[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 139 (Tuesday, October 16, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1902]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      A TRIBUTE TO DR. RUTH GRUBER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. NITA M. LOWEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 16, 2001

  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in tribute to Dr. Ruth Gruber who 
recently celebrated her ninetieth birthday on September 30th, 2001. A 
courageous leader, devoted humanitarian, acclaimed journalist, and 
loving grandmother, Dr. Gruber's contribution to New York and our 
nation is immeasurable.
  At the age of 20, Dr. Gruber became the youngest Ph.D. in the world. 
That, a remarkable achievement in and of itself, was only the first of 
many unprecedented accomplishments. In 1944, at the request of then 
Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes, Dr. Gruber was sent on a top 
secret mission to escort 1,000 refugees from war-torn Europe to 
America. After safely arriving back in the United States, she 
immediately led the charge to ensure that the refugees be allowed to 
stay in the country permanently.
  Dr. Gruber's talents as a journalist took her to all corners of the 
globe. She was the first foreign correspondent to enter the Soviet 
gulag, an experience which she chronicled in her book, I Went to the 
Soviet Arctic. She visited Korea and Vietnam to write They Came to 
Stay, a book about 10 Korean children who had been adopted by families 
in the United States. Through her many books and articles Dr. Gruber 
has been our eyes on the world. We are fortunate that she went to 
places she knew we needed to see and told such compelling stories.
  In February, CBS will air Haven, a four hour documentary chronicling 
Dr. Gruber's exceptional life. At age ninety, she still has plans to 
write more books, although much of her time is spent with her precious 
grandchildren. It is my privilege to thank Dr. Gruber for all she has 
done for our society, and of course, to wish her a happy ninetieth 
birthday.

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