[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 68 (Friday, May 14, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E872]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING THE SERVICE AND LEGACY OF BARBARA KENNELLY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN B. LARSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 13, 2004

  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, next Monday the Post Office 
on Weston Street in Hartford, CT will be renamed in honor of one of 
Connecticut's most dedicated public servants, Barbara Kennelly. This 
gesture is a small but lasting tribute to an extraordinary woman who 
has fully devoted herself to the cause of public service for her city, 
her state, and her nation.
  Considering her roots, Barbara's twenty three years of service to 
Connecticut should come as no surprise. Born Barbara Ann Bailey, she 
grew up in one of Connecticut's most well-known and influential 
families. Her father, John Bailey, was chairman of the state Democratic 
Party, and later served as Chairman of the Democratic National 
Committee under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. Her mother was active 
in democratic state politics and her brother served as the chief state 
attorney for Connecticut. She grew up surrounded by those who dedicated 
their lives to public service, and Barbara learned well from their 
example.
  Following in her family's footsteps, Barbara was elected to the 
Hartford City Council in 1975. After serving four years on the council, 
Barbara was elected Secretary of the State of Connecticut. Continuing 
her service on behalf of the people of her beloved state, she was 
elected to Congress in a special election in 1982.
  On her arrival in Washington, Barbara quickly rose through the ranks 
and earned the respect of members from both sides of the aisle. Her 
seventeen-year record in the House clearly reflects her strong 
commitment to the needs of working families in Connecticut and the 
nation. She fought hard for legislation to enforce child support 
collection, provide tax credits to the working poor and extend health 
care coverage to uninsured children. While known for her willingness to 
compromise, she never forgot the needs of the people she represented.
  During her time in Congress, Barbara broke the ground that finally 
brought women into the House leadership. Clearly demonstrating a 
capacity for pragmatic and dynamic leadership, Barbara was appointed as 
the third woman in history to serve on the House Ways and Means 
Committee and the first woman to chair a subcommittee of the House 
Intelligence Committee. In August 1991, Barbara served as Chief Deputy 
Majority Whip under Speaker Tom Foley, a post in which she served until 
her election as Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus in 1994. With her 
historic ascension to this post, her colleagues made Barbara the 
chamber's fourth highest-ranking member, and the first and only woman 
at that time in the elected leadership.
  Again heeding the call to serve the people of Connecticut, Barbara 
accepted the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 1998. Although her 
run for the governorship was unsuccessful, Barbara was not only to 
simply fade away into the background.
  Reflecting her service as Ranking Democrat on the Social Security 
subcommittee, President Clinton appointed her Associate Commissioner of 
the Social Security Administration in 1999. Today, she works tirelessly 
on behalf of our nation's seniors as President of the National 
Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.
  I am truly honored to present the district she so ably served for 
seventeen years. While Barbara's legacy is so much larger than the 
bricks and mortar of a post office, it is a lasting tribute to a woman 
who dedicated her life in service of the people of Connecticut for 
nearly a quarter of a century.
  Barbara's is a presence sorely missed in this chamber, and I urge my 
colleagues to join me in recognizing the legacy and ongoing service of 
this truly extraordinary public servant.




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