[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 87 (Thursday, June 10, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1073]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING AGNES DILL FOR HER WORK ON BEHALF OF NATIVE AMERICANS

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                           HON. HARRY TEAGUE

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 10, 2010

  Mr. TEAGUE. Madam Speaker, it is with great honor that I congratulate 
Agnes Dill for being awarded an honorary doctorate degree from the 
University of New Mexico for her many years of outstanding service and 
dedication to Indian Country.
  Agnes earned her bachelor of Arts degree in education in 1937 and 
then taught at BIA schools in Oklahoma for over a decade. Along with 
becoming an educator, Agnes devoted much of her time in the 1970's to 
serving as an advocate for Native American people, particularly Native 
American women. Agnes served as one of the founding members of the 
North American Indian Women's Association and served as its President 
in 1973.
  All of her efforts led to Agnes being appointed by President Ford to 
the National Advisory Council on Women's Education in 1975.
  Not being one to rest on her laurels, Agnes took all of her knowledge 
and traveled extensively through the country to set up job and talent 
banks that would encourage Native American women to seek careers that 
were thought of as ``non-traditional'' during the time. These efforts 
encouraged Native American women to seek jobs in the fields of 
medicine, law and business. All of her work was driven by one 
motivating factor that she described in her own words in a recent 
interview: ``Anything a man was doing, I tried to get a woman to do.''
  Agnes continued to drive policy on these issues when she served on 
the board of directors of Indian Pueblo Marketing, Inc., which promotes 
and funds the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. Agnes also served on the 
National Advisory Committee for the White House Conference on Aging and 
has extended her focus to Native American youth serving as President of 
the New Mexico chapter of NAIWA and Director of New Mexico Indian 
Council on Aging.
  With such an amazing history as an advocate, I am very proud of her 
numerous accomplishments and I'm proud to represent and honor her today 
in the Congress. From her beginnings as an educator, to her national 
advocacy roles, she has demonstrated how commitment to public service 
for Native American communities can inspire us all to improve our own 
lives and get involved with these important issues.
  Even at the youthful age of 96 years old, her unwavering commitment 
to advocating for improvements to Native American education and 
healthcare is a great example for all of us to look to and continue her 
work into the future.

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