[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 59 (Friday, April 11, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H3345]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING THE LIVES OF FREDA JONES AND OFFICER CLARK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, just a week ago last Saturday 
I visited with the family of a young woman who may not have been known 
in our community in Houston, Texas, maybe a few weeks ago. Just a young 
mother with two wonderful children, one a 3-month-old daughter and one 
a 10-year-old son, hard working, trying to provide for them. Her life 
became intimately intertwined with our departed and dear friend, 
Officer Clark.
  For just about 10 days ago, Houston Police Officer Clark lost his 
life in a heroic attempt to save Freda Jones's life in a horrible and 
brutal robbery in our community.
  Just this past week we buried Officer Clark, and I paid tribute to 
him, although I was not able to attend his going-home service because 
of business here in Washington. But through my office we shared with 
his wonderful family how much we appreciated his bravery and his 
service, how much we appreciated his love for his community, the fact 
that he was a consummate police officer.
  Now, within 24 hours we will bury Freda Jones, who, listening to her 
family both Saturday and Sunday at a prayer vigil for her, I have come 
to understand her as a wonderful young woman, someone who simply wanted 
to provide for her family in working in the job she was working, 
innocently opening the office of a check cashing office by herself, 
taking up the responsibilities of another employee because that 
employee had been injured in a car accident. She was always a willing 
person, as we understand. She was a person who loved her family. She 
was, likewise, a person who brought the family together. She was 
certainly like your neighbor.
  And so I would like to say to the Jones family, all of her brothers 
and sisters, her mother and father, her mother and father lost another 
child to brutality or brutal act of murder just a few years ago. And 
now they lost a cherished daughter to a brutal robbery, an unnecessary, 
callous act of murder.
  And all of the perpetrators should be brought to justice because they 
took the life of a young woman who simply wanted to raise her children 
to make a decent living in this Nation.
  So I think it is appropriate that as we honor so many heroes, we are 
so grateful for the young men and women who serve us in the United 
States military.
  I had the opportunity to visit some of our injured soldiers at 
Bethesda Hospital this morning. We are grateful for them. We pray for 
their families. We pray for the families of MIAs. We pray for the 
families of the POWs. We pray for the families of those who lost their 
lives. And every day in America there are heroes as well. Because Freda 
Jones lost her life by trying to fend off these robbers by calling the 
police. And I imagine in the act of calling the police, her life was 
taken. And then Officer Clark who responded, or was responding, had his 
life taken.
  What a terrible testimony to the freedom of America. But we will keep 
pressing forward honoring heroes, local heroes like Freda Jones and 
Officer Clark. And to the Houston community, I offer my deepest 
sympathy to the family that will mourn tomorrow as she will be laid to 
rest. I say to you that you have at least had a wonderful time in her 
life and as well the wonderful memories; and, yes, you have her two 
beautiful children and this wonderful extended family.
  I hope that you, the Jones family and the Clark family, will find 
strength in each other. You are forever bonded together. And I hope you 
will know that the Houston community, the 18th Congressional District 
appreciates so much that you lived, but also that your life tragically 
was sacrificed but it will not ever be forgotten. We will remember, and 
we will work together to fight against the brutal and criminal acts 
that sick minds think they can perpetrate on our communities without 
paying the price.
  We hope justice will be rendered. But most of all, Freda Jones, we 
hope that you will have a peaceful going-home service, recognizing that 
the community loved you and will continue to show its love to your 
family and to your children.

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