[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 175 (Tuesday, December 6, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H7183-H7184]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         RECOGNIZING THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF RUTH JOHNSON COLVIN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Katko) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the tremendous 
legacy of Ruth Johnson Colvin, a pioneer in the adult literacy movement 
from my district who is celebrating her 100th birthday this month.
  Known as the mother of the adult literacy movement, Ruth Colvin has 
had an immeasurable impact on our community and our Nation.
  In the 1960s, upon discovering that 11,000 people in her hometown of 
Syracuse, New York, could not read, Ruth Colvin launched Literacy 
Volunteers of America. That organization, now known as ProLiteracy, is 
still based in Syracuse, New York.

[[Page H7184]]

  Ruth Colvin has dedicated her entire life to teaching, assisting, and 
empowering adult learners. She has taught thousands of people to read, 
trained literacy tutors in 26 countries, and developed and published 
effective programs to teach basic literacy and English as a second 
language.
  Because of her efforts, hundreds of thousands of adults have learned 
to read both locally in central New York and around the globe. Over 
more than four decades, Ruth Colvin has published nine books, visited 
or worked in more than 60 countries, and received nine honorary 
doctorate degrees. She was awarded the President's Volunteer Action 
Award from President Ronald Reagan, received the Presidential Medal of 
Freedom from President George W. Bush, and was inducted into the 
National Women's Hall of Fame.
  Ruth Colvin has given so many the gift of literacy. On December 16 of 
this year, she will turn 100 years old.
  Please join me in honoring her tremendous life's work and her legacy 
as we celebrate this milestone. Happy birthday, Ruth, and many, many 
more.

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