[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 116 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 116

  Expressing the sense of Congress that a commemorative postage stamp 
 should be issued by the United States Postal Service honoring Arthur 
 Ashe, and that the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee should recommend 
         to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 17, 2005

  Mr. Rangel submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of Congress that a commemorative postage stamp 
 should be issued by the United States Postal Service honoring Arthur 
 Ashe, and that the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee should recommend 
         to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued.

Whereas Arthur Ashe was born on July 10, 1943, in segregated Richmond, Virginia, 
        and was a United States hero and an international humanitarian who 
        worked toward ending racism, shedding light on the oppressive apartheid 
        government in South Africa, and raising awareness of HIV/AIDS issues;
Whereas Arthur Ashe dedicated his life to the causes of universal health care 
        and increasing opportunities for the Nation's youth, was the founder of 
        the United States Tennis Association (USTA) National Junior Tennis 
        League that was organized to train inner-city tennis players, and was a 
        role model for the youth of this country and around the world;
Whereas Arthur Ashe was a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles 
        (UCLA), where he received a degree in Business Administration, and was a 
        men's singles tennis champion of the National Collegiate Athletic 
        Association (NCAA) and led the UCLA team to the NCAA men's tennis 
        championship;
Whereas Arthur Ashe was the first African-American named to the United States 
        Davis Cup team and, as a captain of the team, led it to 2 victories 
        before he retired;
Whereas in 1968 Arthur Ashe became the first and only African-American man ever 
        to win the U.S. Open and in 1975 the first ever to win at Wimbledon;
Whereas Arthur Ashe won three Grand Slam singles titles and became the top-
        ranked player in the world, winning 818 career victories and 51 titles, 
        and was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 1985;
Whereas Arthur Ashe was an advocate and visionary who worked to increase the 
        status and opportunities available to all tennis players;
Whereas Arthur Ashe was a major figure in the anti-apartheid movement, drawing 
        attention to the injustices of the apartheid government of South Africa 
        by entering the country's white-only tournament and, having been denied 
        admission to travel into the country, calling for the International Lawn 
        Tennis Association to remove the country from the tennis tour;
Whereas Arthur Ashe was the first African-American professional tennis player to 
        play in the South Africa's National Championships in 1973, when, after 
        drawing international attention to the anti-apartheid movement by his 
        tireless activism, that country granted him a visa;
Whereas Arthur Ashe, a founding member of TransAfrica, the African-American led 
        international advocacy organization, actively participated in protesting 
        human rights abuses;
Whereas Arthur Ashe was arrested twice as a result of his activism, the first 
        time while protesting outside the Embassy of South Africa in Washington, 
        D.C., to draw attention to the oppressive practices of the apartheid 
        South African government, and the second time while protesting against a 
        repatriation of Haitian refugees by the United States Government to draw 
        attention to the suffering and hardship faced by the Haitian people;
Whereas Arthur Ashe, after retiring from professional tennis, became a 
        journalist for HBO Sports, ABC Sports, the Washington Post, and Tennis 
        Magazine, and continued to work in philanthropic endeavors;
Whereas Arthur Ashe suffered his first heart attack in 1979 while participating 
        in a tennis clinic in New York, which required him to undergo a 
        quadruple bypass surgery;
Whereas Arthur Ashe contracted HIV/AIDS during heart surgery, was the founder of 
        the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS, and worked tirelessly 
        to educate the public about HIV/AIDS before his death;
Whereas Arthur Ashe addressed the United Nations General Assembly on World AIDS 
        Day on December 1, 1992, and implored the world community to increase 
        funding for research and educational programs associated with the 
        prevention and alleviation of HIV/AIDS throughout the world;
Whereas after Arthur Ashe died on February 6, 1993, in New York, his body laid 
        in state at the Governors Mansion in Richmond, Virginia, the first time 
        an African-American was given such an honor in the State of Virginia, 
        and more than 5,000 people visited his coffin and more than 6,000 
        attended his funeral; and
Whereas Arthur Ashe is among the most respected athletes, activists, and 
        humanitarians of our time: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) a commemorative postage stamp should be issued by the 
        United States Postal Service honoring Arthur Ashe; and
            (2) the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee should recommend 
        to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued.
                                 <all>