June 4, 1998

Mr. President, later this month the State of Connecticut will say good-bye to one of its strongest and most respected voices on women's issues: Patricia Russo. Known by her friends as Pat, Ms. Russo has worked for the past 18 years to promote civil rights for women, assure equality in education for girls, and help women achieve economic parity in the workplace. This July, Pat will be moving with her family to Tokyo, and she will be dearly missed.

Pat Russo has served on the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) for the past 15 years. She currently serves as the Chairperson of this agency, which provides research and analysis to legislators and state leaders on issues such as sex discrimination, child care, sexual harassment, child support enforcement and the economic status of women.

On behalf of the PCSW, Ms. Russo is the founder of the Connecticut Women's Agenda, a state-wide coalition of key women's organizations in Connecticut. She also chairs the PCSW's Congressional District Advisory Council (CDAC) in the fourth congressional district.

Ms. Russo's work on behalf of ending violence against women earned her a seat on the 1997 Task Force to Study Domestic Violence, along with the Attorney General and other state leaders.

In addition to her work at the PCSW, Ms. Russo also serves on the Advisory Board of Woman magazine and the Advisory Council of the Rape and Sexual Abuse Crisis Center. She was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of the National Association of Commissions for Women (NACW). She is also President of the Women's Business Development Center of Connecticut, a new agency that moves women from welfare to work.

Pat Russo's leadership has earned her numerous awards, including the prestigious Hannah G. Solomon award, given by the National Council of Jewish Women, and the distinction of `Woman of the Year' by the Business and Professional Women of Connecticut.

In 1997, Ms. Russo was named to the Racial Justice Committee of the YWCA of Greenwich, and is an honorary member of the American Association of University Women, in celebration of her 20 years of activism on behalf of Connecticut women.

I have known Pat personally for many years and worked with her on many important issues. I have always found her to be extremely capable and completely dedicated to improving the quality of justice for women in this country. She is truly a remarkable individual, and I am sad to see her go. I wish her only the best as she leaves for Japan and in all of her future endeavors.