[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 863 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 863

    Honoring Velvalea ``Vel'' Phillips for a life of public service.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 27, 2018

Ms. Moore (for herself, Ms. Fudge, Ms. Adams, Mr. Evans, Mr. Payne, Mr. 
   Al Green of Texas, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. 
McEachin, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Butterfield, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Johnson of 
   Georgia, Ms. Lee, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mrs. Demings, Ms. Kelly of 
    Illinois, Ms. Norton, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mrs. Beatty, Mrs. 
    Lawrence, Mr. Richmond, Mr. Pocan, Mrs. Dingell, and Mr. Kind) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                   on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Honoring Velvalea ``Vel'' Phillips for a life of public service.

Whereas Velvalea ``Vel'' Phillips was born Velvalea Hortense Rodgers in 
        Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on February 18, 1924, and passed away on Tuesday, 
        April 17, 2018, at age 94;
Whereas Velvalea ``Vel'' Phillips, graduated from North Division High School in 
        1942 and received a bachelor's degree from Howard University in 1946;
Whereas after graduating from Howard, she returned to Milwaukee and began 
        volunteering at the local chapter of the National Association for the 
        Advancement of Colored People (NAACP);
Whereas after getting married in 1948, she and her husband moved to Madison, 
        Wisconsin, to together attend the University of Wisconsin Law School 
        where they were the first Black married couple to integrate the 
        university's family housing;
Whereas despite immense hostility, Velvalea ``Vel'' Phillips became the first 
        African-American woman to graduate from the University of Wisconsin Law 
        School in 1951, and she and her husband, Dale Phillips, were the first 
        husband-wife team admitted to the Federal bar;
Whereas soon after, she and her husband moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she 
        joined the League of Women Voters to register her neighbors to vote;
Whereas, in 1953, she ran for the Milwaukee School Board and although 
        unsuccessful, she became the first Black candidate to make it past a 
        nonpartisan city-wide primary election, and despite this momentary 
        setback, she continued to challenge School Board policies that 
        disadvantaged African-American teachers and students;
Whereas, in 1956, Velvalea ``Vel'' Phillips was the first woman and first 
        African American elected to the Milwaukee Common Council;
Whereas, in 1958, she was elected to the Democratic National Committee, becoming 
        the first Black person of either gender to serve on the national 
        committee of either party, and she used that forum to convince soon-to-
        be President Kennedy to adopt a national platform fully committed to 
        civil rights;
Whereas as a Member of the Common Council, Velvalea ``Vel'' Phillips fought for 
        fair and affordable housing in the city of Milwaukee, and in 1962, 
        introduced Milwaukee's first fair housing ordinance, a landmark 
        resolution that dared to declare that, ``It is to be the policy of the 
        City of Milwaukee to assure the equal opportunity to all persons to live 
        in decent housing facilities regardless of race, color or national 
        origin'';
Whereas on the first occasion that resolution came to a vote, it received one 
        vote in favor, but not one who is easily deterred, she would bring up 
        the measure repeatedly over the years;
Whereas, in August 1967, 200 activists marched across the bridge dividing the 
        city's South Side and North Side to demand fair and equal housing access 
        as part of civil rights protests in the city;
Whereas Vel participated in the protests and became the first known elected 
        official to be arrested while holding office;
Whereas as a result of her participation in these protests, she was also subject 
        to threats and violence, such as gunshots fired into her home and hate 
        mail threatening her children's lives, but undeterred, she persisted;
Whereas, in 1968, after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the 
        Milwaukee Common Council would pass her fair housing ordinance, a 
        victory that reverberated around the country and quickly influenced 
        other municipal housing laws;
Whereas, in 1971, Velvalea ``Vel'' Phillips became the first woman judge in 
        Milwaukee County, and the first African-American judge in Wisconsin;
Whereas, in 1978, Velvalea ``Vel'' Phillips reached another milestone with her 
        election as Wisconsin Secretary of State, becoming the first and only 
        African American to ever win statewide office in the State of Wisconsin;
Whereas after leaving public office, Velvalea ``Vel'' Phillips remained engaged 
        in the community;
Whereas in recognition of her many accomplishments, she was invited to serve as 
        Distinguished Visiting Professor of Law at Marquette's Law School during 
        the 2002-2003 school year;
Whereas, in 2006, she started the Vel Phillips Foundation to establish equality 
        and opportunity for minorities through social justice, education, 
        housing, and jobs and to help high school students successfully make the 
        transition to college;
Whereas, in 2006, she was recognized by the Wisconsin Historical Society as one 
        of the biggest historical contributors to the State, winning the Robert 
        and Belle La Follette Award for Distinction in Public Service;
Whereas she remained active in Milwaukee's Community Brainstorming Conference, 
        which focuses on grassroots leadership;
Whereas this list of accomplishments does no justice to the number of individual 
        lives she touched and inspired in her community, throughout Wisconsin, 
        and the Nation;
Whereas Velvalea ``Vel'' Phillips' undeterred tenacity laid the foundation for 
        other women, African Americans, and people in general to muster the 
        courage to strive for the sustained social progress of our young Nation;
Whereas ``Vel'' served as chairwoman of the first successful campaign of an 
        African American for Congress in the State of Wisconsin; and
Whereas the life of this remarkable woman and American is filled with 
        accomplishments that were unheard of during her time and is a testament 
        to her fearless and steadfast pursuit of equitable living conditions for 
        each American which helped transform our country into a better, more 
        just, and morally advanced society: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes and honors the achievements of Velvalea 
        ``Vel'' Phillips as a ground breaker, ``leader of leaders'', 
        role model, and civil rights leader;
            (2) commends the courage, hard work, commitment, and 
        dedication of Velvalea ``Vel'' Phillips in fighting for 
        equality for all; and
            (3) honors the achievements of all American women who have 
        overcome adversity to play a contributing role in society.
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