,,iii  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #eji  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,july #ba1
 #bjad ,ms4 ,mikulski 7for herself and  
,mr4 ,cardin7 submitted the following   
resolution2 which was considered and    
agreed to  ,,resolution  ,a resolution  
honoring the extraordinary and          
courageous life of ,mattie ,stepanek4   
,whereas ,matthew ,mattie ,joseph       
,thaddeus ,stepanek1 was born on ,july  
#ag1 #aiij1 in ,rockville1 ,maryland2   
,whereas ,mattie ,stepanek was born with
 a rare form of ,muscular               
,dystrophy--,dysautonomic ,mitochondrial
 ,myopathy2 ,whereas the siblings of    
,mattie ,stepanek--,katie1 ,stevie1 and 
,jamie--were diagnosed with the same    
rare disease2 ,whereas ,mattie ,stepanek
 began writing poetry1 short stories1   
and essays to deal with grief over the  
death of his siblings2 ,whereas the     
writings of ,mattie ,stepanek reflected 
his deep understanding of our           
ever-evolving world and the need for    

hope and peace2 ,whereas ,mattie        
,stepanek became a #g-time ,new ,york   
,times best-selling author2 ,whereas    
,mattie ,stepanek gave inspiration and  
educational speeches to audiences       
ranging from school children to business
 leaders and politicians2 ,whereas      
,mattie ,stepanek spoke about           
spirituality1 disability1 education1 and
 health care1 delivering a message of   
hope and peace to his audiences2        
,whereas the words of ,mattie ,stepanek 
inspired millions of people around the  
world1 including the #cith ,president of
 the ,united ,states1 who was a friend  
of ,mattie and delivered his eulogy2    
,whereas ,mattie ,stepanek engaged in   
public service1 working with ,children's
 ,hospice ,international to improve     
guidelines for the health and hospice   
care of children and serving as a       
#c-term ,national ,goodwill ,ambassador 
for the ,muscular ,dystrophy            
,association2 ,whereas ,mattie ,stepanek
 has been honored with numerous awards1 

during his lifetime and posthumously1   
including the ,children's ,hope ,medal  
of ,honor and induction into the ,kids  
,hall of ,fame2 ,whereas ,mattie        
,stepanek passed away on ,june #bb1     
#bjjd1 at ,children's ,national ,medical
 ,center in ,washington1 ,d4,c42        
,whereas the mother of ,mattie continues
 to raise awareness about the message of
 hope and peace that ,mattie delivered  
and led the effort to create the ,mattie
 ,j4,t4 ,stepanek ,park in ,rockville1  
,maryland2 ,whereas the ,mattie         
,stepanek ,foundation celebrates ,july  
#agth as ,mattie ,stepanek ,world ,peace
 ,day2 and ,whereas recognizing the     
#bdth birthday of ,mattie ,stepanek     
honors the compassion and dedication to 
hope that ,mattie embodied3 ,now1       
therefore1 be it  ,that the ,senate     
honors the extraordinary life and legacy
 of ,matthew ,mattie ,stepanek4