[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 10886]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              TRIBUTE TO FIRST LADY LAURA LANE WELCH BUSH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Coble) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, Michelle Obama is enjoying immense 
popularity throughout America. She has been described as a ``breath of 
fresh air'' and the ``First Lady we have been waiting for.''
  A Democrat constituent spoke to me several days ago expressing 
approval of the First Lady's high marks, but she furthermore expressed 
concern that we do not forget Mrs. Obama's immediate predecessor, Mrs. 
Laura Bush. I am in agreement with my constituent in that I am pleased 
for Mrs. Obama, but I don't want her high marks to diminish the high 
marks Laura Bush recorded.
  Madam Speaker, there is no blueprint for successfully filling the 
office of First Lady. Members of Congress have elections and 
constituents to provide constructive criticism along the way. The First 
Lady has no such benefit, and as a result, she must master the art of 
on-the-job training with the world's microscope on her every move.
  Mrs. Laura Bush perfected this art as well as any other First Lady in 
our history. Not only is her list of accomplishments long and 
meaningful, but they were achieved with little fanfare during a 
tumultuous period in our history.
  She is responsible, Madam Speaker, for spearheading the effort to 
bring the National Book Festival to the National Mall. She led the 
charge to bolster Teach for America, which helped increase the number 
of teachers being produced by this program every year. All of these 
teachers will teach in impoverished urban and rural schools. She helped 
stave an impending crisis in our libraries, which were facing a 40 
percent rate of attrition. Furthermore, much of her time overseas was 
spent sharing information on HIV/AIDS and malaria awareness and the 
needs of women.
  Madam Speaker, Mrs. Bush has sought no praise or public attention. 
This is exactly why her accomplishments should be recognized--and 
perhaps even memorialized to some extent so that future First Ladies 
can learn from her legacy.
  When Mrs. Bush was asked whether she would assume a role by a 
previous First Lady, she replied that she would define her role as 
First Lady for herself.
  Mrs. Bush's demeanor portrays her as quiet and unassuming. 
Oftentimes, Madam Speaker, people--male and female--who maintain quiet, 
unassuming roles are not seriously embraced. Oftentimes, they are cut 
adrift or cast aside; not true with Laura Bush.
  We wish Mrs. Obama well as she commences her role as our First Lady, 
while at the same time I want us to favorably recall the 8 years Laura 
Bush served as our First Lady.

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