[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 4949]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO GERALDINE FERRARO

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. NITA M. LOWEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 31, 2011

  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in tribute and appreciation of 
Geraldine Ferraro, who blazed a trail for all women, especially in 
government, and dedicated her life to public service.
  Gerry and I shared many priorities, many of which were grounded in 
our similar experiences. As a former PTA president in Queens, New York, 
I felt a unique kinship with Gerry, who taught elementary school in 
Queens. In these capacities, we came to better understand the struggles 
families faced, the unmet needs of children, and the opportunities--
and, indeed, our responsibility--to exercise our precious rights to 
improve our communities for all our fellow citizens.
  One of only three women in her law school class, she advocated for 
women and children in countless pro bono cases in family court, 
including during the years she spent at home raising her own children. 
Gerry's sense of commitment to justice and opportunity for abused women 
and children was rivaled only by her success. In the Queens District 
Attorney's office, she led the Special Victims Bureau, prosecuting 
domestic violence, child abuse, and sex crimes. She gave voice to 
thousands who desperately needed an advocate and improved the quality 
of life and safety for all New Yorkers.
  Then as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Geraldine 
Ferraro fought day-in and day-out in the continuing struggle for 
women's rights, especially in the workplace. Before any of us knew the 
injustice Lilly Ledbetter faced in a tire manufacturing plant 900 miles 
from New York, Gerry was working to ensure women received wages, 
benefits, and pensions equal to their male counterparts. She laid the 
groundwork for the Lilly Ledbetter equal pay legislation we passed only 
two years ago.
  The first Italian-American and the first woman on a major-party 
presidential ticket, Geraldine Ferraro crystallized for millions of 
women and girls that gender should be no obstacle to public service and 
national leadership. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, and other 
strong women in government have benefited from the foundation she laid 
as the Democratic Party's Vice Presidential nominee in 1984, and she 
inspired countless women to pursue elected office and assert their 
power as voters and active civic participants. Thanks to her efforts, 
the United States is stronger and more representative of our diverse 
and vibrant population.
  Her leadership did not end when she left the halls of Congress. As 
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, she was a 
highly effective voice for women and families not just in the United 
States, but worldwide. She donated a great deal of her time and talent 
to highly respected charitable organizations and causes.
  Once diagnosed with multiple myeloma, she fought her illness for 12 
years with the same tenacity and determination that were the hallmarks 
of her professional career. I was privileged to be part of honoring 
Geraldine with the Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee's 2009 Lifetime 
Achievement Award. She stirred the hundreds of women packed into a New 
York City ballroom with her words of inspiration, her grace, and her 
commitment to advancing the health and well-being of others, even as 
she faced the fight of her life.
  In 1984, Geraldine proudly proclaimed as the Vice Presidential 
nominee, ``America is the land where dreams can come true for all of 
us.'' She didn't just believe this in her gut; she did everything in 
her power to ensure that, through equal opportunity, every girl and boy 
throughout the United States and around the world has the means to 
pursue their dreams of a productive and successful life.
  I was privileged to know Geraldine Ferraro, and she leaves a proud 
legacy of courage, principled advocacy, and greater opportunity. All 
Americans owe her a debt of gratitude for her service and leadership.

                          ____________________