[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 17]
[House]
[Pages 24078-24080]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 ELEANOR McGOVERN POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 2654) to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 202 South Dumont Avenue in Woonsocket, 
South Dakota, as the ``Eleanor McGovern Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2654

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. ELEANOR MCGOVERN POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 202 South Dumont Avenue in Woonsocket, 
     South Dakota, shall be known and designated as the ``Eleanor 
     McGovern Post Office Building''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be 
     a reference to the ``Eleanor McGovern Post Office Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis) and the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Sali) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 
such time as she might consume to the sponsor of this resolution, the 
gentlewoman from South Dakota, Representative Herseth Sandlin.
  Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to rise today in 
support of H.R. 2654, legislation honoring the life and legacy of 
Eleanor McGovern, by officially designating the post office in her 
hometown of Woonsocket, South Dakota, as the ``Eleanor McGovern Post 
Office Building.''
  In making this essential recognition, I would also like to thank the 
gentleman from Massachusetts, Congressman Jim McGovern, and the 
gentlelady from California, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, for their 
support of this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, Eleanor Stegeberg was born 1921 and raised on a farm 
near Woonsocket, South Dakota, during the Dust Bowl years of the 1930s. 
As with many families of that era, times were tough; but Eleanor 
cherished her upbringing in the small prairie town of Woonsocket, which 
is known for a sweet melon crop in the summer and ample pheasant 
hunting in the fall, as well as scenic Lake Prior, which gave the 
community its nickname, ``the town with the beautiful lake.''
  Eleanor and her twin sister, Ila, were varsity debaters at Woonsocket 
High School. Eleanor no doubt caught the eye of her future husband 
George McGovern, a student at a nearby high school, by besting him in a 
regional debate tournament. In fact, Senator McGovern always 
acknowledges as much.
  Eleanor graduated as salutatorian and next enrolled at Dakota 
Wesleyan University in Mitchell, South Dakota, where she and George 
were fellow students and where they fell in love. The couple married on 
October 31, 1943, when, like so many of that generation, George was 
preparing to ship out for service as a B-24 bomber pilot in World War 
II. Eleanor gave birth to their first of five children while George was 
overseas.
  George McGovern would go on to serve the State of South Dakota and 
the country in many roles: Senator, ambassador, airman, statesman, and 
the 1972 Democratic nominee for President. All the while, Eleanor was 
his strong and equal partner.
  During that Presidential campaign, Eleanor blazed a trail and made 
headlines of her own while campaigning solo across the country for 
George.
  Like none before her, she engaged crowds on the campaign trail with 
her eloquence and intelligence and was a fierce and effective advocate 
on a range of policy issues. Eleanor's high profile helped transform 
and heighten public perception of the role and value of women in 
politics.
  Aside from politics, Eleanor worked as a tireless advocate for 
children and families throughout her life. She served on the boards of 
directors for

[[Page 24079]]

Dakota Wesleyan University, the Psychiatric Institute Foundation, the 
Child Study Association, the Erickson Institute of Chicago, and Odyssey 
House of New York. She founded the Martha Movement and was a 
development officer for the Child Development Associates Consortium.
  Following the tragic death of the McGoverns' daughter, Terry, in 
1994, Eleanor was a passionate speaker on alcoholism, and with her 
family, established the McGovern Family Foundation in Washington D.C. 
to raise funds for alcoholism research. Eleanor and George also led a 
worldwide effort to combat hunger, working towards a goal of 
eradicating hunger by 2030.
  In 2006, Dakota Wesleyan University, Eleanor and George's alma mater, 
launched the George and Eleanor McGovern Center for Leadership and 
Public Service, which offers a range of public service and leadership-
centered programs for students, faculty, staff, and the national and 
global community.
  Through this program and its annual McGovern Center Conference, the 
issues that George and Eleanor McGovern have championed continue to 
receive the attention and focus they deserve. Eleanor McGovern passed 
away on January 25, 2007, at the McGoverns' home in Mitchell, South 
Dakota. She was 85.
  Throughout her life, Eleanor and George formed a true partnership of 
shared trust and responsibilities. George commonly refers to Eleanor as 
his most helpful critic and most trusted adviser.
  Eleanor herself wrote in her 1973 memoir, titled ``Uphill: A Personal 
Story'' ``I was determined to help with George's career, not only by 
taking responsibility for the family, but by contributing ideas. In 
fact, I never considered it `George's' career, it was ours.''
  I urge all Members to support the passage of this legislation that 
honors the life, works and service of an extraordinary woman and an 
extraordinary American, Eleanor McGovern.
  Mr. SALI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  This measure proposes honoring the life of Eleanor McGovern by naming 
the post office in Woonsocket, South Dakota, in her honor. A tireless 
advocate for children and families, she set a new precedent for women 
on the campaign trail and left a lasting mark as a passionate and 
eloquent speaker.
  Born on November 25, 1921, in Woonsocket, South Dakota, Eleanor 
Stegeberg began her life-long devotion to caring for others at the 
tender age of 12, when she, along with her twin sister, Ila, assumed 
many household duties following the death of their mother. Even with 
all of her responsibilities at home, Mrs. McGovern was successful at 
school, becoming a renowned debater and a cheerleader before attending 
Dakota Wesleyan University.
  It was in high school that she met a young George McGovern, whom she 
impressed by leading one of the few debate teams that was able to 
defeat him. Three years later, in 1943, just before he was shipped off 
to war, they were married.
  Upon returning from service, Mr. McGovern began his 24-year career in 
Congress by winning a seat to represent South Dakota in the House of 
Representatives. However, he fell ill during his 1962 senatorial 
campaign, an opportunity that thrust Mrs. McGovern into the spotlight. 
She campaigned statewide for him, helping to secure his victory, and 
from then on she became a tremendous asset on the campaign circuit, 
either with Mr. McGovern or on her own.
  Mrs. McGovern was a trailblazer in this role, opening doors for women 
and spouses in the election process, never more visibly than during Mr. 
McGovern's unsuccessful 1972 bid for the Presidency.
  Mrs. McGovern was an advocate for children, family and women's issues 
during and following her husband's political career. After the tragic 
death of her daughter, Theresa, she became a public face of the 
campaign against alcoholism.
  Mrs. McGovern's service endeavors included work for the Child 
Development Center and the Women's Democratic Club, as well as serving 
on the boards of the Psychiatric Institute Foundation and Dakota 
Wesleyan.
  In recognition of this outstanding record of accomplishment and 
service, let us pay tribute to Eleanor McGovern by naming her hometown 
post office in her honor.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I 
might consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleague in the 
consideration of H.R. 2654, which names a postal facility in 
Woonsocket, South Dakota, after Eleanor McGovern.
  H.R. 2654, which was introduced by Representative Stephanie Herseth 
Sandlin on June 11, 2007, was reported from the oversight committee on 
July 19, 2007, by a voice vote. This measure has the support of the 
entire South Dakota congressional delegation.
  Mrs. Eleanor McGovern was the wife of former Senator George McGovern 
of South Dakota. She was born on November 25, 1921, in Woonsocket, 
South Dakota. She was the first spouse to campaign for her husband, 
alone, to be President of the United States beginning in 1971.
  People had such confidence in her ability to articulate various 
issues facing the country during the early 1970s. Mrs. McGovern made a 
solo appearance on NBC TV's program ``Meet the Press,'' answering 
policy questions without hesitation and in precise detail. Also she was 
the first, by a candidate's wife, to appear on this show in its 25-year 
history.
  Crowds were often moved by her speeches and drew comparisons to the 
former First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt. Some questioned whether she might 
do her husband more harm than good.
  When asked if her campaigning was worth the risk to her husband's 
Presidential bid, she replied: ``I would be campaigning as strongly for 
him if he were not my husband. Maybe there is a risk involved, but 
since I have the freedom to speak, and my husband doesn't know what I'm 
saying when I go around the country, he does not tell me what to say. 
He takes that risk.''
  Mrs. Eleanor McGovern wrote a memorial about her personal life 
entitled ``Uphill: A Personal Story.'' She wrote: ``I still carry a 
trace of bitterness about poverty. It was not ennobling for my father 
and grandfather to scratch out a living on land rendered barren. The 
poor have few choices in life.'' Throughout her life, she learned to 
preserve and overcome life's challenges.
  Mrs. McGovern died on January 25, 2007, at the age of 85.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague, Representative Stephanie Herseth 
Sandlin, for introducing this legislation and urge swift passage.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, during the 1972 presidential campaign, 
Eleanor McGovern inspired the slogan, ``Put another Eleanor in the 
White House.''
  The comparison to Eleanor Roosevelt is an appropriate one because 
Eleanor McGovern was a trailblazer and a truly great woman. She was an 
unapologetic liberal Democrat who cared deeply about people and about 
this planet.
  She was outspoken in her support for our nation's children--demanding 
more attention and resources for early childhood development programs 
and better schools. She understood the importance of focusing on the 
needs of children beginning at birth. Had she become First Lady, this 
country's education system would be much improved and our children 
would be much better served.
  She believed we should be better stewards of our precious environment 
long before ``mainstream America'' began to worry about global warming 
as an issue. Having just returned from a visit to the beautiful and 
breathtaking Black Hills of South Dakota, I can better understand 
Eleanor's love for open space and nature.
  And like her husband George, Eleanor McGovern was a tireless advocate 
for peace. She campaigned every bit as hard as George to end the tragic 
war in Vietnam. She felt equally strong that the current war in Iraq 
was a mistake.
  As one who got to know Eleanor pretty well over the years, I always 
enjoyed our talks and valued her insights. She loved to read and knew 
the issues better than most members of Congress. In fact she would have 
made an

[[Page 24080]]

excellent congresswoman, U.S. Senator or even President.
  Wherever Eleanor was, there were always plenty of books, magazines 
and newspapers. She underlined passages that held special meaning and 
she carefully collected magazine articles that she thought would be of 
use to George.
  She also loved her gardens. When they lived in Washington, D.C., 
Eleanor treasured her small garden. She loved not only the flowers, but 
also the wildlife they attracted. She regularly fed the birds, raccoons 
and whatever else inhabited their neighborhood.
  She was a loving mother who raised five incredible children. Sadly, 
her daughter Terry died after years of struggling with alcoholism. That 
terrible tragedy was heartbreaking for all of us who knew Terry, but it 
took a heavy toll on both Eleanor and George.
  Eleanor loved George and George loved her. There is no way he would 
have become a U.S. Congressman or Senator or Presidential nominee 
without Eleanor. Her intellect, her love for this country and her 
respect for George were essential throughout her career.
  Millions of Americans got to know and admire Eleanor in 1972. She 
campaigned with great enthusiasm for the McGovern-Shriver ticket--often 
on her own. She was not content to merely pose for pictures with her 
husband--instead, she gave speeches, attended rallies, appeared on 
political talk shows and contributed to policy discussions.
  I will always believe that our country missed out by not electing 
George McGovern as president in 1972. It's not just because George 
would have made a superb president, but also because Eleanor would have 
been an incredible first lady. She would have been an ambassador for 
all that is good and decent about our country.
  I am deeply grateful to my colleague from South Dakota, Stephanie 
Herseth Sandlin, for her leadership in naming Postal Service facility 
at 202 South Dumont Avenue in Woonsocket, South Dakota as the ``Eleanor 
McGovern Post Office Building'' and for her recognition of Eleanor's 
many contributions. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2654.
  In closing, let me say very simply--what this world needs is more 
Eleanor McGoverns.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in 
honoring the life of Eleanor McGovern and in support of H.R. 2654, a 
bill to name a post office in South Dakota, in tribute to her legacy.
  Eleanor was a great advocate for children and families, both through 
volunteering and personally helping underprivileged families and by 
addressing these issues through public policy. Most people know her as 
the wife of Senator George McGovern--but she was an influential and 
outspoken figure in her own right. While her husband was running for 
president, she traveled across the country displaying her impressive 
rhetorical skills and changing traditional perceptions of a woman's 
role in public life.
  She was also a key advisor to her husband, one of our most 
distinguished American statesmen and humanitarians, and a very 
principled anti-war leader. Eleanor believed wholeheartedly in the 
causes they championed, in the battles they won and those they lost. 
She contributed her time and efforts to a number of organizations over 
the years, serving on the boards of directors for the Psychiatric 
Institute Foundation, the Child Study Association, the Erickson 
Institute of Chicago, and the Odyssey House of New York. Following her 
daughter's death, she also helped found the McGovern Family Foundation 
dedicated to research into alcoholism, and established the Martha 
Movement, which championed the rights of homemakers.
  I pay tribute to the legacy she leaves behind and the tremendous good 
work she did. She was truly a force for change. I'm so thankful for the 
life, the service, and the good will of Eleanor McGovern.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SALI. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time and urge passage of this legislation and again commend the 
gentlewoman from South Dakota for its introduction.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2654.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________