[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Pages 4936-4937]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

  Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to National 
Women's History Month. I am proud to have the privilege of being the 
youngest woman ever elected to serve in this great body. And I want to 
use the occasion of Women's History Month to recognize just a few women 
from Arkansas who are paving roads for others to follow. I want to 
thank the many women who have blazed trails for years before me in 
order to secure a more prominent role for women of all professions, 
race, or faiths. In my home state of Arkansas, there are many such 
examples of women who deserve notoriety.
  Judge Bernice Kizer of Fort Smith was one of the first 5 women to 
enroll in the University of Arkansas Law School. After a brief time in 
private practice, she was elected to represent Sebastian County in our 
state legislature. During her tenure in the Arkansas General Assembly, 
Judge Kizer had the distinction of being appointed the first woman 
chairman of any legislative committee and the first woman member of the 
Legislative Council. She served in that capacity for 14 years, and then 
returned home to Sebastian County to become the first woman elected a 
judge in my home state of Arkansas. Judge Kizer's accomplishments are 
even more monumental when you understand that over the course of her 33 
year career in public service, she was elected by Arkansans on 10 
separate occasions without ever accepting one single campaign 
contribution. At the age of 83, Judge Kizer still serves as an active 
member of the Sebastian County Democratic Party. Judge Kizer paved the 
way for so many Arkansas women who are now involved in either the 
legislative or judicial branches of our government. On the Arkansas 
Supreme Court, Justice Annabelle Clinton Imber holds one of the courts 
seven seats. Secretary of State Sharon Priest and State Treasurer 
Jimmie Lou Fisher serve as two of Arkansas' constitutional officers. 
Today, Arkansas has 20 women who serve in our legislature.
  Community service and philanthropy are two vital components of life 
in many of the small rural communities in Arkansas and women have 
helped lead the way to improve our quality of

[[Page 4937]]

life. My home State of Arkansas ranks third in the nation for 
philanthropic giving. The gifts given to the people of Arkansas have 
consisted of civic centers, art centers, and classroom equipment just 
to name a few by women like Helen Walton, Bess Stephens, and Bernice 
Jones. These gifts have had a significant impact on the lives of all of 
the areas residents. Whether it be insuring a warm meal to a hungry 
child in the early morning or after school activities, these women have 
looked beyond their own world and reached out to others in need. My 
mother has always told me that the kindest thing you can do for someone 
is to do something nice for their children. And as a young mother, 
believing that to be true, I am grateful to these and all community 
activists who take the time to care for the less fortunate.
  Numerous Arkansas women have ventured into previously uncharted 
territories and established themselves as leaders in the business 
communities. These women, like Patti Upton, founder of Aromatique, Inc. 
have served as an inspiration to our state's growing number of young 
women who want to pursue business careers. Patti, who began this home 
fragrance endeavor in her kitchen in 1982, has turned a personal hobby 
into an inspiring professional growth opportunity. As the current 
President and CEO of what has become one of the nation's leading home 
fragrance companies, Patti has most recently begun to share her success 
with the rest of the State. Under her leadership, Aromatique created a 
line of products that include potpourri, candles, soaps and other 
products that are appropriately named ``The Natural State.'' All 
proceeds from this product line go to support the Arkansas Nature 
Conservancy and recently Aromatique surpassed the million dollar mark 
for contributions back to this civic organization.
  Arkansas is the home of other women who have had dramatic effects in 
the business world. Diane Heuter is President and CEO of St. Vincent 
Health System and Julia Peck Mobley is CEO of Commercial National Bank 
in Texarkana.
  Mr. President, I am so proud to be able to stand here today in this 
historic Chamber and proclaim my full support and participation in 
National Women's History Month. There is no doubt that women across 
this Nation have made very significant contributions to our lives. 
Sometimes those contributions are subtle and some times they are 
significant, but none the less worthy of recognition. Let us celebrate 
the invention of bullet proof vests, fire escapes, or wind shield 
wipers, all of which can be credited to women in our history, as ways 
to promote and encourage women of future generations to rise to the 
level of success that I have spoken of here today. From this great 
Chamber, to State legislative chambers, from the boardroom to the 
classroom, from corporate headquarters to local Head Start, women make 
a difference.
  I am grateful for the opportunity afforded to me by those who have 
gone before me, and I hope in my tenure in the United States Senate to 
pave the way for many more young women from the great State of 
Arkansas.
  I yield back the remainder of my time. Thank you, Mr. President.
  Mr. STEVENS addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alaska.

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