[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 600 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 600

             Honoring an American legend and musical icon.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 26, 2009

  Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas (for herself and Ms. Watson) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
             Honoring an American legend and musical icon.

Whereas Michael Jackson was not only an accomplished recording and performing 
        artist, he was a noted humanitarian;
Whereas Michael Jackson began his stellar recording career as the featured 
        member of ``The Jackson 5'', which was the first act in recorded history 
        to have their first four major label singles ``I Want You 
        Back'',``ABC'',``The Love You Save'', and ``I'll Be There'', reached the 
        top of the American charts;
Whereas the internationally recognized ``Thriller'' released in 1982, which 
        became a smash hit yielded seven top-10 singles. The album sold 21 
        million copies in the United States and at least 27 million worldwide. 
        It was a monumental moment in music history;
Whereas Michael Jackson was labeled ``The King of Pop'', Jackson's music is 
        internationally recognized and critically acclaimed;
Whereas Michael Jackson was one of the few artists to have been inducted into 
        the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice;
Whereas in the early 1980s, Michael Jackson became a dominant figure in popular 
        music and the first African-American entertainer to amass a strong 
        crossover following on MTV. The popularity of his music videos airing on 
        MTV, such as ``Beat It'', ``Billie Jean'' and ``Thriller''--widely 
        credited with transforming the music video from a promotional tool into 
        an art form--helped bring the relatively new channel to fame;
Whereas, on January 10, 1984, Michael Jackson visited the unit for burn victims 
        at Brotman-Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles, and demonstrated his 
        concern with people suffering from grievous injuries;
Whereas, on April 9, 1984, David Smithee, a 14-year-old boy suffering from 
        cystic fibroses was invited to Michael's home, in response to a dying 
        request to meet Michael. David passed away 7 weeks later;
Whereas, on April 14, 1984, Michael Jackson was single handedly responsible for 
        equipping a 19-bed-unit at Mount Sinai New York Medical Center. This 
        center is now a critical part of the T.J. Martell Foundation for 
        leukemia and cancer research;
Whereas, on July 5, 1984, during the Jackson's press conference at Tavern On The 
        Green, Michael announced that his portion of the earnings from the 
        Victory Tour would be donated to three charitable organizations: The 
        United Negro College Fund, Camp Good Times, and the T.J. Martell 
        Foundation;
Whereas, on July 14, 1984, after the first concert of the Victory Tour, Michael 
        met 8 terminally ill children backstage;
Whereas, on December 13, 1984, Michael visited the Brotman Memorial Hospital, 
        where he had been treated when he was burned during the producing of a 
        Pepsi commercial. He subsequently donated all the money he received from 
        Pepsi, $1.5 million, to the Michael Jackson Burn Center for Children;
Whereas, on January 28, 1985 Michael and 44 other artists met to record ``We Are 
        The World'', written by Michael and Lionel Ritchie, a project devoted to 
        fighting global hunger. The proceeds of this record were donated to the 
        starving people in Africa;
Whereas in 1986, Michael set up the ``Michael Jackson UNCF Endowed Scholarship 
        Fund''. This $1.5 million fund is aimed toward assisting students 
        majoring in performance art and communications, with money given each 
        year to students attending a UNCF member college or university;
Whereas, on February 28, 1986, after having had a heart-transplant, 14-year-old 
        Donna Ashlock from California received a call from Michael Jackson. He 
        had heard that she was a fan. Michael invited Donna to his home 
        following her recovery;
Whereas, on September 13, 1987, Michael supported a campaign against racism. He 
        made every effort to publicly support NAACP, in the fight against 
        discrimination of African-American artists;
Whereas in October 1987, at the end of his ``Bad Tour'', Michael donated 
        personal items to UNESCO for a charitable auction. The proceeds of his 
        donation were allocated for the education of children in developing 
        countries;
Whereas, on February 1, 1988 The Song ``Man In the Mirror'' entered the charts. 
        The proceeds from the sales of this record went directly and exclusively 
        to Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, a camp for children who suffer 
        from Cancer;
Whereas, on March 1, 1988, at a press conference held by his sponsor Pepsi, 
        Michael presented a $600,000 check to the United Negro College Fund;
Whereas on April 1988, Michael Jackson ensured that free tickets to three 
        concerts in Atlanta, Georgia, were specifically set aside for the Make a 
        Wish Foundation;
Whereas, on May 22, 1988, Michael visited cancer-stricken children in the 
        Bambini-Gesu Children's Hospital in Rome. He signed autographs and gave 
        away sweets and records to the young patients. He also announced his 
        monetary donation of 100,000 pounds to the hospital;
Whereas, on July 16, 1988, Michael met the Prince of Wales and his wife Diana, 
        where he donated 150,000 pounds for the Prince's Trust, and a check of 
        100,000 pounds for the children's hospital at Great Ormond Street;
Whereas, on July 20, 1988, Michael visited terminally ill children at Great 
        Ormond Street Hospital. At a unit for less critical patients he stayed 
        longer and to engage in story telling time with the children;
Whereas, on August 29, 1988, at his 30th birthday Michael performed a concert in 
        Leeds, England, for the English charity organization ``Give For Life'', 
        an organization designed as an immunization charity for children. 
        Michael presented a check for 65,000 pounds;
Whereas on January 1989, the proceeds of one of Michael's shows in Los Angeles 
        were donated to Childhelp USA, the biggest charity organization against 
        child abuse. In appreciation of the contributions of Michael, Childhelp 
        of Southern California founded the ``Michael Jackson International 
        Institute for Research On Child Abuse'';
Whereas, on January 10, 1989, upon the winding down of his ``Bad Tour'', Michael 
        Jackson donated tickets for each concert to underprivileged children, 
        and made contributions to hospitals, orphanages and charity 
        organizations throughout each stop on his tour;
Whereas, on February 7, 1989, Michael visited the Cleveland Elementary School in 
        Stockton, California, a site of playground violence where 5 children had 
        been tragically killed and 39 had been wounded;
Whereas, on March 5, 1989, Michael invited 200 underprivileged children of the 
        St. Vincent Institute for Handicapped Children and of the organization 
        Big Brothers and Big Sisters to the Circus Vargas in Santa Barbara. 
        Following the event, the children were invited to his ranch to visit his 
        private Zoo at Neverland Ranch;
Whereas in December 1991, Michael's office MJJ Productions donated more than 200 
        turkey dinners to needy families in Los Angeles;
Whereas in February 1992, within 11 days Michael covered 30,000 miles in Africa, 
        to visit hospitals, orphanages, schools, churches, and institutions for 
        mentally handicapped children;
Whereas, on February 3, 1992, at a press conference at the New York Radio City 
        Music Hall, Michael announced that he is planning a new world tour, to 
        raise funds for his new ``Heal The World'' Foundation. This Foundation 
        was designed to support the fight against AIDS, Juvenile Diabetes, the 
        Ronald McDonald Camp, and the Make A Wish Foundation;
Whereas, on May 6, 1992, Michael defrayed the funeral expenses for Ramon 
        Sanchez, who was killed during the Los Angeles riots;
Whereas, on June 26, 1992, Michael presented the Mayor of Munich, Mr. 
        Kronawitter, with a 40,000 DM check for the needy people of the city;
Whereas on July 1992, Michael donated 821,477,296 Lire to La Partita del Cuore 
        (The Heart Match) in Rome and donated 120,000 DM to children's charities 
        in Estonia and Latvia;
Whereas, on July 25, 1992, at his concert in Dublin, Ireland, Michael announced 
        that he will give 400,000 pounds of the tour earnings to various 
        charities;
Whereas in June 1993, Michael announced a donation of $1.25 million for children 
        suffering as a result of the riots in Los Angeles;
Whereas on October 1993, Michael Jackson donated $100,000 to the Children's 
        Defense Fund, the Children's Diabetes Foundation, the Atlanta Project, 
        and the Boys and Girl Clubs of Newark, New Jersey;
Whereas on December 1993, in conjunction with the Gorbachev Foundation, Michael 
        Jackson airlifted 60,000 doses of children's vaccines to Tblisi, 
        Georgia;
Whereas in 1994, Michael donated $500,000 to Elizabeth Taylor's AIDS Foundation;
Whereas, on October 1, 1996, Michael donated the proceeds of his Tunisia concert 
        to ``The National Solidarity Fund'', a charity dedicated to fighting 
        poverty;
Whereas, on December 9, 1996, during the ``History Tour'' visit in Manila, 
        Michael visited a Children's Hospital, where he announced that a portion 
        of his concert earnings will be donated to the renovation of the 
        Hospital;
Whereas the Millennium Issue of the ``Guinness Book Of Records'' named Michael 
        as ``the Pop Star who supports the most charity organizations'';
Whereas in 2004, The African Ambassadors' Spouses Association, honored Michael 
        Jackson for his worldwide humanitarian efforts, due to his fiscal 
        contribution of more than $50 million to various charities, including 
        many organizations that feed the hungry in Africa; and
Whereas we today mourn with and send our condolences to the children that 
        Michael Jackson left behind: Prince Michael, Paris Michael, and Prince 
        Michael II and his mother, father, brothers, and sisters: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes Michael Jackson as a global humanitarian and 
        a noted leader in the fight against worldwide hunger and 
        medical crises; and
            (2) celebrates Michael Jackson as an accomplished 
        contributor to the worlds of arts and entertainment, scientific 
        advances in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, and global food 
        security.
                                 <all>