[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 77 (Tuesday, May 19, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H5721]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     PAYING TRIBUTE TO CLAUDINE WILLIAMS, A TRUE LAS VEGAS PIONEER

  (Ms. BERKLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. BERKLEY. I rise today to pay tribute to a dear friend and a true 
Las Vegas pioneer, Claudine Williams, who died last week at the age of 
88. Claudine was a smart, savvy, tough businesswoman with a heart of 
gold and a true commitment to the community she helped shape into the 
21st century, Las Vegas, known around the world. As the first woman to 
own and run a casino on the Las Vegas Strip, the famous Silver Slipper, 
Claudine redefined Nevada's gaming industry and in the process opened 
the doors for countless others to follow in her footsteps. She was a 
generous philanthropist, contributing millions of dollars to local 
charities. And while she had very little formal education herself, she 
was a major contributor and supporter to the University of Nevada Las 
Vegas.
  Claudine was a gracious hostess for the millions she welcomed through 
the doors of her successful hotel casinos. Claudine was truly one of a 
kind. She is irreplaceable. She will be missed. But her charitable 
contributions and the many lives this fabulous woman touched both 
inside and outside the gaming industry will continue to enrich Las 
Vegas for decades to come. I loved her. She is truly a dear woman. And 
I will miss her terribly.

                          ____________________