[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 60 (Thursday, April 29, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S4470]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO MARIANNE BOND WEBSTER

 Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to and 
honor the many accomplishments of Marianne Bond Webster, of Dunwoody, 
Georgia. By the age of 43, Marianne was a success by most yardsticks: 
happily married and the mother of two, tennis champion, gourmet cook, 
and a popular caterer. However, several events in Marianne's life 
sparked a midlife change which would cause her to re-examine her life 
and become more involved in our nation's political system. This 
realization spurred her to a more active role in WAND--the Women's 
Action for New Directions.
  WAND is a national grassroots peace group emphasizing the role of 
women-- activists, legislators and community leaders--on issues related 
to the federal budget, the military, violence, and nuclear disarmament 
and nonproliferation. A nonprofit organization founded in the early 
1980s, WAND has grown into a national organization headquartered in 
Boston, MA, with an advocacy office in Washington, DC, and a field 
office in Atlanta, GA, with chapters and organizational partners across 
the country. WAND's educational arm, WAND Education Fund, was started 
in 1982.
  WAND's mission is to empower women to act politically to reduce 
violence and militarism and redirect excessive military resources to 
human and environmental needs.
  In 1990, WiLL--the Women Legislators' Lobby, a program of WAND--was 
formed. WiLL is a powerful and unique membership network of progressive 
women state legislators. It is the only national multipartisan network 
of women state legislators from all 50 states working to influence 
federal policies and budget priorities. One out of three women state 
legislators is a member.
  During the 1990s, it seemed Marianne Bond Webster was everywhere, 
doing everything for WAND and WiLL: lobby days, media workshops, a 
session on nuclear waste for junior high school students, a tour of the 
Savannah River Site, campaigning for Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, 
arranging benefit concerts with the Indigo Girls, and leading WAND both 
locally and nationally.
  By 1998 Marianne had made two major decisions: to serve as WAND's 
National president, and to run for an open seat in the Georgia 
legislature. Caring, smart, honest, brave, and decent, I know she would 
have made a tremendous difference.
  But, tragically, on April 17, 1998 she jumped on her bicycle to 
deliver her campaign leaflets. The bag holding her literature caught in 
the spokes, and she flew over the handlebars, breaking her neck when 
she landed. Marianne never regained consciousness. She died on June 11, 
1998.
  Family, friends, and WAND members maintained a constant vigil by 
Marianne's hospital bed and joined hands with those who could not 
through daily e-mail updates. She touched so many with her special 
magic. Her spirit lives on in all of us. And her work continues through 
Marianne's Fund.
  Her family and friends developed the idea for a fund shortly after 
Marianne's death. And in 1999 WAND Education Fund established 
Marianne's Fund with the Atlanta Women's Foundation. WiLL and the other 
WAND programs, which had become so central in Marianne's life, will be 
beneficiaries of the Fund.
  Marianne believed wholeheartedly that all women, if offered support 
and training, would contribute significantly to the political process. 
She recruited women state legislators to WiLL enthusiastically, and 
connected WAND activists with WiLL members nationally, to forge 
powerful alliances. With courage and intelligence, she took on WAND's 
complex issues, becoming an expert on the subject of nuclear waste. 
Marianne toured nuclear weapons facilities and test sites. She wrote 
passionately about the legacy of nuclear weapons, alerting her audience 
to the dangers and costs of continued nuclear weapons production.
  Related programs of peace, justice, and protection of the environment 
identified by the Webster/Bond family will also be beneficiaries of 
Marianne's Fund. Marianne worked to increase the women's vote, strongly 
supported affirmative action for women in business and the professions, 
donated generously to battered women and children's causes, and 
contributed much to other grassroots organizations.
  Mr. President, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in 
recognizing and honoring the life of Marianne Bond Webster. Marianne 
was a wonderful and amazing person who positively touched the lives, 
and bettered the lives, of many Georgians and many Americans. Although 
her life was unfortunately too short, her memory and her work on behalf 
of our country and our political system will last forever.

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