[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 16946-16947]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                        HONORING MARY MIYASHITA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT T. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 27, 2000

  Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, today I honor a woman with a remarkable 
career in public service, Mary Miyashita. To say that Mary has a flair 
for politics would only begin to skim the surface of the extraordinary 
contributions that she has made to numerous candidates and causes over 
the years.
  Mary first got involved in politics during the 1948 gubernatorial 
campaign of Adlai Stevenson and has been a dedicated social and 
political activist ever since. The best way to describe Mary's 
political interests and involvement is exhaustive. I consider her 
presence to be a staple in the Democratic Party. She carries with her 
enough charisma to charm a crowd as well as the political savvy and 
assertiveness needed to fight the good fight. She has been selected as 
a Delegate to the Democratic National Convention five times in the past 
30 years, served as Co-Chair of the California Affirmative Action 
Committee in 1976 as well as Co-Chair of the California Democratic 
Party Budget and Finance Committee in 1976.
  She has done everything from Chairing the 1980 Kennedy Caucus to 
hosting political leaders at her home. In fact, the only thing that 
stretches farther than Mary's dedication is her knowledge of the 
political scene. By just glancing at her impressive list of political 
involvement, it is easy to attest that Mary is a true champion of 
public service.
  Over the years, Mary has been recognized by a host of organizations 
for her Herculean efforts. In 1975 she was named Democratic Woman of 
the Year and Key Woman of the Democratic Women's Forum in 1960. This 
year she is being recognized once more, this time by the esteemed 
publication Asia Week for her many years of public service. As a 
founding member of the first Asian Pacific Caucus in 1976, Mary helped 
to pave the way for equal and just treatment of Asian Pacific 
Americans. Time and time again she has succeeded in ensuring that the 
interests of the Asian Pacific Community are heard and protected. She 
has been the shining light that has inspired scores of youth to get 
involved in politics. I can think of no one else more deserving of this 
honor than Mary.
  Her involvement is not exclusive to strictly politics. She is an 
active member of the PTA, ACLU, Women for Peace and the League of

[[Page 16947]]

Women Voters to name a few. Programs such as Meals on Wheels, and the 
Woman and Children Crisis Shelter would not have found the success that 
they have enjoyed without Mary to support them.
  Her continuous leadership is a true testament to public service. If a 
template for leadership could be made, it would bear the resemblance of 
my good friend Mary Miyashita. Her career thus far as a social and 
political activist is commendable, and happily far from being over.

                          ____________________