3 Senators Call For Jerry Lewis To Get Congressional Gold Medal

WASHINGTON, September 7, 2006 -- Three senators introduced a resolution Wednesday to honor Jerry Lewis with the Congressional Gold Medal for his philanthropy and contribution to entertainment.

The resolution was sponsored by Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez, both Democrats from New Jersey, and Republican Sen. John Ensign, of Nevada. Lewis was born in Newark, N.J., and lives in the Las Vegas-area.

Lautenberg said Lewis' annual Labor Day telethon to battle muscular dystrophy has improved the lives of thousands of children. "This kind of commitment is what made America great, and it is why Jerry Lewis is a great American," Lautenberg said.

Menendez said honoring Lewis with the medal "would be a fitting accolade to this larger than life individual."

Lewis, 80, has received numerous awards for his philanthropy. His telethon, which has raised $1.4 billion to fight muscular dystrophy since 1966, this year raised a record $61 million.

Congressional legislation is required to award the medal and needs the sponsorship of at least two-thirds of the House of Representatives and 67 senators.

Other recipients have included George Washington, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Jackie Robinson, Pope John Paul II, and Charles M. Schulz.

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