[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 42 (Friday, April 3, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S3229]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO BELLA ABZUG

 Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today to sadly acknowledge the 
passing of a friend, former colleague, and one of the most passionate, 
committed, and colorful individuals that the Congress and this country 
has ever known: Bella Abzug.
  Many people view 1920 as one of the most important years in the 
history of women in America, not only because it was the year that 
women finally gained the right to vote, but also because it's the year 
that Bella Abzug was born.
  When we think of the struggle for women's equality in this country, 
one of the first images that comes to mind is that of Bella Abzug's 
wide-brimmed hat bobbing up and down at some march or rally. Through 
her flamboyant personality, she truly became an icon and a giant in the 
American and worldwide political landscape.
  Bella Abzug was a trailblazer. She graduated from law school at a 
time when only 2 percent of all lawyers were women. She was the first 
Jewish woman ever elected to Congress and one of only 12 women in the 
House when she was elected.
  She helped pave the way for other women in Congress and in all walks 
of life. In fact, just the other day, my good friend and colleague from 
Connecticut, Barbara Kennelly, spoke on the House floor about how Bella 
Abzug inspired her to run for Congress. One can only imagine how many 
other women took a chance and sought to achieve great things because 
they were inspired by Bella Abzug.
  An important thing to note about Bella is that her work was by no 
means limited to the cause of women's equality. Her titles ranged from 
civil rights lawyer to anti-war activist, just to name a few. Just 
three years out of law school, she went to Mississippi and weathered 
threats from white-supremacist groups to defend a black man in a highly 
contentious trial. In the 1950s, she shouted down former Senator Joseph 
McCarthy's anti-communist witch hunts. On her first day as a 
Congresswoman, she introduced a resolution to withdraw all U.S. troops 
from Southeast Asia. In 1975, she introduced legislation in Congress to 
prohibit discrimination against homosexuals. Bella Abzug was committed 
to eradicating all forms of injustice in this country and around the 
world. Hers was not solely the cause of women; hers was the cause she 
believed to be right and believed to be just.
  I was fortunate to see a side of Bella Abzug that most people never 
saw. I served in the House with Bella during her last term, and I came 
to know her as a person of great kindness. Beneath the persona of a 
blustery and irascible New York City politician was a woman of great 
decency and warmth. While we only served together for one term, I have 
had numerous occasions over the years to visit with Bella, and I truly 
appreciated her kindness and her friendship. Bella Abzug was truly one 
of a kind, and she will be dearly missed by friends, family, and those 
whose causes she championed over the years.

                          ____________________