[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 72 (Wednesday, May 14, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H4106-H4107]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING THE 53 DEMOCRATS OF THE TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

  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, we have heard over the past 
1\1/2\ to 2 hours a number of Members come to the floor of the House 
and cite a prestigious and prominent group of Americans known to us as 
the Texas Dems 53, Texas Dems 51, just plain brave Texans, sheroes and 
heroes and simply Americans.
  The issue may be confusing because I might imagine that it becomes 
isolated as a finite, narrow political debate. But today in discussing 
this issue, I encourage individuals who are inquiring about this 
process to read the Madison papers to understand the process of debate 
that was the very underpinning of the Constitutional Convention that 
helped design this Nation and this democracy. If they would do that, 
they would understand that, in fact, those who are standing about the 
process that does not work in Texas are actually brave and important 
components to the history of this State and the history of this Nation.
  It is extremely important to recognize that these individuals, 53 
Democrats, have tried over and over again to be collegiate and 
collaborative in working on behalf of the interests of the people of 
Texas in the shadow of a war that was fought to promote the ideals of 
this Nation. Is it not shameful that these Democrats coming from all 
over the State of Texas, rural, urban and otherwise, is it not 
important to note that all they wanted to do is to represent their 
constituents?
  On the question of the budget in Texas, they wanted to add amendments 
to protect those children who are being cut, 270,000 of them being cut, 
if the Members will, from the children's health insurance program. They 
wanted to stop the abusive restructuring of Medicaid so that less and 
less people could utilize the services. They wanted to make sure that 
we continued the access of the graduates of 2003 to the institutions of 
higher learning by funding those institutions of higher learning at 
higher percentages. Mr. Speaker, they wanted to do their job.
  But yet, what was fostered upon them was an ugly redistricting map 
that could not be called anything but a grab of power, a denigration of 
the Voter Rights Act of 1965, a disrespect of the Civil Rights Act of 
1964, and an absolute coup d'etat as it relates to power in America. As 
so stated by the leader of this particular body, majority leader, we 
are in power in Austin, we are in power in Washington, there will be no 
compromise.
  So those of us who are attempting to work on behalf of this State 
wondered why this kind of meat, if the Members will, cutter was used to 
draw the district, and frankly here is why. This is a district, the 
kind of district that we could almost imagine that the courts will find 
ridiculous. Here is the fifth ward of Texas where Barbara Jordan was 
born. We can see how it dips down into a totally unrelated district, 
catches it so it can go all the way here and become a district. Why? No 
one knows. But this is the ninth district; and it used to have NASA, 
hardworking people like the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Lampson) and of 
course his predecessors that have worked so hard to ensure the funding 
for NASA that Lyndon Baines Johnson originated on behalf of America.
  All of a sudden now, this has moved out of the traditional 
communities of interest and moved into a district totally unrelated and 
happens to belong

[[Page H4107]]

to the majority leader of this body. Interestingly enough, the 18th 
congressional district has had the downtown community, a synergism of 
communities of interest. Now the 18th district, the historic district 
that saw Mickey Leland and Barbara Jordan and other great leaders come 
out of, no longer exists in its historic origins. The downtown is 
eliminated, Mr. Speaker. It is interesting to find out why a meatcutter 
was taken to this for personal interest apparently.
  So I simply want to thank Stanley Toliver who called all the way from 
Ohio to applaud us and give us a good idea to again support these great 
heroes; and I again want to support, Mr. Speaker, as I close, 
Representatives Thompson, Coleman, Noreiga, Jessica Farrar, Joe Moreno, 
Kevin Bailey, Scott Hochberg, and all the other 51, 53 that are 
standing tall. Never give up.

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