115th CONGRESS 2d Session |
Honoring the life of William “Billy” F. Graham, Jr.
Whereas William “Billy” F. Graham, Jr., was born on November 7, 1918, in Charlotte, North Carolina;
Whereas, in 1939, Reverend Graham was ordained by Peniel Baptist Church in Florida;
Whereas Reverend Graham studied at Florida Bible Institute and graduated from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, in 1943;
Whereas Reverend Graham married his wife of nearly 64 years, Ruth McCue Bell, in 1943;
Whereas Reverend Graham had 3 daughters, 2 sons, 19 grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren;
Whereas, in 1950, Reverend Graham founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which is based in Charlotte, North Carolina;
Whereas Reverend Graham preached to nearly 215,000,000 individuals in more than 185 countries and territories on 6 continents;
Whereas Reverend Graham provided spiritual counsel for every President since Harry Truman;
Whereas Reverend Graham prayed with members of the Armed Forces in combat zones in South Korea and Vietnam;
Whereas Reverend Graham spoke against the communist Soviet Union, saying, “Communism has decided against God, against Christ, against the Bible, and against all religion.”;
(1) fought for racial integration;
(2) invited Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to preach with him in New York City in 1957; and
(3) bailed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., out of jail when Dr. King was arrested for protesting segregation;
Whereas, following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Reverend Graham spoke words of hope and comfort to the people of the United States at the Washington National Cathedral;
Whereas Reverend Graham authored 34 books, including the bestselling autobiography, “Just as I Am”, which began by discussing his early days on a dairy farm in North Carolina and continued through his career as a preacher and evangelist; and
Whereas Reverend Graham received numerous honors, including—
(1) the North Carolina Award for Public Service;
(2) the Presidential Medal of Freedom;
(3) the Ronald Reagan Freedom Award; and
(4) the Congressional Gold Medal: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
(1) extends its sympathies to the family of William “Billy” F. Graham, Jr.; and
(A) the life and ministry of Reverend Graham; and
(B) the contributions of Reverend Graham to—
(i) the State of North Carolina;
(ii) the United States of America; and
(iii) the moral and religious lives of millions of individuals.
Passed the Senate February 28, 2018.
Secretary
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JOINT RESOLUTION | |||||
Honoring the life of William “Billy” F. Graham, Jr. |