[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 46 (Friday, April 1, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E613]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            IN HONOR AND REMEMBRANCE OF MS. ELIZABETH TAYLOR

                                  _____
                                 

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 1, 2011

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of a 
legend of the silver screen, a relentless leader in the fight against 
AIDS, and an extraordinary woman, Ms. Elizabeth Taylor.
  Elizabeth Taylor was born in London in 1932 to American parents. She 
moved with her family to Beverly Hills on the eve of the Second World 
War. Elizabeth's love for cinema manifested at an early age. Her first 
well-known performance came at the age of 12, when she played the title 
role in ``National Velvet.'' From that point, Ms. Taylor lived her life 
in the public eye, and her name became synonymous with talent, beauty, 
and glamour. She went on to play such memorable roles as Angela Vickers 
in ``A Place in the Sun,'' Helen Ellsworth in ``The Last Time I Saw 
Paris,'' Martha in ``Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' and the title 
role in ``Cleopatra,'' among many others. Throughout her more than 60 
year-long career, Ms. Taylor was nominated for countless awards 
including two Academy Awards and the Screen Actors Guild's, SAG, Life 
Achievement Award in 1997.
  Ms. Taylor was more than just a Hollywood icon. She was also known 
for her efforts in the fight against AIDS. She was an advocate for AIDS 
prevention and research at a time when the disease was still a taboo 
subject for many. She famously stated ``I will not be silenced and I 
will not give up and I will not be ignored.'' She was the founding 
international chairman of the American Foundation for Aids Research, 
amFAR, and was known for her compassion for those living with the 
disease. As a result of her service, Ms. Taylor received numerous 
accolades. In 1992 she was the recipient of the Jean Herscholt 
Humanitarian Academy Award. On May 16, 2000, Queen Elizabeth II named 
her a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In 2001, Ms. 
Taylor received a Presidential Citizens Medal due to her work. On 
December 5, 2007, she was inducted into the California Hall of Fame.
  Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and remembrance 
of a woman whose cinematic brilliance, grace, and devotion to fighting 
AIDS will not soon be forgotten. I extend my sincerest sympathies to 
her sons, Michael and Christopher, her daughters Liza and Maria, and to 
her friends and family.

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