[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 148 (Wednesday, November 9, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2317]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING MS. ROSA PARKS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SILVESTRE REYES

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 9, 2005

  Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I join the entire Nation today in mourning 
the death of Ms. Rosa Parks. This humble woman showed how a single act, 
the refusal to give up her seat on a bus to a white man, could change 
the course of history. Her actions helped spark the civil rights 
movement, inspiring leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., and led to the 
Civil Rights Act of 1964.
  Ms. Parks' courage in an era marked by racial tension and hatred is 
still an example to us today. Indeed, we are all indebted to Ms. Parks 
for helping move this country toward one in which all men and women--
black, Latino, Asian, Native American, white--can take their rightful 
place in society.
  Ms. Parks' commitment to justice did not end with the civil rights 
movement. She went on to co-found the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute 
for Self Development to help young adults attain a higher education, 
register to vote, and work toward racial harmony.
  In recognition of a lifetime of achievement, Ms. Parks was awarded 
the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996 and the Congressional Gold 
Medal in 1999. She is also the first woman in history to lie in honor 
in the Capitol Rotunda, which is a testament to her enormous impact on 
our Nation's history.
  Mr. Speaker, I join all Americans in mourning the passing of Ms. Rosa 
Parks. Though we are saddened by this loss, we are mindful of the fact 
that through her life she made our country a better place, and through 
her memory we will never forget the importance of justice and equality 
for all Americans.

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