[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 40 (Wednesday, April 1, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H2035-H2037]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               TRIBUTE TO THE LATE HONORABLE BELLA ABZUG

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Hawaii (Mrs. Mink) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I rise with sadness to express my 
personal condolence to the family of the late Bella Abzug.
  Bella Abzug came to Congress in 1970. I had been elected 5 years 
previously. We quickly became very close friends and collaborators. 
Despite the fact that we came from very different backgrounds and from 
opposite corners of this country, our concerns were the same. I had 
been fighting against the Vietnam War for 5 years. The few of us who 
opposed the war at that time had tried every parliamentary maneuver we 
could think of to end the war. Clearly, after 5 years we were exhausted 
and our struggles to turn the Nation's policies around needed help.
  Bella's election to Congress gave us fresh vigor and new momentum. 
She was a tireless, relentless advocate for peace. From the moment she 
was sworn into office, she made her voice heard and fought with all her 
might and power to get this country out of the war in Vietnam.
  She knew that she was effective and she knew that her voice made a 
difference.
  Just as Bella fought for peace, she also fought for equality and 
justice. With all her heart and soul, she stood for the rights of the 
poor to be heard. She pushed her way to assure the poor a voice in the 
deliberations of the Congress. She was their voice, and they loved her 
for her commitment to their plight.
  Justice was for Bella the right to earn a decent living and the right 
to be able to provide for your family. She fought against 
discrimination and championed the cause of equality for women. No one I 
know did more for women than Bella. Her life was given to that cause. 
No matter where she went, everyone knew by her presence that she was 
their voice for equality and for justice.
  She challenged the conscience of America to prove its worth as a 
society by permitting women to claim their place as full and equal 
citizens. Bella's best efforts were in building networks and forging 
coalitions. She forced people to forget their turf wars and to work 
together for the greater good. Even after she left Congress, she 
continued in this work.
  She organized huge demonstrations for abortion rights, for equal 
rights, for child care, for food for the hungry and for the AIDS 
programs. She led international conferences and taught women everywhere 
how their combined voices could make important changes in their lives.
  When formal government conferences were convened, she called 
nongovernmental women together for massive counter-conferences. She 
angered Presidents by challenging them to do better for women, for the 
poor and the oppressed minorities. I counted Bella as one of my closest 
friends. We counseled together on many occasions, even after we both 
left Congress in 1976. We looked to each other for support and comfort 
in a world that seldom understood nor cared to understand women and 
politics. We knew that by joining together on many fronts, that we 
could double the volume of our voices so that no one could miss the 
message we wanted to convey.
  Bella was a deeply caring and sensitive human being. She always asked

[[Page H2036]]

about your family when she met you. She worried about my daughter when 
she was hurt in an automobile accident. She was always thoughtful and 
generous in her personal relationships.
  She taught me chutzpah, an important tool to make sure you are not 
pushed to the back of the bus. She challenged regular order and paved 
the way for all women to be heard.
  Women today who have a place at the table have Bella Abzug to thank. 
Without Bella, we would be years behind. When women's history is 
finally written, I am certain that Bella's life will be among the most 
celebrated.
  Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record the following information about 
Bella Abzug.

                              Bella Abzug

     b. 1920
     American lawyer and politician

       ``Women have been trained to speak softly and carry a 
     lipstick. Those days are over.''


                              introduction

       Bella Abzug was elected to the U.S. House of 
     Representatives after a long career as a labor lawyer, civil-
     liberties advocate, and peace activist. During the time she 
     served in Congress she challenged congressional decorum by 
     bluntly denouncing her male colleagues as a privileged elite 
     of white, middle-aged men who were out of touch with the 
     needs and aspirations of most Americans. Abzug was among the 
     most vocal members of congress demanding an immediate 
     withdrawal of American military forces from Indochina during 
     the Vietnam conflict in the 1970s. She also took strong 
     positions in favor of women's and minority rights and federal 
     aid to cities.
       Abzug was born Bella Savitsky on July 24, 1920, the 
     daughter of a Emanuel and Esther Savitsky. Her father was a 
     butcher in New York City. In 1942 she graduated from Hunter 
     College in New York with a bachelor of arts degree. Two years 
     later she married Maurice Abzug, a stockbroker and novelist, 
     with whom she had two daughters. After earning a law degree 
     from Columbia University in New York in 1947, she practiced 
     law privately for 23 years, until she was elected to the U.S. 
     House of Representatives.


                        flamboyant congresswoman

       During her two terms in Congress (1970-74) Abzug served on 
     the committee on public works and transportation and was 
     chair of the subcommittee on government information and 
     individual rights. She was also assistant Democratic whip to 
     Speaker Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. Soon after Abzug reached the 
     floor of Congress she became a highly visible, flamboyant 
     figure, with her trademark wide-brimmed hats and feisty 
     manner. While her strongly worded, forthright speeches had 
     great popular appeal, her political allies often believed her 
     personal style detracted from their cause. Abzug was 
     criticized for preferring to make headlines on her own 
     instead of negotiating and compromising to pass legislation. 
     But the New York Democrat earned increasing respect from her 
     colleagues over the years while remaining true to her 
     political vision.
       In her capacity as chair of the House subcommittee on 
     government information and individual rights, Abzug conducted 
     inquiries on covert and illegal activities by agencies of the 
     federal government. She helped produce the ``Government in 
     the Sunshine'' law, which gave the public greater access to 
     government records. Abzug co-founded the National Women's 
     Political Caucus in 1971 and authored numerous bills intended 
     to prevent sex discrimination and improve the status of 
     women. On local issues she devoted much of her time to 
     securing federal funds for New York City during the city's 
     fiscal crisis in the mid-1970s. In 1972 she wrote ``Bella! 
     Ms. Abzug Goes to Washington,'' an account of her experiences 
     as a congresswoman.


                        returns to law practice

       Abzug gave up her congressional seat in 1976 to seek the 
     New York Democratic party nomination for the U.S. Senate, 
     narrowly losing the race to Daniel Patrick Moynihan. She went 
     on to run unsuccessfully for mayor of New York City in 1977 
     and for a congressional seat representing the East Side of 
     Manhattan in 1978. Political analysts attributed these losses 
     to her confrontational image and the conservative nature of 
     the electorate. President Jimmy Carter appointed Abzug co-
     chair of the National Advisory Committee for Women. Carter 
     dismissed her in 1979 after the committee issued a report 
     criticizing the president's decision to cut funding for 
     women's programs. She then returned to her legal practice. 
     Abzug remained in the public eye, however, as a lecturer, 
     television news commentator, and magazine columnist. She was 
     also an executive for women's organizations, including Women-
     USA, a grass-roots political action organization, and the 
     Women's Foreign Policy Council.


                     writes book on ``gender gap''

       Abzug drew on her decades-long leadership experience in the 
     women's movement to write ``Gender Gap: Abzug's Guide to 
     Political Power for Women,'' which was published in 1984. 
     With co-author Mim Kelber, Abzug examined the possible causes 
     and political consequences of the ``gender gap,'' the wide 
     disparity in voting patterns between men and women noticed in 
     some American elections. In the 1980 presidential election, 
     for instance, many more women than men voted to reelect 
     Carter, and the gender gap made the difference in a number of 
     elections for state governors later in the decade. Although 
     statisticians have had trouble identifying the specific 
     political differences that may separate the sexes at the 
     ballot box, Abzug credits the feminist movement for 
     encouraging women's independence.


                     becomes environmental advocate

       In her book Abzug also outlined a range of political, 
     social, and economic issues on which women can have an 
     impact. Among them is the environment, an area in which Abzug 
     herself became active in the early 1990s. Appointed as 
     special adviser to the Secretary-General of the United 
     Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), 
     she became a leading advocate of environmental security and a 
     more economically just world. In 1991 she was an organizer of 
     the Women's Congress for a healthy Planet as part of the 
     Earth Summit sponsored by the United Nations in Rio de 
     Janeiro, Brazil. The congress issued the ``Action Agenda for 
     the Twenty-first Century,'' which challenged men and women to 
     work together for a ``safe and sustainable future.'' Abzug 
     identified a particular role--and a higher degree of 
     freedom--for women in cleaning up ``the mess'' that has been 
     made throughout the world: ``I believe women will bring a new 
     vision, with new perspectives as to how and what to change,'' 
     she told an interviewed. ``It's easier with women because 
     they are not part of what has taken place. They aren't 
     totally unshackled, not only by lack of ownership but by lack 
     of involvement in decisions to date. They are freer and more 
     independent.''
                                  ____


            Honorary Chair Bella Abzug: A Woman of Strength

       The 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Spirit of Houston 
     will kick off amidst memories of the 1977 Houston Conference, 
     which attracted 20,000 men and women, and visions of the 21st 
     Century. The National Women's Conference has named the 
     Honorable Bella S. Abzug, former Congresswoman, current 
     President of the Women in Environment and Development (WEDO), 
     guide and mentor to women worldwide, to serve as Honorary 
     Chair of the 20th Anniversary Celebration. The Conference 
     will be held in Washington, D.C. at the Georgetown University 
     Conference Center November 20-23, 1997.
       Ms. Abzug maintains an unwavering struggle for a world 
     where women participate fully and equally in all aspects of 
     life. She works tirelessly to give voice and visibility to 
     women worldwide by forging links and partnerships at every 
     level. Abzug encourages women to achieve equality through 
     economic, social and political empowerment.
       While serving in the United States Congress representing 
     New York, Congresswoman Abzug introduced a bill in 1975 
     proposing that a national women's conference be held as part 
     of the Bicentennial celebration and other women members of 
     the House of Representatives united with her to work toward 
     the adoption of the legislation. Under the onslaught of this 
     determined group, Public Law 94-167 passed in the House on 
     December 10, 1975 and by the Senate on December 23, 1975.
       Public Law 94-167 directed a 42-member National Commission, 
     presided over by Bella Abzug, to convene a National Women's 
     Conference, preceded by state and regional meetings. The 
     mandate read in part: ``. . . The Conference shall . . . 
     recognize the contributions of women to the development of 
     our country . . . assess the role of women in economic, 
     social, cultural and political development . . . identify 
     barriers that prevent women from participating fully and 
     equally in all aspects of national life and develop 
     recommendations for means by which such barriers can be 
     removed. . . .'' Although it amounted to less than one nickel 
     for each female in the country, Congress appropriated $5 
     million to carry forth the mandate of the Public Law. But 
     women know how to ``make do'', and Bella Abzug led the 
     nation's women in that effort.
       After a year of hard work and devotion to the task, 
     Presiding Officer Bella Abzug stood at the podium on November 
     19, 1977 and extended a welcome to three First Ladies, whose 
     sheer presence was more moving than anyone would have 
     imagined. First Ladies Rosalynn Carter, Betty Ford and Lady 
     Bird Johnson expelled any notion that they were ceremonial 
     wives. They said they were women who could speak for 
     themselves. Lady Bird Johnson said she had come to believe 
     that the women's movement belongs to women of all ages.
       Ms. Abzug was a key organizer at the Fourth World 
     Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995. During the 
     Conference, she received numerous awards and accolades that 
     recognized her many contributions. Prior to the Beijing 
     Conference, in 1994, she was inducted into the National 
     Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York where the 
     first women's rights meeting was held in 1848.
       Bella Abzug is a civil rights attorney and has earned 
     recognition as a leading women's rights advocate and public 
     speaker. She is the founder of WEDO, an international network 
     with consultative status at the United Nations. WEDO networks 
     organize women's caucus meetings at major international 
     conferences of particular concern to women.

[[Page H2037]]

       Bella S. Abzug, one of the most admired women of America, 
     honors the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Spirit of 
     Houston and the National Women's Conference by her presence 
     and her acceptance of the role of Honorary Chair.
       Information on the 20th Anniversary Celebration, including 
     Conference and hotel registration forms, can be obtained at 
     the NWC Web site.
                                  ____


                     Contract With Women of the USA

                            (By Bella Abzug)

       The downsizing of women off the national political agenda 
     is being challenged in a new and exciting campaign. The 
     ``Contract with Women of the USA'' is gathering momentum 
     across the country.
       Even though we are a majority of the U.S. population, women 
     are being attacked, trivialized and ignored in much of the 
     current political debates. Modest gains that we have won in 
     years of struggle are in jeopardy. The time has come to put 
     women's needs and concerns up front, in actions as well as 
     words.
       Initiated by the Women's Environment and Development 
     Organization, of which I am a co-founder, and the Center for 
     Women Policy Studies, the Contract campaign is endorsed by 
     growing numbers of women's organizations, women members of 
     Congress, state legislators and others. Our target is a 
     thousand endorsements by this fall. Even more important, the 
     Contract provides a flexible organizing and advocacy vehicle 
     for addressing state and local issues of importance to women.
       Women state legislators are taking the lead in supporting 
     the Contract and working with women and other public sector 
     groups to develop their own state contracts. Kicking off the 
     campaign on International Women's Day on March 7th were women 
     legislators in Arizona, California, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota 
     and New York.
       Newt Gingrich's ``Contract with America'' has run into 
     stalemate and massive rejection by the American people. Our 
     ``Contract with Women of the USA'' reflects the realities of 
     American women's lives in all our family, economic, 
     political, social, racial, age, religious and educational 
     diversity. It offers an alternative and unifying vision in 
     which women and men work together on an equal basis for our 
     mutual benefit.
       The 12 principles and action commitments in our Contract 
     are based on the Platform for Action, approved by consensus 
     last September at the U.N. Fourth World Conference on Women 
     by the United States and 188 other governments, as well as by 
     30,000 nongovernmental women, including 7,000 from our 
     country.
       The dozen commitments outlined in the ``Contract with Women 
     of the USA'' call for economic, social and political equality 
     for women; access to affordable health care and reproductive 
     rights; an end to discrimination and violence against women; 
     continuation of social safety nets for poor women and 
     children; inclusion of women in peace-making; educational 
     opportunities for women; and mechanisms to monitor and 
     further women's gains.
       Women legislators in the six kickoff states have signed on 
     to the Contract. Similar actions are being planned in other 
     states. We welcome the support of women legislators and 
     activists throughout the country and urge them to join us in 
     this important effort.

     

                          ____________________