[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 140 (Friday, October 28, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2224]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   ANNOUNCING PASSING OF FORMER CONGRESSMEN ED ROYBAL AND BOB BADHAM

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. TOM UDALL

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 25, 2005

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
memory of Representative Ed Roybal, a towering figure whose tireless 
work on behalf of civil rights and health care were the hallmarks of 
his distinguished career, For three, decades, Representative Roybal 
served with distinction and honor in the House, and it is with sadness 
that we now recognize his passing.
  Born in Albuquerque only 4 years after New Mexico gained statehood, 
Ed Roybal's childhood was spent in the Land of Enchantment. His family 
had resided in the Southwest for several generations, its family 
lineage stretching to the founding of Santa Fe, the oldest capital in 
the Nation. When he was 6, Ed Roybal's father became unemployed during 
a railroad strike, and in 1922 they moved to Los Angeles, California.
  Over the next two decades, Ed Roybal became passionate on issues of 
discrimination, minority rights, health care, and senior citizens. 
After forming an organization to combat against housing and education 
discrimination against minorities, and after serving on the Los Angeles 
City Council, Ed Roybal in 1963 became the first Mexican-American from 
California elected to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. 
During his three decades in this role, he became a national leader and 
outspoken advocate for health care and minority rights, while at the 
same time being revered by his constituents for his never-ending 
attention to their needs.
  Representative Roybal can also be credited with creating the National 
Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO), one of the leading 
Hispanic political organizations in the Nation. Several locally elected 
officials throughout my district often visit me while in Washington for 
NALEO conferences, and each and every one of them extol the virtues of 
the organization and its successes in promoting Hispanic action and 
service in the political field. I have no doubt that it is because of 
Representative Roybal's ceaseless and caring service that so many 
Hispanics serve today. I know for certain that one member of our own 
body was front and center for Representative Roybal's wonderful lessons 
in civics and public service. Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard, who 
now represents the district her father once represented, has continued 
her father's advocacy for the poor, for the voiceless, and for the 
disenfranchised. She, like so many of us, was able to learn from his 
exemplary service, and he was extremely proud of her.
  Mr. Speaker, Representative Ed Roybal added immensely to this 
distinguished body during his three decades of service. He is to be 
remembered for his hard work and his dedication and leadership on so 
many noble causes. I extend my sympathies to my colleague and to the 
rest of her family on this loss. We share their sadness on this 
occasion.