[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 23, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S450]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO MARY NIELSEN

  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I rise today in tribute to the memory of a 
lady who lived in northeastern Montana who just passed away. She was a 
reliable adviser to me and a wonderful person, although not being born 
of the land or even in that part of the country. She was a native of 
England and had moved to northeastern Montana many years ago.
  Mary Nielsen was one of those unique persons, living in a very remote 
end of this country, the northeastern corner of Montana, isolated and 
150 miles from the nearest major airport--which is not really major. 
And for those of us who enjoy pasta--affordable pasta, that is, 
nowadays--the main crop in that part of the world is durum wheat.
  She served in a group called WIFE, Women Involved In Farm Economics. 
She took those responsibilities very seriously and, of course, with 
great purpose. She became a valuable resource to me and my staff on 
transportation issues.
  When I first met her, I was a farm broadcaster. My programs were 
aired on the radio station in Plentywood, MT. This was at a time when 
the big railroads were in the business of abandonments, wanting to 
close the spur lines that were not very profitable to the big 
railroads. And that was the case on the Opheim spur up in that part of 
the country that was originally a part of the Great Northern Railway. 
We fought hard on that issue because we did not want to see that line 
abandoned, because up there rail transportation is very important in 
moving our crops to market.
  So she took it on. It was one of those unselfish things people do, 
leaders do. And you find out that in these small places, in some of 
these remote places, we have great minds and great leadership.
  She and others formed an organization called ABLE, the Association 
for Branch Line Equity, which became a model in this country for 
opposing abandonments of railway lines in agricultural country.
  She was also a shining star in the political arena. She was 
passionate and articulate. In fact, she received international 
recognition when she was elected to the office of Sheridan County 
Assessor. She ran on a campaign slogan of ``If elected, I will resign'' 
in an effort to save taxpayers the cost of paying for a county officer 
after the office was left on the ballot even though all duties had been 
absorbed by the State of Montana. She was elected and she resigned, and 
the office went with her.
  Mary was a great vocal advocate for agriculture. That is what she 
will be remembered as. She was politically informed and active. She was 
a mentor to all who knew her. She was one of those rare people who, as 
an activist, fought with grace and dignity for what she really believed 
in.
  It is with great sadness that we see her slip into history. Our 
prayers go out to her and her husband Ove and, of course, their family. 
She was a great lady, with grace, who represented a great, great 
industry.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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