[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 1] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages 678-679] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]TRIBUTE TO ANN EPPARD ______ HON. BILL SHUSTER of pennsylvania in the house of representatives Wednesday, February 1, 2006 Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, on Christmas Eve, Ann Eppard, long-time chief of staff to Congressman Bud Shuster, passed away from complications from Barrett's disease. The following tribute to her by Bud Shuster, M.C., ret., appeared in several papers throughout Pennsylvania: A Tribute to Ann Eppard (By Congressman Bud Shuster, Ret.) Once upon a shining time there was a team that had a 35- year winning streak. I was the coach and Ann Eppard was the captain of the team. Over the years we had all-star teammates who became lifelong friends. It all began when I instructed a manager at Datel Corp. to find me an executive assistant. After I nixed several who didn't quite fit, he said he located an outstanding gal at Computer Sciences Corporation who although only 26, was managing 28 people. ``She's smart, personable, energetic, knows computers and she's good-looking. I said I preferred a man, and the last thing we needed was a good-looking babe to distract the salesmen. Just interview her, he pleaded. Reluctantly, I agreed, and she was impressive. When I asked her to take a test she asked if I had taken it. When I said ``no'' she smiled, ``Then I'll take it after you do.'' ``You've got spunk. You'll do,'' I laughed. ``But I'd like to talk to your boss at Computer Sciences.'' After he confirmed her capabilities I asked if she had any weaknesses. ``Oh yes,'' he said, `` Overload her with work or she'll pester you.'' So I did. For nearly 35 years! When I announced for Congress, Ann volunteered along with some Sigma Chi brothers. She moved into an old converted smokehouse at the farm with my daughter, Peggy, and our team campaigned 24/7 for several months. My wife, Patty, and I went door-to-door with Ann, my daughter, Gia, and others advancing us. Ann's sister, Karen, and her mother did nightly polling to measure our progress. Ann helped design a superb computer system to mail thousands of personalized letters on the weekend before the election. Campaigning at the railroad shops, she wore a red miniskirt and white boots. The guys didn't pay any attention to me, and for years afterward when we went through the shops they would yell, ``Hey, Annie, where's your white boots?'' We surprised everyone by winning, and as they say, the rest is history. Ann loved political combat. Once when she was deeply involved in reapportionment, she had a Democratic legislator make a last-minute change to the map, putting an opponent's residence a few yards outside the district. The opponent insisted that a Republican had changed the map, for no Democrat would do that. He was wrong! Another time, when an opponent's petitions were being circulated at a Democratic hangout, they suddenly disappeared. On election night, a Democratic leader proudly produced the purloined petitions but Ann whisked him across the room to the bar before I saw them. Ann loved the people of the District. She had Pennelec relocate a light pole because an elderly lady couldn't sleep with the light shining in her window. The story behind creating the Loysburg bypass exemplified her dedication. Still in the minority, I worked for months to get District projects in a transportation bill, through the House, the Senate Conference. On the last day of the Conference she whispered that we should put in a project to build a Loysburg bypass. I said it was impossible, the Conference was ending. ``But the people need that dangerous hairpin curve eliminated,'' she pleaded. ``Get away,'' I ordered. ``What if I can get Chairman Howard and Senator Moynihan to agree?'' ``Don't you breathe my name to them,'' I hissed. ``I won't.'' She went over and whispered to Howard and Moynihan. A few minutes later, Howard said, ``If Senator Moynihan agrees, I'd like to add a project to replace a dangerous curve in Loysburg, Pennsylvania, with a bypass.'' Moynihan replied, ``Absolutely! I agree!'' When I'm on the bypass I think, this is really the Ann Eppard bypass. Ann may be the only person to ever hang-up on the President of the United States. One day she answered my private line and a voice said, ``This is Ronald Reagan. Could I please speak to Bud?'' ``Quit fooling around, Ralph,'' she slammed down the phone. It rang again and the White House operator said, ``President Reagan was trying to call the Congressman but got disconnected. Could you please put him on?'' When I was going through several operations at Bethesda Naval Hospital to repair my broken neck, she practically took over the ward, making sure I got my pain medicine on time. When she discovered a lost sailor hobbling through the hall pushing his I-V, searching for the X-ray lab, she chewed out the attendants and got him help. ``Harrisburg: Online'' recently wrote, ``She was the epitome of the self-made, tough-as-nails kid from Pennsylvania's hard coal region.'' Ann loved coming to our farm, pestering me to let her work. One spring when we were going to move the cattle into the barnyard, she showed up in her designer jeans and red cowgirl boots. I explained to everyone that we had to walk slowly behind the cattle, arms outstretched, pushing them toward the barn. If one cow broke away, they all would and we would have to start over. Finally we got them in. Losing her balance in the mucky barnyard, she cried, ``I fell in the mud!'' My farm manager replied, ``Miss Annie, that ain't mud.'' Few knew of Ann's many charities. Father Paulko in Hollidaysburg called her when a [[Page 679]] deserving family needed financial help. She quietly responded. When troubles came, as they sometimes do in her life, her grace under pressure epitomized class, as she ultimately prevailed. When she retired, the accolades poured in. The entire Pennsylvania delegation published a letter praising her as ``a straight shooter whose word was trusted and advice was much sought after . . . you also served as a pathfinder for the now increasing number of women assuming leadership positions on Capitol Hill. Your dedication . . . helped this delegation achieve legislative prodigies.'' A lecturer at the Library of Congress stated: ``Ann Eppard was the most effective Chief of Staff on Capitol Hill.'' Forming Ann Eppard Associates, she established a highly respected lobbying firm. Congressman Jim Oberstar publicly credited her efforts with helping pass the historic ``Truth in Budgeting Act,'' to unlock the Highway Trust Fund. But above all, she loved her family, especially her two darling granddaughters, Kelly and Shannon. They, need to know that their ``Annie'' was a larger-than-life super-lady: dedicated, smart, energetic and compassionate. Ann was devout and there is little doubt that she is in God's arms. She's probably telling St. Peter how to better organize the place. To paraphrase Shakespeare, she may have had the body of a tender woman, but she had the heart of a lion. And we might add, the soaring spirit of the indomitable American eagle. ____________________