[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 169 (Thursday, October 19, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S6638]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REMEMBERING EVELYNE J. VILLINES
Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the passing of
disability rights pioneer and my longtime friend, Ms. Evelyne Villines.
Ever since I first met Evelyne during my early years in the Iowa House
of Representatives, I knew her to be a fierce advocate on behalf of
those with disabilities. She had an outstanding work ethic and never
stopped campaigning for those with disabilities to be recognized for
their abilities and not by what others saw as their limitations.
Thanks to people like Evelyne, our society has made a lot of progress
in this area. Evelyne's tireless work earned her recognition on both
the State and national levels as an inductee into the Iowa Women's Hall
of Fame and the national Hall of Fame for Persons with Disabilities.
Evelyne's efforts were recognized as paving the way for passage for the
American with Disabilities Act of 1990.
She served on numerous commissions and joined the board of
SourceAmerica in its infancy, leading the company to become one of the
largest employers of people with disabilities in the Nation. Evelyne's
advocacy and resulting accomplishments have opened the doors of
opportunity for people with disabilities.
I am honored to stand before you in recognizing Evelyne for
her lifelong commitment to service. Evelyne's legacy will
live on for years to come through the countless individuals
who will continue to benefit from her life's work.
____________________