[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 7543]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF GEORGE C. SPRINGER

  The resolution (S. Res. 47), honoring the life and achievements of 
George C. Springer, Sr., the Northeast regional director and a former 
vice president of the American Federation of Teachers, was considered 
and agreed to. The preamble was agreed to. The resolution, with its 
preamble, reads as follows:

                               S. Res. 47

       Whereas George C. Springer, Sr., formerly Northeast 
     regional director of the American Federation of Teachers 
     (AFT), president of AFT Connecticut, and AFT vice president, 
     was an accomplished union leader, a pillar of the civil 
     rights community, a high school teacher and athletics coach, 
     and a dedicated family man and devoted friend;
       Whereas George Springer was known by those who worked with 
     him as a generous mentor, a conciliator, and a skilled 
     problem-solver;
       Whereas George Springer, as president of AFT Connecticut, 
     helped strengthen and expand the statewide organization to 
     include not only teachers but also paraprofessionals and 
     other school-related personnel, higher education faculty, 
     healthcare professionals, and public employees, and united 
     them around his vision of a shared destiny and a common 
     commitment to quality services and professional integrity;
       Whereas George Springer was an AFT vice president for 13 
     years and served for 4 years as the chair of the AFT's human 
     rights and community relations committee;
       Whereas George Springer cared deeply about the cause of 
     civil rights, was a leader in the National Commission for 
     African American Education, a board member of Amistad 
     America, Inc., vice president of the John E. Rogers African 
     American Cultural Center, and president of the New Britain, 
     Connecticut chapter of the National Association for the 
     Advancement of Colored People;
       Whereas George Springer was born in the Panama Canal Zone 
     in 1932, attended Central Connecticut State University, 
     formerly Teachers College of Connecticut, and received a 
     graduate degree from the University of Hartford;
       Whereas George Springer was a union activist throughout his 
     20-year teaching career in New Britain;
       Whereas George Springer succumbed on December 19, 2006, at 
     the age of 74, after a long battle with cancer; and
       Whereas George Springer is survived by his wife, Gerri 
     Brown-Springer, 4 children, 10 grandchildren, and 4 great-
     grandchildren: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate honors George C. Springer, Sr. as 
     a dedicated and pioneering leader, and a man of generous 
     spirit who took on tough challenges with courage and 
     compassion.

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