[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 73 (Monday, May 5, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H3038-H3039]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CHARLTON HESTON
Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 1091) honoring the life,
[[Page H3039]]
achievements, and contributions of Charlton Heston and extending its
deepest sympathies to the family of Charlton Heston for the loss of
such a great generous man, husband, and father, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1091
Whereas the United States of America has lost a great
patriot with the passing of Charlton Heston;
Whereas Charlton Heston first became beloved by the Nation
as a great actor and portrayed many heroic figures, including
Moses, Michelangelo, Andrew Jackson, John the Baptist, Mark
Antony, and El Cid in epic movies of the 1950s and 1960s, and
won the 1959 Best Actor Oscar for the lead character in
``Ben-Hur'';
Whereas Charlton Heston was a leader in many areas of life
outside of acting, including serving as President of the
Screen Actors Guild, which he helped to integrate with Ronald
Reagan and was Chairman of the American Film Institute;
Whereas Charlton Heston was an active supporter of the
civil rights movement, including protesting the showing of
his film at a segregated movie theater in Oklahoma City and
participating in and leading the Arts Group in the 1963 civil
rights march on Washington;
Whereas in the last major public role of his life, Charlton
Heston was President of the National Rifle Association from
June 1998 until April 2003;
Whereas as President of the National Rifle Association,
Charlton Heston was a stalwart advocate of the position that
the 2nd Amendment gave citizens the right to keep and bear
arms;
Whereas Charlton Heston was an active promoter of wildlife
management through hunting;
Whereas, in 2003, Charlton Heston was awarded the
Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation's highest civilian
honor;
Whereas Charlton Heston was born in Illinois on October 4,
1923, and his parents moved to St. Helen, Michigan, where he
grew up;
Whereas, in 1943, Charlton Heston enlisted in the Army Air
Force and served as a radio-gunner in the Aleutian Islands of
Alaska, and in 1947, he was discharged from the Army;
Whereas, in 1944, Charlton Heston married the love of his
life, Lydia Clarke, to whom he had been married 64 years at
his death;
Whereas the Hestons were the parents of two children,
Fraser Heston and Holly Heston Rochell; and
Whereas Charlton Heston passed away on April 5, 2008, and
the contributions he made to his family 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
Charlton Heston; and
(2) extends its deepest sympathies to the family of
Charlton Heston for the loss of such a great generous man,
husband, and father.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Clay) and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.
General Leave
Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Missouri?
There was no objection.
Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the House Committee on Oversight
and Government Reform, I present for consideration H. Res. 1091, which
seeks to recognize the life of Charlton Heston for his accomplishments
both and off the big screen. Not only did Heston command an
overwhelming presence in theaters, but his actions in support of the
civil rights movement during the 1960s and on behalf of other social
causes throughout his life deserve recognition. For example, Charlton
Heston joined Martin Luther King, Jr., in the march on Washington, D.C.
in 1963, and was an early civil rights activist long before Hollywood
found it fashionable.
H. Res. 1091 was introduced by Representative Don Young of Alaska on
April 8, 2008, and was considered by and reported from the Oversight
Committee on April 16, 2008, by voice vote after being amended by the
panel.
The measure has the support of well over 100 Members of Congress and
is evidence of a wide, national appreciation for the enduring legacy
that this great American citizen left behind.
Heston was born on October 4, 1923, in No Man's Land, Illinois. In
1944, Heston enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, spending 2 years of his
life as a B-25 radio operator and gunner in the Alaskan Aleutian
Islands.
In August of 2002, after a long and illustrious acting career, Heston
publicly announced that he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. In
2003, Mr. Heston was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in
commemoration of the positive impact he has had on our culture and
country.
In memory of his life of greatness and activism, I urge swift passage
of H. Res. 1091.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, rather than my making a statement, I would
like to yield to the sponsor of the resolution, our very distinguished
veteran, Mr. Young from Alaska, and just advise him I am going to yield
him such time as he may consume, letting him know that the former
chairman of the Rules Committee would like some time as well.
(Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I thank my chairman of the
subcommittee and Mr. Shays and the chairman of the full committee.
It is indeed an honor that I will speak on Charlton Heston today. We
have already heard some of the roles that he played in ``Planet of the
Apes,'' ``Julius Caesar,'' ``Antony and Cleopatra,'' ``Omega Man,'' and
I can go on down the line. His famous roles, of course, were Moses,
Michelangelo, Andrew Jackson, John the Baptist, Mark Antony, El Cid,
and Ben Hur.
Some people may not remember his role in politics. He became very
active as president of the Screen Actors Guild. Before every actor in
the world got involved politically, he was involved in the Screen
Actors Guild. He was also very active and involved, as mentioned by the
chairman, in civil rights. He marched with Martin Luther King. And one
of my interests was that he enlisted in the Army Air Force in World War
II and served 2 years as a B-25 gunner in the Aleutian chain, a God-
awful place it was, but part of my great State of Alaska, and defended
against the enemy at that time with great honor.
He had two children. He married the love of his life, Lydia Clarke,
in 1944, and was married to her for the rest of his life.
He was the president of the NRA from June 1998 until April 2003, and
was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bush.
I have to say I knew him personally. I never called him Chuck or
Charles, it was always Mr. Heston or Mr. President because he was
president of an organization which I am very proud of, and that is the
NRA, the National Rifle Association. He probably did more to protect
the freedoms of America in his actions as president of that
organization than any other individual. And that may not be proper with
certain people in this body, but he did guarantee us, through the
second amendment, the right to protect ourselves, the right to protect
the castle which we live in, the right to be able to protect those that
we love against those who would do us harm. He believed in it, as I
believe in it. It is very, very important.
If America were to recognize one individual who probably contributed
most to our individual freedoms, it would be Charlton Heston.
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