[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 136 (Friday, October 2, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1887-E1888]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THE PASSING OF MEG DONOVAN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LEE H. HAMILTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 2, 1998

  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to the attention of 
my colleagues the tragic death yesterday of Meg Donovan, a former 
member of the staff of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, now the 
Committee on International Relations, and most recently a Deputy 
Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs.
  Meg worked for our committee for eight years. During that time, and 
in her previous work for the National Conference on Soviet Jewry and 
the Commission on Cooperation and Security in Europe, she was a 
tireless advocate of human rights. At a time when it was not always 
fashionable, she worked to ensure that every piece of legislation which 
this committee considered took into account the human rights record of 
the governments involved. Many staffers, and Members, learned--
sometimes the hard way--that whatever their own agenda might be, their 
legislation would be ``scrubbed'' by Meg for its human rights 
implications before it left this committee. In short, Meg put the human 
rights issue on the Congressional map.
  Some Members would be more familiar with Meg in her more recent work, 
as an indispensable aide to first Secretary of State Christopher and 
then Secretary of State Albright. Both Secretaries relied heavily on 
Meg in their relations with Capitol Hill, and to help run the State 
Department.

[[Page E1888]]

  While her professional accomplishments were extraordinary, I think 
what most of us will remember about Meg is her always cheerful smile, 
her infectious laughter, her enthusiasm for life, and her endless 
energy. Meg was one of those rare people who brought warmth, laughter 
and joy to so many lives.
  I know all of our hearts go out to Meg's husband, her three children, 
and to all her family.

                          ____________________