[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 164 (Sunday, December 18, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H12214-H12215]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 COMMEMORATING THE LIFE, ACHIEVEMENTS, AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALAN REICH

  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on 
Government Reform be discharged from further consideration of the 
resolution (H. Res. 586) commemorating the life, achievements, and 
contributions of Alan Reich, and ask for its immediate consideration in 
the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 586

       Whereas Alan A. Reich was a well respected and loved member 
     of his family and an inspirational figure in the disability 
     community, whose life was devoted 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;
       Whereas Alan Reich graduated from Dartmouth College in 
     1952, where he was an all-American track and field athlete, 
     received a Master's degree in Russian literature from 
     Middlebury College in 1953, along with a diploma in Slavic 
     languages and Eastern European studies from the University of 
     Oxford, and received an M.B.A. from Harvard University in 
     1959;
       Whereas Alan Reich was a brilliant linguist, who spoke 5 
     languages;
       Whereas Alan Reich served in the United States Army from 
     1953 to 1957, as an infantry officer and Russian language 
     interrogation officer in Germany, and was named a member of 
     the United States Army Infantry Officer Candidate School Hall 
     of Fame;
       Whereas 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 their three 
     children--James, Jeffrey, and Elizabeth;
       Whereas Alan Reich was employed from 1960 to 1970 as an 
     executive at Polaroid Corporation when, at age 32, he became 
     a quadriplegic due to a swimming accident which required him 
     to use a wheelchair;
       Whereas, while 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 joined the State Department from 1970 to 
     1975, as a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Educational and 
     Cultural Affairs;
       Whereas Alan Reich then served as Director of the Bureau of 
     East-West Trade for the Department of Commerce, before he was 
     named the President of the United States Council for the 
     International Year of Disabled Persons in 1978;
       Whereas, in this position, Alan Reich was the first 
     wheelchair user to address the United Nations General 
     Assembly when it opened the International Year of the 
     Disabled in 1981;
       Whereas, in 1982, Alan Reich transformed the Council into 
     the National Organization on Disability, an organization that 
     is active on a local, state, and national level in seeking 
     full and equal participation for people with disabilities in 
     all aspects of life;
       Whereas Alan Reich founded the Bimillennium Foundation in 
     1984, to encourage leaders of nations worldwide to set year 
     2000 goals aimed at improving the lives of people with 
     disabilities;
       Whereas Alan Reich also served as Chairman of the People-
     to-People Committee on Disability, Chairman of the Paralysis 
     Cure Research Foundation and 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 
     President Franklin D. Roosevelt in a wheelchair to the former 
     President's Memorial in Washington, DC, for reasons that he 
     best expressed himself at the unveiling of the statue: ``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.'';
       Whereas Alan Reich received the George H.W. Bush Medal in 
     July of 2005, established to honor outstanding service under 
     the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990;
       Whereas Alan Reich, through his leadership in the 
     disability community, encouraged millions of Americans with 
     disabilities to overcome obstacles to lead more independent 
     and successful lives;
       Whereas Alan Reich is survived by his wife, partner, and 
     best friend, Gay, their two sons James and Jeffrey, 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 House of Representatives--
       (1) honors the life, achievements, and contributions of 
     Alan A. Reich; and
       (2) extends its deepest sympathies to the family of Alan 
     Reich for the loss of a great and generous man.

  The resolution was agreed to.


             Amendment to the Preamble Offered by Mr. Issa

  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment to the preamble.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Strike out the preamble and insert the following:
       Whereas Alan A. Reich was a well respected and loved member 
     of his family and an inspirational figure in the disability 
     community, whose life was devoted 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;
       Whereas Alan Reich graduated from Dartmouth College in 
     1952, where he was an all-American track and field athlete, 
     received a Master's degree in Russian literature from 
     Middlebury College in 1953, along with a diploma in Slavic 
     languages and Eastern European studies from the University of 
     Oxford, and received an M.B.A. from Harvard University in 
     1959;
       Whereas Alan Reich was a brilliant linguist, who spoke 5 
     languages;
       Whereas Alan Reich served in the United States Army from 
     1953 to 1957, as an infantry officer and Russian language 
     interrogation officer in Germany, and was named a member of 
     the United States Army Infantry Officer Candidate School Hall 
     of Fame;
       Whereas 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 their three 
     children--James, Jeffrey, and Elizabeth;
       Whereas Alan Reich was employed from 1960 to 1970 as an 
     executive at Polaroid Corporation when, at age 32, he became 
     a quadriplegic due to a swimming accident which required him 
     to use a wheelchair;
       Whereas, while 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 joined the State Department from 1970 to 
     1975, as a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Educational and 
     Cultural Affairs;
       Whereas Alan Reich then served as Director of the Bureau of 
     East-West Trade for the Department of Commerce, before he was 
     named the President of the United States Council for the 
     International Year of Disabled Persons in 1978;
       Whereas, in this position, Alan Reich was the first 
     wheelchair user to address the United Nations General 
     Assembly when it opened the International Year of the 
     Disabled in 1981;
       Whereas, in 1982, Alan Reich transformed the Council into 
     the National Organization on Disability, an organization that 
     is active on a local, state, and national level in seeking 
     full and equal participation for people with disabilities in 
     all aspects of life;

[[Page H12215]]

       Whereas Alan Reich founded the Bimillennium Foundation in 
     1984, to encourage leaders of nations worldwide to set year 
     2000 goals aimed at improving the lives of people with 
     disabilities;
       Whereas Alan Reich also served as Chairman of the People-
     to-People Committee on Disability, Chairman of the Paralysis 
     Cure Research Foundation and 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 
     President Franklin D. Roosevelt in a wheelchair to the former 
     President's Memorial in Washington, DC, for reasons that he 
     best expressed himself at the unveiling of the statue: ``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.'';
       Whereas Alan Reich received the George H.W. Bush Medal in 
     July of 2005, established to honor outstanding service under 
     the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990;
       Whereas Alan Reich, through his leadership in the 
     disability community, encouraged millions of Americans with 
     disabilities to overcome obstacles to lead more independent 
     and successful lives;
       Whereas Alan Reich is survived by his wife, partner, and 
     best friend, Gay, their two sons James and Jeffrey, 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
  Mr. ISSA (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that the amendment to the preamble be considered as read and printed in 
the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The amendment to the preamble was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________