III 109th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 256 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 28, 2005 Mr. Schumer (for himself, Mrs. Clinton, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Bingaman, and Mr. Kennedy) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Honoring the life of Sandra Feldman.

Whereas Sandra Feldman was born Sandra Abramowitz in October, 1939, to blue-collar parents living in a tenement in Coney Island, New York; Whereas Sandra Feldman, while at James Madison High School, Brooklyn College, and New York University, began a life-long dedication to education both in the United States and abroad; Whereas Sandra Feldman began her career by teaching fourth grade at Public School 34 on the Lower East Side of New York City; Whereas during her service as union leader at Public School 34, Sandra Feldman became employed by the United Federation of Teachers in New York City, and was elected president in 1986, after 20 years of service; Whereas Sandra Feldman’s tenure as president of the United Federation of Teachers was distinguished by her devotion to better working conditions for the teachers she represented; Whereas in 1997, the American Federation of Teachers elected Sandra Feldman to serve as their president, until she retired 7 years later; Whereas Sandra Feldman effectively represented the educators, healthcare professionals, public employees, and retirees who made up the membership of the American Federation of Teachers; Whereas Sandra Feldman was a tireless advocate for public education, working with President George W. Bush on the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 to improve accountability standards and provide increased resources to schools to help, increasing professional development to better equip teachers to instruct students, and using research-driven methods to redesign school programs; Whereas Sandra Feldman was equally devoted to fighting against discrimination, raising the nursing shortage into national public awareness, advocating for smaller class sizes and patient-to-nurse ratios, promoting increased benefits and compensation for workers, and spreading her message beyond her own membership by advocating for workers overseas as well; Whereas Sandra Feldman lent her expertise to both the national and international labor movements in her capacities as a member of the AFL-CIO executive council and a vice president of Education International; and Whereas Sandra Feldman succumbed on September 18, 2005, to a difficult struggle against breast cancer at the age of 65: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1)mourns the loss of Sandra Feldman, a vibrant and dedicated public servant; (2)recognizes the contributions of Sandra Feldman to public education; (3)expresses its deepest condolences to those who knew and loved Sandra Feldman; and (4)directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to the family of Sandra Feldman.