January 5, 2011 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 157, Pt. 1 131 this provision has been blocked by the federal [From SouthCoastToday.com, Jan. 2, 2011] middle- and working-class students pre- bureaucracy. It is time Congress stood up for MARDEE XIFARAS: SOUTHCOAST WOMAN OF viously disenfranchised in . the American consumer and removed all un- THE YEAR And they convinced them that the most necessary regulations on importing pharma- (By Jack Spillane) cost-effective way to do it was by accepting SNESL’s existing Dartmouth campus as a A bogus study pretending to be an inde- ceuticals. donation. pendent report. Last-minute telephone calls The Prescription Drug Affordability Act also ‘‘If there’s anything we were over the from an incumbent governor twisting arms. protects consumers’ access to affordable med- years, it was determined,’’ said Xifaras. icine by forbidding the federal government The smearing of a small law school’s rep- utation by people on the boards of competing THE STUDENT FACTOR from regulating any Internet sales of FDA-ap- larger schools. Xifaras and the UMass and SNESL boards proved pharmaceuticals by State-licensed And ultimately, the slurring of an entire had one more huge asset: the SNESL stu- pharmacists. region of the state as not having enough of a dents themselves —the primarily working- As I am sure my colleagues are aware, the talent pool to merit a public law school. and middle-class students who had risen up Internet makes pharmaceuticals and other Margaret ‘‘MarDee’’ Xifaras dealt with 25-odd years ago, and with the help of inter- products more affordable and accessible for every conceivable insult and underhanded ested area lawyers, created a fledgling law millions of Americans. However, the federal political tactic when it came to the unsuc- school out of little more than their own government has threatened to destroy this op- cessful 2004–2005 fight to merge the Southern imaginations and desire. New England School of Law with the Univer- tion by imposing unnecessary and unconstitu- After being victimized by the 2005 stealth sity of Massachusetts Dartmouth. But she political campaign, the SNESL Student Bar tional regulations on Web sites that sell phar- did not get down into the gutter with her op- Association hired one of the school’s most maceuticals. Any federal regulations would in- ponents. successful graduates, Lee Blais, and sued evitably drive up prices of pharmaceuticals, Instead, Xifaras, the then-chairman of the Suffolk University, along with a onetime of- thus depriving many consumers of access to SNESL board of trustees, went hack to work ficial of the Romney administration. affordable prescription medications. running the small, private Dartmouth law They sued for nothing less than public cor- In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I urge my col- school in the same determined way that it ruption. leagues to make pharmaceuticals more afford- had operated for more than two decades. They charged that Suffolk and a former She also went to work leading the effort to Romney official turned lobbyist, Charles able and accessible by removing barriers to meticulously document the legal and finan- the importation of pharmaceuticals and pro- Chieppo, had colluded to try to keep the pro- cial case that would make a 2009–2010 effort posed UMass law school from competing with tecting legitimate Internet pharmacies from to absorb the school into UMass Dartmouth a lower-priced public school. needless regulation by cosponsoring the Pre- unassailable. And though the case was never settled, the scription Drug Affordability Act. MarDee Xifaras’ leadership achieved what Board of Higher Education as much as ad- very few SouthCoast political or public offi- f mitted wrongdoing in the merger application cials of any kind have done over the last half process. It agreed to write a ‘‘letter of under- MARDEE XIFARAS: SOUTHCOAST century. She went up against the state’s Bos- standing’’ pledging the state to a fair, rig- WOMAN OF THE YEAR ton-centric power establishment and won. orous and documentable process when, and if And she won hands down. SNESL and UMass ever tried to unite again. For her efforts coordinating the campaign ‘‘They succeeded because of the basic un- HON. to establish a state law school in Massachu- fairness, and violation of due process that OF MASSACHUSETTS setts, a school that has now been located in occurred,’’ Xifaras said. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Southeastern Massachusetts, Margaret D. And because of the tenacity of the students Xifaras is the 2010 Standard-Times Wednesday, January 5, 2011 and their lawyer. SouthCoast Woman of the Year. ‘‘We didn’t allow ourselves to get out-liti- Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, Nominations for the award came from the gated,’’ Xifaras said. the New Bedford Standard Times, an excellent community and members of the newspaper ‘‘Lee Blais, at every turn was doing deposi- staff. Recipients were selected by a news- newspaper, regularly recognizes leaders of the tions, fighting back motions to dismiss, room committee. community that it serves by designating a fighting back motions for dismissal for lack SouthCoast Woman of the Year and a LEARNING LESSONS of standing.’’ SouthCoast Man of the Year. This year’s ‘‘Out of the ’04, ’05 negativity and bad expe- Blais may have been taking the deposi- SouthCoast Woman of the Year is an extraor- rience, came some lessons,’’ Xifaras remem- tions, but it was Xifaras, according to Blais, dinary person, who is a leader in so many bered of that first law school fight. who was the general planning the battle. The impulse of some might have been to ‘‘She’s someone who can plot out a strat- fields of endeavor that I think the Standard sue the private law schools—Suffolk Univer- Times must have been tempted to call her egy and implement a strategy,’’ he said. sity and New England School of Law—that ‘‘She’s one of the most effective leaders I’ve ‘‘Women of the Year.’’ coordinated the effort to prevent UMass ever met.’’ MarDee Xifaras is an able attorney, who from competing with them. Blais also credited Xifaras with having the has been a leader politically, economically, Instead, Xifaras waited for an opportune necessary political skills and vision. educationally, and in civic affairs in general. time when the numbers worked for the es- She understood the politics of the state of Most recently she has been a spearhead in tablishment of a state law school. And then Massachusetts—who could help and who getting the State of Massachusetts to take she coordinated with SNESL Dean Robert couldn’t, what would work and what Ward and UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Jean over the Southern New England Law School, wouldn’t, he said. MacCormack to devise a new financing plan Further, she understood the great ration- creating for the first time in Massachusetts a under which the state law school would be a state university law school, to the great benefit ale for a public law school itself in Massa- self-sustaining arm of the university, need- chusetts—a school that could focus on the of the population of that area, and I believe to ing no assistance from the government. need for lawyers to devote some segment of the practice of law in Massachusetts, by pro- Both savvy and practical, Xifaras hired their careers to public service. viding a source of socially-conscious grad- O’Neil & Associates, the state’s best-wired ‘‘Her skills, not only in the area of politics, uates for years to come. P.R. firm to help her navigate the state’s no- but in the area of public policy, are just in- MarDee Xifaras is an extraordinary force for toriously provincial political waters. She credible,’’ Blais said. a wide range of good causes, and I am de- also kept an eye on her own governing board, re-documenting for them once again the case THE POLITICAL MAVEN lighted that she has been recognized by the as to why SNESL donating $23.5 million Robert Ward, the longtime dean of SNESL, New Bedford Standard Times, but not sur- worth of its own assets to the state made said Xifaras recommended a key change in prised. I’ve had the benefit of her advice, sense for the school’s development in the approach for the second application. counsel and friendship, as did my late and long run. It would be all about UMass and the need much-missed predecessor, Gary Studds, Xifaras’ skill in coalition-building ulti- for a public law school, and not about ad- whose work in this body benefitted enor- mately helped UMass and SNESL build an dressing SNESL’s need for American Bar As- mously from her input, as has mine. iron-clad case that convinced Secretary of sociation accreditation (a process that usu- ally demands the resources of a larger Mr. Speaker, as an example of what citizen- Education Paul Reville, Commissioner of Higher Education Richard Freeland, and fi- school.) ‘‘That subtle twist is the kind of ship is at its best, at a time when we very nally Gov. Deval Patrick himself that a thing that really good lawyers do,’’ said much need that, I ask that the New Bedford UMass law school was the right thing to do. Ward. ‘‘You look into the dominant nar- Standard Times article about Woman of the In effect, they convinced the powers-that- rative and, you sort of find a way to tell your Year MarDee Xifaras be printed here. be to give access to legal education to story in a way that resonates.’’

VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:11 Jan 09, 2014 Jkt 099102 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 0689 Sfmt 0634 J:\BR_BACKUP\E05JA1.000 E05JA1 WREIER-AVILES on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with BOUND RECORD 132 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 157, Pt. 1 January 5, 2011 At the time of the second merger applica- that time, clearly I would have gone,’’ she Pence. Robert is a very special young man tion, the nation was consumed by a large de- said. who has exemplified the finest qualities of citi- bate over health insurance, Xifaras noted, Xifaras said she didn’t need to attend a zenship and leadership by taking an active and whether there should be ‘‘a public op- big-name school for the public-service career tion’’ for health insurance. In the same way, she had in mind. She needed a school like part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 397, she decided, UMass would argue for a public UMass Law. and earning the most prestigious award of option for an affordable legal education. ‘‘My orientation was always more of a Eagle Scout. Xifaras said the SNESL board had been in- community-based orientation. Doing regular Robert has been very active with his troop, spired by the establishment of the state med- work for regular folks in a terrific, down-to- ical school in Worcester 40 years ago, also for earth setting,’’ she said. participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Robert has been involved with students of limited means. And in 2009, the BELOVED BY HER PEOPLE scouting, he has not only earned numerous time was ripe for making an argument that If you ask the people who’ve worked close- Massachusetts needed an affordable, public ly with MarDee Xifaras how she pulled off merit badges, but also the respect of his fam- law school, a school that, like UMass Med- leading the charge for the state law school, ily, peers, and community. Most notably, Rob- ical, would train lawyers to dedicate at least or any of her other impressive life accom- ert has earned the rank of Assistant Patrol part of their careers to public service. plishments, they’ll tell you she just has this Leader. Robert has also contributed to his Already, the new public law school has remarkable ability to ‘‘connect’’ with peo- community through his Eagle Scout project. awarded 35 scholarships for that purpose. ple. ‘‘It was up to MarDee to rethink the ra- Robert aided the City of Kearney, Missouri by By the way, Xifaras has also been a Peace repainting many of the town’s fire hydrants. tionale of going forward,’’ Ward said. Corps volunteer in Africa; a fellow at the ‘‘There has to be someone to find the right Fletcher School of Diplomacy at Tufts; an Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in note. And that, again—because of her polit- MBA from UMass Dartmouth; a grassroots ical savvy—that’s what happened,’’ he said. commending Robert Joseph Pence for his ac- political organizer and one of the moving UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Jean complishments with the Boy Scouts of Amer- forces behind Gerry Studds’ first anti-war MacCormack said that while it was clear ica and for his efforts put forth in achieving the campaign for Congress. that SNESL’s $23.5 million campus and expe- Xifaras is startlingly, and charmingly, highest distinction of Eagle Scout. rienced law-school faculty offered an oppor- straightforward. She seems to understand tunity to the university, the university that human beings are not perfect entities, f brought to SNESL the size and the resources and she has the ability to meet them where necessary to win accreditation. they live and inspire them to be better. HONORING A REMARKABLE PUB- But Xifaras’ charisma and political skills, ‘‘It is the privilege of a lifetime to work MacCormack said, allowed the vision to hap- LIC SERVANT, THE HONORABLE with her,’’ Ward said; ‘‘The quality of my life pen. ‘‘She’s incredibly optimistic in the face TOM VANDERGRIFF improved dramatically when I met her.’’ of huge obstacles,’’ she said. Jay Lynch, Xifaras’ vice chairman on the And the dividends of the state law school SNESL board, said that often it was only being located in Southeastern Massachusetts Xifaras’ personal connections that kept the HON. MICHAEL C. BURGESS will be even more apparent in the future, public law school dream alive. OF TEXAS MacCormack predicted. ‘‘She never gave up on it,’’ he said. ‘‘This is going to be a legacy activity,’’ she Xifaras succeeds, Lynch said, because she IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES said. ‘‘You’re going to see more people com- reaches people. She never badmouths folks, ing to the South Coast. Already, of these stu- even opponents—either in public or in pri- Wednesday, January 5, 2011 dents, 50 percent of them come from out of vate—he noted. state.’’ ‘‘I think it was her unique ability to con- Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to A PERSONAL BATTLE nect with everyone involved,’’ he said. remember a remarkable public servant, the Winning the battle to establish a state law Perhaps the most impressive endorsement Honorable Tom Vandergriff. Judge Vandergriff school was impressive under any cir- comes from Michelle Keith, a 2009 graduate began his 55 year long public service career cumstances, but few knew that Xifaras won of SNESL, and one of the mid-life law stu- as the youngest elected mayor of Arlington, dents for whom Xifaras seems to have fash- it while beating back a flare-up of the breast Texas. There he made great strides to bring cancer she first defeated some 14 years ago. ioned the public law school. Xifaras, 65, is amazingly matter-of-fact Keith met Xifaras at a Women’s Bar Asso- economic opportunity and expansion to the about her life-or-death battles. ciation event, one of the many ongoing com- area with the luring of a General Motors plant, Although she admits to some personal, pri- munity events that Xifaras has made sure Six Flags theme park, and by bringing the vate moments of emotion, in the end, she take place at SNESL over the years. Texas Rangers to the city. said she simply didn’t want to waste time or Keith, a homemaker who had home- energy feeling sorry for herself. schooled her two children; said she went to These developments were no small task as She just did what needed to be done with SNESL because she loves both Greater New it took thirteen years to bring Major League the cancer—on the first round she had chem- Bedford and the school’s public service ethic. Baseball to North Texas and the positive ef- otherapy, radiation therapy and a stem-cell She passed the bar on her first try. fects can be felt through the vitality of Arling- transplant—and last year, she bad two more She compares MarDee Xifaras to George ton as well as the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex nodes removed. Bailey in the Christmas film classic ‘‘It’s a to this day. Xifaras maintains a busy work schedule Wonderful Life,’’ And she calls SNESL the that’s complemented not just by her effort ‘‘Savings and Loan’’ bank that, in the classic Six years later, he went on to become the to establish the law school, but by her long- movie, granted mortgages to low-income and first Congressman of the 26th district of Texas time work as a sought-after political opera- middle-class people. in 1983. Although he only served one term, he tive for the Democratic Party. Xifaras, Keith said, really looks out for the played a fundamental role in establishing the She has played key campaign management school’s students and advocates with them office and representing the district. roles in the presidential efforts of everyone for public service to the community. from Ted Kennedy to John Kerry to Barack ‘‘There’s a lot of successful people out For more than 25 years, Vandergriff served Obama, not to mention local political efforts there, but they go about it without any sense as County Judge of Tarrant County which in- like the congressional campaigns of Paul and of honor,’’ she said. cludes more than 1.7 million residents and is . MarDee ‘‘has an inherent sense of honor one of the most populous in the . On top of all that, Xifaras works in a busy and that’s rare.’’ He retired from his role in 2007. law practice (she’s one of Mayor Scott f Lang’s law partners), and fills in as grandma It is my great honor to recognize Judge Tom for her daughter Amy, a law school student HONORING ROBERT JOSEPH PENCE Vandergriff for his dedication, innovation, and with a four-month old. insight that he has contributed to the North By the way, that’s a throwback to Xifaras’ Texas region. I will always remember those own career when back in the mid-1970s she HON. SAM GRAVES OF MISSOURI exciting radio broadcasts when Judge Vander- used to put in 10–plus hour days traveling griff was ‘‘the voice of the Texas Rangers’’ in back and forth to University law IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES the 1970s. My thoughts and prayers are with school, while she had two children still in Wednesday, January 5, 2011 diapers and one who was in pre-school. his family and friends. He was a great public ‘‘I think back on it—if this alternative (a Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I servant, and all North Texans are thankful for local law school) had been available to me at proudly pause to recognize Robert Joseph his servitude.

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