[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 3599]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    DOROTHY GOLUSH AND PEG HANNIGAN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BARNEY FRANK

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 16, 2010

  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I ask your indulgence and 
that of my colleagues to celebrate two wonderful events: the 90th 
birthdays of two extraordinary women, each of whom has been very 
important in my life. We spoke often here about some of the problems 
people face as we age, and it's appropriate for public policy to be 
focused on that. But that can lead to an unfortunate impression of 
older people as always the objects of other people's help, and of the 
difficulties that they face. There is of course another side to that 
story--the satisfaction that comes to people who have led loving, 
productive lives, in which they have been of great service to others, 
and who are now able to enjoy their years and look both back and around 
at the people they have loved and nurtured.
  One of these two extraordinary women is Dorothy Golush, the widow of 
my Uncle Abe, who was one of my mother's older brothers. My mother was 
part of a remarkable family of three brothers and three sisters, 
children of immigrants, who created a warm, loving extended family. A 
few years ago, the four surviving siblings died within an eighteen 
month period, at ages ranging from ninety-two to one hundred and five. 
The one survivor of that generation, who is an inspiration for myself, 
my siblings and my cousins, is our Aunt Dot--who recently turned 
ninety. She is blessed with the vigor and acuity that has marked her 
life, and for me, it is a pleasure to come home after a long day here 
and pick up my phone and listen to a wonderful message of encouragement 
from her, after she's read about some particularly important piece of 
work that we have done.
  Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to be able to offer a Happy Birthday 
to Dorothy Golush, on behalf of all of us in the generation after her, 
who have so benefitted from her life.
  And while paying tribute to my aunt here, I also want, Madam Speaker, 
to pay tribute to a woman who is widely known in the Greater Newton 
area as ``The Godmother.'' Peg Hannigan will turn ninety this month. I 
regret very much that I am unable to be at the celebration of this 
event at the Scandinavian Home where she now lives on March 25, so I am 
sending this along in my absence.
  Peg Hannigan's political work began in 1947, when she got involved in 
John Kennedy's campaign for Congress. In the ensuing years she became 
an increasingly more important figure for those of us interested in 
political life. For cynics who believe that there is some conflict 
between political idealism and political practicality, Peg Hannigan is 
a living, breathing, absolute refutation. No one I have met in my own 
years in elected office has been more dedicated to the values of 
fairness that represent America at our best, and no one has been a more 
effective ally to those of us seeking elected office to promote this. I 
share with former Governor Michael Dukakis, former Attorney General 
Frank Bellotti, my predecessor, the late Robert Drinan, and a number of 
other people in elected office the status of being very much in her 
debt.
  Madam Speaker, I indulge myself personally by these comments, but 
they have a broader point as well: for young people who are skeptical 
that politics can be both a valuable and honorable way of spending 
one's time, Peg Hannigan's life is an extraordinarily valuable lesson 
and I hope that at least some people reading these words will be 
motivated to learn a little bit more about her, and even want to 
emulate her.
  Madam Speaker, through you I wish a very Happy 90th Birthday to two 
wonderful women.

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