[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 131 (Tuesday, November 16, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2008]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO LYNN VICTOR

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 16, 2004

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Lynn Victor of Santa 
Rosa, California, who retires after a remarkable 30-year career of 
creative and innovative work to improve the lives of low-income 
Americans.
  Beginning at the Community Action Council of San Joaquin County in 
the 1970's, Lynn created innovative solutions to the needs of low-
income communities. As energy costs rose, she helped to develop and 
then administered the Nation's first home weatherization programs 
funded by state regulated utility companies. Based on its great 
success, regulated utility companies in 22 states now provide 
weatherization services to millions of their low-income customers 
around the Nation. These programs not only help disadvantaged families 
reduce their energy costs, they also conserve energy for America, 
helping toward energy self-sufficiency and reduced dependence on 
foreign oil.
  Lynn then went on to design the Nation's first education program to 
help low-income and non-English speaking communities understand the 
deregulation of the telephone industry, enabling them to obtain and 
keep vital telephone service at the lowest possible cost. She designed 
a program to help millions of low-income people understand the privacy 
and security implications of new telephone technology. In this effort, 
she created education materials in 32 languages and Braille so that, 
for the first time, major telephone companies were able to reach 
California's huge immigrant populations through community action 
agencies, domestic violence shelters and other community based 
organizations. Once again, this program became a model for utility 
companies throughout the Nation to understand and address the needs of 
their hard-to-reach customers and bring them important consumer 
protection information.
  Lynn's work has always featured collaborations with Community Action 
Agencies (CAA's), our Nation's network of over 1,000 anti-poverty 
agencies that serve millions of low-income Americans. CAA's operate 
Head Start, Energy Assistance Programs, Community Services Block Grant 
(CSBG) and other services that reach millions of disadvantaged 
Americans. For the past 4 years, Lynn has worked as Executive Director 
of the California/Nevada Community Action Partnership, helping this two 
state association of CAA's address the causes and symptoms of poverty 
in their communities.

  An immigrant born in England, Lynn grew up in New Zealand, arriving 
in America in 1963. As a single parent of Michael, Lizabeth and 
Kristina Victor, Lynn had many hardships to face with no family to turn 
to. However, she found her new family in her community.
  Mr. Speaker, as innovator, organizer and inspiration, this remarkable 
woman exemplifies the spirit of American immigrants who contribute so 
much to the vibrancy of our Nation. She is leaving her post having set 
a new standard for all who will follow after her, and she has put into 
place programs that will serve the neediest of us well in the future. 
Thank you, Lynn.