Eleanor Holmes Norton: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in honor of the first woman to be national…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in honor of the first woman to be national commander of The American Legion. Her name is Denise Rohan. She knows that this is a milestone. Therefore, she is very proud to have been named to this position. She says: ``It is about time.'' From Ms. Rohan's perspective, women have always been leaders in the Legion. I am sure most of us didn't even know that. She says: ``If you look back, women were post commanders early on. We have been in leadership positions. If we weren't leading from the front, we were still there, helping the organization along.'' She says she doesn't think of herself as a female legionnaire. She says: ``I want to be known as a great American Legion leader who happens to be a woman. I have been working hard for the Legion for more than 30 years and am humbled''--that the Legion--``chose me to be national commander. It is an honor.'' She was elected at the Legion's 99th national convention in Reno, Nevada, in August. She herself, of course, is an Army veteran and the second national commander from Wisconsin. She and her husband, Mike, belong to Mason Lindsay Post 385 in Verona. I am sure she would want that known here on the floor. They have lived 30 years in Sun Prairie. Members have supported Ms. Rohan for a long time and are excited to see her at the top. She is regarded as very capable, outgoing, friendly, and able to bring people to a consensus.…”