Recognizing the Honorable Patricia De Stacy Harrison on Being Knighted with Honor of ``cavaliere'' of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic

Floor Speech

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Mr. PASCRELL. I rise to recognize The Honorable Patricia de Stacy Harrison, the Chair of the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), on receiving the Italian honor of ``Cavaliere'' of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, the highest-ranking honor of the Italian Republic. On October 7, Ambassador Armando Varricchio of Italy presented this high honor to Ms. Harrison, a testament to her lifetime of extraordinary accomplishment in service of the humanities, culture, philanthropy, and diplomacy.

The granddaughter of an Italian immigrant, Ms. Harrison is a native of Brooklyn, New York and a graduate of the American University School of International Service in Washington, D.C. Thereafter, she began an enormously successful career, starting a public relations firm focused on serving the public interest in the fields of environmental, labor, and agricultural policy. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush appointed Ms. Harrison to the President's Export Council in the United States Department of Commerce.

In recognition of her prowess and expertise in the humanities and the arts, in 2001 she was appointed Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs by then-Secretary of State Colin Powell. While serving in this critical role, Ms. Harrison also assumed the position of Acting Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. Ms. Harrison then continued her public service, being appointed the Chief Executive Officer of CBP in 2005, where she continues to serve today.

Under Ms. Harrison's leadership, the CPB launched ``American Graduate: Let's Make It Happen'', a nationwide public media initiative to help combat the nationwide high school dropout crisis. To date, over 100 stations in 48 states are working with over 1,700 local partners and schools to help students graduate. For her work and commitment to helping young people stay on the path to a high school diploma, Ms. Harrison was honored in 2016 with a Promise of America Award from the America's Promise Alliance. Ms. Harrison's deep commitment to public media producing nonpartisan, commercial-free, educational content for the public good has ensured CPB's continued success and critical place in our society.

Ms. Harrison has drawn from her life of experience to help foster a new generation of woman leaders, authoring two books, ``A Seat At The Table: An Insider's Guide for America's New Women Leaders and America's New Women Entrepreneurs.'' In 2019, Ms. Harrison was appointed to the voting council for the inaugural, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg Woman of Leadership Award, which recognizes the achievements of exceptional American women. Ms. Harrison is the recipient of many additional awards and honors, including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor Award and the U.S. Secretary of State's Distinguished Service Award.

Ms, Harrison is a role model for Italian Americans, for women, and for anyone aspiring to make a positive difference in the world. I am proud to rise today in recognition of her receiving the more than well- deserved honor of ``Cavaliere'' of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

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