[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 35 (Monday, March 27, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S2424]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 406--CONGRATULATING GRACELAND ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 
              DESIGNATION AS A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK

  Mr. FRIST (for himself and Mr. Alexander) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 406

       Whereas Graceland--
       (1) served as the home and private retreat of Elvis Aaron 
     Presley from 1957 through 1977; and
       (2) is intimately connected to the musical and cultural 
     heritage of Elvis Aaron Presley;

       Whereas Elvis Presley is--
       (1) universally recognized as the ``King of Rock and 
     Roll'';
       (2) known to generations by only his first name; and
       (3) widely agreed to be one of the most famous and 
     influential American cultural icons of the 20th century;
       Whereas Elvis Presley, having drawn on musical traditions 
     including gospel, country, and rhythm and blues, contributed 
     to the development, popularization, and evolution of the rock 
     and roll genre;
       Whereas Elvis Presley, having been an exceptionally 
     talented vocalist and stage performer, experienced a career 
     marked by unprecedented professional success and achievement;
       Whereas Elvis Presley received numerous honors and 
     accolades, including--
       (1) 3 Grammies;
       (2) 14 Grammy nominations; and
       (3) a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award from the National 
     Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences;
       Whereas the Recording Industry Association of America has 
     officially recognized Elvis Presley as the number 1 Solo 
     Artist in United States History because he has--
       (1) achieved over 150 gold, platinum, or multi-platinum 
     awards; and
       (2) documented album sales exceeding 120,000,000 albums;
       Whereas Elvis Presley is the only artist to be inducted 
     into 3 major music halls of fame, including--
       (1) the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986;
       (2) the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1998; and
       (3) the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2001;
       Whereas Elvis Presley continues to maintain a preeminent 
     position on numerous Top Artist Achievements lists, 
     including--
       (1) ``Most Chart Hits'';
       (2) ``Most Top 10 Hits'';
       (3) ``Most Top 40 Hits'';
       (4) ``Most Weeks at the number 1 Position'';
       (5) ``Most Consecutive number 1 Hits'';
       (6) ``Most Consecutive Top 10 Hits''; and
       (7) ``Most Gold and Platinum Hits'';
       Whereas Elvis Presley was personally involved in the 
     renovation and reconstruction of Graceland, and the unique 
     design and decoration of Graceland enshrines his style, 
     character, influence, and cultural legacy;
       Whereas Graceland serves as a museum for promoting, 
     celebrating, and maintaining the role of Elvis Presley in the 
     history of the United States;
       Whereas Graceland--
       (1) is a historic residence built in the Classical Revival 
     style; and
       (2) was placed on the National Register of Historic Places 
     in 1991;
       Whereas Graceland continues to serve as a pilgrimage site 
     for millions of Elvis Presley fans from around the world;
       Whereas Graceland is recognized as one of the most visited 
     historic house museums in the United States, attracting over 
     600,000 visitors each year; and
       Whereas Graceland will continue to impact the popular 
     culture of the United States by educating millions of 
     visitors for years to come: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes Graceland as exceptionally valuable for 
     promoting and illustrating the contributions of Elvis Presley 
     to the music and popular culture of the United States;
       (2) acknowledges the importance of designating Graceland as 
     a National Historic Landmark for the purposes of recognizing 
     and preserving that unique cultural attraction; and
       (3) congratulates Graceland on the occasion of its 
     designation as a National Historic Landmark.

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