“Mr. Speaker,
it is my privilege to rise today in support of H.R. 2654, legislation
honoring the life and legacy of Eleanor McGovern by officially designating
the post office in her home town of Woonsocket, South Dakota, as the
Eleanor McGovern Post Office Building.
“In making this
special recognition, I would also like to thank the gentleman from
Massachusetts, Congressman Jim McGovern and the gentlelady from California,
Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey for their support of this bill. I would
also ask for unanimous consent to submit for the record a statement
from Mr. McGovern of Massachusetts.
“Eleanor Stegeberg
was born in 1921 and raised on a farm near Woonsocket, South Dakota
during the Dust Bowl years of the 1930s. As with many families of
that era, times were tough. But Eleanor cherished her upbringing in
the small prairie town of Woonsocket, which is known for a sweet melon
crop in the summer, and ample pheasant hunting in the fall – as well
as scenic Lake Prior, which gave the community its nickname, “the
town with the beautiful lake.”
“Eleanor and her
twin sister Ila were varsity debaters at Woonsocket High School. Eleanor
no doubt caught the eye of her future husband George McGovern, a student
at a nearby high school, by besting him in a regional debate tournament.
In fact, George always acknowledged as much.
“Eleanor graduated
as salutatorian and next enrolled at Dakota Wesleyan University in
Mitchell, S.D., where she and George were fellow students and where
they fell in love. The couple married on October 31, 1943, when, like
so many of that generation, George was preparing to ship out for service
as a B-24 bomber pilot in World War II. Eleanor gave birth to their
first of five children while George was overseas.
“George McGovern
would go on to serve the state of South Dakota and the country in
many roles - Senator, Ambassador, Airman, Statesman, and the 1972
Democratic nominee for President. All the while, Eleanor was his strong
and equal partner. During that Presidential campaign, Eleanor blazed
a trail and made headlines of her own while campaigning solo across
the country for George.
“Like none before
her, she engaged crowds on the campaign trail with her eloquence and
intelligence, and was a fierce and effective advocate on a range of
policy issues. Eleanor’s high profile helped transform and heighten
public perception of the role and value of women in politics.
“Aside from politics,
Eleanor worked as a tireless advocate for children and families throughout
her life. She served on the boards of directors for Dakota Wesleyan
University, the Psychiatric Institute Foundation, the Child Study
Association, the Erickson Institute of Chicago and Odyssey House of
New York. She founded the Martha Movement and was a development officer
for the Child Development Associates Consortium.
“Following the
tragic death of the McGoverns’ daughter Terry in 1994, Eleanor was
a passionate speaker on alcoholism, and with her family established
the McGovern Family Foundation in Washington, D.C., to raise funds
for alcoholism research. Eleanor and George also led a worldwide effort
to combat hunger, working towards a goal of eradicating hunger by
2030.
“In 2006, Dakota
Wesleyan University, Eleanor’s and George’s alma mater, launched The
George and Eleanor McGovern Center for Leadership and Public Service,
which offers a range of public service and leadership centered programs
for students, faculty, staff and the national and global community.
Through this program, and its annual McGovern Center Conference, the
issues that George and Eleanor McGovern have championed continue to
receive the attention and focus they deserve.
“Eleanor McGovern
passed away on Jan. 25, 2007 at the McGoverns’ home in Mitchell, S.D.
She was 85.
“Throughout her
life, Eleanor and George formed a true partnership of shared trust
and responsibility. George commonly referred to Eleanor as his “most
helpful critic and most trusted advisor.”
“And Eleanor herself
wrote in her 1973 memoir, titled “Uphill: A Personal Story,” quote,
“I was determined to help with George’s career, not only by taking
responsibility for the family, but by contributing ideas. In fact,
I never considered it ‘George’s’ career — it was ‘ours.’”
“Mr. Speaker,
I urge all Members to support the passage of this legislation that
honors the life, works and service of an extraordinary woman and an
extraordinary American, Eleanor McGovern.”
