[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 42 (Thursday, March 5, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E192]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING MRS. LAURA McKIE FOR HER ENDLESS SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EUGENE SIMON VINDMAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 5, 2026

  Mr. VINDMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize Mrs. 
Laura McKie. a proud constituent of Woodbridge, Virginia as she 
celebrates her 90th birthday on March 21, 2026. For years, Mrs. McKie 
has been a leader of our community, advocating for education and 
women's rights.
  Mrs. McKie has had a distinguished career, earning a degree in 
cultural anthropology from Washington University in St. Louis followed 
by a master's degree from Harvard University. After graduating she went 
on to serve as Director of Education at the Smithsonian's National 
Museum of National History. In that role, she was responsible for the 
Insect Zoo, Discovery Room, Marine Ecosystems Exhibit, and the 
Naturalist Center including a staff of two dozen museum professionals 
and 300 docents.
  During her tenure, Mrs. McKie was also in charge of creating 
educational materials and guides for exhibitions, as well as several 
large-format films, and video productions. She served as the museum's 
accessibility coordinator, managing the implementation of fully 
accessible audio tours and ensuring that the museum's resources could 
be enjoyed by all visitors.
  After retiring, Mrs. McKie didn't just stop there; she continued her 
dedication to public service. Most notably, she volunteered to develop 
and direct the Lucy Burns Museum at the Workhouse Arts Center in 
Lorton, Virginia, which documents the 91-year history of the prison 
that housed inmates from the District of Columbia. She curated the 
exhibitions highlighting the 1917 imprisonment, brutal treatment, and 
hunger strikes of suffragists like Lucy Burns and Alice Paul. Through 
her leadership, the museum tells the powerful story of the women of the 
National Women's Party and preserves the legacy of those who demanded 
the right to vote.
  In March 2020, Mrs. McKie received a special proclamation from the 
Fairfax County Commission for Women honoring her as a ``Valiant Woman 
of the Vote'' for her devoted work in bringing the Lucy Burns Museum to 
life and contributions to our community.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Mrs. 
Laura McKie on her remarkable life of service and leadership, and in 
wishing her a very happy 90th birthday.

                          ____________________