[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 15 (Wednesday, February 25, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S1032]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      MEMORIALIZING PENNY SEVERNS

  Ms. MOSELEY-BRAUN. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to 
say a few words concerning a friend, former colleague, and outstanding 
public servant, Illinois Senator Penny Severns. Senator Severns, one of 
the most courageous people I have ever known, lost her long battle with 
cancer over the weekend at the age of 46. Until the end, she battled 
for the causes that animated her outstanding political career--a career 
that began when she was elected as a delegate to the 1972 Democratic 
National Convention at the age of 20.
  After graduating from Southern Illinois University two years later, 
Penny served in the Agency for International Development and the 
Illinois comptroller's office. In 1983, she was elected to the Decatur 
City Council and, three years after that, she won election to the 
Illinois Senate.
  Penny's tenure in the Senate was marked by an unwavering commitment 
to her beliefs that impressed both her allies and opponents. An 
unabashed liberal in a politically conservative district, she was 
beloved because she worked tirelessly on behalf of her constituents the 
people of Illinois. She had an outstanding record of fighting for 
Illinois workers, women, and children. At the time of her death, Penny, 
the 1994 Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, was the ranking 
Democrat on the Senate Revenue Committee and was the principal 
negotiator for Senate Democrats on issues involving the state budget. 
She was a champion of fiscal reforms, worked to expand Illinois 
exports, fought for an emergency medical leave law for workers, and 
sought to establish a mechanism to help the State track down parents 
delinquent in their child support payments.
  Penny spent the final months of her life not only battling cancer, 
but waging a campaign to become Illinois' next Secretary of State. So 
strong was her commitment to the people of her State that, last year, 
after a tumor was removed from her skull, she vowed to ``wage two 
campaigns at once.'' She said, ``The doctors took care of the first 
battle by removing the tumor. I'll take care of the second battle, 
which is to continue to serve the citizens * * * and to continue my 
campaign.''
  Penny's illness began in 1994 with a diagnosis of breast cancer, a 
disease that her sisters, Patty and Marsha, both battled as well. Patty 
is currently in remission, but Marsha died in 1992. Too many families 
across the United States have been ravaged by this terrible scourge. In 
the United States in 1997, 180,200 new cases of breast cancer were 
diagnosed and 44,000 women died of it. One out of every nine American 
women will be stricken with the disease during their lifetime. These 
statistics are unacceptably high. We must redouble our commitment to 
finding a way to defeat this killer. The nation simply cannot afford to 
keep losing women like Penny Severns.
  Mr. President, a great many people throughout our nation have come to 
view politics as a cynical game involving giant egos and 
inconsequential battles. I would suggest that those individuals take a 
moment to study the life and career of Penny Severns, who was involved 
in electoral politics for all the right reasons and cared passionately 
about the welfare of the people she served. Her accomplishments are not 
only an inspiration to those of us who continue to work on behalf of 
the causes she championed, but also serve as a reminder to all 
Americans of the good work that committed public officials throughout 
this nation do. The State of Illinois and, indeed, our great nation are 
poorer for her loss.

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