[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 120 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H3481-H3482]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING THE LEGACY OF ROSALYNN CARTER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Pelosi) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, this month offers a joyful opportunity to 
celebrate the legendary love and leadership of President Jimmy Carter 
and First Lady Rosalynn Carter, as they mark their 77th wedding 
anniversary.
  All Americans know of the greatness of President Carter, whose 
dignity, decency, and devoted public service has touched countless 
lives. Today, I rise to herald the many good works of First Lady 
Rosalynn Carter, a revered leader in her own right.
  In a moment where there was real stigma against mental illness, 
Rosalynn Carter decided to make mental health one of her flagship 
issues.
  As First Lady of Georgia, she was deeply moved by the stories of 
Georgians who shared their struggles with mental illness or caring for 
a family member with a mental illness. Those stories informed her 
service on the Governor's Commission to Improve Services for the 
Mentally and Emotionally Handicapped, where many of her contributions 
were later implemented as policy.
  These stories informed her service on the Governor's Commission to 
Improve Services for the Mentally and Emotionally Handicapped, as I 
said.

  When her husband went to the White House, she served as honorary 
chair of the President's Commission on Mental Health, where the 
recommendations became the foundation for decades of change.
  In her compelling testimony before Congress on the landmark Mental 
Health Systems Act, she declared:

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``The mental health problems facing our country are the problems of all 
citizens.''
  After leaving the White House, she founded the mental health policy 
initiative and mental health journalism fellowship at the Carter 
Center.
  Alongside Betty Ford, she advocated for the Paul Wellstone and Pete 
Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which ensures 
that reimbursements for mental health are the same as for physical 
health; mental or physical health, no distinction. Patrick Kennedy in 
our House was such an important leader on this.
  The same boundless compassion also fueled the First Lady's fervent 
commitment to our Nation's caregivers. She has devoted herself to 
bringing support and attention to tens of millions of families and 
professional caregivers across the country.
  For 36 years, the Georgia Southwestern State University Rosalynn 
Carter Institute for Caregiving has advocated for policies to support 
their work. She even wrote a handbook for caregivers: ``Helping 
Yourself Help Others.''
  At the same time, First Lady Carter has lent her voice to so many 
causes: From childhood immunization, especially among vulnerable 
communities, to gender justice, as she fought to ratify the Equal 
Rights Amendment.
  Beloved at home, First Lady Carter was also deeply respected abroad. 
All are in awe of her historic visit to Latin America in 1977, where 
she championed human rights, democracy, and a new chapter of engagement 
in the region.
  With her characteristic grace and grit, she embraced this high-stakes 
diplomatic mission: Meeting with heads of state and speaking with 
authority as an emissary for our Nation.
  With her characteristic grace and grit, again, 2 years later, 
Rosalynn Carter made history as the first sitting First Lady to address 
the World Health Organization, when she shared her mental health 
findings. In her memorable remarks, she argued that mental health was 
an aspect of physical health, and that healthcare is a human right.
  Since, through the Carter Center, she has helped strengthen mental 
health care in Liberia: Caring for people exposed to the stress of 
conflict, while training community workers to identify signs of mental 
illness.
  Personally, it was my special privilege 2 years ago to travel to 
Plains to join in celebrating the Carter's 75th wedding anniversary, a 
marvelous celebration of their eternal love and limitless partnership.
  Rosalynn has long been Jimmy's closest friend and confidant, and the 
Carter Center will forever stand as a testament to the true partnership 
in service that the Carters share.
  God has truly blessed America with the leadership of the Carters, and 
our grateful Nation salutes them for their lives well-lived.

                          ____________________