From left, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R- Ky., Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D- Nev., House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Carl Augusto, President and CEO of the American Federation for the Blind, clap during the unveiling ceremony for a statue of Helen Keller in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., Wednesday, October 7, 2009. (Allison Shelley / The Washington Times)

Hans, a seeing-eye dog lies next to his owner Eric Bridges, who came as a guest of the American Council of the Blind for the unveiling ceremony for a statue of Helen Keller in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, Wednesday, October 7, 2009. (Allison Shelley / The Washington Times)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi thanks a sign language interpreter as she signs during the unveiling ceremony for a statue of Helen Keller in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., Wednesday, October 7, 2009. (Allison Shelley / The Washington Times)

Jesse Hartle, of Baltimore, Md., center, who is blind, listens to the speeches during the unveiling ceremony for a statue of Helen Keller in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., Wednesday, October 7, 2009. (Allison Shelley / The Washington Times)

Malia Thibado, 4, center, a student at the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind, sings as Nichole Gordy and Tasha Ostrowski use sign language to interpret during the unveiling ceremony for a statue of Helen Keller in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., Wednesday, October 7, 2009. (Allison Shelley / The Washington Times)

Sculptor Ed Hlavka, right, stands near his creation, a statue of Helen Keller, during the unveiling ceremony for it in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., Wednesday, October 7, 2009. (Allison Shelley / The Washington Times)

Sign language interpreter Rebekka Halseth, left, guides the hand of Ann C. Black, who is deaf and blind, towards a statue of Helen Keller after its unveiling ceremony in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., Wednesday, October 7, 2009. (Allison Shelley / The Washington Times)

Hands of blind attendees reach out to touch a statue of Helen Keller after the unveiling ceremony for it in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., Wednesday, October 7, 2009. (Allison Shelley / The Washington Times)