[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 13177-13178]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING THE SERVICE OF MRS. LYDIA DE LA VINA DE FOLEY TO THE 
                 CONGRESSIONAL CLUB OF WASHINGTON, D.C.

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 20, 2016

  Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an 
outstanding individual, Lydia de La Vina de Foley, who will step down 
this month as Executive Director of the Congressional Club after more 
than four decades of service to this important federally chartered 
institution.
  Lydia first began her work at the Congressional Club as a volunteer 
illustrator of the Club's Bicentennial Congressional Club Cookbook in 
1975. In 1977, she was asked to come on full time as Secretary to the 
Club. In the 1990s Lydia became Administrative Assistant to the 
President of the Club, and then became its Executive Director in the 
2000s.
  Throughout her tenure, Lydia has served under twenty-two Club 
presidents and, as she aptly describes, ``lived through thirty-nine 
First Lady's Luncheons, the Club's premiere annual event honoring the 
nation's First Lady. She

[[Page 13178]]

has been part of the Congressional Club's continued growth and 
development as a key center of bipartisan comradery in the Nation's 
capital.
  Lydia has been a Life Member of the Club since April 10, 1981 and 
became a member through her father-in-law and mother-in-law, the late 
Honorable John Foley and Lucy Foley of Maryland.
  Founded in 1908, the original purpose of The Congressional Club was 
to provide a non-partisan setting for friendships among the spouses. 
Although the scope of the Club and the breadth of its activities have 
increased over the years, its purpose remains the same. The 
Congressional Club is rich in history and tradition, and we can thank 
Lydia for being an integral part of it.
  I also want to commend Lydia's family who has stood by her all of the 
years she has helped to lead the Congressional Club including her 
husband, John (Jackie) and her children, Bryan Juan Carlos and Nicole 
Vivianne.
  Lydia says that her most memorable experiences as part of the Club 
are ``the friendships forged with many members and presidents of the 
Club.'' Her dedication and commitment can be summed up as ``be willing 
to do everything and work hard.'' Mr. Speaker, Lydia has a been a 
friend to hundreds of Congressional spouses over these past four 
decades, and because of her dedication, she has truly made Washington, 
D.C. and the Congress a better place. Lydia, we will miss you. We honor 
her on this day with love and good wishes.