[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 75 (Monday, May 24, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1069]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN TRIBUTE TO HOLLY CAUDILL

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. RANDY ``DUKE'' CUNNINGHAM

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 24, 1999

  Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to notify my colleagues of 
the death on Friday, May 21st, of Holly Caudill, of San Diego, 
California, a vigorous and tireless advocate for persons with 
disabilities to have a fighting chance to achieve the American Dream.
  Ms. Caudill was a young lawyer, a native of the State of Washington, 
and an Assistant U.S. Attorney in San Diego. And she was a 
quadriplegic, the result of a motor vehicle accident at age 14. Her 
experience, and the inspiration of her late father Paul Caudill, taught 
this determined woman several things--most importantly that there was 
little that she could not do, given a chance.
  I met Ms. Caudill some years ago in a meeting where she gave me the 
benefit of her experience. Notwithstanding the fact that she was eager 
and qualified to work, the existing system of medical benefits, 
disability coverage, and other government programs made productive work 
almost impossible. A job with greater pay meant a severe reduction in 
benefits payments, providing a powerful disincentive against paid work 
for her and for other Americans with severe disabilities.
  Her knowledge of the system, and her determination to succeed, 
together with support from others that she inspired, helped Ms. Caudill 
to continue to work and be a tax-paying citizen. When it came to this 
basic principle--that people who work for pay should not have the 
government arrayed against them--Holly Caudill was second to none as a 
vigorous, determined, effective and inspirational advocate.
  I recall most vividly that in the 105th Congress, at her request, I 
helped her to meet with House Speaker Newt Gingrich. He was the sponsor 
of H.R. 2020, the Medicaid Community Attendant Services Act, which 
would have made a greater amount of attendant services benefits payable 
under the Medicaid program. She had a long and wide-ranging discussion 
with the Speaker and his staff--about her life, about the Speaker's 
bill, and, most importantly, about how important it was to stop 
government programs from being such a barrier to work and dignity for 
persons with disabilities. The Speaker himself remarked to me on 
several occasions about Ms. Caudill's vigor and determination, and what 
an inspiration she was.
  With her advice, I was privileged to add my name as a cosponsor to 
H.R. 2020, which had 76 cosponsors at the close of the 105th Congress. 
And in this Congress, I am honored to be one of 163 cosponsors of a 
similar measure introduced by the gentleman from New York, Mr. Lazio, 
which is H.R. 1180, the Work Incentives Improvement Act. I hope that we 
can enact this legislation.
  San Diego Union-Tribune columnist Peter Rowe was the preeminent 
chronicler of Holly Caudill's life and her advocacy the past couple of 
years. I would like to quote from his column of March 23, 1999, in 
describing why Ms. Caudill worked as hard and fought as vigorously as 
she did.

       ``Caudill's situation is distressingly common.
       ``There are thousands of people--there may be tens of 
     thousands of people--just like her,'' said Cyndi Jones, 
     director of the Accessible Society Action Project (ASAP), a 
     San Diego-based organization that lobbies on behalf of the 
     disabled. ``These people want to go back to work, but they 
     are caught in a Catch-22.
       ``Here's the catch:
       ``If you are disabled and Washington--via Social Security 
     or Medicare--pays some of your health bills, you cannot work. 
     Without a job, there's a good chance you'll end up on 
     welfare.
       ``You want to work? Fine. You lose your benefits. Without 
     benefits, there's an outstanding chance you won't make enough 
     money to afford treatment.
       ``Today, roughly 9 million disabled Americans receive 
     federal disability benefits. While many cannot work, others 
     retain the ability and the desire.''

  Mr. Speaker, Holly Caudill had the ability. She had the desire. She 
found the whole system aligned against her iron will to work. Yet she 
did work. She helped to make our system of justice work as an Assistant 
U.S. Attorney, while she so vigorously advocated for justice and 
dignity in work for persons with disabilities.
  Before she reached her goal, of an American where people with 
disabilities could work and enjoy the fruits of their labors, our 
Heavenly Father brought her home. There are no wheelchairs there, Mr. 
Speaker.
  Let the permanent Record of the Congress of the United States today 
note that Ms. Holly Caudill, Assistant U.S. Attorney in San Diego, 
California, was an inspiration to me and to many others, and a friend 
of America. May God rest her soul, and give peace to her family, 
friends, co-workers, and to so many others that she touched. And may we 
remember well her life's purpose.

                          ____________________