[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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