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CELEBRATING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF CLARA BARTON
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Clara Barton, the founder of the American Red Cross. December 25 will be Clara's 200th birthday.
Clara is one of the most honored women in American history. From a young age she was dedicated to service and helping others.
Clara started her career in Washington, D.C., as one of the first women to work in the Federal Government. She was in D.C. at the start of the Civil War, and while residents in the capital were alarmed and confused, Clara recognized the immediate need to help these newly recruited troops.
Clara spent the early days of the war collecting food and supplies for the Union Army, but she knew that, despite her efforts in Washington, there was more work left to be done.
She lobbied leaders in the government and the Union Army to give her passes to bring her voluntary services to the battlefield. From that moment on, Clara and her volunteers risked their lives heading to the scenes of battle and field hospitals to volunteer their time and deliver needed medical services.
Following her volunteer service in the Civil War, Clara visited Europe and was introduced to the Red Cross in Geneva, Switzerland. There she learned of the Geneva Treaty, an international agreement to protect the sick and wounded during wartime without respect to nationality, and for the formation of national societies to give aid voluntarily on a neutral basis.
Clara was a woman of action. When she saw a need, she found practical ways to address it. After learning of this global Red Cross Network, Clara returned to the United States and would fight for the ratification of this treaty by the United States.
In 1881, Clara founded the American Red Cross and, in 1882, the United States would sign the Geneva Convention treaty. The American Red Cross received their first congressional charter in 1900. For 20 years, Clara would lead the Red Cross on countless service missions to towns and cities around the United States in need of emergency assistance.
Mr. Speaker, I am honoring Clara Barton because of the historic connection to Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District. In 1889, Clara Barton and 50 Red Cross volunteers arrived in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to help the survivors of the Johnstown flood caused by a dam break which led to over 2,000 deaths.
Today, the house that served as the headquarters of the Red Cross and Clara's mission in Johnstown still stands on Main Street. This home is a piece of history in Johnstown, and residents are in the process of restoring it.
Clara Barton continued her service to helping others up until her passing in 1912. Today, over 140 years later, the Red Cross continues its service through its strong network of volunteers, donors, and partners. They continue to serve those in need by mobilizing the power of volunteers in times of emergencies.
Mr. Speaker, Clara Barton's passion for service is an example for us all. Her selflessness and determination to help others continues to inspire us today.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 211(1), Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 211(2)
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