[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 53 (Friday, April 4, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E521]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         A TRIBUTE TO DORIS LAU

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 4, 2008

  Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Doris Lau of 
Monterey Park, California. Every March we celebrate Women's History 
Month in recognition of the contributions and the sacrifices made by 
our Nation's women. Accordingly, it is my privilege to highlight Ms. 
Lau as a woman whose extraordinary efforts are vital to my district.
  Doris Lau's remarkable journey began when her parents left China and 
settled in Chile. Born in Iquique, the capital of the country's 
northernmost region, Doris worked in the fields alongside her family as 
a small child. Through hard work, dedication, and sacrifice the family 
built a neighborhood bakery and grocery store business; however, they 
eventually fled to the United States due to political unrest. In Los 
Angeles they began once again to rebuild their lives. Doris's 
supplemental income from working in garment district factories helped 
to purchase their first home in Monterey Park.
  Doris progressed from sewing four buttons per penny to attending Los 
Angeles City College. She then went on to major in Business 
Administration and Law at Cal State Los Angeles and advanced from 
clerical to paralegal positions at various law firms.
  Inspired by her personal history, Doris has become an integral member 
of the Monterey Park volunteer community since moving there in 1985. 
She supports intercultural exchange in her role as a Trustee of the 
city's Bruggemeyer Library, the Secretary for the city's Commission for 
Art & Culture, and as the chair of the local Artisan Fairs. Her other 
leadership positions include serving as a Board Member, Southern 
Regional Representative, and Membership Chair of the California 
Association of Library Trustees & Commissioners (CALTAC) and as the VP, 
Legislative Coordinator, and Membership Chair of the National Treasury 
Employee Union (NTEU) for her local, Chapter 103.
  Doris's fluency in both Chinese and Spanish embodies the cultural 
diversity of Southern California and of our Nation's proud history. Her 
outreach is similarly inclusive: she is a Board Member of the Committee 
for Special Emphasis Programs, which includes national heritage 
awareness months, and she volunteers for the National Association of 
Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO).
  In the past, Doris has led several organizations in which she remains 
an active member, including serving as President and Lieutenant 
Governor of Los Angeles Monterey Park Optimist, President of the 
Monterey Park Homeowners and Renters Association, Treasurer and 
Secretary of the Eastside Democratic Club, and President and Treasurer 
of Santa in York Hill, an annual community holiday event for low-income 
families.
  Ever since she arrived on U.S. soil, Doris has devoted her time and 
energy beyond her own needs; she works for the benefit of the 
surrounding community as a whole. Her selfless service is an invaluable 
addition to the legacy of Women's History Month. With gratitude and 
admiration, I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring 
an extraordinary woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Ms. 
Doris Lau.

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