[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 110 (Wednesday, July 30, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H6403]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO TERESA B. STAERK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fox] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to salute a 
young lady from my district Teresa Staerk who was a very special person 
and for me a role model. She died suddenly and tragically at 41 this 
past Saturday. She had great courage and strength. Her honesty and 
forthright manner were a model for others, her loyalty and generosity, 
her skill and desire to overcome her own disability to reach out to 
others in need. She was wheelchair bound, but she did not think of 
herself as having a disability. She worked for those who were disabled, 
and she was the pioneer in Pennsylvania for making sure that we had 
opportunities for transportation and mass transit for those who were in 
wheelchairs permanently. She worked on making sure that at our train 
stations we had ramps, that we had bridge plates to get individuals 
from the ramp into the train. She worked to make sure that our transit 
systems had chair lifts for especially equipped buses so those who 
wanted to maintain their mobility and independence could do so. She 
testified to our State capital in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to make sure 
that she was a strong voice for others who could not speak or were not 
as committed or did not really have the will that she had. She was a 
very special person. Then she came to Washington do the same thing, to 
speak out on transit opportunities for the disabled.
  She helped everyone, and she really was a trailblazer. Not only did 
she work to improve mass transit and to help inspire those who have 
some disabilities, but overcome them like she has, but she worked to 
organize our Toys for Tots program at our marine base. She worked to 
help support the Rosalyn Boys and Girls Club in our home county. She 
also worked to support the Girls and Boy Scouts programs.
  She took every stumbling block that life gave her and turned into a 
stepping stone to help her community but not to help herself. She had a 
thirst of life that was unquenchable, and she accomplished more in her 
short 41 years than most people do that are lucky enough to live twice 
at long.
  So I am hoping that those who hear about Terry Staerk and those who 
have the opportunity to meet her and who will later hopefully read 
about her life who want to be like her, a cross between Eleanor 
Roosevelt and Mother Theresa, who had a compassion and a vision, 
someone who was as selfless as can be and only was happy when we kept 
on trying.
  She did not understand the word no. She used to say to people what 
part of no do you not understand because she knew that things that were 
difficult just took longer but never gave up.
  So am hoping that her indomitable spirit, which is in the great 
historic dreams of America, will be lived on by others.
  Her mother said at the funeral last night:
  Teresa lived her life day by day, moment by moment. For her each day, 
each moment, was rich and full despite the obstacles she encountered. 
This was due not only to her own determination, courage and zest for 
life, but also to you, those of her family friends. She was a vibrant, 
beautiful women who was like the wind, free to travel, to learn and to 
see all that there is to see, and for her dreams that were unfulfilled, 
I hope that we can continue her dream.
  I yield to the gentleman from Connecticut.
  Mr. SHAYS. I appreciate the gentleman yielding. Just as I finished my 
statement on something my staff had written about what was life was 
like 20 years ago, the staff member said I just returned last night 
from visiting the wall where there are over 50,000 American soldiers 
who lost their life in Vietnam, and I could have added that 20 years 
ago we had soldiers in Vietnam who answered their country's call when 
the last time we had a balanced budget, and a number of those men who 
were sent to Vietnam never came back to see the day we have today where 
we are once again going to have a balance budget, and I thank the 
gentleman for allowing me that opportunity.
  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the comments of 
the very sensitive from the Congressman from Connecticut because we 
would not have the opportunity to be here in Congress to serve in a 
great privilege as it is if those people who had not fought in Vietnam 
and in other wars for this country to give us the right to serve here 
in peace. So to each of them I salute them and join the gentleman from 
Connecticut [Mr. Shays] in that additional tribute which is very 
fitting for today and this historic setting.

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