WHEREAS, Connie Lawn, an independent journalist who became the longest-serving White House correspondent, covering United States Presidents for more than 50 years, died on April 2, 2018; and

WHEREAS, a native of Long Branch, New Jersey, Connie Lawn earned a bachelor's degree from Simmons College and briefly worked for a United States congressman before becoming a journalist; and

WHEREAS, as the founder and sole employee of Audio Video News, Connie Lawn spent her career as an independent reporter and covered major historical events at a time when many women journalists were assigned only to soft news stories; and

WHEREAS, Connie Lawn conducted one of the final interviews with Robert Kennedy before his assassination, covered the riots at the Democratic National Convention in 1968, and reported from Czechoslovakia during the Prague Spring and from Beirut during the 1982 Lebanon War; and

WHEREAS, Connie Lawn was a familiar voice on Radio New Zealand for more than 20 years, covering a range of topics; her work to strengthen ties between communities in the United States and communities in New Zealand earned her the country's Order of Merit and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Press Club of New Zealand; and

WHEREAS, Connie Lawn will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by her husband, Charles Sneiderman; her sons, Daniel and David, and their families; and numerous other family members, friends, and colleagues; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Delegates hereby note with great sadness the loss of Connie Lawn, a longtime independent White House correspondent who paved the way for other women journalists; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Connie Lawn as an expression of the House of Delegates' respect for her memory.