[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 154 (Friday, November 18, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13395-S13396]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLTUION 321--COMMEMORATING THE LIFE, ACHIEVEMENTS, AND 
                     CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALAN A. REICH

  Mr. DeWINE (for himself and Mr. Harkin) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 321

       Whereas Alan Reich devoted his life to civic involvement 
     and efforts to improve the quality of life for individuals 
     with disabilities;
       Whereas Alan Reich was born in Pearl River, New York, was a 
     well-respected and beloved member of his family, and served 
     as an inspirational figure in the disability community;
       Whereas Alan Reich--
       (1) graduated from Dartmouth College in 1952, where he was 
     an all-American track and field athlete;
       (2) received a Master's degree in Russian literature from 
     Middlebury College in 1953;
       (3) was awarded a diploma in Slavic languages and Eastern 
     European studies from the University of Oxford;
       (4) received an M.B.A. from Harvard University in 1959; and
       (5) was a brilliant linguist who spoke 5 languages;
       Whereas Alan Reich served in the Army from 1953 to 1957 as 
     an infantry officer and Russian language interrogation 
     officer in Germany, and was named as a member of the United 
     States Army Infantry Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame;
       Whereas Alan Reich married Gay Forsythe Reich, and shared 
     with her 50 years of marriage and a deep commitment to each 
     other and their three children, James, Jeffery, and 
     Elizabeth;
       Whereas from 1960 to 1970, Alan Reich was employed as an 
     executive at Polaroid Corporation when, at age 32, he became 
     a quadriplegic due to a swimming accident, and used a 
     wheelchair as a result of his injury;
       Whereas although Alan Reich was told he would not drive or 
     write again, he relearned both skills and returned to work at 
     Polaroid Corporation;
       Whereas Alan Reich--
       (1) served in the Department of State from 1970 to 1975 as 
     a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural 
     Affairs;
       (2) later served as Director of the Bureau of East-West 
     Trade for the Department of Commerce;
       (3) was named the President of the United States Council 
     for the International Year of Disabled Persons in 1978; and
       (4) was the first person to address the United Nations 
     General Assembly from a wheelchair when the United Nations 
     opened the International Year of the Disabled in 1981;
       Whereas in 1982, Alan Reich transformed the Council for the 
     International Year of Disabled Persons into the National 
     Organization on Disability, an organization that actively 
     seeks on national, State, and local levels full and equal 
     participation for individuals with disabilities in all 
     aspects of life;
       Whereas Alan Reich--
       (1) founded the Bimillennium Foundation in 1984 to 
     encourage national leaders to set goals aimed at improving 
     the lives of people with disabilities for the year 2000;
       (2) served as past Chairman of the People-to-People 
     Committee on Disability; and
       (3) worked to advance research in regeneration of the 
     central nervous system as Chairman of the Paralysis Cure 
     Research Foundation and as President of the National 
     Paraplegia Foundation;
       Whereas Alan Reich, who used a wheelchair for 43 years, led 
     an effort that raised $1,650,000 to add the statue of 
     Franklin Delano Roosevelt in a wheelchair to the memorial of 
     the former President in Washington, D.C.;
       Whereas Alan Reich stated in 2001, ``The unveiling is a 
     major national moment, the removal of the shroud of shame 
     that cloaks disability. The statue will become a shrine to 
     people with disabilities, but it will also inspire everyone 
     to overcome obstacles. When you see the memorial that follows 
     the statue, what will be in your mind is that he did all this 
     from a wheelchair.'';

[[Page S13396]]

       Whereas in July 2005, Alan Reich received the George H. W. 
     Bush Medal, an award established to honor outstanding service 
     under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
     12101 et seq.);
       Whereas Alan Reich is survived by his wife, partner, and 
     best friend, Gay, their 2 sons James and Jeffery, their 
     daughter Elizabeth, and 11 grandchildren; and
       Whereas Alan Reich passed away on November 8, 2005, and the 
     contributions he made to his family, his community, and his 
     Nation will not be forgotten: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) honors the life, achievements, and contributions of 
     Alan Reich;
       (2) extends its deepest sympathies to the family of Alan 
     Reich for their loss of this great and generous man; and
       (3) respectfully requests the Secretary of the Senate to 
     transmit a copy of this resolution to the family of Alan 
     Reich.
  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I am pleased today join with Senator 
Harkin to submit a resolution commemorating the many contributions and 
achievements of Alan Reich, who was an inspirational figure in the 
disability community. Alan Reich devoted his own life to the improving 
the quality of life for so many others--especially individuals with 
disabilities. He recently passed away on November 8, 2005, at the age 
of 75.
  Alan Reich was the founder of the National Organization on 
Disability. This organization is active on a local, State, and national 
level in efforts to seek full and equal participation for people with 
disabilities in all aspects of life. You see, at the young age of 32, 
Alan became a quadriplegic following a swimming accident. He used a 
wheelchair as a result of this injury. While Alan was told he would not 
drive or write again, he relearned both skills and went on to become an 
inspiration for all those in the disability community. In 1990, he 
received the George H.W. Bush Medal for outstanding service under the 
Americans with Disabilities Act.
  Alan Reich is probably best known for leading an effort that raised 
$1.65 million to add the statue of FOR in a wheelchair to the former 
President's memorial here in Washington, DC. As Alan said in 2001:

       The unveiling is a major national moment, the removal of 
     the shroud of shame that cloaks disability. The statue will 
     become a shrine to people with disabilities, but it will also 
     inspire everyone to overcome obstacles. When you see the 
     memorial that follows the statue, what will be in your mind 
     is that he did all this from a wheelchair.

  Alan Reich married his best friend and partner in life, Gay Forsythe 
Reich. They shared 50 years of marriage and were deeply committed to 
each other and to their 3 children--James, Jeffery, and Elizabeth-as 
well as their 11 grandchildren.
  Alan Reich's contributions to his family, his community, and to this 
Nation will never be forgotten. As Chesterton said many years ago, 
``Great men do great things even when they're gone.'' That is certainly 
true of Alan Reich. His legacy will live on always.
  My wife Fran and I extend our deepest sympathy to Alan Reich's family 
for their loss.
  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I am honored to be the lead Democratic 
cosponsor of this resolution to commemorate the life, achievements and 
contributions of Alan Reich.
  I was greatly saddened, last week, to hear about the passing of this 
great and passionate advocate for the rights of people with 
disabilities. As many Senators know very well, Alan was the founder and 
president emeritus of the National Organization on Disability. Over the 
past 25 years, both he and the National Organization on Disability have 
been tremendously effective advocates for the full and equal 
participation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of American 
life.
  The achievements of Alan Reich, and the sheer breadth of his activism 
and leadership, are simply remarkable. While president of the National 
Organization on Disability, he built a broad coalition of disability 
groups that successfully fought for the inclusion of a statue of 
President Roosevelt in a wheelchair at the FDR Memorial. He spearheaded 
critical research to track the progress of Americans with disabilities 
in key areas of life. He founded and chaired the Paralysis Cure 
Research Foundation; was president of what became the National Spinal 
Cord Injury Association; and he founded the National Task Force on 
Disability. Alan also led the way in taking the disability rights 
movement into the international arena. He chaired the World Committee 
on Disability, and was the first individual using a wheelchair to 
address the United Nations General Assembly. For these and many other 
achievements, Alan was awarded the George Bush Medal this past July.
  I want to express my own profound respect for this remarkable 
individual and for all that he accomplished in his life. He played a 
pivotal role in the disability rights revolution that has transformed 
this country in important ways in recent decades. He improved the lives 
of countless individuals with disabilities, both in this country and 
throughout the world. And, perhaps best of all, he has left a living 
legacy in the form of the advocacy organizations he founded, which will 
now continue his work into the future.
  Alan Reich was a wonderful advocate and a great American. He fought 
with all his heart to win equity, access, and opportunity for people 
with disabilities. He changed countless lives, and made America a much 
better and fairer society. For all these reasons, the United States 
Senate honors Alan Reich, today, with this resolution expressing our 
respect and appreciation.

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