[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 98 (Thursday, June 18, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E921]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       IN MEMORIAM OF ANN DUVALL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JARED HUFFMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 18, 2015

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Ann Duvall, who 
passed away on June 15, 2014 at her home in Sausalito, California at 
the age of 66. Her family and friends are taking time this week to 
honor her extraordinary life. Fittingly, the celebration will be held 
at the Pt. Reyes National Seashore. As a lifelong outdoors enthusiast, 
Mrs. Duvall would have loved nothing more than to spend time with her 
loved ones in a place so close to heart.
   Mrs. Duvall was known for her technological leadership and role in 
advancing free speech, but more than that she will be remembered for 
her kindness, her passion, and her love for life. Born and raised in 
New York, she moved to California after college, where she received a 
master's degree from Stanford University, began her career, and met her 
husband of 37 years, Bill.
   Together, the Duvalls helped found and run Surfwatch Software, the 
first program that allowed users to block explicit online content back 
in the nascent days of the internet. Surfwatch was later used--
successfully--as a linchpin in arguments to repeal the anti-indecency 
provisions of the Communications Decency Act, seen as a victory for 
free speech advocates.
   While her professional accomplishments are impressive, I'd be remiss 
not to mention her unyielding enthusiasm, thirst for adventure, and 
compassion for others. Mrs. Duvall excelled at nearly every sport she 
came across, from tennis to swimming to cycling. A Francophile and avid 
backpacker, she and her husband hiked the entire GR10 trail in France, 
walking from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. But her gusto 
was not reserved just for herself. Following a bout with breast cancer, 
Mrs. Duvall worked as an advocate for other breast cancer patients. She 
had a way with people that left anyone she came across feeling welcomed 
and appreciated.
   Our community is a slightly darker place today without Ann Duvall 
lightening our lives. On the first anniversary of her passing, Ann's 
memory prevails in our thoughts and our hearts. It is therefore 
appropriate that we pay tribute to her today and express our deepest 
condolences to her husband, family, and friends.

                          ____________________