[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 137 (Tuesday, October 25, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H9069]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   ANNOUNCING PASSING OF FORMER CONGRESSMEN ED ROYBAL AND BOB BADHAM

  (Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I inform our 
colleagues of the passing of two of our very distinguished former 
colleagues.
  Last Friday former Congressman Bob Badham who served with great 
distinction on the Committee on Armed Services passed away suddenly, 
and then we just received the news today of the passing of the father 
of our very distinguished colleague, Lucille Roybal-Allard. Her father, 
Ed Roybal, served for many, many years in this institution and was a 
great friend to many of us. I think it important that our colleagues 
know of this great loss that has come for the State of California, for 
this institution, and for the country.
  I yield to my very good friend from California (Mr. Stark).
  (Mr. STARK asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, last night Ed Roybal passed away. He is 
survived by his wife, Lucille, and his three children: our colleague of 
course, Lucille Roybal-Allard; her sister, Lillian Roybal-Rose; and Ed, 
Jr.
  Ed was born in 1916, served in the military, served in the House here 
for 30 years. He was the first Hispanic from California to serve in 
Congress since 1879. Among his distinct honors, he was the founder and 
the first chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

                              {time}  1900

  He was chairman of the Select Committee on Aging for a number of 
years and a great supporter of Meals on Wheels; and, of course, his 
great honor and joy was having his daughter succeed him in what was 
part of his district.
  On a personal note, I happened to talk with a lady who had been a 
page some years ago here in the House. She remembers Ed Roybal as a 
kind Member and as a very polite and distinguished Member. For all of 
us who pass the pages in the cloakroom, I think we all know when a page 
remembers that from a number of years ago, it goes a long way.
  We will miss him, and our heartfelt sympathy to Lucille, her family, 
and her mother.
  Last night, October 24, 2005, former Representative Edward Roybal 
died in Pasadena, California. He is survived by his wife, Lucille 
Beserra Roybal, and his three children, Representative Lucille Roybal-
Allard, Lillian Roybal-Rose and Edward Roybal, Jr.
  Edward Ross Roybal was born on February 10, 1916 in Albuquerque, New 
Mexico and then moved to the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles at an 
early age.
  After military service in World War II, he began his political career 
as many of us did--by losing his first run for office. In reaction to 
that defeat, he founded the Los Angeles Community Service Organization 
(CSO) with the goal of mobilizing Los Angeles's Mexican-Americans 
against discrimination in housing, employment and education.
  In 1949, following a groundswell of support from minority 
communities, Mr. Roybal was elected to the L.A. City Council, the first 
Hispanic to serve on the city council in more than a century.
  In 1962, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives 
representing an LA District that changed several times during his 30-
year tenure in the House.
  At the time of his election, he became the first Hispanic from 
California to serve in Congress since 1879.
  He was one of the founding members--and became the first Chair--of 
the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, CHC.
  During his time in Congress, he ascended to the powerful 
Appropriations Committee, where he was an outspoken advocate for 
funding for education, civil rights, and health programs. He was one of 
the first Members of Congress to press for HIV/AIDS research funding.
  He was a true advocate for senior citizens as well. He served on the 
Select Committee on Aging--and was the chairman from 1985 to 1993. He 
worked tirelessly for the rights of senior citizens and was most proud 
of his efforts to protect and expand the Meals on Wheels program.
  Upon his retirement from Congress in 1992, Representative Roybal was 
honored to see his daughter--and our colleague--Lucille Roybal-Allard 
elected to Congress to represent the newly-created 33rd Distirct, which 
included a portion of the same district that Representative Ed Roybal 
represented in Congress for 30 years.
  After leaving Congress, Ed continued to advocate for those he cared 
most about and founded a non-profit research agency, now called the 
Edward R. Roybal Institute for Applied Gerontology, at the California 
State University--Los Angeles campus.
  In 1999, the Centers for Disease Control, CDC, honored Representative 
Roybal's support for public health programs by naming its main campus 
in Atlanta in his honor and awarding him its ``Champion of Prevention'' 
Award.
  Representative Roybal was a tireless advocate for the less fortunate. 
He served his country with honor both in uniform and in this Congress. 
His contributions will be remembered and celebrated; his death will be 
deeply mourned.
  On behalf of Congress, I extend my deepest sympathies to those he 
loved and those who loved him. He had a rich life and we can best honor 
him by striving to live up to his example of how best to serve.

                          ____________________