Washington, DC – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton’s (D-VA) legislation to rename the Purcellville, Virginia post office in honor of Madeleine Albright, the first woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of State who called Virginia’s 10th District home for many years.
“I’m pleased that the House has come together to honor the legacy of Secretary Albright by passing my bill to name the Purcellville post office after her,” said Congresswoman Wexton. “From fleeing Nazi persecution as a little girl to promoting democracy and human rights as the first woman to serve as Secretary of State, Secretary Albright has been an inspiration to countless people, including me. I’m honored to lift up her remarkable life and legacy through this legislation.”
“Our family is deeply grateful to Representative Wexton and members of the Virginia Congressional Delegation for introducing this bill that will celebrate and honor our mother’s legacy and connection to this special part of Loudoun County. For the past fifty years, she cherished her time in this community with family and friends, often found walking in the beautiful countryside or through the historic streets of Purcellville. This commemoration is a wonderful tribute to her memory,” said the Albright family.
Madeleine Albright came to the United States in 1939 at only 2-years old as a refugee fleeing the Nazi invasion of her birth country of Czechoslovakia. Albright’s career in public service began in 1976 as a legislative staffer to U.S. Senator Ed Muskie of Maine, before moving to the White House to work on the National Security Council under Zbigniew Brzezinski. Albright served as ambassador to the United Nations under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997 and then was appointed to serve as the first female Secretary of State.
Secretary Albright had a significant and lasting impact on U.S. foreign policy, including successfully advocating for military intervention in Bosnia to manage the humanitarian crisis in Kosovo, promoting the expansion of NATO eastward, and supporting ratification of the Kyoto Protocol on global climate change.
Following her time in government, Albright founded the Albright Stonebridge Group, an international strategy consulting firm, and taught at Georgetown until her passing in March of 2022. She was a seven-time New York Times bestselling author. Albright was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the highest civilian award in the U.S. – in 2012.
The full text of the bill can be found here .
###
