[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 777 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 777

   Honoring all those participating in a production of ``The Laramie 
      Project: 10 Years Later'' in remembrance of Matthew Shepard.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 24, 2009

 Mr. McDermott (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, 
 and Mr. Polis of Colorado) submitted the following resolution; which 
             was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Honoring all those participating in a production of ``The Laramie 
      Project: 10 Years Later'' in remembrance of Matthew Shepard.

Whereas Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old student at the University of Wyoming in 
        Laramie, Wyoming, was beaten and tortured, tied to a wooden fence, and 
        left for dead, due to his sexual orientation;
Whereas Matthew Shepard died as a result of his injuries on October 12, 1998, in 
        a Colorado hospital, surrounded by his loving family and friends;
Whereas the highly acclaimed play ``The Laramie Project'' was written in 
        reaction to the murder of Matthew Shepard, based on hundreds of 
        interviews conducted by members of the Tectonic Theater Project with 
        residents of Laramie, journal entries of Project members, and news 
        reports;
Whereas ``The Laramie Project'', since its first performance in 2000, has been 
        among the most performed plays in America;
Whereas on Monday, October 12, 2009, on the 11th anniversary of Matthew 
        Shepard's death, dozens of theaters across the United States will 
        simultaneously debut an 80-minute epilogue to ``The Laramie Project'' 
        entitled ``The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later'';
Whereas the writers of the ``The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later'' are Tectonic 
        Theater Project members Moises Kaufman, Leigh Fondakowski, Greg 
        Pierotti, Andy Paris, and Stephen Belber;
Whereas ``The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later'' focuses on the long-term effects 
        of the murder of Matthew Shepard on the town of Laramie, Wyoming, 
        exploring how the town has changed and how the murder continues to 
        reverberate through the community; and
Whereas ``The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later'' will be performed in New York at 
        Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall, and at over 100 other theaters in all 
        50 States, including the Seattle Repertory Theater; the Arena Stage in 
        Washington, DC; Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio; Lied 
        Center for the Performing Arts in Lincoln, Nebraska; Williams Theatre in 
        Tulsa, Oklahoma; and the Berkeley Repertory Theater; and will also be 
        performed in Canada, Great Britain, Spain, Hong Kong, and Australia: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) honors all those participating in a production of ``The 
        Laramie Project: 10 Years Later'' in remembrance of Matthew 
        Shepard;
            (2) expresses its continuing condemnation of all violent 
        acts motivated by hatred, including the torture and murder of 
        Matthew Shepard, and commends the involvement of all Americans 
        in building a more civil and tolerant society; and
            (3) congratulates the participants and patrons involved for 
        continuing to engage in activities that raise awareness of hate 
        crimes in our society.
                                 <all>