[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 145 (Friday, October 22, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13062-S13063]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           A SALUTE TO MEDAL OF FREEDOM RECIPIENT EVY DUBROW

 Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize my 
friend, Evelyn Dubrow, who recently received the Presidential Medal of 
Freedom. Unfortunately, a previous commitment prevented me from joining 
Evy's many friends and admirers at the ceremony, but I want to commend 
her on receiving the nation's highest civilian honor bestowed by the 
United States Government.
  President Kennedy established the Presidential Medal of Freedom award 
in 1963 to honor persons who have made

[[Page S13063]]

especially meritorious contributions to the security or national 
interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other 
significant private or public endeavors. There is not a more deserving 
recipient of this award than Evy Dubrow. As founder of the Coalition of 
Labor Union Women and Americans for Democratic Action, she tackled 
difficult issues from fair trade to civil rights. As legislative 
director of UNITE and its predecessor, the International Ladies' 
Garment Workers Union, Evy spent her career fighting not only for labor 
rights, but for individual rights and humanity. She is by far one of 
the best I have had the pleasure to know and to work with.
  Mr. President, I ask that President Clinton's remarks upon the 
presentation of the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Evelyn Dubrow be 
printed in the Record:

       Evy Dubrow came to Washington more than 40 years ago, ready 
     to do battle for America's garment workers--and do battle she 
     did. When it came to the well-being of workers and their 
     families, this tiny woman was larger than life. The halls of 
     Congress still echo with the sound of her voice, advocating a 
     higher minimum wage, safer work places, better education for 
     the children of working families. And in opposition, to 
     President Ford and me, she also was against NAFTA.
       No matter how divisive the issue, however, Evy always 
     seemed to find a way to bring people together, to find a 
     solution. As she put it, there are good people on both sides 
     of each issue. And she had a knack for finding those people.
       By the time she retired two years ago, at the age of 80, 
     she had won a special chair in the House Chamber, a special 
     spot at the poker table in the Filibuster Room and a special 
     place in the hearts of even the most hard-bitten politicians 
     in Washington; even more important, for decades and decades, 
     she won victory after victory for social justice.

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