Washington, DC – Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference, released the following statement after learning of the death of Sargent Shriver, the first Director of the Peace Corps, a distinguished public servant, and founder of the Special Olympics:

“As the mom of a child with special needs, I was saddened to learn of the passing of Sargent Shriver, a remarkable leader who dedicated his life to addressing inequality and opening doors of opportunity to those who are all too often forgotten.  Like all members of the special needs community, I am grateful to Mr. Sargent; his late wife, Eunice; their son Tim, and their entire family for their outstanding work with the Special Olympics and other initiatives to help the mentally and physically disabled.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Shriver family.”