[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 44 (Thursday, April 18, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2935-S2936]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               WISHING MARY JANE OGILVIE A FULL RECOVERY

  Mr. DASCHLE. Madam President, I wanted to come to the floor before 
the end of the day to alert our colleagues on a matter about which I 
know they would all be concerned. Mary Jane Ogilvie, wife of our 
Chaplain, a very treasured member of our Senate family, is battling 
bacterial pneumonia this week. She is in an area hospital and in 
serious but stable condition.
  Dr. Ogilvie and his children are, of course, with her as they have 
been throughout this ordeal. Dr. Ogilvie has been our Chaplain now for 
7 years, since 1995, and over the years he has been the source of real 
strength for many of us in times of sorrow, in times of difficulty. 
Especially these last difficult months, we have relied on his wise and 
compassionate counsel over and over again. Now it is our turn to be the 
source of strength for him, for Mrs. Ogilvie, and for their family.
  The Chaplain's Office asked that we not send flowers because they are 
not permitted in intensive care, but if you believe in prayer, they 
say, please pray for Mrs. Ogilvie. We will certainly do so.
  We want to extend--I know on behalf of all Senators, Republican and 
Democratic--our sincere best wishes for a complete and full recovery. 
We wish her strength, and we want her to know that our thoughts and 
prayers are with her tonight and will continue to be with her until she 
returns to good health.
  I just talked to Dr. Ogilvie this afternoon. He has informed me that 
the prognosis is improving. We hope that that will be the case 
throughout the weekend. We wanted to make note of this at this time.
  I know my colleague, the distinguished Republican leader, has also 
had a conversation with Dr. Ogilvie, and to accommodate his words at 
this time, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Republican leader.
  Mr. LOTT. I thank Senator Daschle for making our colleagues and those 
who follow the situation in the Senate aware of the struggle our 
Chaplain is going through now. He has been a chaplain and a minister 
for all of us.
  As Senator Daschle said, each one of us has had moments of difficulty 
over the past 7 years. He is always there. Just recently, when my wife 
lost her father, she didn't get to talk to Dr. Ogilvie, but he left a 
message on the recorder. It was like a message from heaven, just 
magnificent; so meaningful, my wife saved it and listened to it more 
than once.
  So at this time when our Chaplain is facing difficulty, certainly we 
need him to know of our thoughts and our prayers. When I spoke to him, 
I told him that I believe in miracles and that his wife can pull 
through this and rejoin the Senate family.
  Mary Jane is very much a part of the family. She attends events; she 
goes with our Chaplain so many places. She is his helpmate. As I spoke 
with him a few minutes ago, I could just feel it in his voice; he is 
just really so worried.
  I join Senator Daschle and all of the Senate in extending to them our 
love and our thoughts and prayers. We look forward to continuing to 
follow her improvements. We have the Senate physician, Dr. Frist, on 
the job. He is keeping us posted of how she is doing. We will be 
thinking about them over the next weekend and look forward to them 
being back in full form and with

[[Page S2936]]

us on all these many occasions at which we enjoy their presence.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Montana.

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