E 1086 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks May 19, 1995

From prison, Peltier heard about Avent

and wrote her a note on the inside cover of

a book about Native Americans’ legacy.

‘‘All my sources indicated to me that you

are the most powerful influence in the White

House speaking for Native American issues,’’

Peltier wrote.

He said he appreciated that someone of her

‘‘stature’’ would read about his case.

Much of Avent’s outreach is personal. She

fields as many as 60 calls a day from Indians

and continues dispensing advice long after

the workday has ended.

‘‘Tribes have gotten so used to being ignored for so long that they could not believe

someone is so king to them;’’ said Bunty

Anquoe, a Washington-based reporter for Indian Country Today newspaper.

Avent invites tribal leaders to White House

dinners and receptions and, when she can, to

the president’s box at the Kennedy Center

for the Performing Arts.

‘‘Thank you a million times over for taking me as your guest to the White House last

night,’’ began a recent letter to Avent from

Suzan Shown Harjo, president of the Washington-based Morning Star Institute, which

promotes Indian cultural rights.

‘‘My parents will be so thrilled that I was

able to tell the president and first lady how

very much they are admired and what they

hope to offer for those of us Indian people

who are the poor and mostly forgotten and

left-out folks that the Democrats stand for.’’

CREDITS DAD FOR HER VALUES

Avent credits her work values to her father, who reared her alone after a divorce.

He is a former elevator operator in one of the

U.S. House office buildings.

A longtime resident of the nation’s capital,

Avent lobbied for the National Association

of Counties, U.S. Conference of Mayors and

other groups. She also ran a political consulting firm whose clients included the Clinton-Gore campaign.

She moved to Phoenix in 1988, mostly at

the insistence of her husband, who said the

laid-back lifestyle and weather would add

years to their lives.

Avent’s husband, Jacques Avent, a Phoenix

deputy city manager, said his wife has been

reaching out to ‘‘underdogs’’ most of her life.

‘‘She does the underdog causes; those are

the one that turn her on,’’ he said.

In Phoenix, she helped coordinate the Harmony Alliance, which works at bringing disparate groups together.

Avent and her husband have known the

Clintons for 20 years.

As a deputy assistant to the president for

intergovernmental affairs, she is a liaison to

Indians and local elected officials around the

nation.

She admits being torn between her commitment to Indians and her sadness at being

away from her husband.

‘‘I can’t be just a holiday spouse, nor do I

want to be. I was only going to do this a

year,’’ she said.

But her job has become part of her.

Returning recently to her birthplace in

South Hill, VA., Avent found herself thinking of her Indian friends.

‘‘I was looking at where I grew up,’’ she

said. ‘’I was born in the same house my father was. It made me understand what Indian people mean when they talk about

Mother Earth.’’

IN RECOGNITION OF CARMEN

TURNER

HON. FRANK R. WOLF OF VIRGINIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, May 18, 1995

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure for

me to rise today to recognize an outstanding

individual and public servant, the late Carmen

Turner.

Many of you may remember Carmen from

her days as the general manager of the

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, more commonly know as Metro, and as

Under Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.

However, you may not know how hard Carmen worked to turn her dream into reality.

Born in New Jersey, Carmen and her family

moved to Washington, DC, during her childhood. Carmen went on to graduate from Dunbar High School and then attended Howard

University for 2 years before she left school to

marry Frederick Turner.

Those of use, though, who knew and loved

Carmen know she never left any task unfinished. Carmen went back to Howard to complete her undergraduate degree. Even more

impressive is that she did this while working

full time at the Department of the Army and

raising two children. Following a stint at the

U.S. Department of Transportation, Carmen

joined Metro in 1977 and was promoted to

general manager in 1983.

As general manager, Carmen played a substantial role into making Metrorail into the

state-of-the-art subway system it is today.

Under her leadership, Metrorail opened new

stations in suburban Virginia and Maryland, as

well as finalized plan for the Green Line,

which will run through the heart of the District

of Columbia. Her hard work paid off in 1990,

as Congress passed legislation authorizing

$1.3 billion for the completion of the Metrorail

system. Her service did not go unnoticed. In

fact, in 1988 the American Public Transit Association [APTA] gave Carmen their Outstanding Achievement Award, and in 1989 named

Carmen the Transit Manager of the Year.

Sadly, Carmen was taken from us far too

soon, in 1992 at the age of 61. She is sorely

missed by so many of us. However, the legacy will live on, as it should. On May 12,

Metro dedicated a memorial at the Smithsonian Metrorail Station in Carmen’s memory. It

is a fitting tribute that her memorial will be at

a station where so many people enjoy the

convenience of Metrorail. While here absence

will always be felt, like many others I am

proud that Carmen has been memorialized in

this fashion. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join

in celebrating Carmen Turner’s life and career

and recognizing her many accomplishments.

HONORING MORTON BLEETSTEIN

fHON. GARY L. ACKERMAN OF NEW YORK

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, May 18, 1995

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise with

great pleasure today to join with those most

compassionate and dedicated people of the

New Hope Community as they honor one of

their most esteemed members, Morton

Bleetstein.

I first met Morty when I started a small business, and Morty was a third-generation insurance broker. But I soon learned that he has

other interests and talents that would significantly impact on others. In the fields of hope,

compassion and concern, there are few to

equal Morty Bleetstein.

As parents of two disabled children, Morty

and his wife, Pat, took up the life challenge

fate had thrust upon them, and embarked

upon creating a service record of almost four

decades on behalf of all disabled youngsters.

Morty’s early involvement led to the passage

in New York State of legislation known as the

Greenberg bill, which provides education for

all disabled children.

As his own kids grew, so did his dedication:

the Bleetsteins became original founders of

the New York Association for Brain Injured

Children. Morty Bleetstein also has proudly

served as president of the New Hope Community Parents Group, and as a board member

and fund raising chairman for New Hope.

Mr. Speaker, Morton Bleetstein has honored

all humanity with his selfless dedication and

perseverance on behalf of those who have nowhere else to turn. On May 20, the New Hope

Community will honor Morty at a gala benefit

in Flushing, Queens.

I ask all my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join with me now in paying tribute to a true humanitarian, Morton Bleetstein,

and in extending to him the great appreciation

of a most grateful nation.

TRIBUTE TO CLAIRE SCHULMAN

fHON. THOMAS J. MANTON OF NEW YORK

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, May 18, 1995

Mr. MANTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to

join the Kiwanis Club of LaGuardia Airport in

paying tribute to Queens Borough President,

Claire Schulman. Since 1986, Claire

Schulman has served the people of Queens

with distinction.

Mr. Speaker, Claire has been a tremendous

instrument in ensuring that Queens continues

to be one of the strongest communities in our

country; her efforts are endless. Some of her

greatest accomplishments as borough president include: Being a staunch advocate for the

rights of the elderly and the children of

Queens, ensuring quality health care for the

residents of Queens, helping to buy Queens

West, fighting to rebuild the Queens library,

and ensuring city services are provided to the

Borough of Queens.

Claire received her bachelor of science from

Adelphi University; she was also awarded an

honorary doctor of laws degree. In 1993, she

received an honorary doctorate of sciences

degree from the College of Aeronautics. In addition to these prestigious doctorates, she has

also been honored with the Queens College

Medal and the LaGuardia Community College

Medal.

Mr. Speaker, Claire Schulman has not only

served our community as a political leader, but

as a health care provider, mother and wife.

Before coming to politics, Claire served as a

registered nurse at the Queens Hospital Center, where she also met her future husband,

Dr. Melvin Schulman. Claire Schulman boasts

a tremendous career as well as a spectacular