[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 23, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S33-S34]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 199--HONORING THE LIFE OF REX DAVID ``DAVE'' THOMAS 
 AND EXPRESSING THE DEEPEST CONDOLENCES OF THE SENATE TO HIS FAMILY ON 
                               HIS DEATH

  Mr. Levin (for himself, Mr. DeWine, Ms. Landrieu, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. 
Craig, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Helms, Mr. Voinovich, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. 
Grassley, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Chafee, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Inhofe, Mrs. 
Feinstein, Mr. Hollings, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Hagel, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. 
Johnson, Mr. Allen, Mr. McCain, Mr. Nickles, Mr. Burns, Mr. Sessions, 
Mr. Durbin, Mr. Specter, and Mr. Hutchinson) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

       Whereas the Senate has learned with great sadness of the 
     death of Dave Thomas from liver cancer at the age of 69 on 
     January 8, 2002;
       Whereas Dave Thomas, born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on 
     July 2, 1932, and adopted shortly thereafter by Rex and 
     Auleva Thomas, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, was a lifelong 
     advocate and activist for the cause of adoption;
       Whereas Dave Thomas, in 1979, was awarded the Horatio Alger 
     Award for dedication, individual initiative, and a commitment 
     to excellence, as exemplified by remarkable achievements 
     accomplished through honesty, hard work, self-reliance, and 
     perseverance;
       Whereas from 1990 until 2000 Dave Thomas was national 
     spokesman for numerous White House adoption and foster care 
     initiatives;
       Whereas Dave Thomas received numerous awards including the 
     Angel in Adoption Award by the Congressional Coalition on 
     Adoption for generating awareness of the thousands of 
     children waiting for permanent homes and loving families;
       Whereas Dave Thomas, in 1992, established the Dave Thomas 
     Foundation for Adoption and donated his speaking fees and 
     profits from sales of his books, ``Dave 's Way, Well Done!'' 
     and ``Franchising for Dummies'', to adoption causes;
       Whereas Dave Thomas established the Dave Thomas Foundation 
     for Adoption, to work with national adoption organizations, 
     individuals and public and private agencies to raise 
     awareness about children awaiting adoption and to provide 
     direct support for programs seeking to find permanent homes 
     for children in foster care;
       Whereas Dave Thomas established the Dave Thomas Center for 
     Adoption Law to ease and facilitate the adoption process 
     through education, advocacy and research;
       Whereas Dave Thomas was a constructive force in shaping 
     corporate health policy to cover adoption expenses and, 
     through his efforts, 75 percent of Fortune 1000 companies

[[Page S34]]

     now offer adoption benefits to their employees;
       Whereas Dave Thomas received the 2001 Social Awareness 
     Award from the United States Postal Service for being 
     instrumental in the use of the Adoption Awareness postage 
     stamp as a vehicle for highlighting cause of adoption;
       Whereas Dave Thomas founded Wendy's Old-Fashioned 
     Hamburgers in Columbus, Ohio, on November 15, 1969 and 
     transformed it into one of the most successful food 
     franchises in the country and, in promoting Wendy's, became a 
     national figure representing a friendly face, good food, and 
     a kind sense of humor;
       Whereas Dave Thomas, in 1993, 45 years after leaving 
     school, earned his GED certificate and received his high 
     school diploma from Coconut Creek High School in Ft. 
     Lauderdale, Florida, securing him as role model to students 
     of all ages;
       Whereas Dave Thomas used his financial success to promote 
     and advance the cause of adoption: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes that America has lost one of its most 
     dedicated and hardest working advocates for adoption, and 
     honors him in his devotion to family, life, and business; and
       (2) expresses its deep and heartfelt condolences to the 
     family of Dave Thomas on their loss.

                              S. Res. 200

       Whereas on March 22, 1972, President Richard Nixon signed 
     Public Law 92-258, which amended the Older Americans Act of 
     1965 to establish a national nutrition program for the 
     elderly, commonly referred to as the ``Elderly Nutrition 
     Program'';
       Whereas the Elderly Nutrition Program has been expanded 
     since its inception in 1972 to include 3 distinct components: 
     congregate meals, home delivered meals, and the Nutrition 
     Program for the Elderly in the Department of Agriculture;
       Whereas the Elderly Nutrition Program operates in every 
     State and most counties and cities in the United States, 
     providing seniors with guaranteed meals;
       Whereas these meals each provide at a minimum 33 percent of 
     the recommended daily allowances of nutrients;
       Whereas the Elderly Nutrition Program has provided more 
     than 4,700,000,000 meals;
       Whereas the Elderly Nutrition Program is a vital component 
     of a service network, providing a continuum of home- and 
     community-based long-term care for seniors and helping them 
     to avoid premature or unnecessary institutionalization;
       Whereas the Elderly Nutrition Program provides a powerful 
     socialization opportunity for millions of seniors to help 
     combat loneliness and isolation;
       Whereas a strong national network of nutrition service 
     providers and thousands of dedicated volunteers administer 
     the Elderly Nutrition Program; and
       Whereas under the Elderly Nutrition Program, more than 
     272,000,000 meals are provided each year to older individuals 
     in the greatest economic or social need and to older Native 
     Americans: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of 
     the establishment of a national nutrition program for the 
     elderly, commonly referred to as the ``Elderly Nutrition 
     Program''--
       (1) it is the sense of the Senate that the program, of 
     great importance to the health and well-being of 
     participants, is well-run and continues to achieve its 
     objectives on behalf of the senior citizens it serves; and
       (2) the Senate--
       (A) expresses appreciation for the daily work of all the 
     individuals, including volunteers, who administer the program 
     at the local level; and
       (B) recognizes the importance of the present and future 
     health and well-being of the millions of senior citizens 
     across the Nation, including the maintenance of their 
     independence and dignity.

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