[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 56 (Thursday, May 7, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4524-S4525]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              MOTHER'S DAY

  Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, it is a pleasure to be in these Chambers on 
such a historic day. Many out there might think that I am referring to 
this final passage of the tax reform bill, and that is truly historic 
and very significant and allows the American people to be removed from 
the fear of their own Government. And that is significant, but it is 
not the most significant historical thing happening.
  Earlier today, there was a speech in here that recognized something 
very important that is happening. Last year, I was presiding when 
Senator Byrd gave his speech about mothers. Today, he spoke about 
mothers. On Sunday, we will be recognizing mothers. Mothers are 
probably the most significant historical thing that happen each and 
every day in this country. ``Mother'' has to be the world's most 
special word.
  I want to add to his comments and those of Senator Thomas earlier 
today. Of course, the person we get to know the best--or at least, 
probably more correctly worded, who knows us the best--is our mother. 
That gives them a very special place in our lives. They always set 
expectations for us. I will have to relate this in terms of my mother. 
I know it is done by mothers all over the country. I will tell you a 
little bit about my mother, and you can relate that to your mother and 
the other mothers in this country who are making a difference and 
raising families.
  My mom set expectations. It is one of those jobs of a mom. I remember 
coming home from a PTA meeting when I was in kindergarten, and they had 
talked about college, and from that point on she talked about ``when'' 
I went to college. They had talked about Massachusetts Institute of 
Technology, MIT, so at that point she was sure I would be an engineer 
and go to MIT. But it is that expectation of college that sticks, and 
the other expectations of mom's, for me.
  She made deals for learning, for education. I remember once an 
encyclopedia salesman came to the house--the ``Book of Knowledge''--and 
I got to look at all those dream pages in there on all of those topics. 
I kind of pleaded with her to have an encyclopedia, and she asked me, 
if she got the encyclopedia, if I would give up comic books. This was 
in about second grade. Well, I wound up with the encyclopedia, and she 
worked hard to make sure we could pay for that encyclopedia. I still 
have that outdated encyclopedia, and it still gives the same 
excitement, the same feelings of mystery and adventure, that it did 
then.
  And mothers give time. Sometimes they give it in a formal way to 
service organizations. My mom was a Cub Scout leader, she was my 
sister's Brownie and Girl Scout leader, and was very active in Sunday 
school and church, and just did a lot of things that involved us. But 
all mothers give time, and a lot of times we don't think about the time 
that they are giving when they are doing the things they are expected 
to do--organizing schedules, getting the meals together, doing the 
laundry, sewing a button on, putting a Band-Aid on--all those little 
things that we come to take for granted. That is time that mothers 
give--extra time that mothers give.
  They give encouragement. They dream those dreams for us, and then 
they help us to fulfill them. It was my mom who encouraged me to be an 
Eagle Scout. ``Encourage'' is a word for ``insist,'' I think. Without 
some insistence, sometimes we don't get quite to the place that their 
vision includes. And they hear about other dreams and visions for each 
one that we are able to accomplish, and they move us to another level 
of envisioning.
  Of course, moms are the chief people for traditions, too. We have 
oyster stew on Christmas Eve, play instruments around a Christmas tree, 
have chicken on Sunday. In fact, to this day it isn't Sunday unless I 
get fried chicken. Nights with popcorn, playing games, listening--I am 
old enough that we used to sit down and listen to the radio together. 
``Fibber McGee and Molly'' was one of the most popular shows. Making 
sauerkraut, and canning, all of the kinds of meals that mother put 
together.
  Of course, the mothers are the ones who really establish that firm 
foundation of family. They are the ones who watch out for the parents 
and the grandparents and the kids and the grandkids, and think of the 
little events that are happening that ought to be special celebrations, 
and they make them special celebrations, often, by being there.
  Of course, another part that mothers play is an educational role, 
passing on the lessons from their moms, and often in very succinct 
phrases. I have in my Washington office the mission statement that we 
came up with by which we measure everything that is done in the office. 
It is a series of phrases that my mom used to use when we were growing 
up, just so that we knew what we were supposed to be doing. The three 
easy rules are: Do what is right. Do your best. Treat others as you 
want to be treated. Even here in the U.S. Senate, if it doesn't fit 
those criteria, we are not going to do it.
  Earlier today, Senator Thomas made some comments about my mom. I 
deeply appreciated those. My mom was selected as Wyoming's Mother of 
the Year this year. She is 75 years young and still involved in many 
things, probably most principally still involved in being a mother. I 
still get the regular lessons, the hopes, the expectations, the dreams. 
But last weekend I got to go to Atlanta to see the special celebration 
for the mothers of the year from each of the States in the Nation. I 
have to tell you, that was a very spectacular collection of women who 
have done some very unusual things, way beyond the call of duty. And 
they do that as a celebration of all mothers and the unusual things 
that mothers do, often without credit.
  I have to tell you that a lady named Diane Matthews was given the 
honor of being the Nation's Mother of the Year, and she will spend the 
next year traveling around at her own expense, helping out mothers' 
organizations across this country to deliver a message. I wish that I 
had the time to run through the special attributes that all of these 
women who were mothers of the year had. They deserve it. But, so does 
your mother deserve some special accolades, and that is what Sunday is 
going to be about, making a special day of saying, ``Thanks, mom,'' and 
maybe mentioning a few of those things that we forget to mention some 
of the times.
  I have to tell you a little bit about this organization that does 
this nationwide thing for promoting mothers, because that is what will 
change this country more than what we do in this

[[Page S4525]]

body. Laws will not make the difference in the end--or in the 
beginning. Mothers are there at the beginning, and they start to form 
our lives right at that point. I have to tell you that this 
organization tries to improve motherhood, something that is already 
excellent. They know that it can be better. They know that if they work 
together, they can make this country better. I want to pass on to you a 
few of the suggestions they have for the homes of America.
  They have a pledge that mothers who join sign on to. It covers some 
very basic things. They recognize that there are no quick fixes to 
problems facing families, but they suggest: Pray each day. Establish 
family traditions; share history. Inspire respect, a sense of 
belonging, a feeling of gratitude and responsibility. They suggest a 
daily devotion and having a family meeting once a week. That is 
included with eating together as a family at least once a day for a 
chance to compare notes; play together, learn, teach and model life 
skills, such as time management; love and nurture family members; 
monitor television viewing; promote patriotism; teach values; plan and 
spend time with your spouse; and learn the parenting skills.

  They have some community goals: Reestablish the dignity and 
importance of being a mother; encourage community-wide needs assessment 
to identify and solve problems. They recognize that the moms can see 
the problems in the community, they can identify those needs and get 
people busy solving them.
  They suggest implementing a mentor mothers program: Get the mothers 
who have some experience to help those who don't have experience yet to 
learn what the jobs are, and that can be done in a neighborhood sort of 
way.
  They have a number of suggestions for the neighborhood: Create a 
nurturing neighborhood; community watch and safe neighborhoods; 
community cleanliness and beautification; recycling; emergency 
preparedness; gardens for the hungry; and neighborhood parties to 
create a sense of belonging. In this country, we have lost the sense of 
belonging as we get so busy and wrapped up in our jobs, and that is 
something to which mothers will bring us back.
  They are emphasizing family time together, mothers helping other 
mothers, sharing the peace and power of prayer and providing quilts for 
at-risk babies--they go to hospitals all over the country and give 
quilts to babies who might otherwise be at risk--and also showing the 
appreciation of the role of mothers everywhere.
  It was a tremendous adventure to attend their convention and see all 
of the different activities in which they are involved, things we ought 
to have more people involved in all over this country.
  I encourage everyone to make Mother's Day special this year. Mothers 
help us to have celebrations. They are cheerleaders for all of the 
events of our lives. Sunday is a good day to be a cheerleader for the 
events in their lives. Take a few moments and write down some of the 
fond memories of your mother and share those with your mother. It will 
be a pleasant experience for both of you. After all, your mother had 
the dreams and did the work that makes your day, today, a reality.
  In a speech I saw once, there were some lines that go something like 
this: For 9 long months, your mother carried you next to her heart. 
There is nothing that you will ever be able to do that will exceed her 
secret expectations of you. And even if your actions sink to the lowest 
depths of human behavior, you can't possibly sink beneath the love of 
her for you.

                          ____________________