[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 14 (Tuesday, February 24, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S882]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO PENNY SEVERNS OF ILLINOIS

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, on Saturday morning, in the early morning 
hours, my wife and I received a telephone call that was a shock to us. 
A dear friend and close political ally of ours, State Senator Penny 
Severns of Decatur, IL, had succumbed to cancer in the early morning 
hours.
  I have literally known Penny Severns for over 25 years, since she was 
a college student. I followed her political career. We had become close 
and fast friends. The outpouring of genuine warmth and affection for 
Penny that we have heard over the last few days since the announcement 
of her death has been amazing.
  Penny Severns was 46 years old. A little over 3\1/2\ years ago, she 
was running for Lieutenant Governor in the State of Illinois, and she 
discovered during the course of the campaign that she had breast 
cancer. I think most people, upon hearing that they had cancer, would 
stop in their tracks, would not take another day on the job, would head 
for the hospital and the doctor and say that the rest of this could 
wait. But not Penny Severns. She announced that she was going through 
the chemotherapy and radiation and then would return to the campaign 
trail. And she did.
  I will tell you, in doing that, she inspired so many of us because 
her strength, her caring, her spirit, were just so obvious. She 
finished that campaign and was reelected to the State Senate and 
announced last year she was going to run for secretary of state in our 
State of Illinois. She filed her petitions, and within a week or so it 
was discovered she had another cancerous tumor, and in December she 
went into the hospital to have it removed. She went through the 
radiation and chemotherapy afterwards and had a very tough time. 
Unfortunately, she succumbed to the cancer in the early morning hours 
last Saturday.

  It is amazing to me how a young Democratic State Senator like this 
could attract the kind of friends she did in politics. Penny was not 
wishy-washy; when she believed in something, she stood up for it. Yet, 
if you listened to Republicans and Democrats alike who have come 
forward to praise her for her career, you understand that something 
unique is happening here.
  There is so much empty praise in politics. We call one another 
``honorable'' when we are not even sure that we are. But in this case, 
people are coming forward to praise State Senator Penny Severns because 
she truly was unique, not just because she fought on so many important 
political issues and gave all of her strength in doing that, but 
because of her last fight, which was her personal fight against cancer, 
and the fact that she just would not give up and would not give in.
  Breast cancer has taken a toll on her family. She lost a younger 
sister to breast cancer a few years ago, and her twin sister is in 
remission from breast cancer today. Penny dedicated herself, in the 
closing years of her service, to arguing for more medical research when 
it came to breast cancer--not just for her family, but for everybody. 
That is part of her legacy. She will be remembered for that good fight 
and so many others.
  I have to be honest with the Presiding Officer and the other Members. 
I would rather not be here at this moment. I would rather be in 
Decatur, IL, because in just a few hours there will be a memorial 
service for Penny Severns. My wife will be there, and I wish I could be 
there, too. But if there is one person in Illinois who would understand 
why I had to be here on the campaign finance reform debate, it was 
Penny Severns. I am going to miss her and so will a lot of people in 
Illinois.
  Thank you, Mr. President.
  Mr. GRAMS addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Minnesota, Mr. Grams, is 
recognized.
  Mr. GRAMS. I ask unanimous consent to speak up to 10 minutes as in 
morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________