[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 82 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 82

Expressing the sense of the Congress that a commemorative postage stamp 
  should be issued honoring James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael 
                               Schwerner.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 25, 2009

    Mr. Thompson of Mississippi submitted the following concurrent 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and 
                           Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Congress that a commemorative postage stamp 
  should be issued honoring James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael 
                               Schwerner.

Whereas James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner were civil rights 
        activists and political advocates who were murdered because of their 
        involvement in the civil rights movement;
Whereas the right to vote was routinely denied to many African-Americans in 
        Mississippi in 1964;
Whereas, in 1964, a broad-based coalition was formed in Mississippi to create 
        ``Freedom Summer'', a project dedicated to helping African-Americans in 
        Mississippi earn equal rights, especially in regard to voting;
Whereas, in 1964, James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman 
        volunteered to work in ``Freedom Summer'', braving great personal 
        danger;
Whereas their relationship symbolizes the widespread participation of Jewish-
        Americans in the battle for civil rights;
Whereas on June 21, 1964, James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman 
        were kidnapped and murdered by members of the Ku Klux Klan, with the 
        active assistance of local authorities;
Whereas President Lyndon B. Johnson made the search for the missing men a top 
        national priority;
Whereas the United States Department of Justice charged the men with violations 
        of the civil rights of James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew 
        Goodman;
Whereas the deaths of these men created enough outrage to bring about the 
        passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 
        1965;
Whereas citizens throughout Mississippi and the Nation called for the case to be 
        reopened;
Whereas, in 2005, the Mississippi Attorney General prosecuted the case, and the 
        main perpetrator, Edgar Ray Killen, was finally convicted of killing 
        these 3 men; and
Whereas the deaths of James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman shall 
        not be in vain: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the United States Postal Service should issue a 
        commemorative stamp honoring James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, 
        and Andrew Goodman; and
            (2) the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee should recommend 
        to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued.
                                 <all>