[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7207]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                   THE RETIREMENT OF SUZANNE S. KERR

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DAVID E. BONIOR

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 3, 2001

  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an advisor, 
friend and national advocate for peace, Suzy Kerr. This month Suzy will 
be completing her responsibilities as Executive Director of PeacePAC at 
the Council for a Livable World after over 10 years of service.
  While working with PeacePAC and the Council, Suzy has dedicated 
tremendous energy, common sense, uncanny political instinct, humor and 
the sheer force of her irresistible personality to recruiting, electing 
and supporting arms control champions in the U.S. House of 
Representatives.
  As coordinator for outreach of the Council for a Livable World 
Education Fund, Suzy has worked closely with national coalitions and 
women's, human rights, environmental, health, budget and peace 
organizations to educate and promote combined efforts to reduce the 
threat of nuclear war and lower military spending.
  PeacePAC is an affiliate of the Council for a Livable World, founded 
in 1962 by nuclear scientists concerned about the menace of nuclear 
war. Since its inception, the Council has helped elect over 104 U.S. 
Senators. The Council's ability to raise millions of dollars for 
candidates has helped it gain recognition as the electoral arm of the 
peace movement. In 1982, the Council organized PeacePAC to help elect 
candidates to the House. As a nonpartisan, grass-roots political action 
committee, PeacePAC supports candidates for the U.S. House of 
Representatives who are committed to nuclear arms control, nuclear 
disarmament, the prevention of nuclear war, and significant reductions 
in military spending.
  It is a pleasure to honor Suzy--a fellow Michiganian, who has served 
in and out of political life in Washington since 1966 when she worked 
as a personal assistant to Representative Seymour Halpern from New 
York. She was elected as a Udall delegate to the Democratic Convention 
in 1976, and went on to serve President Carter as the Assistant 
Director of the White House Visitor's Office from 1977 to 1980. While 
raising her two children, Sarah and Charlie, with her husband, Gordon 
Kerr, she worked for the New York State Assembly in Washington, D.C., 
and completed her Bachelor of Arts at American University.
  In the mid-eighties, she became the Field Director, and later the 
Washington Director for Women's Action for a New Direction (WAND). 
During Suzy's tenure at WAND, it was the only national women's activist 
and grassroots PAC focused on advocating for nuclear arms control and 
disarmament and reductions in military spending.
  In 1991, Suzy became the Executive Director of PeacePAC. During 
Suzy's tenure, PeacePAC has raised nearly $1.5 million for pro-arms 
control candidates. In the last few years, PeacePAC has contributed 
more to deserving candidates in critical House races than all other 
peace political action committees combined. Currently, 78 Members of 
Congress have been helped by PeacePAC.
  Representing concerned voters and contributors from across the 
country, Suzy has used PeacePAC's substantive expertise and political 
power to ensure that strong voices in the House are committed to 
reducing the nuclear threat and defining national security in terms of 
domestic as well as military concerns.
  As PeacePAC supporters know, the sweeping changes in the post-Cold 
War world have given us an unprecedented opportunity to elect members 
who will question ``big-ticket'' items such as the B-2 Stealth Bomber 
and a misguided missile defense that has yet to test successfully. I am 
confident and grateful that even as Suzy completes her service, 
PeacePAC will continue to work for the election of candidates who will 
fight for policies and budgets that reflect the new international 
realities of an increasingly inter-dependent global community.
  Of course, we wish Suzy every success in her new endeavor: 
supervising the day-to-day progress of her first grandchild, Porter Jay 
Iselin.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Congress, the members and supporters of 
PeacePAC and the Council for a Livable World, and all who have 
benefited from her work, I thank you for the opportunity to give 
recognition to Suzanne S. Kerr, for her service to the nation and the 
world on behalf of peace and security.

                          ____________________