Former Representative Mary Bono to be honored on Palm Springs Walk of the Stars
Former Congressmember Mary Bono will be honored with the 476th star on the Palm Springs Walk of the Stars later this month.
Bono will be honored under the category of Humanitarian, Entertainment, and Civic/Pioneer, organizers said.
The star will be unveiled at a public ceremony at 101 N Palm Canyon Dr. on Tuesday, March 18, at 2:00 p.m. Organizers confirmed the star will be located next to the star her late husband, Sonny Bono.
Bono has a long history in the Coachella Valley, including 15 years representing the valley as a Member of Congress in California’s 44th District (now the 45th). She also served as first lady of Palm Springs during Sonny Bono's four-year term as mayor.
Bono’s notable achievements include spearheading the creation of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, a critical conservation effort that protects the natural beauty of the region. The bill was signed by Bill Clinton in 2000.
In addition, she obtained funding for infrastructure upgrades at Palm Springs International Airport, such as a new air traffic control tower and radar systems, and other educational and medical institutions in the region.
Another of Bono's bills, H.R. 2715, was enacted in 2011 with bipartisan support, amending the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008.
Other legislative efforts she favored included police funding and the controversial USA Patriot Act, which allowed law enforcement agencies to tap cell phones and green-lit other surveillance measures. She was also one of 15 Republicans who voted to repeal the American military's ban on openly gay servicemembers, commonly known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
After leaving Congress, Bono took a senior vice president role at Faegre Baker Daniels Consulting. She also made a public appearance in 2013 on a National Journal panel, speaking about gender inequality as a woman in Congress, before continuing to discuss other sociopolitical issues on her podcast, "Sagely Speaking with Mary Bono."
Bono also made philanthropic contributions, chairing fundraisers for organizations such as the Mizell Senior Center. She also hosted the Palm Springs International Film Festival's Founders Receptions and served on the festival's board during her former husband's mayoral term.
