[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Pages 21456-21457]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       SENATE RESOLUTION 256--HONORING THE LIFE OF SANDRA FELDMAN

  Mr. SCHUMER (for himself, Mrs. Clinton, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Bingaman, 
and Mr. Kennedy) submitted the following resolution; which was 
considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 256

       Whereas Sandra Feldman was born Sandra Abramowitz in 
     October, 1939, to blue-collar parents living in a tenement in 
     Coney Island, New York;
       Whereas Sandra Feldman, while at James Madison High School, 
     Brooklyn College, and New York University, began a life-long 
     dedication to education both in the United States and abroad;
       Whereas Sandra Feldman began her career by teaching fourth 
     grade at Public School 34 on the Lower East Side of New York 
     City;
       Whereas during her service as union leader at Public School 
     34, Sandra Feldman became employed by the United Federation 
     of Teachers in New York City, and was elected president in 
     1986, after 20 years of service;
       Whereas Sandra Feldman's tenure as president of the United 
     Federation of Teachers was distinguished by her devotion to 
     better working conditions for the teachers she represented;
       Whereas in 1997, the American Federation of Teachers 
     elected Sandra Feldman to serve as their president, until she 
     retired 7 years later;
       Whereas Sandra Feldman effectively represented the 
     educators, healthcare professionals, public employees, and 
     retirees who made up the membership of the American 
     Federation of Teachers;
       Whereas Sandra Feldman was a tireless advocate for public 
     education, working with President George W. Bush on the No 
     Child Left Behind Act of 2001 to improve accountability 
     standards and provide increased resources to schools to help 
     increasing professional development to better equip teachers 
     to instruct students, and using research-driven methods to 
     redesign school programs;
       Whereas Sandra Feldman was equally devoted to fighting 
     against discrimination, raising the nursing shortage into 
     national public awareness, advocating for smaller class sizes 
     and patient-to-nurse ratios promoting increased benefits and 
     compensation for workers, and spreading her message beyond 
     her own membership by advocating for workers overseas as 
     well;
       Whereas Sandra Feldman lent her expertise to both the 
     national and international labor movements in her capacities 
     as a member of the AFL-CIO executive council and a vice 
     president of Education International; and
       Whereas Sandra Feldman succumbed on September 18, 2005, to 
     a difficult struggle against breast cancer at the age of 65: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) mourns the loss of Sandra Feldman, a vibrant and 
     dedicated public servant;
       (2) recognizes the contributions of Sandra Feldman to 
     public education;
       (3) expresses its deepest condolences to those who knew and 
     loved Sandra Feldman; and
       (4) directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit an 
     enrolled copy of this resolution to the family of Sandra 
     Feldman.

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