[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 40 (Wednesday, April 1, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S2965]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              BELLA ABZUG

  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I wanted to rise very briefly and share 
with my colleagues the fact that a colleague who served in the House 
has passed on to God's glory. I knew her as a very dear friend. 
Congresswoman Bella Abzug died yesterday of complications of heart 
disease. I knew Mrs. Abzug as friend. I knew her as a wonderful 
Congresswoman. I want to state on the Senate floor how much she will be 
missed.
  Congresswoman Abzug fought for the rights of women. She fought for 
civil rights. She fought for human rights. She was known as ``Battling 
Bella.'' She had a very big heart and a very large agenda.
  I cannot believe that she died of heart disease, because if there was 
one fault that Bella did not have, it was heart problems. In fact, it 
was her very big heart that wanted to be sure that women were fully 
included in our society and enjoyed equal protection under the law in 
the Constitution. She wanted to be sure that she spoke out for the 
women of this country and that we also included everyone else who was 
left out and left behind.
  Also, when she left the Congress, she spoke very eloquently and added 
to her agenda the human rights of women and children all around the 
world.
  She will be deeply missed. Her hat stood there. You could always find 
Bella in a crowd. But when the history books are searched, we will find 
that Congresswoman Abzug is the indelible mark on the history of the 
United States of America for those who worked with her. She will be 
greatly missed. But, most of all, she will be missed by the people she 
fought for and championed all of her life.

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