[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 108 (Friday, June 23, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E895-E896]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             IN CELEBRATION OF MARY N. LONG'S 76TH BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 23, 2017

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my 
sincerest congratulations and Happy Birthday wishes to an extraordinary 
nurse, activist, advocate, and pioneer, Ms. Mary N. Long, who is 
celebrating her 76th birthday on Monday, June 26, 2017. On this day, 
there will be a celebration at Paschal's Restaurant in Atlanta, 
Georgia.
  Mary N. Long was born in Guthrie, Kentucky in 1941. She moved to 
Atlanta in 1960 to attend the Grady Memorial Hospital's School of 
Nursing and went on to graduate in 1963. Soon after, Mary embarked on 
what would become a distinguished career. Starting as an ambulatory 
care nurse at Grady, she gained extensive experience while volunteering 
at Atlanta's free clinics and assisting local health organizations. She 
soon became an influential figure at Grady, developing the hospital's 
satellite clinics while at the forefront of Grady's participation in 
Economic Opportunity Atlanta's health affairs to reach the greater 
Atlanta community.
  In 1971, Mary developed and became the first Coordinator of the 
Central Referral Department at Grady. This program provided both 
information resources for those unfamiliar with the hospital system and 
advocacy within the community regarding policies and procedures so that 
proper treatment was readily available for patients. Her dedication and 
devotion built the program from the ground up and her work reflected 
such.
  While working at Grady, she became involved with the Georgia Nurses 
Association (GNA), and its philanthropic organization, Georgia Nurses 
Foundation (GNF). As an active member and chairperson of GNA's 
Government Affairs Commission, Mary became the first minority woman to 
be their advocate at the Georgia legislature. In 1981, Mary was the 
first African American to be elected as the President of GNA where she 
served two terms. As a member of the City of Atlanta's Homeless Task 
Force, she was instrumental

[[Page E896]]

in the partnership between GNF and the city that led to the 
establishment of Atlanta's first clinic for homeless.
  In 1985, Mary Long became the Vice President for Legislative Affairs 
for the Arthritis Foundation and was later promoted to the Foundation's 
Group Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy in 1996. In 
addition, she was elected to the American Nurses Association (ANA) 
Board of Directors and served as ANA's Second Vice President.
  While Mary has made tremendous contributions to health care issues, 
she also made great strides in other areas. For example, she was active 
in the movement to pass the Equal Rights Amendment in Georgia. She has 
an extensive record of service at the local, regional, and national 
levels. Her work has transcended through organizations such as the 
YMCA, Atlanta Food Bank, Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, and the Atlanta 
Women's Foundation. She has received numerous awards for her 
groundbreaking innovation, actions, and creative thoughts. As an active 
member of her church, Trinity United Methodist in Atlanta, she has held 
onto her faith the entire journey.
  As a friend of long standing, I have had the great privilege of 
witnessing Mary's work and the impact she has had on our state and 
nation. She has established a legacy of providing support for 
underrepresented groups on health care issues and I am very grateful 
for her tireless advocacy to improve the health care system in Georgia 
as well as her steadfast support for patients and their families. A 
woman of great integrity, her efforts, her dedication, and her 
expertise in her field are unparalleled.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives 
to join me and my wife, Vivian, in honoring an outstanding citizen, 
advocate, and cherished friend, Ms. Mary N. Long, for the inspiring 
life that she leads. We extend our best wishes to her as she, her 
family, and friends celebrate her 75th birthday.

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