[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 15401]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO ALLY MILDER

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, just 2 weeks ago a former staffer and 
longtime friend, Ally Milder, and a business associate of hers came to 
spend the weekend at the Grassley farm in New Hartford, IA. I tried to 
get Ally to step out of her fancy shoes for a couple of days and learn 
a little about farming. I never did persuade her to feed pigs, but we 
had a lot of laughs.
  Today I stand before the Senate with great sadness because Ally 
Milder--my former chief counsel and a good friend to Barbara and me--
died suddenly last Thursday at the age of 50. Ally is gone suddenly and 
too young. I extend my deep sympathy to her mother Frances and sisters 
Julie and Kelly, and pay tribute to Ally Milder with much regard.
  I met Ally in 1981. She was one of my first counsels on the Senate 
Judiciary Committee. I was a freshman Senator. She was fresh out of law 
school and stayed on my staff until 1987, becoming chief counsel during 
that time. Ally and I shared a great interest in religious freedom. Her 
leadership helped me to be very active in Soviet Jewry issues as a 
Senator, including a 1983 trip to the Soviet Union where we met with 
Russian Jews, the refuseniks, in Moscow. Ally was instrumental in 
forming the InterParliamentary Group for Human Rights in the Soviet 
Union, an important weapon in the fight against abuses and for freedom 
for Soviet Jews. Her tremendous enthusiasm and commitment to this 
important cause was also proved when she staffed passage of legislation 
to change the address of the Soviet Embassy in Washington to One 
Sakharov Plaza. We had to fight the State Department and all kinds of 
other powerful interests to prevail and provide a daily reminder that 
America would not overlook the plight of dissidents. Ally personally 
made a difference in the course of history with her work in this area 
of human rights.
  Ally worked on many issues during those years, including the 
nomination of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor to the Supreme Court and 
extension of the Voting Rights Act. Under her leadership of my 
Judiciary staff, the False Claims Act was passed and signed into law. 
This landmark legislation updated a Civil War-era law to empower 
individual citizen-whistleblowers to fight fraud against the taxpayers. 
In the nearly two decades this law has been on the books, it has 
returned more than $12 billion to the U.S. Treasury that would 
otherwise have been lost to fraud. In addition, Ally oversaw renewal of 
Chapter 12 of the Federal Bankruptcy Code, which was a lifeline for 
family farmers needing to reorganize debt and stay in farming during 
the terrible farm crisis of the 1980s.
  Whatever she was working on, Ally brought energy, a let's-make-it-
happen attitude, and characteristic good nature to the task. Her skill 
and style made her a respected and well-liked colleague on the staff.
  Ally left Washington to return home and run for Congress herself, 
making two good attempts for the Second District seat in Nebraska. I 
campaigned with her several times. She was tireless about reaching the 
voters, and we spent one of those days going to all the small towns and 
rural areas in the district. From what I know about Ally Milder, both 
before and after she ran for the House of Representatives, I am 
convinced she would have made a very good Congresswoman. Ally went on 
to serve on the State board of education starting in 1992, and launched 
a successful consulting and lobbying practice.
  Ally always kept in close touch, and she loved politics. I appreciate 
the support she gave me. She was generous and shared her commitment to 
making things better in a lot of ways, including mentoring economically 
disadvantaged young people.
  It is hard to believe that Ally won't be walking around the corner 
somewhere, sometime next week, with her big smile and warm embrace. 
Knowing Ally, she might want us to take comfort today in an old Jewish 
saying that ``the only truly dead are those who have been forgotten.'' 
There is no doubt that Ally Milder will be remembered. She was full of 
life, bright, hardworking, and someone focused on the good things in 
life and making life good for those around her. She will be greatly 
missed.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Voinovich). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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