Ileana Ros-Lehtinen: “I rise today to honor a wonderful friend, Tillie Fowler, who has dedicated a lifetime not only to national public…”

“I rise today to honor a wonderful friend, Tillie Fowler, who has dedicated a lifetime not only to national public service but to her local community as well. Before beginning her fulfilling tenure as a Member of Congress, Tillie devoted much of her time to helping those in need. She served as the president of the Junior League of Jacksonville, chaired the Florida Humanities Council, and was active with the American Red Cross, among many other charitable endeavors. In 1992, Tillie was elected to Congress and immediately began to make her mark as a strong advocate of our national defense. She has worked with great success on behalf of our military personnel around the world. She always sought to ensure that our men and women in uniform were well equipped and prepared when placed in harm's way. While protecting U.S. national security was her first priority, she also played a vital role in the passage of domestic bills, such as the 6-year Federal transportation bill which will alleviate some of the serious transportation challenges that we in Florida face. Tillie has served her constituents, her State and our country well and with distinction. Her intellect and domain of critical issues, combined with her personal commitment and Southern grace and charm, made her an efficient Member, a leader and a role model for young women everywhere. Tillie Fowler will be sorely missed. I ask my colleagues to join me in this tribute to our retiring Member.”