[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 24, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S432-S433]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         TRIBUTE TO JOHN McCARTER, JR., AND SHIRLEY ANN JACKSON

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I want to take a moment to recognize two 
exceptional members of the Smithsonian Institution's board of regents: 
John W. McCarter, who has served as chair of the board, and Shirley Ann 
Jackson, who has served as the vice chair. I have had the honor of 
serving with both of them and believe that their dedication and 
leadership have greatly benefitted the Smithsonian. Both are stepping 
down from their roles, and while John will continue to serve on the 
board, Shirley will be moving on to dedicate her considerable talents 
to other initiatives.
  John W. McCarter, Jr., of Illinois has had a long and distinguished 
career. He was first appointed as a regent in 2009 and was elected 
chair in 2013. In addition, John has lent his expertise and wisdom to a 
number of the regents' other committees.
  During his tenure, John has overseen a number of important strategic 
initiatives, including the search for the Smithsonian's 13th secretary; 
the development of the Institution's relationship with the Victoria & 
Albert Museum in London; the reopening of the Arts and Industries 
Building to the American public; and most recently, the opening of the 
National Museum of African American History and Culture. These 
opportunities will help to ensure the Smithsonian's continued success.
  John also led the charge in reopening the historic Arts and 
Industries Building on the National Mall to the public. The building, 
shuttered since 2004, was reopened to the public for the secretary's 
installation ceremony in October 2015 and was the site of a very 
successful pop-up cultural exhibition over Memorial Day weekend in May 
2016. John's vision and leadership have made this national treasure 
available to the American people once more.
  A tireless advocate for the Smithsonian in his home State of 
Illinois, John has raised the institution's profile across the Nation 
and around the world. Thanks to his recruitment efforts, the 
Smithsonian advisory boards are more diverse, more dynamic, and more 
engaged than ever before. Through all of these initiatives, John has 
pushed the Smithsonian to be more ambitious and to renew its commitment 
to ``the increase and diffusion of knowledge.''
  I want to thank John for his exceptional leadership as chairman of 
the board of regents, and I look forward to working with him through 
the remainder of his term as a regent.
  Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson of New York is the president of Rensselaer 
Polytechnic Institute. She was appointed as a regent in 2005 and has 
served as board and executive committee vice chair since 2013.
  Shirley was the regents' representative for the successful events 
that opened the Smithsonian's 19th museum, the National Museum of 
African American History and Culture, in September 2016. Alongside 
other notable guests, Shirley helped inaugurate the newest Smithsonian 
museum by delivering remarks at the museum's dedication ceremony. As 
she noted during her speech, the museum furthers ``the Smithsonian's 
founding mission, to promote `the increase and diffusion of knowledge,' 
by opening a museum dedicated to the African-American experience in the 
United States, and its crucial place in the American experience.''
  Shirley has a remarkable life story: She was the first African-
American woman to earn a doctorate from MIT, and since 1999, she has 
served as the president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute--marking 
the first time an African-American woman has led a top research 
university. She was also the first woman and the first African-American 
to serve as chair of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Shirley is 
emblematic of everything the Museum was founded to celebrate about the 
African-American experience, and we were proud to have her serve as the 
board's representative at all of the opening ceremonies.
  The Smithsonian has also benefitted from Shirley's demonstrated 
commitment to the sciences. As a trained physicist, she is particularly 
passionate about inspiring the next generation of scientists and 
conservationists. As vice chair, she has been a staunch advocate for 
the Smithsonian's scientific researchers, trumpeting their successes 
and inviting them to speak at Rensselaer. She has made a point of going 
beyond the brick and mortar of the Smithsonian museums to visit the 
Smithsonian's many research centers, including the Smithsonian Tropical 
Research Center in Panama.
  This past year, Secretary David Skorton tapped into Shirley's 
extensive leadership and management experience, asking her to cochair 
the institution's initiative to create a new strategic plan for 2017-
2022. Shirley has

[[Page S433]]

rolled up her sleeves, asking tough questions and meeting with a 
variety of stakeholders regarding the institution's priorities for the 
next 5 years. As a chief architect of this plan, Shirley will be 
instrumental in charting the future of the institution long after she 
has left the board of regents.
  As a member of the board of regents, it has been my honor to serve 
alongside Shirley. I believe her contributions to the Smithsonian 
community will be witnessed and appreciated by generations to come.

                          ____________________