[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 153 (Wednesday, November 5, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S11788]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RETIREMENT OF DR. HARRIETT G. JENKINS

 Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I submit for the Record a joint 
statement by myself and Senator Jeffords on the retirement of Dr. 
Harriett G. Jenkins.
  The statement follows:

Joint Statement by Senator Patrick Leahy and Senator James Jeffords on 
               the Retirement of Dr. Harriett G. Jenkins

       On September 30, 1997, Dr. Harriett G. Jenkins officially 
     retired after twenty-five years of service in the executive 
     and legislative branches of our government. Her outstanding 
     contributions in the field of education, at the National 
     Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Office of 
     Senate Fair Employment Practices, the Senate Committees on 
     Agriculture, Labor, and Judiciary, and at the U.S. Equal 
     Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) have won her the 
     respect and admiration of everyone who has been privileged to 
     work with her. Her impressive career in public service 
     spanned 19 years as a public school educator in Berkeley, 
     California, and carried through her most recent and superior 
     performance as Special Assistant to Commissioner Reginald 
     Jones of the EEOC. In appreciation of her outstanding 
     service, we want to recognize her many achievements.
       Dr. Jenkins was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and received a 
     Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mathematics from Fisk University 
     in Nashville, Tennessee. She earned a Master of Arts Degree 
     in Education and a Doctorate of Education in Policy, Planning 
     and Administration, both from the University of California at 
     Berkeley. She completed the Advanced Management Program of 
     the Harvard Business School; obtained a law degree from 
     Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., and was awarded an 
     Honorary Doctorate of Science Degree from Fisk University.
       Dr. Jenkins began her career as a public school educator in 
     Berkeley, California, and rose through the ranks to become 
     vice-principal, principal, and Director of Elementary 
     Education before reaching the post of Assistant 
     Superintendent for Instruction in 1971. She assisted with the 
     integration of the school system, fully involving parents and 
     the community, and with the implementation of many exemplary 
     educational programs. In 1973, Dr. Jenkins moved to 
     Washington, D.C., accepting the position of consultant to the 
     District of Columbia school system for the Response to 
     Educational Needs Project.
       In 1974, Dr. Jenkins joined the staff at NASA. She served 
     for eighteen years as Assistant Administrator for Equal 
     Opportunity Programs at NASA. She helped NASA integrate its 
     workforce and ensure equal opportunity in personnel 
     transactions. During this period, she helped initiate a 
     significant increase in the number of female and minority 
     employees, particularly in the non-traditional positions of 
     engineers, scientists and astronauts. She also assisted with 
     the expansion of educational programs and scientific research 
     for minority universities.
       In 1992, Harriett Jenkins was chosen by the Majority and 
     Minority Leaders and appointed by the President pro tempore 
     of the United States Senate to be the first Director of the 
     newly established Office of Senate Fair Employment Practice. 
     In 1996-1997, she served as counsel and professional staff 
     member on the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Forestry and 
     Nutrition, Labor and Human Resources, and Judiciary. In June, 
     1997, she was appointed as Special Assistant to Commissioner 
     Reginald Jones of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity 
     Commission until her retirement on September 30, 1997. In 
     this position, she made critical contributions to the report 
     of the EEOC task force on the ``Best'' Equal Employment 
     Opportunity Policies, Programs and Practices in the Private 
     Sector.
       Dr. Jenkins has received numerous awards throughout her 
     prestigious career. In 1977, Dr. Jenkins received NASA's 
     highest award, the Distinguished Service Medal. Also during 
     1977, she chaired the Task Force on Equal Opportunity and 
     Affirmative Action, one of nine task forces of the Personnel 
     Management Project which led to the Civil Service Reform Act. 
     For this work, she received the Civil Service Commissioner's 
     Award for Distinguished Service. Dr. Jenkins received the 
     President's Meritorious Executive Award in 1980; NASA's 
     Outstanding Leadership Medal in 1981; and the President's 
     Distinguished Executive Award in 1983.
       In 1986, Dr. Jenkins was elected to the National Academy of 
     Public Administration; and in 1987, she received the Black 
     Engineer of the Year Award for Affirmative Action. In 1988, 
     she received a second Distinguished Service Medal from NASA; 
     in 1990, the Women in Aerospace Lifetime Achievement Award; 
     in 1992, NASA's Equal Employment Opportunity Medal, and the 
     President's Meritorious Executive Award; and in 1994, NASA's 
     Equal Employment Opportunity Medal. In September, 1997, she 
     was awarded a citation by the EEOC for her distinguished 
     service to the Task Force on the ``Best'' Equal Employment 
     Opportunity Policies, Programs and Practices in the Private 
     Sector.
       Integrity, intelligence, and commitment to doing the best 
     job possible are characteristics that describe Dr. Jenkins. 
     She has worked tirelessly to advance the goals of protecting 
     the American worker from discrimination in the workplace and 
     tear down the barriers preventing women and minorities from 
     reaching full employment potential.
       Dr. Jenkins is leaving government service, but her legacy 
     of dedication to fairness and equality in the workplace will 
     enrich and enlighten workers for generations to come. We 
     personally want to thank Dr. Jenkins for her long career in 
     government service as a friend and advisor and wish her the 
     very best in her retirement years.

                          ____________________