Patsy T. Mink: “I rise with sadness to express my personal condolence to the family of the late Bella Abzug. Bella Abzug came to…”

“I rise with sadness to express my personal condolence to the family of the late Bella Abzug. Bella Abzug came to Congress in 1970. I had been elected 5 years previously. We quickly became very close friends and collaborators. Despite the fact that we came from very different backgrounds and from opposite corners of this country, our concerns were the same. I had been fighting against the Vietnam War for 5 years. The few of us who opposed the war at that time had tried every parliamentary maneuver we could think of to end the war. Clearly, after 5 years we were exhausted and our struggles to turn the Nation's policies around needed help. Bella's election to Congress gave us fresh vigor and new momentum. She was a tireless, relentless advocate for peace. From the moment she was sworn into office, she made her voice heard and fought with all her might and power to get this country out of the war in Vietnam. She knew that she was effective and she knew that her voice made a difference. Just as Bella fought for peace, she also fought for equality and justice. With all her heart and soul, she stood for the rights of the poor to be heard. She pushed her way to assure the poor a voice in the deliberations of the Congress. She was their voice, and they loved her for her commitment to their plight. Justice was for Bella the right to earn a decent living and the right to be able to provide for your family.”