[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 34 (Wednesday, February 28, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E423-E424]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING ANN RICHARDS' EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO TEXAS AND 
                          AMERICAN PUBLIC LIFE

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. AL GREEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 27, 2007

  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to honor a 
great Texan and a great American.
  Ann Richards served not only as the Governor of Texas, but as an 
exemplary role model for young people across the United States. She 
lived her life with humor, tenacity, dedication and an indomitable 
spirit that will be missed.
  Time and time again, Ann Richards showed a true commitment to that 
great American ideal of equal opportunity for all. For example, nearly 
half of her 3,000 appointees were female, 15 percent of her appointees 
were African American, and 20 percent of her appointees were Latino. 
She was by every measure a Governor for all of the people of Texas.
  During her time in office Governor Richards also developed a Robin 
Hood Plan for Texas schools, to ensure equitable financing for all 
school districts in our state. The Robin Hood Plan has substantially 
equalized funding for school districts across Texas and has helped 
those districts without high property values provide good education for 
their students.
  Governor Richards should also be recognized for developing an 
innovative and remarkably effective drug treatment program for Texas 
prison inmates. The Texas Initiative was launched in 1991 and quickly 
grew into the most ambitious and aggressive prison-based drug and 
alcohol treatment program in the country. Under Governor Richards' 
watch only 7.2 percent of those who had undergone at least 3 months of 
treatment were reincarcerated within 1 year of being released, compared 
to 18.5 percent of those who received no treatment.
  Ann Richards' legacy goes well beyond the state of Texas. Her famous 
statement that ``well-behaved women rarely make history'' exemplifies 
how she has helped inspire a generation of young women to aspire to 
hold the highest public offices in the land or to follow whatever their 
dreams may be.
  Governor Richards also became a leading international spokesperson 
for women battling osteoporosis, authoring the book I'm Not Slowing 
Down: Winning My Battle with Osteoporosis, which has been described as 
inspirational and eye-opening.

[[Page E424]]

  Ann Richards lived a life full of accomplishments. She gave new 
opportunities to thousands of people across Texas. She inspired a 
generation of young women. She was a great woman, and she will be 
deeply missed.
  I commend my colleague, the Dean of the Texas Delegation, Congressman 
Ortiz for introducing this resolution.

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