[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 680 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 680

   Recognizing Dr. I. King Jordan for his contributions to Gallaudet 
         University and the deaf and hard of hearing community.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 15, 2006

    Mr. Kind (for himself, Mr. Oxley, Ms. Woolsey, and Mr. LaHood) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                     on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Recognizing Dr. I. King Jordan for his contributions to Gallaudet 
         University and the deaf and hard of hearing community.

Whereas in 1988, Dr. I. King Jordan became the first deaf President of Gallaudet 
        University, and the first deaf president of any institution of higher 
        education in the United States;
Whereas Gallaudet University grants more bachelor's degrees to deaf people than 
        any other institution of higher learning in the world, is the only such 
        institution serving primarily deaf and hard of hearing students, and 
        provides groundbreaking research in the field of deafness;
Whereas deaf and hard of hearing graduates of Gallaudet University serve as 
        leaders around the globe;
Whereas Dr. I. King Jordan graduated from Gallaudet University in 1970 with a 
        B.A. in Psychology, and received both a master's degree and a doctorate 
        in Psychology from University of Tennessee by 1973;
Whereas before his appointment as president, Dr. I. King Jordan served as the 
        Chair of the Department of Psychology and Dean of the College of Liberal 
        Arts and Science at Gallaudet University;
Whereas Dr. I. King Jordan was a research fellow at Donaldson's School for the 
        Deaf in Edinburgh, Scotland, an exchange scholar at Jagiellonian 
        University in Krakow, Poland, and a lecturer at schools in Paris, 
        Toulouse, and Marseille, France;
Whereas from 1997 to 2001, Dr. I. King Jordan led the first comprehensive 
        capital campaign for Gallaudet University and successfully raised nearly 
        $40,000,000, which was used by the University to strengthen academic 
        programs, increase the endowment, and construct the Student Academic 
        Center;
Whereas Dr. I. King Jordan established the President's Fellow program to 
        increase the number of deaf and hard of hearing faculty members by 
        providing support for deaf and hard of hearing college graduates to 
        complete their terminal degree;
Whereas in 1988, Dr. I. King Jordan proclaimed to the world, ``Deaf people can 
        do anything, except hear.'';
Whereas Dr. I. King Jordan is a strong advocate on the national and 
        international level for deaf people and people of all disabilities, and 
        was a lead witness in support of the Americans with Disabilities Act 
        (ADA) during a joint session of Congress prior to the passage of ADA;
Whereas in July 2005, Dr. I. King Jordan received the George Bush Medal for the 
        Empowerment of People with Disabilities, an award established to honor 
        those individuals who perform outstanding service to encourage the 
        spirit of ADA throughout the world;
Whereas Dr. I. King Jordan served in the Navy from 1962 to 1966;
Whereas Dr. I. King Jordan has shared nearly 38 years of marriage with Linda 
        Kephart, with whom he has two children, King and Heidi;
Whereas Dr. I. King Jordan is a strong supporter of physical fitness and has 
        completed more than 200 marathons and 40 100-mile marathons;
Whereas Dr. I. King Jordan will retire as the first deaf president of Gallaudet 
        University on December 31, 2006; and
Whereas Dr. I. King Jordan is an accomplished, respected leader who devoted his 
        life to Gallaudet University and efforts to improve the quality of life 
        for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, and individuals with 
        disabilities: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) congratulates Dr. I. King Jordan on his retirement; and
            (2) expresses appreciation to Dr. I. King Jordan for his 
        many years of dedicated service to Gallaudet University, to the 
        deaf and hard of hearing community, and to all individuals with 
        disabilities.
                                 <all>