[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14391]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING CORINNE ``LINDY'' CLAIBORNE BOGGS ON OCCASION OF 25TH 
        ANNIVERSARY OF FOUNDING OF CONGRESSIONAL WOMEN'S CAUCUS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. MARGE ROUKEMA

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 22, 2002

  Mrs. ROUKEMA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution 
honoring the career and achievements of Former Congresswoman Corrine 
``Lindy'' Claiborne Boggs. Lindy Boggs, representing the 2d district of 
Louisiana, served in this House from March 20, 1973, to January 3, 
1991. I was fortunate enough to serve with Lindy, and I feel fortunate 
to be able to honor her accomplishments in Congress, and on behalf of 
women in Congress.
  Lindy's time in the House of Representatives and in Washington was an 
environment quite different than what we now understand. During her 
service, she achieved a number of firsts. She was the first woman 
elected to the House of Representatives from Louisiana; the first woman 
to serve as a Regent of the Smithsonian Institute; the first woman to 
preside over a national convention (the Democratic National Convention 
in 1976); the first woman to receive the Congressional Medal from the 
Veterans of Foreign Wars; as well as the first woman to receive a 
Tulane University Distinguished and Outstanding Alumni Award.
  Lindy focused on many issues while in Congress and lent a voice to 
the many policy debates that took place during her tenure. She 
accomplished much in the areas of literacy, housing, scientific 
research, and technology development. These are not the typical 
``Women's issues'' assumed for her time, and I am sure she felt much 
pressure to focus on issues affecting women in particular. However 
these issues were viewed through a woman's eye. I can relate to that 
experience. In my early campaigns for Congress, reporters constantly 
asked me what I would do about ``women's issues.'' My response was that 
``all issues are women's issues.''
  However once I got to Washington, I had a similar experience to the 
one Lindy's daughter Cokie Roberts describes in her book, We Are Our 
Mothers' Daughters, ``most [congresswomen] arrived with no agenda for 
women in mind, but they all found, once they started serving, that 
women all over the country came to them with their concerns.'' I found 
that some of the so-called ``women's issues'' weren't being addressed 
by the men in power. It wasn't that the men were opposed to these 
issues--they just were not sufficiently aware of them. I realized that 
if the women in Congress don't act on these issues, no one else would.
  After over 20 years in Congress, I still believe that women make a 
unique and necessary contribution to the policymaking process in all 
areas of public policy. We bring our experience as wives, mothers, 
daughters, sisters, citizens, entrepreneurs, or workers to the table 
when deliberating important issues of the day.
  Lindy understood this, and contributed much to what Congress achieved 
during her time here. It is for this reason that we stand on the House 
floor today lauding her success and accomplishments in this Body. I am 
proud to have served with Congresswoman Boggs, and I am grateful for 
all that she has accomplished for women in Congress and in this 
country.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this legislation in her 
honor.

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