,h4 ,,res4 #dcd  ,9 ! ,h\se (           
,repres5tatives1 ,u4 ,s41  ,decemb] #ab1
 #bjac  ,,resolution  ,:]eas ,nelson    
,m&ela's defiance ( inju/ice & commitm5t
 to peace & reconciliation1 7 critical  
to a*iev+ ! abolition ( ap>!id1 a sy/em 
( racially bas$ social1 political1 &    
economic discrim9ation1 & to adopt+ 9   
its place a sy/em ( multip>ty democracy 
& univ]sal suffrage = all ,s\?          
,africans2 ,:]eas on ,augu/ #e1 #aifb1  
,nelson ,m&ela 0 arre/$ = 8 acts to end 
! discrim9atory policies ( ap>!id & 0   
f\nd guilty ( all *>ges aga9/ him &     
s5t5c$ to life 9 prison2 ,:]eas dur+ 8  
imprisonm5t1 ,nelson ,m&ela 0 conf9$ to 
a small cell & =c$ to p]=m h>d labor    
:ile be+ gravely mi/reat$ by prison     
(ficials2 ,:]eas dur+ #ah ( 8 #bg ye>s (
 imprisonm5t on ,robb5 ,isl&1 ,nelson   
,m&ela 0 p]mitt$ only "o visitor a ye>1 
& = only #cj m9utes2 ,:]eas ,nelson     
,m&ela rema9$ resolute1 refus+ (f]s to  
r5\nce 8 /ruggle aga9/ oppression 9     
ex*ange = 8 fre$om1 & became widely     

view$ & respect$ z a symbol ( !         
anti-ap>!id movem5t2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$    
,/ates ,congress dramatically %ift$ its 
policy t[>d ,s\? ,africa & support$ !   
political ideals t ,nelson ,m&ela       
/ruggl$ =1 by enact+ ! ,compreh5sive    
,anti-,ap>!id ,act ( #aihf 7,public ,law
 #ii-ddj7 on ,octob] #b1 #aihf1 & has   
honor$ ,nelson ,m&ela by pass+ ! ,m&ela 
,fre$om ,resolution 9 ! ,h\se (         
,repres5tatives on ,septemb] #ah1 #aihd 
7,h4 ,res4 #dcj71 & 9 ! ,s5ate on       
,octob] #aj1 #aihd 7,s4 ,res4 #chf71 by 
adopt+ ! resolution conc]n+ ,unit$      
,/ates support = ! new ,s\? ,africa on  
,octob] #e1 #aiid 7,h4 ,res4 #efj71 & by
 aw>d+ ,nelson ,m&ela ! ,congressional  
,gold ,m$al on ,july #bi1 #aiih2 ,:]eas 
on ,febru>y #aa1 #aiij1 "u gr[+         
int]national & dome/ic pressure1 ,nelson
 ,m&ela 0 releas$ f prison1 m>k+ ! end (
 8 #bg ye>s1 #f mon?s1 & #a week (      
cont9u\s inc>c]ation2 ,:]eas =m] ,unit$ 
,/ates ,presid5t ,william ,j4 ,cl9ton   
honor$ ,nelson ,m&ela ) ! ,philadelphia 

,lib]ty ,m$al 9 #aiic2 ,:]eas 9 #aiid1  
foll[+ ! fir/ fully repres5tative1      
multiracial national elections1 ,nelson 
,m&ela 0 elect$ on ,may #i z ,presid5t (
 ! ,democratic ,republic ( ,s\? ,africa 
"u a ,gov]nm5t ( ,national ,unity2      
,:]eas ,presid5t ,nelson ,m&ela l$ !    
peaceful transition f m9ority rule &    
ap>!id to a multicultural1 multiracial  
democracy1 & play$ a critical role 9    
initiat+ ,s\? ,africa's ongo+ ef=ts to  
fo/] national reconciliation2 ,:]eas    
,presid5t ,nelson ,m&ela s\ght to       
promote equal opportunity = jobs &      
education1 access to social s]vices1 &  
quality-(-life improvem5ts = all ,s\?   
,africans2 ,:]eas dur+ ! presid5cy (    
,nelson ,m&ela1 ,s\? ,africa e/abli%$ ! 
,tru? & ,reconciliation ,commission to  
inve/igate gross human rights violations
 committ$ dur+ ! ap>!id ye>s2 ,:]eas =m]
 ,unit$ ,/ates ,presid5t ,george ,w4    
,bu% honor$ ,nelson ,m&ela ) !          
,presid5tial ,m$al ( ,fre$om 9 #bjjb2 & 
,:]eas ,nelson ,m&ela leaves a legacy t 

transc5ds 8 "t & place 9 hi/ory & w     
guide & inspire g5]ations to come3 ,n[1 
!re=e1 be x  ,t ! ,h\se (               
,repres5tatives--  7#a7 has le>n$ )     
pr(\nd sorr[ ( ! dea? ( ,nelson ,m&ela1 
=m] ,presid5t ( ! ,republic ( ,s\?      
,africa2  7#b7 t5d]s its deep sympa?ies 
to ! memb]s ( ! family ( ! late         
,presid5t ,nelson ,m&ela & 8 fell[      
citiz5s2  7#c7 honors ! life1           
accompli%m5ts1 & legacy ( =m] ,presid5t 
,nelson ,m&ela & = 8 fri5d%ip to !      
,unit$ ,/ates2  7#d7 reque/s ! ,secret>y
 ( ,/ate to communicate ^! expressions (
 s5tim5t to ! family ( ! deceas$ & to ! 
,p>liam5t ( ! ,republic ( ,s\? ,africa2 
&  7#e7 reque/s t :5 ! ,h\se adj\rns    
today x d s z a m>k ( respect to !      
memory ( ! late ,presid5t ,nelson       
,m&ela4  ,cl]k4