[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 7571]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



        HONORING MRS. RAE UNZICKER OF SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, recently, South Dakota, and the country, 
lost a friend and dedicated public servant. Mrs. Rae Unzicker of Sioux 
Falls, South Dakota, died in her home on March 22, 2001. She was 52 
years old.
  Rae Unzicker was a tireless champion for the rights of the disabled, 
particularly those with psychiatric disabilities. Her contributions to 
her field were significant. She started the first mental health 
advocacy project in South Dakota, served on the board of directors of 
the National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy, and was 
the chair of the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental 
Illness Council for South Dakota Advocacy Services. She also authored 
several articles on the subject of mental health and spoke in 43 
states, England, and the Netherlands during her career.
  In 1995, President Clinton appointed Rae Unzicker to the National 
Council on Disabilities, an agency dedicated to increasing the 
inclusion, independence, and empowerment of all Americans with 
disabilities. She was one of the first outspoken advocates for the 
civil rights of people with mental illness to receive a major 
Presidential appointment. Her work helped minimize the stigma 
associated with people with mental illness and ensured they had the 
same rights and privileges as other Americans.
  I join the mental health community in mourning the loss of a person 
so dedicated to the rights of those with mental illness. My condolences 
go out to Rae Unzicker's brother, her children, and their families. In 
this difficult time, my thoughts and prayers are with them, and with 
Rae's many friends.

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