[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 66 (Tuesday, April 24, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E521-E522]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CELEBRATING THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF THE LATE HONORABLE LOUISE 
                               SLAUGHTER

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. DORIS O. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 17, 2018

  Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, Louise Slaughter was my friend--and the one 
thing I always knew is that she had my back.
  When we went to Rochester, New York for her service, I was struck by 
the many people who lined the streets for her wearing Louise buttons. I 
knew then that she had their backs too.

[[Page E522]]

  She made each person feel special. Maybe it was her southern twang 
that pulled you in, or the sparkle in her eyes.
  I first met Louise when I joined the House Rules Committee. I was new 
to Congress.
  I barely understood the rules of the House, and I found myself 
assigned to the Rules Committee.
  Louise took me under her wing and taught me not only the Rules of the 
House, but the Rules of Louise:
  Be cordial. Be kind. Know your stuff. Understand it is a privilege to 
serve in the House of Representatives. Always stay true to your word 
and fight for what you believe is right. And also, of course, laugh. 
Which she and I did a lot.
  We spent many memorable days and long nights together while I was on 
the Rules Committee, particularly during the passage of the Affordable 
Care Act.
  I remember her husband Bob being there, he was practically an 
honorary Rules Committee member.
  Louise's leadership kept everyone around her going through late 
nights, and her unfailing wit helped ease tense days.
  A longtime advocate for public health, Louise knew how important it 
was to expand access to healthcare in this country. Her tenacity and 
dedication helped usher through the Affordable Care Act in the House, 
helping even the playing field for families seeking care.
  Louise traced her lineage back to Daniel Boone.
  She was a pioneer herself. The daughter of a blacksmith in Lynch, 
Kentucky, she went on to fight for the people of New York in the New 
York State Assembly, and then in the United States Congress.
  When she came to the House of Representatives in 1987, there were 
only 25 female legislators here. But Louise wasn't intimidated. She was 
a fierce, skilled legislator who became an example for all of those who 
came after her.
  Not far from Louise's district is the site of the historic Seneca 
Falls Convention. Louise drew from that history and spent her career 
championing the causes of women everywhere.
  She was the first woman to serve as Chair of the powerful House Rules 
Committee. She spearheaded the landmark Violence Against Women Act and 
the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act.
  She fought for, and secured, federal funding for the National 
Institutes of Health, and was instrumental in the creation of the 
Office of Research on Women's Health.
  And she co-founded the Pro-Choice Caucus, serving as a passionate 
proponent for women having the power to forge their own destinies until 
her last days in Congress.
  At the heart of all of these legislative accomplishments is a common 
thread--Louise wanted to help people who were traditionally 
underrepresented. She wanted to give them a voice, and she did.
  Elizabeth Cady Stanton said, ``The best protector any woman can have 
. . . is courage.''
  Louise's courage to fight for her progressive ideals, to stand up for 
equality, and to ensure working families in her district had 
opportunities was a model for young girls everywhere and really a model 
for all of us here in Congress.
  It was Maya Angelou who said, ``Each time a woman stands up for 
herself . . . she stands up for all women.''
  That's what Louise did. And, as she stood up for other women, she 
always stayed true to who she was. She was genuine. She was a fighter. 
She loved people. And she was kind.
  Her passion for the arts and music bridged all of her life 
experiences. She loved everything from the songs of the 1950s and '60s, 
to gospel music, to hard rock, to classical music.
  It was that authenticity and approachability, paired with her 
pioneering spirit, which made her both so tenacious and so well-loved.
  As much as Louise loved Congress, she also loved her family and took 
such great pride in them. She leaves behind a wonderful legacy in her 
three daughters, seven grandchildren, and great-grandchild.
  When I go to the Rules Committee, I feel her presence, I hear her 
strong opinions, and I know that she is happy now reunited with her 
dear husband Bob and chairing the Rules Committee from up high.
  Louise Rules.

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