[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 193 (Tuesday, December 13, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1274-E1275]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING THE LATE BOBBY SILVERSTEIN

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. BRIAN K. FITZPATRICK

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 13, 2022

  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of 
Mr. Bobby Silverstein. Bobby was a dedicated public servant and 
advocate for advancing disability rights. Within both the House of 
Representatives and the Senate, he worked tirelessly to champion the 
needs and priorities of the disability community. Specifically, Bobby 
played a critical role in crafting the Americans with Disabilities Act 
and fighting to secure its enactment while serving as staff director 
and chief counsel for Senator Harkin's Disability Policy Committee.
  Bobby will be remembered for his compassion and commitment to 
creating a society that is fully inclusive and accessible for all 
Americans. Bobby's dedication to advancing the opportunities for and 
dignity of those with disabilities were shared by his colleague and 
friend. Judy Heumann at his memorial service. In honor of Bobby, I 
include in the Record Judy's speech.

       When I learned of Bobby's passing, like all of you I was 
     stunned and deeply saddened. I thought immediately of you 
     Lynne, Mark, Evan and your families, and the shock and 
     sadness you would be experiencing. Then I began to think 
     about Bobby and the life that he led. The example he was to 
     everyone whose life he touched. And then a smile came across 
     my face, because Bobby was the epitome of a life well lived.
       Like many of us joining today, I had the opportunity and 
     privilege to work with Bobby on some of the critical pieces 
     of legislation that he helped conceptualize. negotiate, and 
     lead on with Congress--especially Senator Harkin--and the 
     disability community to pass. In particular, I remember being 
     both honored and fearful when I was asked to be one of the 
     presenters at the ADA joint hearings. I wanted to make sure 
     that my words enabled the members of Congress to get a clear 
     understanding of why passage of the ADA was so important. But 
     I was, to say the least, quite terrified because of the 1 
     gravity of the hearings and all that was riding on them.
       I shouldn't have worried though, and it was a beautiful 
     experience for me to work with Bobby on the testimony. He 
     was, as always, completely prepared, and he worked tirelessly 
     with me and the other presenters to ensure that we were 
     prepared too. In his diligent way, he made sure that we were 
     acknowledged, respected, and felt valued in sharing our 
     personal stories of discrimination and how it impacted our 
     lives. This testimony was one of my proudest moments, and it 
     meant a great deal to me that Bobby felt it was a powerful 
     and impactfu1 presentation.
       How fortunate we were to have had Bobby Silverstein in our 
     movement. Bobby took the time to learn about our lives, and 
     to leam about the importance of being able to get laws like 
     the ADA passed, or the IDEA reauthorized, He understood how 
     important it was for concepts like independent living to be 
     enshrined in the law, He knew how to collaborate, and 
     negotiate--to negotiate hard if the 2 circumstances called 
     for it--and how to disagree without being disagreeable. As 
     smart and strategic as he was, he was also proud of our 
     accomplishments, but at the same time humble, kind, and 
     ethical. And he would always pick up the phone when I called, 
     whether it was 7:00 in the morning or 10 pm in the evening! I 
     will miss being able to do that, to get guidance on one thing 
     or another, or just to check in.
       That said, when it came to work / life balance, you always 
     knew that with Bobby, family came first. Being in the 
     presence of Bobby and Lynne was to know a deep love and 
     respect that spanned more than 50 years, and to see what it 
     can produce; not only in a relationship but in a family. You 
     could see how lovingly they raised their wonderful sons, Mark 
     and Evan, and the joy that they experienced when, in turn, 
     Mark and Evan married and had their own children. I loved 
     when Bobby talked about what he and Lynne were doing with the 
     grandchildren, and the pride they took in being able to 
     devote such time and care to them. It has been a privilege to 
     see such devoted parents raising children who have grown up 
     to carry forward the same principled approach to life.

[[Page E1275]]

       Yoshiko Dart and I were speaking about Bobby the other day, 
     and reflecting on his strength and vision, love and 
     discipline. And his beautiful smile. True to the core of his 
     humanity, you could believe him, and trust that what he said 
     and what he did were always in-sync.
       I am certain that Bobby's life work will continue to grow. 
     The decades he worked on the Hill in support of the 
     bipartisan passage of more than 20 bills. The work he has 
     been doing for the past 15 years with Powers, Pyles, Sutter, 
     and Verville, and the hundreds--if not thousands of people--
     he has trained and mentored to understand how to effectively 
     implement those laws. All of this will continue to bear 
     fruit.
       Lynne, Mark, Evan, the entire Silverstein family and 
     friends, we thank you for having shared Bobby's life so 
     lovingly with our community. It is our responsibility to 
     carry forth his work as we continue to fight for equality. To 
     lead with humility, to listen, to encourage the growth of our 
     movement, to mentor, and to attribute some of the progress we 
     have made to the vision, fortitude, and integrity of Bobby 
     Silverstein.
       How many of us in this room can say that we have led a life 
     as rich as Bobby's?
       We will miss you Bobby--and always find solace and 
     encouragement in remembering your warm smile.

                          ____________________