[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 153 (Thursday, September 25, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1922]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING THE LIFE OF NORMA DANIELS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JERRY MORAN

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 24, 2008

  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of 
Norma Daniels. My thoughts and prayers go out to her husband Bob and 
the rest of the Daniels family during this time of loss.
  I admit that I have trouble knowing where to begin when it comes to 
honoring Norma. You could call her Madam Chairperson--she was the chair 
of the Kansas Rural Development Council. You could call her ``nurse,'' 
as that was her original occupation. Thousands of people called her 
``Senator,'' and seven people call her ``Mom.''
  Norma was born in Yates Center, a town of about 1800 people in 
Woodson County, KS. She was raised in Kansas City, MO and did her 
undergraduate work at St. Louis University. After becoming a registered 
nurse, she met a young medical student at a hospital in Kansas City 
named Bob Daniels. Bob went on to complete his internship at St. 
Francis Hospital in Wichita, and while there, the two were married. Bob 
and Norma raised 6 daughters and 1 son.
  Knowing of her extensive service to her community through various 
volunteer organizations, Bob raised the question of whether Norma 
should run for City Council. Norma reacted in shock, saying she didn't 
know anything or care about politics.
  Sometime later, she was paying her city water bill and asked the city 
clerk what it would take to run for city council. The clerk replied, 
``Who would like to know--certainly not you, Norma.'' She answered, 
``Why not?'' The clerk said, ``City business is like big business, and 
women just don't understand it.'' That was all the motivation that she 
needed. Norma ran for and won a seat on the city council, and never 
looked back--winning every election she entered.
  Norma knew she was a novice and became a student of government, 
reading through ordinance books and state laws and visiting the police 
and fire stations to learn the laws. Her work paid off, and her 
successful career on the city council and encouragement from her 
community led her to challenge a long time incumbent Kansas State 
Senator. She became the first female State Senator ever elected from 
Sedgwick County, winning by only 176 votes of the nearly 23,000 cast. 
The media called her victory a fluke, but they were wrong. She was re-
elected to the Senate twice more, and in January of 1993 she retired.
  I had the opportunity to serve with Norma in the Kansas State Senate. 
Norma was a tireless advocate for her constituents and always a 
professional. Her list of honors and activities is remarkable. She was 
one of the first to represent Kansas in Tokyo at the Japan American 
Grassroots Summit, a founder of the Valley Center Swim Club and a co-
leader of the Girl Scouts. But she kept it all in perspective. 
Throughout her life she was a believer of rural America, saying that is 
where the real diamonds of family life are found. She found great 
happiness in serving others and in making life a little better for 
those who needed a hand, and that is why Madam Speaker, I rise to honor 
her today.

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