[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 3877-3878]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 HAPPY 105TH BIRTHDAY TO BERTEL VAN EEK

  (Mr. KILMER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. KILMER. Mr. Speaker, 105 years ago, in a small town in Germany, 
Bertel Van Eek was born.
  Her 105 years on this Earth have been a testament to the greatness of 
the United States. She has seen so much. Living in Holland during World 
War II, she saw the capability and bravery of our military and its 
members.
  She personally lived our Nation's immigrant story, coming to America 
after the war with $20 and the clothes on her back and eventually 
becoming an American citizen.
  As someone whose spouse died 34 years ago, she has been able to live 
with dignity because of two of the greatest public policies in the 
history of this country, Medicare and Social Security.
  She has seen the power of the American education system, watching her 
daughter and son-in-law become teachers and seeing three grandsons, who 
love her very much, also pursue educational opportunities so they could 
follow their dreams. Mr. Speaker, she even saw her youngest grandson 
get the honor of serving his community in Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, let me close by saying to Bertel Van Eek, my grandma, 
happy 105th birthday, Oma. We love you very much.

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