[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 785 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 785

   Honoring the lives and achievements of Christopher and Dana Reeve.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 27, 2006

   Mr. Langevin (for himself and Mr. Barton of Texas) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Honoring the lives and achievements of Christopher and Dana Reeve.

Whereas Christopher Reeve was born on September 25, 1952;
Whereas Christopher Reeve graduated from Cornell University in 1974, then 
        pursued his dream of acting by studying at Juilliard;
Whereas Christopher Reeve went on to become an accomplished actor on stage, 
        screen, and television, and he secured his place in American history 
        with his role in ``Superman'' and its subsequent sequels;
Whereas Christopher Reeve later distinguished himself as an author, a director, 
        and a producer;
Whereas Dana Morisini was born on March 17, 1961;
Whereas Dana Morisini graduated from Middlebury College, where she later 
        received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, and she pursued 
        graduate studies in Acting at the California Institute of the Arts;
Whereas Dana Morisini was an accomplished singer and actress, with numerous 
        appearances as an actor on television, performances in plays on 
        Broadway, off-Broadway, and at numerous regional theaters, and 
        performances as a singer on television and at various New York venues;
Whereas Christopher Reeve and Dana Morisini married on April 11, 1992;
Whereas their family included Christopher's two children Matthew and Alexandra 
        Reeve, and, in 1992, they celebrated the birth of their son, Will;
Whereas, in 1995, Christopher Reeve was paralyzed in an accident in an 
        equestrian competition;
Whereas, following the accident, Christopher Reeve dedicated himself to raising 
        public awareness about the significance of medical research and the 
        challenges faced by those with disabilities;
Whereas Dana Reeve displayed a remarkable commitment to improving the quality of 
        life for individuals with paralysis and other disabilities, as well as 
        their families;
Whereas, together, Christopher and Dana Reeve became role models for patients 
        and their caregivers, inspiring many Americans to rise above obstacles;
Whereas Christopher and Dana Reeve worked together to establish the Christopher 
        Reeve Foundation, with Christopher Reeve serving as chairman from 1999 
        to 2004 and Dana Reeve succeeding him as chair in 2004;
Whereas the Christopher Reeve Foundation has tremendously improved the quality 
        of life for people with paralysis by establishing a Paralysis Resource 
        Center with the Centers for Disease Control, raising the visibility of 
        the condition and offering information and support to patients and 
        caregivers;
Whereas the Christopher Reeve Foundation has helped make great strides in 
        treating and finding a cure for paralysis;
Whereas the contributions that Christopher and Dana Reeve made to their family, 
        their community, and the Nation will not be forgotten, including 
        inspiring groundbreaking medical research, breaking down barriers faced 
        by people with disabilities, and educating families about the importance 
        of having adequate health and disability coverage; and
Whereas the deaths of Christopher Reeve from heart failure on October 10, 2004, 
        and Dana Reeve from lung cancer on March 6, 2006, marked the loss of two 
        great and generous Americans: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
            (1) honors the lives, achievements, and contributions of 
        Christopher and Dana Reeve;
            (2) recognizes the contributions of the Christopher Reeve 
        Foundation to improving the health of people living with spinal 
        cord injuries, and other types of paralysis, through research, 
        rehabilitation, and quality of life programs;
            (3) encourages the Christopher Reeve Foundation to ``Go 
        Forward'' inspired by the determination, courage, and vision 
        exemplified by Christopher and Dana Reeve; and
            (4) extends its deepest sympathies to the Reeve and 
        Morisini families for the loss of two truly inspiring 
        individuals.
                                 <all>