[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12548]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                   A FITTING HONOR FOR SHEILA DECTER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BARNEY FRANK

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 10, 1999

  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, on July 27 I will be here on 
the floor of the House. Ordinarily that would be a source of pride to 
me, because I very much enjoy serving in this institution and 
appreciate the privilege of doing so which I receive from my 
constituents. But on July 27, I will be here with some regret, because 
my presence in the House will mean that I will be absent from the event 
honoring Sheila Decter, Executive Director of the American Jewish 
Congress in Boston.
  From my days in the Massachusetts Legislature in the 70s, through my 
current service in the House, I have relied on Sheila Decter's wisdom, 
knowledge, and commitment to fairness for all people in my effort to do 
my job. Sheila Decter is one of the great natural resources of 
Massachusetts, and no one better deserves the honor she will be 
receiving on July 27 than she.
  In her work through the American Jewish Congress Sheila Decter 
exemplifies the notion set forward by the great Rabbi Hillel, because 
she shows that working to protect the rights of Jews in this country 
and elsewhere are not only compatible with a strong commitment to 
universal human rights, but in fact reinforces and strengthens that 
commitment. Sheila Decter exemplifies the point that fighting injustice 
against any one group is best done by putting that in the context of 
the fight against injustice everywhere. She has enriched the life of 
our community, and she has made my job a lot easier. And while I know 
that our rules require us to address all remarks to the Speaker, I hope 
I will be permitted an exception so I can say: Mazel Tov, Sheila.

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