Whereas the Honorable Donald M. Payne was born in Newark,
New Jersey on July 16, 1934, graduated from Barringer High School in Newark and
Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey, and pursued graduate studies
at Springfield College in Massachusetts;
Whereas the Honorable Donald M. Payne was an educator in
the Newark and Passaic, New Jersey public schools and was an executive at
Prudential Financial and at Urban Data Systems Inc;
Whereas the Honorable Donald M. Payne became the first
African American national president of the YMCA in 1970 and served as Chairman
of the World Refugee and Rehabilitation Committee of the YMCA from 1973 to
1981;
Whereas the Honorable Donald M. Payne served 3 terms on
the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders and 3 terms on the Newark
Municipal Council;
Whereas, in 1988, the Honorable Donald M. Payne became the
first African American elected to the United States House of Representatives
from the State of New Jersey;
Whereas the people of New Jersey overwhelmingly reelected
the Honorable Donald M. Payne 11 times, most recently in 2010, when the
Honorable Donald M. Payne was elected to represent the Tenth Congressional
District of New Jersey for a 12th term;
Whereas the Honorable Donald M. Payne was a tireless
advocate for his constituents, bringing significant economic development to
Essex, Hudson, and Union Counties in New Jersey;
Whereas, as a senior member of the Committee on Education
and the Workforce of the House of Representatives, the Honorable Donald M.
Payne was a leading advocate for public schools, college affordability, and
workplace protections;
Whereas, as a senior member of the Committee on Foreign
Affairs of the House of Representatives, the Chairman and Ranking Member of the
Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights, and a member of the
Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, the Honorable Donald M. Payne led
efforts to restore democracy and human rights around the world, including in
Northern Ireland and Sudan;
Whereas the Honorable Donald M. Payne was a leader in the
field of global health, co-founding the Malaria Caucus, and helping to secure
passage of a bill authorizing $50,000,000 for the prevention and treatment of
HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria;
Whereas the Honorable Donald M. Payne served as Chairman
of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and previously as Chairman of the
Congressional Black Caucus;
Whereas, in March 2012, the United States Agency for
International Development launched the Donald M. Payne Fellowship Program to
attract outstanding young people to careers in international
development;
Whereas the Honorable Donald M. Payne served on the boards
of directors of the National Endowment for Democracy, TransAfrica, the
Discovery Channel Global Education Partnership, the Congressional Award
Foundation, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Newark, the Newark Day Center, and the
Newark YMCA;
Whereas the Honorable Donald M. Payne was the recipient of
numerous honors and awards, including honorary doctorates from multiple
universities;
Whereas the Honorable Donald M. Payne passed away on March
6, 2012, and is survived by 3 children, 4 grandchildren, and 1
great-grandchild; and
Whereas the Honorable Donald M. Payne’s long history of
service will have an enduring impact on people in New Jersey, across the United
States, and around the world: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
(1)expresses
profound sorrow at the death of the Honorable Donald M. Payne, United States
Representative for the Tenth Congressional District of New Jersey;
(2)conveys the
condolences of the Senate to the family of the Honorable Donald M. Payne;
and
(3)respectfully
requests that the Secretary of the Senate transmit a copy of this resolution to
the House of Representatives and the family of the Honorable Donald M.
Payne.