John Tierney: “I rise to express my condolences on the death of the Honorable Patsy Mink. I rise this evening to join my colleagues in…”

“I rise to express my condolences on the death of the Honorable Patsy Mink. I rise this evening to join my colleagues in commemoration of the remarkable life and tremendous achievements of the woman who served with great distinction in the House of Representatives, Patsy Mink. I offer my condolences to the Mink family, especially her husband John and daughter Wendy, and to the people of her district who have lost a leader and a friend. From age 4 when she insisted on joining her brother at school to her service as the first Asian-American woman to practice law in Hawaii, and to her election as the first woman of color to Congress, Patsy broke down barriers--first for herself, and then for others. Patsy left a legacy for millions of working families she helped lift out of poverty with education and job training programs ranging from the War on Poverty to Welfare Reform, and the generation of female student athletes for whom she drafted, passed and implemented Title IX, the 30 year anniversary of which we just commemorated this June. I was proud to serve with Patsy on both the House Education and the Workforce Committee and the Government Reform Committee, where she gave a voice to the voiceless every day that she served.”