SCON 41 RFH

Referred to the Committee on House Administration

Resolved, That the resolution from the Senate (S. Con. Res. 41) entitled ‘Concurrent resolution providing for the acceptance of a statue of Helen Keller, presented by the people of Alabama.

Whereas Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama on June 27, 1880, and at the age of 19 months lost her sight and hearing as a result of meningitis;

Whereas Helen was liberated from the ‘double dungeon of darkness and silence’ by her teacher, Anne Sullivan, when she discovered language and communication at the water pump when she was 7 years old;

Whereas Helen enrolled in Radcliffe College in 1900 and graduated cum laude in 1904 to become the first deaf and blind college graduate;

Whereas Helen’s life served as a model for all people with disabilities in America and worldwide;

Whereas Helen became friends with many American Presidents and was the recipient of some of our Nation’s most distinguished honors;

Whereas Helen became recognized as one of Alabama’s and America’s best known figures and became ‘America’s Goodwill Ambassador to the World’;

Whereas Helen pioneered the concept of ‘talking books’ for the blind;

Whereas LIFE Magazine hailed Helen as ‘one of the 100 most important Americans of the 20th Century--a national treasure’; and

Whereas Helen Keller will become the first person with disabilities enshrined in the Capitol and will become an even greater inspiration for people with disabilities worldwide: Now, therefore, be it

SECTION 1. ACCEPTANCE OF STATUE OF HELEN KELLER, FROM THE PEOPLE OF ALABAMA, FOR PLACEMENT IN THEUNITED STATES CAPITOL.

(a) In General- The statue of Helen Keller, furnished by the people of Alabama for placement in the Capitol,United States Capitol in accordance with section 1814 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (2 U.S.C. 2131), is accepted in the name of the United States, and the thanks of the Congress are tendered to the people of Alabama for providing this commemoration of one of Alabama’s most eminent personages. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Presentation Ceremony- The State of Alabama is authorized to use the Rrotunda of the Capitol on October 7, 2009, for a presentation ceremony for the statue accepted under this section. The Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board shall take such action as may be necessary with respect to physical preparations and security for the ceremony. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(c) Display in Rotunda- The Architect of the Capitol shall provide for the display of the statue accepted under this section in the Rotunda of the Capitol for a period of not more than 6 months, after which period the statue shall be displayed in the Capitol, in accordance with the procedures described in section 311(e) of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2001 (2 U.S.C. 2132(e)).

Passed the Senate September 23, 2009.

Attest:

NANCY ERICKSON,

Secretary.