[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 184 (Monday, November 18, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6619-S6620]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     REMEMBERING SENATOR KAY HAGAN

 Ms. HARRIS. Mr. President, our nation mourns the loss of 
former Senator Kay Hagan, an exemplary civil servant who thoughtfully 
represented the people of her beloved North Carolina. She was a role 
model for women across the Nation, and will be remembered as an example 
of committed service to the American public.
  Senator Hagan was born on May 26, 1953, in Shelby, NC. She learned 
about the importance of public service at an early age from her uncle, 
U.S. Senator and former Florida Governor Lawton Chiles, and her father, 
Joe P. Ruthven, a Navy veteran who served as the mayor of Lakeland, FL. 
Senator Hagan earned her bachelor's degree in 1975 from Florida State 
University, followed by a juris doctorate from Wake Forest University. 
She worked in banking and as a stay-at-home mother before turning to 
politics, which gave her a valuable insight into both the private 
sector and the needs of everyday families.
  Senator Hagan served in the North Carolina Senate, where she became 
one of the body's chief budget writers. This

[[Page S6620]]

was where Senator Hagan earned her reputation as an effective civil 
servant and where she laid the ground work for many of the policies she 
would champion when elected to Congress in 2008.
  Senator Hagan was a champion for the people, working to secure 
healthcare for all Americans, support working families, protect the 
right to marry for same-sex couples, and aid in the recovery efforts 
following the 2008 financial crisis. Throughout this time, she proved 
herself to be an outstanding example of a leader guided by her moral 
compass and the needs of her constituents. She was a force for good. 
After her time in Congress, she devoted herself to studying the role of 
money in politics and strove to preserve government accountability to 
the public.
  Senator Hagan's steadfast dedication to the State of North Carolina 
and our entire country will continue to inspire others for generations 
to come. She will be remembered as a role model for young women and a 
voice dedicated to empowering and uplifting middle-class families. 
Senator Hagan is survived by her husband, Chip Hagan, her children, and 
a host of family and friends. She will be dearly missed, and her legacy 
will live on through everyone she touched while serving the American 
people.

                          ____________________