter Rita Revell.
                                 <all>