[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 130 (Saturday, August 5, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11708-S11709]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        TRIBUTE TO CHUCK GIFFORD

  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, one of my best friends, and a true friend 
to all who fight for social and economic justice, is retiring as 
subregional director of the United Auto Workers. Chuck has fought all 
his life for the rights of working men and women.
  Chuck Gifford started out working at Maytag in Newton, IA, where he 
was an elected representative for local 997. He was appointed to the 
staff of the national community action program [CAP] of the UAW in 
1975. He has held a number of important positions with the union, 
including serving as region 4 CAP coordinator for Iowa, Illinois, and 
Nebraska; president of the Iowa State CAP Council, and is retiring as 
subregional director. In addition to his work with the union, Chuck has 
been active for a long time in the Democratic Party, at the local and 
national level. He was a member of the Democratic National Committee, 
and the Iowa State Central Committee of the Democratic Party. Chuck is 
among the most respected labor and political leaders in our state.
  While Chuck could always be counted on to pay close attention to the 
person on the shop floor, his vision and concerns were national and 
international in scope. He cared deeply about justice and working 
conditions for his union members, but he also cared passionately about 
economic injustice in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. He was a leader 
in the fight to end the Vietnam war, to end apartheid in South Africa, 
and to end child labor Latin America and Asia.
  Chuck is a true and loyal American. He has spent countless hours and 
even days in political work to make changes in U.S. policy. He was not 
content to sit on the sidelines and complain. He got into the arena, 
and worked to make America a better country. That, to me, is a real 
test of good citizenship, 

[[Page S11709]]
and Chuck gets an A-plus in that category.
  Recently, Chuck was appointed by Iowa Supreme Court Justice Lou 
Lavorato to an interim committee which will examine access to the 
judicial system, so I am glad to see that even in his retirement, Chuck 
will still be active. Mr. President, I want to salute the long and 
distinguished career of Chuck Gifford. I wish him all the best of 
health and happiness in the years ahead.


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