[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 16742-16743]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            IN RECOGNITION OF STATE SENATOR DEBBY SANDERSON

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. E. CLAY SHAW, JR.

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 12, 2002

  Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my good friend, 
Florida Senator Debby Sanderson who has announced her retirement after 
20 years of distinguished public service to the residents of Broward 
and Palm Beach counties.
  In 1982, Senator Sanderson was the first female elected from Broward 
County to the Florida House of Representatives and served as

[[Page 16743]]

the Freshman Minority Leader her first term. In 1988, Debby was 
appointed by the Democratic Speaker of the House to the House Health 
and Human Services Appropriations Committee. It was this committee 
assignment early in her career which led to her interest in social 
services and shaped much of her future work in the Florida legislature. 
She was chairwoman of the Human Services Appropriations in the House 
until her election to the Senate in 2000.
  During her years of service in the House and Senate, Debby brought 
her low-key, principle driven agenda focusing on issues such as health 
care, children, education and a commitment to Florida's social 
services. Always accessible to her constituents, Debby traveled her 
district listening to the needs and concerns of officials and citizens 
alike. Although the Florida legislature is only in session for two 
months out of the year, for Debby it has been a full time job.
  When Senator Debby Sanderson recently announced her retirement, the 
room was filled with admirers from the social services community all of 
whom have benefitted from her hard work and dedication: PACE, a program 
for troubled teenage girls; Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital; Autism 
Society of Florida; Area Agency on Aging; Special Olympics, to name 
just a few. Also present were representatives of Florida Breast Cancer 
Research Coalition whose cause will benefit from passage of the special 
license plate legislation sponsored by Senator Debby Sanderson.
  Mr. Speaker, Senator Debby Sanderson has decided to retire from 
public life; however I am certain she will remain an active participant 
in her community, state, and country. During her 20 years of service, 
Debby and I have shared constituents and lived within each other's 
district. She represented me in Tallahassee with honor and dignity and 
I am honored to represent her here in Washington.

                          ____________________