[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 57 (Tuesday, April 10, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2042-S2043]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 454--RELATIVE TO THE DEATH OF ZELL BRYAN MILLER, THE 
          FORMER GOVERNOR AND SENATOR OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA

  Mr. ISAKSON (for himself, Mr. Perdue, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Schumer, Mr. 
Alexander, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. 
Blunt, Mr. Booker, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Brown, Mr. Burr, Ms. Cantwell, Mrs. 
Capito, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Carper, Mr. Casey, Mr. Cassidy, Ms. Collins, 
Mr. Coons, Mr. Corker, Mr. Cornyn, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Cotton, Mr. 
Crapo, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Daines, Mr. Donnelly, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, 
Mr. Enzi, Mrs. Ernst, Mrs. Feinstein,

[[Page S2043]]

Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Flake, Mr. Gardner, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Graham, Mr. 
Grassley, Ms. Harris, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Heinrich, Ms. 
Heitkamp, Mr. Heller, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Hoeven, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. 
Inhofe, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Jones, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. King, Ms. 
Klobuchar, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Lee, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Markey, 
Mr. McCain, Mrs. McCaskill, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Moran, Ms. 
Murkowski, Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Paul, Mr. Peters, 
Mr. Portman, Mr. Reed, Mr. Risch, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Rounds, Mr. Rubio, 
Mr. Sanders, Mr. Sasse, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Scott, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. 
Shelby, Ms. Smith, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Tester, Mr. Thune, 
Mr. Tillis, Mr. Toomey, Mr. Udall, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Warner, Ms. 
Warren, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Wyden, and Mr. Young) submitted 
the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 454

       Whereas Zell Bryan Miller (referred to in this preamble as 
     ``Zell Miller'') was born to Stephen Grady Miller and Birdie 
     Bryan Miller (referred to in this preamble as ``Birdie 
     Miller'') on February 24, 1932, in Young Harris, Georgia;
       Whereas Stephen Grady Miller died when Zell Miller was 17 
     days old;
       Whereas Birdie Miller, a new mother and widow, raised Zell 
     Miller alone in a home that she built for herself and for 
     Zell Miller with rocks from a nearby stream in Young Harris;
       Whereas Zell Miller grew up in Young Harris and graduated 
     from Young Harris College in 1951;
       Whereas Zell Miller served in the Marine Corps from 1953 to 
     1956 and rose to the rank of sergeant;
       Whereas Zell Miller credited his success to the discipline 
     that he learned as a Marine and the independence that he 
     learned from Birdie Miller;
       Whereas, on January 14, 1954, Zell Miller met his wife 
     Shirley Carver, to whom Zell Miller was married for 64 years 
     and with whom Zell Miller had 2 sons;
       Whereas Zell Miller obtained a master's degree in history 
     from the University of Georgia in 1958 and returned to Young 
     Harris to begin a long career as an educator;
       Whereas Zell Miller served as mayor of Young Harris from 
     1959 to 1960;
       Whereas Zell Miller served as a Georgia State Senator from 
     1961 to 1964;
       Whereas Zell Miller was a member of the Georgia State Board 
     of Pardons and Paroles from 1973 to 1975;
       Whereas Zell Miller served as Lieutenant Governor of the 
     State of Georgia for 16 years, and was the longest-serving 
     lieutenant governor in the history of the State of Georgia;
       Whereas, on January 14, 1991, Zell Miller was sworn in as 
     the 79th Governor of the State of Georgia and served the 
     State for 2 4-year terms;
       Whereas, as Governor of the State of Georgia, Zell Miller--
       (1) in 1992, created the Helping Outstanding Pupils 
     Educationally scholarship, known today as the ``HOPE'' 
     scholarship, which has enabled more than 1,800,000 students 
     to attend college in the State of Georgia;
       (2) in 1993, launched the first pre-kindergarten program in 
     the United States, which became a national model for early 
     childhood development programs;
       (3) in 1996, welcomed the Olympic summer games to Atlanta, 
     Georgia;
       (4) in 1998, led Georgia to be first among 50 states in 
     academic-based student financial aid due to ``HOPE'' 
     scholarships; and
       (5) on leaving office in 1999, enjoyed an 85 percent 
     approval rating, which was a record high in the State of 
     Georgia for a governor;

       Whereas from 1999 to 2000 Zell Miller returned to his roots 
     as an educator and held teaching positions at Young Harris 
     College, Emory University, and the University of Georgia;
       Whereas Zell Miller was appointed to the Senate in 2000 to 
     fill the vacancy created by the passing of former Senator 
     Paul Coverdell;
       Whereas Zell Miller was elected to the Senate in a special 
     election in November 2000 to serve out the term through 2005;
       Whereas, on January 4, 2005, Zell Miller gave a farewell 
     speech on the floor of the Senate;
       Whereas, in 2008, the Zell B. Miller Learning Center at the 
     University of Georgia was dedicated in honor of Zell Miller;
       Whereas, in 2011, the Zell Miller Scholarship was created 
     by the State Legislature of Georgia;
       Whereas, in 2014, the Zell and Shirley Miller Library at 
     Young Harris College was dedicated in honor of Zell Miller 
     and Shirley Miller;
       Whereas, in 2016, the Miller Institute was established to 
     preserve, promote, and continue the legacy of Zell Miller;
       Whereas Zell Miller was a lifetime member of the Board of 
     Trustees at Young Harris College and a member of the Board of 
     Trustees at Mercer University;
       Whereas, at the time of his death, Zell Miller and Shirley 
     Miller resided in Young Harris in the same house that Birdie 
     Miller built in the early 1930s;
       Whereas Zell Miller is survived by his wife of 64 years, 
     his 2 sons, Murphy Carver Miller and Matthew Stephen Miller, 
     4 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren;
       Whereas the Marine Corps values of patriotism and loyalty 
     possessed by Zell Miller guided his career in service to the 
     State of Georgia and to the United States; and
       Whereas the State of Georgia and the United States are 
     deeply indebted to Zell Miller for his passion as an 
     educator, lifelong dedication to public service, and 
     commitment to improving the lives of all of the people in the 
     State of Georgia and in the United States: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) the Senate--
       (A) extends deepest condolences and gratitude to the family 
     of Zell Bryan Miller; and
       (B) honors the legacy and life of Zell Bryan Miller, his 
     commitment to the people of the State of Georgia and the 
     United States, and his service to the Senate; and
       (2) when the Senate adjourns today, it stands adjourned as 
     a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Zell 
     Bryan Miller.

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