[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 147 (Thursday, November 14, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2039]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       RECOGNIZING NICHOLAS ROYCE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DIANE E. WATSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 14, 2002

  Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I wish to acknowledge Mr. 
Nicholas Royce, a dedicated American and Southern Californian, who has 
spent more than fifty years as an advocate for the Eastern Orthodox 
religion and its inclusion as an integral part of American religious 
life.
  Mr. Royce's first experience with religious discrimination was when 
he entered the Armed Forces and found the service had limited religious 
choices--Protestant, Catholic and Jewish. Through Mr. Royce's 
encouragement and a prolific letter writing campaign, U.S. Senator 
Leverett Saltonstall introduced and had passed legislation in 1955 
which recognized the more than 500,000 Orthodox Catholics who had 
fought and died in uniform. Today, service men and women are able to 
wear name tags designating Eastern Orthodoxy and they have access to 
Orthodox chaplains. In addition, thirty-three states now recognize 
Eastern Orthodoxy as a major religion.
  Having retired from a successful show business career that began at 
the age of 14 as a dancer, Mr. Royce has devoted his time to fighting 
for AIDS victims, the homeless and abused women and children. Breaking 
down gender barriers, Mr. Royce has been an active member of the 
Hollywood Women's Press Club. Women in Film and American Women in Radio 
and Television.
  I am pleased to be able to recognize the accomplishments of Mr. 
Nicholas Royce on the occasion of his birthday and wish him many more 
years of successful activism.

                          ____________________