Recognition of Ms. Kay Fischer

Floor Speech

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Mr. BERGMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor today to recognize the remarkable life of Ms. Kay Fischer of Benzie County and wish her a most joyous 100th birthday. Ms. Fischer has led an inspiring and full life of service, including as an integral member of the Manhattan Project.

In 1943, the Michigander and her husband moved to Chicago, where she began work at the University of Chicago in the chemistry department. As a young scientist, Ms. Fischer worked across multiple programs within her department, lending her expertise, diligence, and grit to her colleagues and the country. She proudly worked alongside the brightest minds of the 20th century, including Dr. Robert J. Oppenheimer, Dr. Enrico Fermi, and Dr. Leo Szilard.

Ms. Fischer's work also extended to the study of the effects of radiation on organic matter. She was responsible for conducting autopsies and reporting on the results of sustained exposure to radiation, an inquiry which ultimately influenced the deployment of the first atomic bomb. After leaving this line of secret research, she recalled a few months later listening on the radio as the United States had dropped the result of her work above Hiroshima.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize Ms. Kay Fischer for her steadfast commitment to her country. I wish her a birthday full of joy and reflection on the many wonderful memories and milestones in her impactful life. On behalf of Michigan's First District, I wish her and her family the best in their future endeavors.

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