CONGRESSIONAL RECORD— Extensions of Remarks E394 HON
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E394 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks April 11, 2016 PATTY DUKE ‘‘QUEEN OF TV MOV- Worker, in which she portrayed Anne Sullivan, ment of their President and CEO, and my dear IES AND TIRELESS ADVOCATE a role that won her third Emmy. friend, Sydney Alderman Perry. FOR THOSE STRUGGLING WITH In the mid-1980s, she became president of Sydney began her career with the Jewish MENTAL ILLNESSES’’ the Screen Actors Guild. Federation and JCC nearly 30 years ago in Her 1987 autobiography, Call Me Anna, was the Department of Jewish Education. Edu- made into a TV movie in 1990 in which she HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE cation was her passion and over the course of portrayed herself and served as co-producer. OF TEXAS her seventeen years in that department she Following in 1992 second book, A Brilliant IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES not only worked to improve the synagogue Madness: Living With Manic Depression Ill- Monday, April 11, 2016 supplementary schools, she also developed ness, was published. Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to With the help of family and friends Patty and implemented a number of innovative edu- pay tribute to Patty Duke, an American icon Duke was able to quiet her personal demons, cation programs for both adults and teens. and advocate for those suffering in silence and become a vocal advocate for those suf- In addition to ‘‘A Taste of Honey,’’ an adult from various forms of mental illness, who fering from mental illnesses, along with dispel- learning lecture series that attracts hundreds passed away on March 29, 2016 at the age of ling social stigmas attached to them. of adults, Sydney spearheaded the Israel Ex- 69. Patty Duke died on March 29, 2016 in perience Savings program, which helps young Patty Duke was born Anna Marie Duke on Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, at the age of 69 from people travel to Israel and initiated Talmud December 14, 1946 in Elmhurst, New York. a sepsis infection from a ruptured intestine. Torah Meyuchad, an individualized Jewish Anna Duke and her siblings grew up in a Mr. Speaker, I ask the House to take a mo- education program for children with special difficult household, raised by an alcoholic fa- ment of silence in remembrance of this strong needs. But perhaps the contribution she is ther and a mother who suffered from what woman who was able to stand against the suf- most proud of is the establishment of the suc- was then called ‘‘manic depression,’’ later focating struggles of depression and became cessful community Hebrew High School, known to be bipolar disorder. a source of inspiration for hundreds of thou- Anna Duke was introduced to acting by her MAKOM, which serves hundreds of teens sands of Americans struggling with mental ill- throughout the New Haven area every year. brother’s managers, John and Ethel Ross, nesses. who changed her name to Patty and eventu- She was tapped as associate executive di- f ally became her guardians. rector to supervise such things as the Holo- Later in Patty Duke’s life, she revealed that STANDARD MERGER AND ACQUISI- caust Education and Prejudice Reduction she was a survivor of sexual assault. TION REVIEWS THROUGH EQUAL Project and went on to become the executive In 1959, Patty Duke’s first big role came RULES ACT OF 2015 director of the federation for six years, before when she was cast as Helen Keller in the taking on the title of CEO of the merged fed- Broadway version of The Miracle Worker, with SPEECH OF eration and the Jewish Community Center of Anne Bancroft portraying her teacher, Anne New Haven. Sullivan. HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN Then in 1962, that play was turned into a OF MARYLAND Under her leadership the federation has ex- feature film, in which she also starred. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES panded its agenda and outreach to enhance For her performance in the film, the 16-year- Wednesday, March 23, 2016 Jewish life and enrich the lives of those most old won a ‘‘Promising Newcomer’’ Golden in need both locally and internationally. Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise Globe as well as an Academy Award for Best Food4Kids sends local students who depend in opposition to H.R. 2745 or the SMARTER Supporting Actress—making her the youngest on the breakfast and lunch programs home Act. person to win an Oscar at that time. with a backpack of staples for the weekends. Sadly, following her Oscar win, Patty Duke This bill is another delay tactic that stops us The Jewish Coalition for Literacy has more began to privately unravel. from the meaningful work of passing a budget. than two hundred volunteers who read and The abuse she endured along with her fam- Too many bills that have come out of the talk with students. The federation supports the ily’s history of bipolar disorder began to plague Judiciary Committee this year are designed to elderly housing complexes as well as edu- her. erode consumer rights and roll back estab- cational institutions across Greater New All the while, she continued to dazzle the lished judicial precedent. Haven and raises funds for Yale Hillel and the outside world with a successful career. We should be considering and debating University of Connecticut Hillel; the Jewish Patty Duke then starred in her own sitcom meaningful bills to address criminal justice re- Historical Society and the JCC. called The Patty Duke Show, which she art- form and common sense gun safety. Beyond her leadership at the Jewish Fed- fully played two cousin characters simulta- Instead, we are here voting to fix a problem eration and JCC, Sydney is an extraordinary neously. that does not exist and does not need our at- In 1965, she also became a pop music con- tention. advocate for Jewish continuity. She has tender with her top 10 hit ‘‘Don’t Just Stand A Politico article from two days ago was ti- served as a consultant to the community on There’’ and headlined the acclaimed film Billie, tled ‘‘Congress setting a low bar for doing educational endeavors, including the Anne which was the first movie ever sold to a tele- nothing.’’ Frank Project, Shepherd ’92, Jerusalem 3000 vision network. My Democratic colleagues and I have bills and the celebration of Israel’s 50th Anniver- Thus, began Patty Duke’s reign as the and agendas that we would like to bring to the sary. Sydney is an extraordinary scholar, often ‘‘Queen of TV Movies.’’ floor to address real problems facing real called upon nationally to give workshops and Patty Duke continued her big-screen career Americans. has served as scholar-in-residence for several by starring in the cult classic Valley of The This bill is not smart. It is a timewaster and communities. Dolls in 1967 and indie films such as Me, Nat- I hope after spring recess we can come back Sydney has shown an unparalleled dedica- alie in 1969. to a robust agenda and work on behalf of the tion to Jewish education in our community and Patty Duke married assistant director Harry American people. throughout the nation—a commitment that is Falk, remaining in the marriage from 1965 to f reflected in the myriad of awards she has 1969. HONORING SYDNEY ALDERMAN been honored with over the years. She is an After her marriage ended, Patty Duke bore inspiration. a son named Sean Patrick Duke. PERRY ON THE OCCASION OF In 1972, she married actor John Astin, who HER RETIREMENT I am proud to join the many family, friends, played Gomez in the television version of The and colleagues who have gathered this Addams Family. HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO evening in extending my sincere thanks and John Astin adopted her son Sean, and fa- OF CONNECTICUT appreciation to Sydney Alderman Perry for her thered her second son, Mackenzie Astin, born IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES incredible work with the Jewish Federation in 1973. and Jewish Community Center of Greater New Then in 1976, Patty Duke won her second Monday, April 11, 2016 Haven and her outstanding service to our Emmy for the highly successful mini-series Ms. DELAURO. Mr. Speaker, today marks community. My very best wishes to her, her Captains and the Kings. the end of an era at the Jewish Federation children, and grandchildren for many more Other popular TV movies followed, including and Jewish Community Center of Greater New years of health and happiness as she enjoys the 1979 small screen version of The Miracle Haven as they gather to celebrate the retire- her retirement. VerDate Sep 11 2014 08:56 Apr 12, 2016 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A11AP8.037 E11APPT1 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS.