[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 7 (Thursday, February 5, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H365]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                      WELCOMING CONGRESSMAN MEEKS

  (Mr. RANGEL asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, many of us have the great 
task of succeeding Members of the House of Representatives that have 
left, as Reverend and Congressman Floyd Flake has, but indeed, the 
strong keep coming, and we are so fortunate that a young man a few 
years back was born in East Harlem, saw fit to go to Queens, got his 
training there, became an administrative judge for workmen's 
compensation, and then joined the great legislature of the State of New 
York in the New York State Assembly. And as I look in front of me, it 
looks like there is hardly a Member of the New York delegation in our 
Congress that did not serve in our State legislature.
  Having served there for 6 years and working hard each and every day, 
he was selected by the African-Americans, as well as the Puerto Rican 
Hispanic Members of that group to head up the Black and Hispanic 
Caucus. He has worked hard, he has got two lovely daughters that are 
here with his wife, Simone-Marie. His brothers and his family are here 
to support him as they were during the great election that with more 
than a half a dozen candidates, he came through with 57 percent of that 
vote.
  At this time I would like to yield to a senior member, the senior 
Republican Member of our delegation, the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Gilman).
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, Chairman Rangel, serving as the chair of our 
New York delegation, and my colleagues of the New York delegation, and 
all of our colleagues, we are so pleased to be able to welcome Mr. 
Meeks to the Congress.
  Our retired colleague, Floyd Flake, amassed a distinguished record of 
congressional service. His dedication in fighting for the concerns of 
his 6th District, his patriotism, his hard work are a testament to the 
leadership that he displayed, and while Congressman Flake leaves his 
shoes to fill, his successor seems to me to be able to come with a 
great potential to do just that.
  Gregory Meeks comes to the Congress after already having had a 
distinguished career in public service, graduating from Howard 
University Law School. He joined the Queens County District Attorney's 
Office, was quickly promoted to the Office of Special Narcotics 
Prosecutor, something Mr. Rangel and I have been working on for a 
number of years in our battle against drugs. We are pleased to welcome 
a legislator with the experience and determination in fighting the war 
on drugs. Congressman Meeks, I know while he was serving on the New 
York State Commission on Investigation, directed criminal and civil 
investigations and major organized crime figures, and we hope he will 
continue his devotion to fighting crime as he did in the past. We want 
to commend you and we wish you well. I am pleased to welcome you and 
your two daughters, Ebony and Aja and your wife, Simone, to the 
pantheon of congressional families, and we are here ready to help you 
in your work. God bless.
  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, there are so many 
Members that would like to be heard, but a lot of people have to make 
trains and planes, and so we have in our delegation not only an 
outstanding Member from Queens County, but the Democratic county leader 
that was able to guide the membership of the great organization there 
so that they were able to make the proper decision for the election, 
Tom Manton, for purposes of introducing our brand-new member.

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