[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 109 (Thursday, July 22, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1405]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE LATE LORRAINE BERRY, FORMER MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE OF 
                           THE VIRGIN ISLANDS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN

                         of the virgin islands

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 22, 2010

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the late 
Lorraine L. Berry, who made her final transition on July 19th. She was 
born on St. Thomas on November 15, 1949, the eldest of nine children. 
Her mother, Emelda, and father, Joseph, provided their children with a 
sense of responsibility and commitment to their community.
  Lorraine developed an interest in politics as a teenager, inspired by 
the riveting and profound words of Dr. Martin Luther King in his ``I 
Have a Dream'' speech during the August 8, 1963 march on Washington, 
DC. His remarks made an indelible mark on Lorraine and she never 
wavered in her zeal to someday make that dream a reality.
  Lorraine got her feet wet as the president of the PTA of Joseph 
Sibilly Elementary School (formerly known as the Robert Herrick 
School). Her aggressive agenda and her assertive and dedicated 
commitment to the improvement of the school so impressed the late 
Governor, Cyril Emanuel King, that he encouraged her to get involved in 
politics and join his party, the Independent Citizens Movement. She 
took his advice to become politically active, but because of the strong 
impression she had established in the community, she was drafted by 
then Senator Earle B. Ottley and political activist, Roy Gottlieb to 
serve on the Democratic Party Territorial Committee.
  During her political career, she founded Virgin Islanders for 
Democratic Action Club (VIDAC) to raise the community's consciousness 
and provide the basis for political and legislative initiatives and 
promoted responsible and responsive political leadership. Her most 
recent symposium was on the ``Responsibilities of Political 
Leadership'' and she encouraged women to become involved in the process 
and run for public office.
  Virtually from the time she entered the labor force, Lorraine has 
been a dedicated public servant. She served in several governmental 
posts including Manager of the St. Thomas District Office the Virgin 
Islands Delegate to Congress, Ron de Lugo. In 1982, she successfully 
ran for a seat in the St. Thomas District of the Virgin Islands 
Legislature.
  Senator Berry gained vast experience in her service as the Chair of 
the Committee of Government Operations in the 15th Legislature; Chair 
of the Committee on Finance in the 17th, 18th and 23rd Legislature; 
Majority Leader of the 18th Legislature; Chair of the Committee on 
Health in the 19th and 20th Legislatures; President of the 22nd and 
26th Legislatures; and Vice-President and Chair of the Committee on 
Public Safety, the Judiciary, Homeland Security and Justice in the 25th 
Legislature
  In her twenty-four years as a lawmaker, Senator Berry's courageous 
leadership shepherded passage of landmark legislation that critically 
impacted on the political, economic and social fabric of our society. 
The initiatives she enacted provided much needed support for families, 
economic development incentives for investors, public safety of the 
community, business opportunities for residents, employment 
opportunities and public sector employment for Virgin Islanders.
  Over the years, one of the most challenging issues was the state of 
the health care system. Senator Berry supported the establishment of 
semi-autonomy for our hospitals, and the use of Tobacco Settlement 
funds for a cancer center on St. Thomas and the cardiac center on St. 
Croix, both of which are fully operational and successful facilities 
today providing services that Virgin Islanders would have to go off 
island to receive.
  In 1986, Senator Berry sought the Democratic Party primary bid for 
Governor of the Virgin Islands, along with her running mate for Lt. 
Governor, Senator St. Clair Williams. She fostered a progressive 
platform that included mandatory education for the children of the 
Virgin Islands as a birthright. She waged war against the ``four 
horsemen of the apocalypse''--fiscal irresponsibility, corruption, 
cronyism and rampant waste. Although, she did not prevail, she remained 
committed to establishing a government that provided services to its 
citizens, while remaining fiscally viable.
  Because of her strong advocacy for women and the obstacles in sexism 
she had endured over her lifetime, she agreed to join gubernatorial 
candidate Judge Edgar Ross to run in the 2006 Democratic primary. She 
wanted to raise the political bar for women in the Virgin Islands. She 
felt that the Executive Branch had eluded women for far too long, and 
it was her obligation to enter the race to stimulate women's interest 
in running for higher office. Although the Ross-Berry team was 
defeated, their message was positively received by the public and to 
this day, have a core group of loyal supporters that remain committed 
to the principles that they ran on.
  As she battled with her illness, Senator Berry was unwavering in her 
concern for the lack of women in the political process and the welfare 
of our young people. She believed that no future Legislature should be 
without women. Women make up more than 55% of the population, but over 
the past 10 years, there has been only one woman in the Senate. She 
felt that women must encourage and support women in and out of public 
office if the issues of women, children, and families are to be 
adequately addressed.
  Lorraine leaves behind a legacy that will be difficult to match. The 
entire Virgin Islands community owes a debt of gratitude to her.
  To her husband, Richard, and her children, Roxanne and Curt, thank 
you for giving her the support as she fought for the Virgin Islands. As 
you struggle to adjust to Lorraine's passing, please find comfort in 
knowing that many of us remain dedicated to ensuring that she will 
never be forgotten.
  On behalf of the 111th Congress, my staff and my family we offer our 
heartfelt sympathy. May her soul forever rest in eternal peace.

                          ____________________