[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21933]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF SYLVIA LEVIN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN

                             of CALIFORNIA

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 16, 2009

  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay respects to the 
passing of my friend Sylvia Levin who passed peacefully on Thursday, 
June 25, 2009 at the age of 91. Let this congressional insert serve as 
a tribute to her memory and celebration of her meaningful life.
  Sylvia was born on September 14, 1917, in Brooklyn, NY, and grew up 
there and in New Jersey. She decided to move to California in the 1940s 
as a single mother of two. She quickly became accustomed to the 
southern California lifestyle while working at an aircraft plant, a 
garment factory, a stall at the original Farmers Market in Los Angeles, 
and as a beach parking lot attendant in Santa Monica.
  Known for her warmth and friendliness, Sylvia's indefatigable 
enthusiasm and tenacity for politics would give new meaning to the 
grassroots movement. She was known for signing more than 47,000 people 
to California's voter rolls and she should be remembered for these 
invaluable contributions she's made to democracy. For her registration 
efforts, she received a State Senate resolution from the late Senator 
Herschel Rosenthal. Further, in 2001, she was befittingly nominated and 
inducted into California's Voter Participation Hall of Fame. In 2007, 
on her 90th birthday, the Los Angeles City Council awarded Levin a 
commendatory resolution citing her work ``registering voters for 
decades, her belief in the Constitution and making the Constitution 
work.'' Her leadership and dedication to furthering our civic 
responsibility is an example to all.
  Sylvia is survived by her son and daughter, Chuck Levin and Susan 
Levin, and her sisters Dottie Sadowsky and Daisy Neustadt.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the life of Sylvia 
Levin.

                          ____________________