Congressional Record—Senate S4741

May 12, 1998 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4741 vast and growing number of Ameri- A second inductee is Judge Constance Ms. Ponselle shocked the opera world cans, or impose new regulatory burdens Baker Motley. Born in New Haven, when she retired in 1937. She dedicated on one of our economy’s most impor- Connecticut, Judge Motley first be- the remaining forty-four years of her tant assets. I believe it is crucial that came interested in civil rights after life to helping train and teach aspiring we save credit unions from undue limi- being denied admission into a local young operatic youths. One of her most tations, and that this legislation will public beach and skating rink. notable students was Placido Domingo. achieve that goal without harming any After graduating from high school, She also served as the artistic director other industry. I urge my colleagues to she was unable to afford college, so she of the Baltimore Civic Opera Company. support this legislation.∑ worked for $50 a month refinishing fur- She died in Baltimore in May 1991. f niture. She continued to be active and Her voice was said to exude a blend of to voice her beliefs, despite her inabil- youthfulness and maturity and she re- FIFTH CLASS OF INDUCTEES INTO ity to further her education. A local mains an inspiration to opera students THE CONNECTICUT WOMEN’S philanthropist, Clarence Blakeslee, and audiences worldwide. HALL OF FAME heard her speak at the Youth Council Lillian Vernon, another inductee, is a ∑ Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise in 1939, and he was so impressed with resident of Greenwich, Connecticut. today to congratulate the fifth class of her that he offered to pay for her edu- She is the founder and CEO of Lillian inductees into the Connecticut Wom- cation. She graduated from New York Vernon Corporation. She entered the en’s Hall of Fame. These five women University in 1943, and three years industry of mail order catalogues in gained recognition in fields of nature, later received her law degree from Co- the 1950’s when it was dominated by in- justice, the arts, and finance and rep- lumbia University. dustry moguls such as Richard Sears resent the best of my state and of our After graduating from Columbia, she and A. Montgomery Ward. The com- nation. worked full time for the Legal Defense pany, which began in 1951, was one of I want to take this opportunity to and Educational Fund of the NAACP, the first to offer personalized merchan- speak about each of this year’s induct- under then chief counsel Thurgood dise by mail. The corporation was the ees. Marshall. She worked there for twenty first company founded by a woman to Dorrit Hoffleit, a resident of New years as a staff member and associate be publicly traded on the American Haven, Connecticut, has established counsel and she was known for her im- Stock Exchange. herself as a premiere astronomer pressive skill as an oral advocate. Dur- Ms. Vernon also does a great deal of through her work as senior researcher ing her time at the Legal Defense and charity work. She serves on the boards at Yale University. For over seventy Educational Fund she argued before of various non-profit organizations, in- years she has studied astronomy and the Supreme Court ten times, winning cluding the Kennedy Center, Lincoln has received an undergraduate degree nine appeals. She is renowned for her Center, New York University’s College from Radcliffe in mathematics and a work with Thurgood Marshall and oth- of Arts and Science, and the Children’s doctorate from Harvard. Her interest ers on the landmark Brown versus Museum. She has been honored for her in stars began early in her childhood Board of Education case. work as a business leader and commu- when she saw two stars collide. Judge Motley entered politics in 1964, During World War II, Professor nity activist. She received the Ellis Is- serving in the New York State Senate. Hoffleit worked as a mathematician at land Medal of Honor, the Big Brothers- In 1965 she became the first woman to the Ballistic Research Laboratories at Big Sisters National Hero Award, and the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Mary- serve as a City Borough President. the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame land. It is here that she felt the effects During this time, she worked on ways Award. Ms. Vernon is a remarkable en- of being a female in a male-dominated to improve the inner-city through bet- trepreneur, businesswomen, and role field. She was paid less for doing the ter housing and schools. In 1966, she be- model. same work as her male colleagues. In came the first African-American The final inductee is Mabel Osgood fact, despite her doctorate she still re- woman to be appointed to a federal Wright. She was a resident of Fairfield, ceived a sub-professional ranking. judgeship in the U.S. District Court for Connecticut and was the founder and However, she protested this treatment the Southern District of New York. As President of the Connecticut Audubon and as a result was given her due rank a federal judge she continued to break Society. Wright established the first and ultimately transferred to Wash- new ground. In 1982 she was made chief bird sanctuary in the United States, ington. judge and in 1986 was appointed senior naming it Birdcraft. She founded the In 1956, she went on to direct the judge. Neither position had ever been sanctuary around the turn of the cen- Maria Mitchell Observatory in Nan- held by a woman before her. tury, fearing that bird life was being tucket, Mass. Her work there helped to Judge Motley’s work for justice over gradually eradicated. provide women with more substantial five decades has been responsible for Wright saw conservation education opportunities in astronomy. An indica- some of the most extraordinary as a key element to sustaining wildlife. tion of her success is that twenty-five changes in American culture during She wrote many books in an effort to percent of the students who worked our history. She has received many introduce children to nature apprecia- with Professor Hoffleit have gone on to awards and honorary degrees for her tion and conservation. She published a become professional astronomers. immense contributions to civil rights field guide to New England birds in As a member of the Yale research and the legal profession. 1895. During this time, the Audubon faculty, Professor Hoffleit has made A third inductee is Rosa Ponselle. movement was still young and was immense academic contributions to Born Rosa Melba Ponzillo, she was a lacking public support. Through her in- her field. She is most renowned for her first generation American, the daugh- volvement she helped to revive the or- two star catalogs. Her most well ter of Italian immigrants who settled ganization on the state level. Aside known catalog, The Bright Star Cata- in Meriden, Connecticut. She began from serving as President of the Con- logue, has been defined as ‘‘the bible of studying music and singing at age ten. necticut Audubon Society, she served virtually every stellar astronomer.’’ Her musical break came at eighteen as an officer of the national group and Despite retiring from Yale over twen- when she auditioned for the great as an editor and writer for Bird Lore ty years ago, Professor Hoffleit con- opera legend, Enrico Caruso. Imme- magazine. tinues to go to work every day. In diately after auditioning, she was cast It is said that Wright was unique in these past twenty years, she has not in the role of Leonora in the Metropoli- the environmental movement. This is drawn a salary. She is dedicated to tan Opera’s staging of Verdi’s ‘‘La because she was a nature writer as well educating her colleagues and future as- Forza del Destino.’’ She remained loyal as a community leader and her mes- tronomers, rather than promoting her- to the Metropolitan throughout her ca- sage focused not on the protection of self and her career. As a result of her reer, and she spent all but four seasons our national parks but the preserva- profound selflessness and service, the of her nineteen-year career performing tion of our backyards, our gardens, and effects of her efforts will be as limitless there. In fact, she was the first Amer- our bird sanctuaries. She believed the as the stars she has spent a lifetime ican-trained singer to star at the Met- best way to preserve nature was studying. ropolitan. through teaching children how to do it.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 00:44 Oct 31, 2013 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00103 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\1998SENATE\S12MY8.REC S12MY8 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S4742 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 12, 1998 Although she died in 1935, her mes- ported by the Administration. All of capped. Safeguards will also be im- sage lives on at the Birdcraft Bird the major veterans’ service organiza- posed to ensure the cap is not exceeded. Sanctuary which remains a museum tions have urged enactment of this leg- This bill may even save Medicare dol- containing exhibits of Connecticut islation. And, as I previously noted, the lars by imposing a mandatory five per- wildlife and providing frequent tours Senate approved this legislation last cent discount on its reimbursement for for school children. year as part of the Senate-approved services provided to veterans. All five of these inductees are richly Balanced Budget Act. Those targeted by this legislation are deserving of this award. I am pleased, I am pleased to add my name to this lower- and middle-income veterans who indeed, that their remarkable lives will bill as a cosponsor, and I urge my col- are no longer eligible for treatment at now become better known to the people leagues to support this legislation.∑ the VA because of its constrained re- of Connecticut and the United States f sources. People like Mr. John C. Elk- for generations to come.∑ ins, of Columbia, South Carolina, who RECOGNITION OF DR. LOUIS is in his late seventies and who served f AVIOLI over 28 years in the military. Recently, VETERANS’ EQUALITY FOR ∑ Mr. BOND. Mr. President, on May 19, Mr. Elkins wrote this in a letter to me: TREATMENT AND SERVICES ACT an endowed lectureship, at Washington ‘‘Oh, I know some think we hang on to OF 1998 University in my home State of Mis- life and drain government resources ∑ Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, as souri, will be named in honor of Louis that are being paid for by the younger Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Avioli, M.D., for his contribution to workers. But I must ask you and those Committee, I have sought recognition the field of bone and mineral metabo- who question us: isn’t three wars in a to express my support for the Medicare lism. Washington University and St. lifetime worth something?’’ subvention demonstration project leg- Louis University employ the largest The veterans of our nation have islation which has been introduced by group of bone research scientists in the served honorably and faithfully, often Senator JEFFORDS. This important leg- world. Dr. Avioli is known as a legend under perilous conditions, and they islation was approved by the Senate in this field and for good reason. have sacrificed both with the loss of last year as part of the Balanced Budg- Dr. Avioli is the founder of the Amer- their lives and with their livelihoods. et Act, but the measure was stricken ican Society for Bone and Mineral Re- Thousands of veterans have experi- from the final version of that legisla- search (ASBMR), and is responsible for enced any number of health care prob- tion in conference. I hope that this individually combining the growing re- lems. These veterans should have the year, the House will recede from its ob- search interests beginning from a large same access to health care as all other jections, and we can send this legisla- range of disciplines into what is now Americans and, quite frankly, Mr. tion, which is supported by the Admin- the top scientific society devoted to President, they deserve more for the istration, to the President for his sig- bone and mineral research. The mem- sacrifices they have made. nature. bership of ASBMR has grown to more Mr. President, you will remember This bill would begin the process of than 3,000 scientists and more than what my good friend, the late Presi- opening a new—and vitally needed— 5,000 attend the annual convention. Dr. dent John F. Kennedy said in his inau- source of funding for the provision of Avioli has been appointed to numerous gural address: ‘‘Ask not what your health care services by the Department positions, been published countless country can do for you. Ask what you of Veterans Affairs (VA). It would times and has several honorary de- can do for your country.’’ The men and grant to VA, on a demonstration grees. women of the armed services, our vet- project basis, the authority to collect With so many impressive accomplish- erans, did just that. They answered and retain funds from Medicare—just ments, it is no wonder an endowed their country’s call to duty, and in re- as VA collects reimbursement funds lectureship is named in his honor. sponse they were often put in harm’s from veterans’ private insurance car- Commending Dr. Avioli for his many way. They served 24 hours a day, seven riers—for the costs associated with years of service to the field of bone and days a week, all around the world. treating Medicare-eligible veterans’ mineral metabolism, I am glad to say They continue to support and defend non-service-connected illnesses and in- that the State of Missouri is enriched our nation’s interests, and I believe it juries. with his wisdom and leadership. I join is time our nation supported their in- The Balanced Budget Act specifies the many who congratulate and thank terests. that appropriated funding for the pro- him for his hard work and wish him I urge my distinguished colleagues to vision of health care services by VA continued success in future years.∑ join Senators JEFFORDS, ROCKEFELLER, will be flat over the next five fiscal f SPECTER, MURKOWSKI, and me in sup- years. At the same time, 7.7 million porting the VETS Act of 1998. It is VETERANS’ EQUALITY FOR World War II veterans and 4.5 million among the very least that we in Con- TREATMENT AND SERVICES Korean War veterans—veterans who gress can do to continue our support (VETS) ACT OF 1998 are eligible for Medicare benefits—will for these veterans, like Mr. Elkins, who require extensive heath care assistance ∑ Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, as a have given so much to this country, as they age. It is critical that these supporter of the Veterans’ Equality for while at the same time helping to pre- veterans be allowed to bring their Treatment and Services Act of 1998, in- serve the VA medical system and the Medicare benefits to VA so that VA troduced last Friday by Senator JEF- Medicare trust.∑ might be better able to meet their FORDS on behalf of myself, Senator f needs. ROCKEFELLER, Senator SPECTER, and This legislation will surely assist VA Senator MURKOWSKI, I am committed RECOGNITION OF CFIDS by providing a new revenue stream. to ensuring that our aging veterans AWARENESS DAY But it will also benefit Medicare. have access to quality, affordable, reli- ∑ Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I Under the plan set out in this legisla- able, and convenient health services. rise today to reaffirm my support for tion, VA would be reimbursed at a level However, as budgets decrease so, un- the tireless efforts of the Chronic Fa- not to exceed 95% of the rate Medicare fortunately, do services provided. The tigue Syndrome Association of Lehigh would otherwise pay a private hospital demonstration project outlined in the Valley to fight Chronic Fatigue and for care supplied to a Medicare-eligible VETS Act of 1998 will allow Medicare Immune Dysfunction Syndrome veterans. In summary, under this legis- to reimburse the VA for its services (CFIDS), or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome lation Medicare would receive care for without putting a strain on the Medi- (CFS). its veteran beneficiaries at a discount, care trust, and will provide an addi- For six years, the CFS Association of and VA would receive a vitally needed tional funding source for the VA. The Lehigh Valley has been dedicated to new source of funding. project authorized by this legislation finding a cure for CFIDS, increasing Medicare subvention legislation is will be conducted over a three-year pe- public awareness, and supporting vic- supported by all of the members of the riod, at up to 12 sites across the nation, tims of this disease. The Lehigh Valley Veterans Affairs Committee. It is sup- and annual Medicare spending will be organization is actively involved in

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