[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 47 (Monday, March 19, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E333]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING AMBASSADOR MARCH FONG EU

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JUDY CHU

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 19, 2018

  Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
long, full life of a political trailblazer, the Honorable March Fong 
Eu. After more than thirty years in public service, March Fong Eu 
leaves behind a legacy of respected leadership and broken barriers. Her 
success opened doors for immigrants and women throughout the state of 
California.
   A daughter of Chinese immigrants, her desire for equality can be 
traced back to her time in high school, when a school counselor 
discouraged her from pursuing a career in the sciences because she 
believed her Chinese ancestry would prevent anyone from hiring her. She 
was not deterred and she pursued education to the highest levels. After 
graduating from the University of California Berkeley in 1943 with a 
bachelor's degree in dental hygiene, she received her master's degree 
in education at Mills College. She then received a doctorate in 
education from Stanford University in 1954.
   Ambassador Fong Eu built a career that paved the way for women and 
Asian Americans who followed her. She first became interested in 
politics while serving as the first female president of the American 
Dental Hygienists Association from 1944 to 1947. Years later, she 
entered the world of politics as the first female Asian American to be 
elected to the Alameda County Board of Education, where she served from 
1961 to 1966. She was also the first Asian American woman to be elected 
to the California State Assembly, where she represented the 15th 
District for four terms from 1966 to 1974.
   In 1974, she became the first female California Secretary of State, 
and the first Asian American to be elected to a California 
constitutional office. At the time, she was the recipient of the 
highest vote total for a statewide elected office, and won reelection 
to four more terms. In 1994, President Bill Clinton appointed her as 
U.S. Ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia.
   Ambassador Fong Eu believed everyone should be treated equally 
regardless of their gender or ethnicity, and her accomplishments while 
in office reflect those beliefs. One of her most important campaigns 
was the successful ban on pay toilets in public buildings. She argued 
that while men's urinals were free, women were treated as second-class 
citizens because they were being unfairly charged for the use of public 
bathrooms. While serving as Secretary of State, she championed voting 
rights and dramatically expanded access to voting by implementing voter 
registration by mail, absentee ballots upon request, and allowing 
voters to register at the Department of Motor Vehicles and other state 
agencies.
   She is an inspiration and role model for all Californians. As more 
women and minorities are elected to public office, March Fong Eu's 
legacy will carry on as they continue the fight for equality and 
justice.

                          ____________________