[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 198 (Wednesday, December 13, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2347-E2348]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN HONOR OF MARIE BOLLINGER VOGT FOR HER PRODUCTION OF ``NUTCRACKER'' 
                                 BALLET

                                 ______


                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 12, 1995

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, for 55 years in Toledo, hundreds of young 
boys and girls have danced and scampered across area stages and dozens 
of principal dancers have graced the stage with their artistry in a 
yearly production of ``The Nutcracker'' ballet. Thousands of northwest 
Ohioans have delighted in the Christmastime event. A production of 
enormous proportion has been given to us through the vision and talent 
of one woman, Marie Bollinger Vogt, who I rise today to honor. This 
year's production will be her last. Marie is retiring as the artistic 
director of the Toledo Ballet Association, which she founded.
  Intent on imbuing her own love of dance into youngsters, Marie 
founded the Toledo Ballet School over 50 years ago. Under her 
direction, the company has performed hundreds of productions throughout 
our region, ``The Nutcracker'' being its premiere performance. During 
her tenure, Marie brought to the school not only her own creative 
choreography but also that of internationally famous artists. She also 
brought to northwest Ohio world renowned dance companies and 
performers.
  Altruistic as well as artistic, under Marie's direction, the Toledo 
Ballet Association is involved in community service. The company stages 
free performances in the schools and local public housing authority. 
One performance of ``The Nutcracker'' is presented at no cost for 
children. Scholarships are provided by the school for children who 
could not otherwise afford lessons. These acts are surely fueled by 
Marie's passionate desire to inspire dance in young people.
  Although retiring as artistic director of the Toledo Ballet 
Association, Marie intends to continue in her first love, that of 
teaching, and will remain the Toledo Ballet School's director. She also 
begins the ambitious project of bringing to fruition her lifelong dream 
of building a professional ballet company in Toledo.
  In this, its 55th year, many of Marie's former students are returning 
to dance under her tutelage one last time. The 1995 ``Nutcracker'' 
performance will be a reunion for all who studied dance under her 
direction. Such a tribute gives testament to her teaching and quiet 
inspiration.
  We thank Marie Bollinger Vogt for her yearly Christmas gift to all of 
us in northwest Ohio; a family evening lost in the enchantment of ``The 
Nutcracker,'' her legacy.

[[Page E2348]]


    WAIVING POINTS OF ORDER AGAINST CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 2076, 
DEPARTMENTS OF COMMERCE, JUSTICE, AND STATE, THE JUDICIARY, AND RELATED 
                   AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1996

                                 ______


                               speech of

                           HON. NITA M. LOWEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 6, 1995

  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, in September 1994, the Congress passed a 
historic piece of legislation--the Violence Against Women Act [VAWA]. 
VAWA passed the House of Representatives with unanimous, bipartisan 
support. One of the major purposes for VAWA was to assure that the 
legal system treated domestic violence as the very serious crime we 
know it is.
  A very important provision of the act is entitled ``Equal Justice for 
Women in the Courts.'' These provisions assure that the arbiters of 
justice in our Nation--judges and the courts--treat domestic violence 
in a serious and fair manner.
  It has come to my attention that some Members of the Senate inserted 
a colloquy into the Congressional Record challenging the merit of the 
gender fairness task forces provided for under the Equal Justice for 
Women in the Courts provisions. I could not disagree more strongly.
  Sections 40421-22 of the act allow each Federal judicial circuit to 
conduct studies of ``the instances, if any, of gender bias * * * and to 
implement recommended reforms.'' A this time, a majority of the Federal 
circuits are conducting gender fairness studies to ascertain whether 
women receive disparate treatment in the courts, and, if so, how best 
we can address this critical problem. Clearly, the judicial branch has 
the authority, and an obligation, to discover any bias in the 
dispensation of justice in our Nation. There is no place for unequal 
justice in the United States.
  In addition, recently there have been a growing number of press 
reports--most notably about the O.J. Simpson case in California--about 
victims of domestic violence who availed themselves of the courts and 
received little or no protection from their batterers. The failure of 
the courts to respond to complaints of domestic violence puts the very 
lives of American women at risk. Further, the mere impression that 
courts do not take domestic violence seriously will cause some women 
who desperately need the protection of the legal system to not reach 
out for help.
  Finally, I would like to note that the colloquy entered by the 
Senators on this issue has absolutely no binding effect on the Federal 
judicial circuits. The colloquy is merely the opinion of three Members 
of Congress; it is not law.
  The Commerce-Justice-State appropriations bill contains no 
legislative language barring courts from establishing gender fairness 
studies. Nor does the conference report, the Senate Appropriations 
Committee report, or the House Appropriations Committee report. If the 
Congress intended to bar these very important studies, then we would 
have done so in the legislative or report language. The judicial 
circuits clearly have the right under this bill to establish the gender 
fairness task forces.
  When the Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act, we made a 
promise to the people of this Nation that we would fight to end 
domestic violence. If the legal system, our first line of defense 
against his heinous crime, is not properly addressing this issue, then 
we cannot even begin the process of ending domestic violence. I 
strongly support any efforts by the judiciary to investigate gender 
bias in the courts, and to provide for recommendations to eradicate it.

                          ____________________