[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 30 (Thursday, February 25, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E288-E289]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    REPRESENTATIVE ROSEMARY POTTER--MILWAUKEE NOW WOMAN OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. THOMAS M. BARRETT

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 25, 1999

  Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate this opportunity 
to offer my congratulations to Representative Rosemary Potter. I look 
forward to joining Milwaukee National Organization for Women (NOW) on 
Saturday, February 27th, to honor Rosemary Potter as the Woman of the 
Year.
  Rosemary Potter was elected to Wisconsin's Assembly in 1989, the year 
I moved over to

[[Page E289]]

the State Senate. We worked closely on several occasions, and I was 
quickly impressed by her drive and her keen eye for policy analysis. 
She has a skill that every elected official wants: an ability to look 
at an idea and understand immediately whom it will help, whom it will 
hurt, and whether it will work at all.
  Rosemary has applied her talents to making Wisconsin government more 
efficient and more responsive. She supported Wisconsin's Student 
Achievement Guarantee in Education class-size reduction program, and 
she challenged the administration and her colleagues in the legislature 
to fully fund the program and fulfill the state's promise to our 
children. She also played a leadership role in efforts to modernize 
Wisconsin's electric power production and delivery system.
  Rosemary's colleagues recognized her leadership ability by electing 
her chair of the Assembly Democratic Caucus in 1993. She was the first 
woman to lead the Caucus while the Democratic Party controlled the 
Assembly. As Caucus Chair, she earned the further respect of her peers.
  I share that respect for Rosemary and admire her for her many 
talents. Rosemary Potter has consistently raised the bar for Wisconsin 
government. She has challenged our leaders to expect more of themselves 
and encouraged our constituents to hold us to a higher standard. She 
has also paved the way for a new era in Wisconsin politics, an era 
offering new leadership opportunities for women. Milwaukee NOW could 
have made no better choice for Woman of the Year, and I offer Rosemary 
Potter my congratulations on this well-deserved honor.

                          ____________________