[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 151 (Tuesday, November 15, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H10199-H10208]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF CONGRESSMAN ED ROYBAL
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Davis of Kentucky). Under the Speaker's
announced policy of January 4, 2005, the gentlewoman from California
(Ms. Lofgren) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the
minority leader.
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize
the life and work of Congressman Edward Roybal. As Chair of the
California Democratic Congressional Delegation, I am proud to recognize
the accomplishments of the pioneer of California Hispanic politics.
In his more than 30 years in Congress, from 1963 to 1993, Congressman
Roybal opened many doors for immigrants and the less fortunate in this
country, but more importantly he also opened many minds. As the first
Hispanic to serve in Congress from California since 1879, his
leadership was proof that our Nation's greatness rests in its
diversity. He gave future generations the power to be involved in the
democratic process by sponsoring legislation which funded bilingual
education and inspired thousands to follow his noble example and enter
into public service.
Californians are proud to call the visionary Congressman Roybal one
of our own. But his contribution was not limited to Hispanics or
Californians. Congressman Roybal's vision and passion for social
justice issues transcended color lines, age groups and district and
State boundaries. He worked tirelessly to extend the civil rights and
push the Democratic Party to become more attuned to the needs of
immigrants and minorities.
In addition to all the legislation he fought for and all the programs
he sponsored, Congressman Roybal will also be remembered because of the
legion of public servants he inspired. One of those, a man who fought
for equal rights for farm workers of California, was a young man in San
Jose named Cesar Chavez.
In 1947, Mr. Roybal first ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Los
Angeles City Council. Reacting to his defeat he founded the Los Angeles
Community Services Organization, CSO, with a goal of mobilizing L.A.'s
Mexican Americans against discrimination in housing, employment and
education. The CSO was founded on the idea that people would learn from
each other and would craft solutions to mutual problems, and the model
caught on and chapters formed throughout California. In San Jose, Cesar
Chavez's first experience in politics was registering voters for the
San Jose CSO, and the rest is history.
Today, Congressman Roybal's legacy lives on in Congress and in cities
across this country. More than 6,000 Hispanic elected officials have
followed him into public service. His daughter and our colleague, the
distinguished Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, now represents part
of her father's old district in East L.A. Lucille carries on her
father's work of fighting for compassion and diversity in our
government.
Although he has passed from this earth, Congressman Roybal's passion
[[Page H10200]]
for the poor and his vision for a more inclusive America will live on
in the law books of this country and in the hearts and minds of those
who have been touched by his service to our country.
On behalf of the my California Democratic colleagues and my
constituents in San Jose, I am honored to be here this evening to pay
tribute to former Congressman Ed Roybal.
We thank his family for supporting his work over many years and for
being the source of tremendous pride for him, his wife, Lucille, his
three children, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, Lillian and
Edward. Our thoughts are with you during your grief, and we are honored
to be in this institution that was graced by Congressman Roybal.
This evening, we are going to co-manage the time. We have the
Chairperson of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, my wonderful
colleague, Mrs. Napolitano, who will speak now for 4 minutes; and then
we will yield back to the many colleagues who are here this evening who
want to remember Ed.
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I do not want to repeat all the
accolades that have been showered upon a former Member of Congress who
I had the opportunity to meet but unfortunately never was able to work
alongside of him. You have heard how he was a trailblazer and how he
cared for all minorities, all people that were the unvoiced of America;
that he chose his battles to where he would stand on this floor and
advocate relentlessly on behalf of all the poor and all the unjust
things that were carried out against the many peoples of the United
States.
I can tell you, though, that from listening to the many stories said
about this wonderful individual, you are able to put a picture of a
human, humble, dedicated, compassionate, loving family man who devoted
his life to politics to make life better for all. And as you have
heard, Mr. Speaker, he has become the trailblazer of Latino politics in
not only California but in the United States; that, because of him,
many of us now are able to stand before great bodies and be able to
voice the concerns of those who have no voice in these Chambers.
Mr. Speaker, we have great pride; and another accomplishment of this
great man is that he and four other individuals, including the father
of our seated Member of Congress from San Antonio, Charlie Gonzalez,
Henry B. and several others joined together to form the Congressional
Hispanic Caucus Institute, which now fosters young Latinos for future
leadership of this country. Another great accomplishment.
I could go on, and I probably would be repeating a lot of things, but
there are a lot of unsaid accolades that this gentleman, this gentle
man was able to transmit to those many people who knew nothing of him
but knew of his greatness.
To his daughter, Lucille, my good friend, we are very, very happy she
is here and trust that he is smiling down upon her.
General Leave
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent
that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and
extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of
my special order today.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman
from Texas (Mr. Reyes).
Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
Tonight is both a sad night, because we are here because of the
passing of a great American, Congressman Ed Roybal, but it is also a
time to celebrate his life and his accomplishments and his legacy.
I was just spending a few minutes with my good friend and colleague,
the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Roybal-Allard), a great American
in her own right, who carries on that great legacy of her dad, and I
was telling her how proud she must be here this evening to hear so many
people talk about her dad. I know that she misses him, and I know that
there is a huge void in her heart as there exists in many Members that
worked with Congressman Roybal.
I did not have the privilege of working with him in the House, but I
certainly knew him, or at least I felt I knew him. I got to know him
even more by virtue of becoming a good friend of his daughter and my
colleague, Lucille Roybal-Allard. She always told us about her
experiences coming to Washington and working in and around the Capitol
with her mom and her dad and about the things that her dad stood for
and about the things that he wanted to change and the things that he
did change.
{time} 2045
She told us about the optimism that some day in this great country
and in this, the people's House, there would be many more Latinos and
Latinas that would represent communities all around the country. And
guess what? Today, that is reality. Today, we have not only Latinos and
Latinas here but many other minorities that carry on the work and the
legacy of Congressman Roybal.
What a giant he is among all of us. What a giant he is for us to look
up to. As a grandfather, I want to be able to tell my grandkids that
they should be proud of their heritage because of leaders like
Congressman Roybal and the many things that he has left for us.
There is a lot of work left to be done, but certainly many of us are
here tonight and many of us are able to be here in these elected
positions because of the work that he and a few others did back then
when it must have been much harder than it is today. The challenge may
be different. The challenge today may take on a different venue and a
different texture, but we are able to do that and to take on that
responsibility because we stand on the shoulders of great leaders like
Ed Roybal.
So, tonight, it is sad that we are here because we are going to miss
him, but it is also a time to celebrate a great American, a great
leader, one that leaves a legacy that I feel personally blessed is
carried on by his daughter, Lucille Roybal-Allard. May God bless all of
the Roybal family, and certainly God has blessed this country because
they have walked into this people's House for two generations.
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman
from California (Mr. Baca).
Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute and respect to
Congressman Roybal, father to Lucille Roybal-Allard, who passed away
recently. I was very fortunate with many other individuals who attended
the funeral, and there was an outpouring of love that came out. It was
an outpouring because this is an individual that led by example. This
is an individual that really believed in true family values. He set the
example by leading by example. A true husband, a father, an individual
who cared about his family.
Beyond caring about his family, he accomplished many things along the
way. He created hope, he created opportunity, and he paved the way for
many of us who are currently serving right now.
I was blessed to know him as a member of San Bernardino Community
College district during my period of time; and during that time, I was
involved in NALEAO. He was the man that was very instrumental in
creating NALEAO. NALEAO now has created an opportunity for 6,000
individuals to be elected. He created hope, he created opportunity, and
he created an opportunity to say, ``a si se puede,'' that you can be
whatever you want to be.
He was an individual that cared about people. He cared about the
poor, the disadvantaged, the seniors. He believed in fighting for what
was right. It is not about representing one segment of the community
but representing all segments of the community, because he never forgot
where his roots came from.
He originally was born in New Mexico, in Albuquerque, like I and many
others who have gone out, but he never forgot his roots. He felt it was
important for others to be proud of who you are and where you come from
and to say, I represent every individual, regardless of where I come
from, but be proud of who you are and where you come from. And he did
that. He did that for a lot of us.
Because of that, many of us are in positions that we would not be in
right now. But it took someone that was willing to stand up and pave
the way, not only fighting for civil rights and
[[Page H10201]]
education and opportunities for many individuals and being the first
elected to many of the positions that we now have. He was a city
councilman, the very first one, and then he became a role model, a
mentor, a counselor, someone who guided someone. It is not easy when
you are the first, because everybody else expects you to fall down. He
did not fall down. He set a good example for others to follow.
Mr. Speaker, because he led by example and did positive things. There
were many other opportunities for Hispanics like me and others to say,
you know what? If Congressman Roybal can be a city councilman, maybe I
can become a school board member, a Senator, a United States
Congressman like him. He created that. He created those opportunities
for us.
Let me tell my colleagues, we are all very proud of his
accomplishments, of what he has done not only in creating opportunity
but, at the same time, when there were segregated pools, when they did
not let Mexican Americans and others utilize the pools, he wanted to
make sure that everyone could. Like Rosa Parks, he believed in civil
rights, and he believed in standing up for it. He stood up. The price
was not easy, but he stood up and fought. Because of that, America is a
lot better today. He has paved the way and set an example for all of us
to follow.
Let us follow the lead that Congressman Roybal has done and his
daughter is now doing here in Congress by doing the same thing here:
fighting for civil rights, fighting for education, fighting for health,
being a voice for many people who do not have voices. The daughter is
leading because the father set the example to say it is important to
have people that speak out.
I am glad to have known Congressman Roybal, and I am equally glad to
know Lucille Roybal-Allard, and sometimes we forget to mention her last
name, Allard, as well here serving in Congress.
I offer my condolences to the family, his wife, Lucille, his
daughters, Lucille and Lillian, and his son, Edward, Jr. You truly are
a good example that if you follow your dad's steps, he has true values,
he truly is a leader, his legacy will live on forever because he truly
is a pioneer for all of us. He has paved the way for hope and
opportunity for each and every one of us.
Mr. Speaker, life is a lot better, and no one will ever know how
those doors have been opened for many individuals throughout the
country. I thank him and say God bless him and God bless your mother
and God bless you, Lucille Roybal.
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I now would like to yield
to the distinguished gentlewoman from Los Angeles County (Ms.
Millender-McDonald).
Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I am honored tonight to stand
here to honor a great American. Last month, America lost a visionary
leader, and those of us in Congress lost a dear friend with the passing
of the late, great Congressman Edward R. Roybal.
Ed Roybal was a forward-thinking, progressive Latino politician long
before there was something called the Chicano movement. He was born in
February, 1916, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At the age of 6, he moved
with his family to the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. After
earning degrees at UCLA and Southwestern University, he joined the Army
in 1944 and went off to fight in World War II.
Upon his return to Los Angeles in 1945, Ed worked as the Director of
Health Education for the Los Angeles County Tuberculosis and Health
Association. In 1949, he became the first Mexican American elected to
the Los Angeles City Council in nearly a century, and it would be his
springboard to greater accomplishments.
In 1959, he founded the Mexican American Political Association, one
of the first organizations formed to improve the social, economic,
cultural, and civic advancements of Mexican Americans and all Spanish-
speaking Americans through political action. This organization has
become a premier leader in our Nation, fighting for the rights of all
Americans.
Later, he also formed the National Association of Latino Elected and
Appointed Officials. He knew the importance of a political system and
wanted to ensure Latinos made their voices heard through this process.
In 1963, he again broke down barriers by becoming the first Mexican
American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in the 20th
century.
When he took his seat in Congress, Ed Roybal never forgot his roots
and those he represented. But not only did he represent Latinos. I saw
him as a leader representing all of us. He worked tirelessly to ensure
that all people, Latinos and others alike, were fairly represented and
that their interests were not diluted during redistricting. Sadly, he
often stood alone in these efforts.
Ed Roybal was also a strong advocate for the elderly and the working
poor. We have heard how he served as chairman of both the Select
Committee on Aging and the Subcommittee on Health and Long Term Care,
moving legislation on health care, Social Security, housing, and other
human services. What a great man he was.
He was indeed a New Deal Democrat who was known as a legislator's
legislator for his ability to craft and pass landmark legislation. In
the 1950s, he stood up against the loyalty oath of the McCarthy era. In
the 1960s, he became an early congressional critic of the Vietnam war.
And throughout his life, he was a strong advocate of workers' rights.
Ed Roybal opened the doors for a new generation of Latino elected
officials; and, in my opinion, he opened the doors for all folks,
including his great daughter and our friend and colleague,
Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard. She will now carry the torch of
her great father. Other Latino leaders, such as Los Angeles Mayor
Antonio Villaraigosa, owe a huge debt of gratitude to this unassuming,
yet powerful figure in American politics. He was a trailblazer and an
icon of the Latino community. We all owe a debt of gratitude to this
great distinguished American who saw a wrong and tried to right it.
I called upon Congressman Roybal at a time when I was in the State
legislature, and I had an issue in the city of Compton. I did not know
the man, but I called on him because he had shown such compassion for
those who were the downtrodden. I called on him, and he came to my aid
and with such compassion helped me through the turmoils that I had in
my district. I will never forget this very compassionate, powerful,
unassuming but great man.
In 1976, he co-founded the Congressional Hispanic Caucus along with
others and helped to expand Latino representation across this country.
Following his leadership and example, Latinos are today represented in
Congress in State legislatures, as governors, and in many other
leadership positions, and they lead many of our most populous cities.
Yes, he paved the way to political power for today's Latino leaders and
all Americans who care about fair and representative elections, and we
can be grateful for the path that we crossed with this great man. His
service to our country will not be forgotten. His stellar leadership
will be with us for always.
The condolences of my constituents of the 37th Congressional District
of California are extended to the Roybal family. God bless them all.
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman
from Texas (Mr. Gonzalez).
Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues.
I think I bring a different perspective to the comments and the
remarks regarding the extraordinary life of Congressman Ed Roybal, and
that is that I followed in my father's footsteps just as Congresswoman
Lucille Roybal-Allard does today, so I think we have shared
experiences.
I know that about 4 years ago Lucille and I were interviewed about
our experiences as children being raised in a political family and then
following in their parent's footsteps. We had so much to share. So I
think that some of my remarks I would hope do bring what I consider a
very special view.
The first thing is that our fathers started their careers here in
this Congress in 1961 and 1962 respectively and, combined, I think
served about 67 wonderful, productive, very successful and historical
years in so many different ways. But I think we need to go to the very
beginning. They both started their political years in the late 1940s,
and they both lost their first races. So I think they always would rise
to the
[[Page H10202]]
challenge, of course, over tremendous adversity in their entire lives.
I think both of our fathers were always referred to as ``the first,''
the first Hispanic to be elected to the House of Representatives from
California, the first Hispanic to be elected from the State of Texas,
and so on.
{time} 2100
People forget what that truly signifies. Being the first at anything
means that you are surviving in a very hostile environment; and where
we find ourselves today, even when we complain about the challenges and
the obstacles that are before us, there is no comparison. It pales to
the situation in the 1940s, the 1950s, and the 1960s; and there is no
doubt, even today, the barriers are there for people of color.
They had to succeed where no one else had ever succeeded before, and
they had to maintain and sustain that position, because much more was
expected of them, being that representative of a minority. Yet I do not
want to restrict Ed Roybal's contributions and define him simply by his
ethnicity, because that is not true. It went way beyond that. He
understood until there was justice for all, there would be justice for
none; and that is what his life was all about. I am hoping that tonight
it is a celebration. I think my colleague, Congressman Reyes, has aptly
pointed that out.
On the personal side, I ventured a guess that my colleague, Lucille
Roybal-Allard, did not see much of her father after 1962, that he was
way over here on the east coast and the family was way over there on
the west coast for the most part, and I know that feeling.
There was tremendous sacrifice on the part of the Roybal family.
Tonight I know that my colleagues join me in saying thank you to your
mother, to your brother, to your sister and to you, for sharing your
father, because he gave much more to us than he probably did
individually to you as far as the time that was allowed him to spend
with the family.
That was a great sacrifice, which then leads you to the eventual
question, and one that we all ask ourselves, and that is the careers
that we choose, have we made a difference to sacrifice for our
families, because there is no doubt that your father could have been
very successful at other enterprises that materially and financially
would have been much more rewarding, and he would have been right there
at home, but he chose to do something for so many others, and that is a
very special calling.
Your mother, your brother, your sister, yourself will probably ask
but was it worth it, was it worth that sacrifice. It is a resounding
``yes.'' It is a resounding ``yes'' if you look at all the city halls,
if you look at all our State legislatures, if you look at the United
States Congress.
If we go back to 1961 and 1962, I think if we had a congressional
Spanish Caucus, the total membership would have been two, Lucille's
father and my father. The legacy lives on. Tangible and living proof of
that is that tomorrow morning there will be 27 Members of this House
that will come through these doors that are either Hispanic or
Portuguese in descent. All Americans, of course, first and foremost,
because I think that is what your father's message was. It was then and
it is today and his legacy lives tomorrow.
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman
from California (Mr. Sherman).
Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I will be brief, because all that I can say
has been said and will be said more eloquently by others on this floor.
I wanted to be here for this sad and happy occasion as we celebrate the
life and mourn the death of a great American and a great Los Angelino.
Ed Roybal was a pioneer. He started the community service
organization and formed a partnership of Mexican Americans, the Jewish
community, the Asian community and then was the first in the century,
in over a century, member of the Los Angeles City Council, then the
first Hispanic in over a century to represent our State here in the
House of Representatives, where he served for three decades fighting
for the rights of minorities, the elderly, and the physically
challenged.
He was a founding member, as has been said before, and the first
chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and was a pioneer in
fighting for funding for HIV and AIDS. Edward Roybal leaves a legacy,
not just all the awards named after him, not just the program at Cal
State Los Angeles that he helped found, not just all of the legislation
that he influenced in this House.
He leaves a legacy of his children and grandchildren, and our own
Lucille Roybal-Allard, I know you far better than I know your brother
and sister; but if you are any indication, he left quite a legacy. He
was an inspiration to your family and an inspiration to all of us.
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman
from California (Mr. Farr), who preceded me as Chair of the Democratic
delegation.
Mr. FARR. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight realizing what an incredible privilege it
is for us to speak in the well of the floor of the House of
Representatives and what a privilege it is to grow up in a family that
is politically inspired.
I also know what a heart-wrenching loss a parent is. It tears your
heart out. I speak tonight because I feel very privileged, having grown
up in a political family, like Lucille Roybal-Allard. I remember so
much early childhood politics of what was going on in our house and in
the State of California. In many ways, Ed Roybal was like another
father, because he was in the era that my father was in politics.
He was born the same year as my mother, 1916, Albuquerque, New
Mexico. He came to California, worked in the Civilian Conservation
Corps, worked for the California Tuberculosis Association, became
involved in World War II as a soldier, and then returned to Los Angeles
County as director of health education and then got into politics at
the same time, as he and my father both ran for city council, my father
in Northern California and Ed Roybal in Southern California. They both
lost.
Later on he was elected and became the first Hispanic to serve on the
city council in more than a century. I remember in 1954, he was the
Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor. My father was on that
ballot. I remember that ballot. That was when red baiting went op.
People just tore people apart.
They both lost in that election. My father went on to become elected
to the State senate and Ed Roybal to the United States Congress. When
he arrived here in Congress, he was the first Hispanic Californian to
serve in Congress since 1879. He was a pioneer for all our great State,
and, indeed, the multicultural democracy that California has become.
He served on the Appropriations Committee, and there is where our
paths crossed. I am on the Appropriations Committee. I met Lucille when
she got elected to the California State Assembly in 1986. We served
together there. She came to Congress a few months before I did. We have
served both on the Appropriations Committee, the only California
Democrats on that committee.
I think when we think back about the privilege we had, not only
growing up in a family, yes, things were tough, as pointed out by
Charlie Gonzalez, there were also privileges, the privileges of debate,
the privileges of commitment to public services, the privileges of
wanting to make the world a better place. Those were privileges.
I think that the legacy that he left for his own children, Lucille
serving in the United States Congress, Lillian, who is a constituent of
mine in Santa Cruz and a really able professional, doing a lot to deal
with discrimination and how to teach tolerance, and their brother,
Edward Roybal, Jr., carrying the yoke of his father, obviously, with
not only the same name but all of the responsibilities that his father
has left for him.
It is a privilege, and it is sad to lose a parent, but what an
opportunity to be able to come to the well of the House of
Representatives and give this tribute, a tribute that he, Mr. Roybal,
has gotten not only from us here tonight, for his life, but during his
life, recognized by Presidents, by Senators, by Congressmembers, by
members of the State legislature and city council members; and,
frankly, I cannot think of a person who we really know was a pioneer in
being able to bring an understanding that if you are going to have
[[Page H10203]]
a government of by and for the people, it better look like the people.
I am very proud to be in a congressional delegation from California
that is the most multicultural delegation in the United States
Congress. Your father started that. I am very, very proud to serve with
you.
Perhaps one of the nicest titles that your father has been given,
which was while he was still alive, back in 2004, the Mexican-American
Political Association named him the Latino Legend of the 20th Century.
Lucille, we appreciate the great life that your father gave to public
service. We love you for serving with us in the United States Congress.
Please pass on our best to all of your family, your sister, and your
brother and your mother for the service that your father gave to this
country. It made us a better America.
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to Congressman
Jose Serrano from New York.
(Mr. SERRANO asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I
come with a photograph that sits in my office for many years. It is a
photograph of the day that I was sworn in as chairman of the
Congressional Hispanic Caucus. In the picture is the previous chairman,
Solomon Ortiz, and at the center is Ed Roybal.
I think it is fitting that he was at the center, because he was
always at the center of any change or movement or any small or large or
historic moment in our community. The folks that gave me the photograph
titled it ``Passing of the Torch.'' At that moment, it was not passing
of the torch because I was such a change in the caucus, but because he
always welcomed every new Member, and he always felt that every new
Member had something new to add.
Today, as I look at this photograph, I realize that we have two major
parties and a lot of other parties courting the Latino vote. We have
posters and journalists and editorial boards saying how strong we have
become and how important we are. Yet I wonder at times what it must
have been for Ed Roybal to be a member of the L.A. City Council at that
time and to be a Member of Congress at the time that he was, when it
was not fashionable to be a Latino Member of Congress, when it was
indeed a pioneering effort.
What I remember most about him is sitting on the House floor and
having him speak to me, and in the cloakroom speak to me, with such
dignity and such respect about what was expected of me as a Member of
Congress, and how much I had to represent the east coast and the Puerto
Rican-American community in everything that we did.
He had a way about him that is mentioned here. He is what we call a
class act. He conducted himself in such a way. He spoke in such a way.
If you did not know the history, you were baffled at the fact that this
man spoke in a low voice, in a soft voice, and yet he had been a giant
in tearing down walls.
I guess what he taught me more than anything else is you do not have
to yell and scream and kick and get into a rage to make change. You
just had to know what it was that you and your community wanted and go
at it. This photograph has been replicated today; and tomorrow,
Lucille, I will present it to you in the hope that your family takes it
not as a moment when I was chairman of the caucus, but rather when the
founder of the caucus took time to once again continue the message to
yet another generation of Members of Congress and Latino Americans,
that this was an important thing to do.
This was the passing of the torch at that moment, but he has been
passing on the torch and will continue to for as long as we are around.
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, we have heard many things
today about Congressman Edward Roybal, what a giant he was, what a
leader he was, how he stood up for people who had too little, how he
changed our world. I am mindful all of us who lost a dad know how very
hard it is in a very personal way. Leader or no, it is still your dad.
I also know that the best way maybe to know a person, to know someone
like Congressman Roybal, is to look at his daughter, who is the same
kind of tenacious, dignified person who will stand up for those who
have nothing and make a difference, as she is making a difference, just
as her father did in the Congress for those in need.
{time} 2115
I would like to yield to our beloved colleague, the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Roybal-Allard).
Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Roybal family I
sincerely thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren), the
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano), and my colleagues for
tonight's special order and for their kind words about my father,
former Congressman Edward R. Roybal.
I thank the President and Mrs. Bush for their considerate letter of
condolence, the Speaker of the House, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr.
Hastert) for his graciousness in presenting my mother the flag flown
over our Nation's Capitol in my father's honor, and Senate Minority
Leader Harry Reid for sharing his special memories of my father on the
Senate floor.
For their kind and eloquent words during the memorial services in Los
Angeles, I thank my colleagues, the gentlewoman from California (Ms.
Pelosi), the Minority Leader, the gentleman from California (Mr.
Dreier), the chairman of the Rules Committee, the gentleman from Texas
(Mr. Ortiz), my father's good friend and colleague, and the gentleman
from California (Mr. Becerra).
The Roybal family is also extremely grateful to my father's former
chiefs of staff and Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor of Los Angeles, and his
staff for providing so much help and support during this difficult
time. My family also send a heartfelt thank you to my many colleagues,
constituents, and friends who gave their condolences, attended the
services and/or sent flowers.
Mr. Speaker, my father Edward R. Roybal loved our country and this
House of Representatives where he served proudly for 30 years. During
the past weeks we have heard stories of my father's many legislative
accomplishments and oftentimes lonely battles on behalf of the sick,
the elderly and the disadvantaged. As one of the 13 cardinals of the
House Committee on Appropriations, colleagues from both sides of the
aisle have related to me stories of his fairness and ability to work in
a bipartisan way on behalf of his constituents and our Nation.
We have also heard about his many tributes, including the naming of
the Atlanta campus of the Centers for Disease Control in his honor, and
the recognition received for his lifelong leadership when he was
awarded our Nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Citizens
Medal.
I would like to end this special order, Mr. Speaker, by talking about
Edward Roybal, the father, from the personal experiences of his three
children. As many families do in such times of sadness, my brother,
sister and I sat and talked about our memories of Dad or ``Pop'' as we
lovingly called him.
We recalled how deeply he loved our mother and his wife of 65 years,
Lucille Beserra Roybal. Always by his side, her hard work and devotion
was the glue that held our family together and provided the strength
and support that helped to make possible our father's many
accomplishments, which started when he was only a teenager,
successfully leading the fight against discrimination at a local
swimming pool and continued when he was a public health educator in the
State of California.
We remembered his strong belief in the value and strength of family
and how he, with my mother, shaped our values and modeled for us deep
personal integrity.
He taught us faith in God, the value of family and friends and the
importance of giving back to one's community. And, without a doubt, he
taught us the importance of participating in the political process.
My sister Lillian, my brother Ed and I remembered how we never sat
down to dinner at a normal hour with just the immediate family but
always surrounded by our political family and friends. We remembered
how at any time our house could fill with people and another emergency
meeting would be convened, for our house was always the gathering
place. We remembered triumphant elections, painful defeats, high
expectations, and fearful realities.
[[Page H10204]]
The fearful realities were particularly vivid during the forties and
fifties when we were young children growing up in the Boyle Heights
community of Los Angeles. During that time in our city's history,
Mexican Americans and other minorities were not welcomed in many parts
of our city. Therefore, one can well imagine the reception my father
received in 1949 when he was the first Latino to be elected to the Los
Angeles City Council in the 20th century. The racial slurs and not-so-
quiet whispers directed at him and our family when we attended events
and dinners remain vivid in our minds today.
But equally as vivid is the strength and the courage he demonstrated
as many in our society tried to humiliate and intimidate him to give up
his cause. Giving up was something he would never consider, because he
clearly understood and reminded us often that the struggles and the
victories were not about him and our family but about creating a
foundation of opportunity for future generations of Latinos and other
disenfranchised Americans and community.
In the midst of all of the political turmoil, we also remembered that
there was laughter and fun, and we always knew we were loved. We
remembered family gatherings when Dad played his guitar and sang with
our mother. We remembered his love for his sons-in-law, Michael Rose
and Edward Allard, and the deep love and pride he had for his
grandchildren, Lisa Elliott, Ricardo Olivarez, Michael Rose, Loushana
R. Rose and his great grandchildren Emily Rose, Diego, Santiago, and
Lourdes Olivarez and Mason Elliott.
The void my father leaves behind will always be filled with these and
many more fond memories and values he left with us as part of his
legacy. We miss him, and he will always be in our hearts with great
love and pride.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Roybal family, I again thank my
colleagues for tonight's special order and for sharing their thoughts
and special memories of my father, Congressman Edward R. Roybal.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Roybal family I sincerely thank my
colleagues for tonight's Special Order and for their kind words about
my father former Congressman Edward R. Roybal.
I thank the President and Mrs. Bush for their considerate letter of
condolence, Speaker Dennis Hastert for his graciousness in presenting
my mother the flag flown over our Nation's capitol in my father's
honor, and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid for sharing his special
memories about my father on the Senate floor.
For their kind and eloquent words during the memorial services in Los
Angeles, I thank Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, the Minority Leader,
Congressman David Dreier, Chairman of the Rules Committee, Congressman
Solomon Ortiz, my father's good friend and colleague from Texas,
Congressman Xavier Becerra, from California Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
of Los Angeles, Supervisor Gloria Molina of Los Angeles, Judge Harry
Pregerson, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Sheriff Lee
Baca of Los Angeles County, Councilman Alex Padilla, President of the
Los Angeles City Council, Antonia Hernandez, Dan Maldonado, Evelyn
Verdugo-Tabarez, Brenda Sutton-Wills, Ricardo Olivarez, Eloise Sotello,
Linda Newton, and Manuel Gonez.
The Roybal family is also extremely grateful to my father's former
Chiefs of Staff, Ed Avila, Henry Lozano, Dan Maldonado, Jorge
Lambrinos, Harry Pachon and the Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio
Villaraigosa and his staff, for providing so much help and support
during this difficult time.
My family also sends a heartfelt thank you to my many colleagues,
constituents and friends who gave their condolences, attended the
services, and/or sent flowers.
Mr. Speaker, my father Edward R. Roybal loved our country and this
House of Representatives, where he served proudly for 30 years.
During the past weeks, we have heard stories of my father's many
legislative accomplishments and often time's lonely battles on behalf
of the sick, the elderly, and the disadvantaged.
As one of the 13 cardinals of the House Appropriations Committee,
colleagues from both sides of the aisle have related to me stories of
his fairness and ability to work in a bi-partisan way on behalf of his
constituents and our Nation.
We have also heard about his many tributes, including the naming of
the Atlanta campus of the Centers for Disease Control in his honor.
And, the recognition received for his life-long leadership when he
was awarded our Nation's highest civilian honor: The Presidential
Citizens Medal.
I would like to end this Special Order Mr. Speaker, by talking about
Edward Roybal, the father, from the personal experiences of his three
children.
As many families do in such times of sadness, my brother, sister and
I sat and talked about our memories of Dad or Pop as we lovingly called
him.
We recalled how deeply he loved our mother and his wife of 65 years,
Lucille Beserra Roybal.
Always by his side, her hard work and devotion was the glue that held
our family together and provided the strength and support that helped
to make possible our father's many accomplishments, which started when
he was only a teenager, successfully leading a fight against
discrimination at a local swimming pool and continued when he was a
public health educator in the state of California.
We remembered his strong belief in the value and strength of family.
And how he, with my mother, shaped our values and modeled for us deep
personal integrity.
He taught us faith in God, the value of family and friends, and the
importance of giving back to one's community.
And without a doubt, he taught us the importance of participating in
the political process.
My sister Lillian, my brother Ed and I, remembered how we never sat
down to dinner at a normal hour with just the immediate family, but
always surrounded by our political family and friends.
We remembered how at any time our house could fill with people and
another emergency meeting would be convened. . . . for our house was
always the gathering place.
We remembered triumphant elections, painful defeats, high
expectations, and fearful realities.
The fearful realities were particularly vivid during the forties and
fifties when we were young children growing up in the Boyle Heights
community of Los Angeles.
During that time in our city's history, Mexican Americans and other
minorities were not welcomed in many parts of our city.
Therefore, one can well imagine the reception my father received in
1949, when he was the first Latino to be elected to the Los Angeles
City Council in the twentieth century.
The racial slurs and not so quiet whispers directed at him and our
family when we attended events and dinners remain vivid in our minds
even today.
But equally as vivid is the strength and the courage he demonstrated
as many in our society tried to humiliate and intimidate him to give up
his cause.
Giving up was something he would never consider because he clearly
understood, and reminded us often, that the struggles, and even the
victories, were not about him and our family, but about creating a
foundation of opportunity for future generations of Latinos and other
disenfranchised Americans and Communities.
In the midst of all the political turmoil, we also remembered that
there was laughter and fun; and we always knew we were loved.
We remembered family gatherings when Dad played his guitar and sang
with our mother.
We remembered his love for his son-in-laws Michael Rose and Edward
Allard.
And the deep love and pride he had for his grandchildren Lisa
Elliott, Ricardo Olivarez, Michael R. Rose, Loushana R. Rose and his
great grandchildren Emily Rose, Diego, Santiago, and Lourdes Olivarez
and Mason Elliott.
The void my father leaves behind will always be filled with these and
many more fond memories and values he left with us as part of his
legacy.
We miss him and he will always be in our hearts with great love and
pride.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Roybal family, I again thank my
colleagues for tonight's Special Order and for sharing their thoughts
and special memories of my father, Congressman Edward R. Roybal.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the contributions
of an outstanding Californian. We lost a tireless public servant and
inspiring colleague when Edward R. Roybal passed away on October 25th.
He dedicated his career to a better America for minorities, the poor,
and the elderly. This is a sad loss for our delegation, but also a time
to reflect upon and remember the aspirations and accomplishments of an
outstanding colleague and friend.
Edward Roybal served here for 30 years as the first Hispanic member
from California in over 80 years. He was a founding member and the
first chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC). He was a
founding member of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials
(NALEO) and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.
[[Page H10205]]
Before his election to the House, Ed worked in health education and
fought for equal rights in housing, education and employment. Ed
brought these passions to the House of Representatives in 1963, and
made his mark as a visionary for a more inclusive America. In the years
to come, Ed labored to pass legislation to outlaw age discrimination.
He worked for numerous benefits and opportunities for those with
handicaps. As we accept and embrace the rights of these fellow
citizens, Ed was a trailblazer leading the way.
In his work on the Appropriations Committee, Ed led efforts to
protect funding for programs for the elderly, including public housing
programs for senior citizens, community-based alternatives to nursing
homes, and the Meals on Wheels program. Ed also continued to fight for
laws that treated all Americans fairly. He voted to pass the Equal
Rights Amendment and played a key role in helping to pass legislation
that reversed a 1989 Supreme Court decision allowing age-based
discrimination in employee benefits. Ed retired following the 1992
elections leaving a thirty-year record of success for minorities, the
poor and the elderly.
Los Angeles County, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention,
California State Los Angeles, and the University of California, Los
Angeles, recognized Ed with facilities carrying his name. President
Clinton awarded Representative Roybal the Presidential Citizens Medal
for ``exemplary deeds of service for our Nation. These honors stand in
constant reminder of the lives he touched through his public service to
California and the nation.
When Ed retired, he left us an outstanding legacy when his daughter,
Lucille Roybal-Allard, was elected to represent a part of his old
Congressional district. She continues in that tradition of public
service today as a valued friend and colleague. My wife Annette and I
extend to her and all her family and friends our most sincere sympathy.
I ask all of my colleagues to join me in remembering a true public
servant, Edward Roybal, who served California and our nation with
honor, helping to make a better place for all Americans.
Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of former
Representative Edward Roybal who passed away on October 24, 2005. He is
survived by his wife, Lucille Beserra Roybal, and his three children,
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, Lillian Roybal-Rose an 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.
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 District, which
included a portion of the same district that Rep. Ed Roybal had
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 Rep. 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.
Rep. 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.
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleague and
good friend from Texas for organizing this Special Order and for
yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay honor to a visionary leader, a
distinguished public servant, and a great American, the late gentleman
from California, Edward Roybal. Though I never had the pleasure of
serving with Congressman Roybal in the House, I hold him in the highest
regard, and I am grateful for the opportunity to join my colleagues in
paying tribute to this amazing man.
Today, we mourn the loss of a truly inspiring individual, who spent
his long career working to improve the lives of the underprivileged and
underrepresented.
During his 30-year tenure in the House of Representatives,
Congressman Roybal served with distinction and established himself as a
powerful voice in the fight for social justice and a trailblazer among
Latino leaders. He rose from the ranks of local politics to become one
of the most powerful members of Congress, eventually serving on the
House Appropriations Committee.
Though Congressman Roybal was not the most outspoken member of
Congress, he was known as a man of action. He worked diligently to give
a voice to the voiceless, and fought to make significant policy changes
to important issues that affected his constituents, especially the
elderly, Latinos, and immigrants.
Even before his political career began, Congressman Roybal was
fighting for civil rights and working to create unity in his East Los
Angeles community. He established the Community Service Organization,
which partnered the Jewish and Mexican-American communities in efforts
to end the discrimination he witnessed in education, housing, and
employment.
In 1949, Congressman Roybal overcame threats and racism to become the
first Hispanic to serve on the Los Angeles City Council in more than a
century. Though he faced discrimination, he was not deterred. He used
his experiences as motivation to invoke change, and spent his career in
public service advocating civil rights. As a leading figure in the
Latino community, he worked to address the issues facing his many
Latino constituents, whose problems were often ignored. Congressman
Roybal understood the importance of supporting the Hispanic community--
and in a country with more than 40 million Latinos, we see that his
investment in this community was well founded.
As the son of immigrants, I applaud Congressman Roybal's work to
protect the rights of those coming to America in search of a better
life. He played a pivotal role in getting Congress to support funding
initiatives for educational and medical services for immigrants, and he
authored the Bilingual Education Act of 1968--the first federal law of
its kind.
Congressman Roybal's efforts to help those that society often
overlooks did not end there. During his extensive career in this
chamber, he played a critical role in developing legislation to improve
the lives of the elderly. As the founder and chairman of the House
Select Committee on Aging, he was committed to improving housing and
health care for our nation's seniors.
In the 1980s, when the country knew little about HIV and AIDS,
Congressman Roybal was instrumental in securing funding for research of
this deadly disease. His hard work inspired the Centers for Disease
Control to rename its main campus after him.
The first Mexican-American to represent a district of California,
Congressman Roybal began his career in the House in 1962, joining Henry
B. Gonzalez as the second Hispanic serving in the chamber at that time.
But Congressman Roybal was not content being merely a shining star
among Latinos. He made it his personal mission to see that others would
follow and served as a mentor to numerous lawmakers and aspiring public
servants. He went on to found the Congressional Hispanic Caucus
Institute and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed
Officials, both influential organizations that empower Latinos and
encourage their participation in politics. Today, thanks in part to
CHCl's work and NALEO's advocacy, more than 6,000 Latinos serve in
elected and appointed offices. Within the halls of Congress, he founded
the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which today boasts 21 members.
Congressman Roybal helped pave the way for Latinos in politics, and
all of us serving in Congress--myself included--owe part of our success
to him. I know his daughter, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, feels
[[Page H10206]]
blessed to have had such an inspiring figure in her life, and I'm sure
Congressman Roybal enjoyed seeing her continue his legacy in the House.
Once introduced as the ``new Mexican councilman who also speaks
Mexican,'' Congressman Roybal not only educated public officials about
the Latino community, but created a lasting legacy in Los Angeles,
where he has more buildings named after him than almost any other
politician in the city.
Congressman Roybal received numerous honors, including two honorary
doctor of law degrees and the Presidential Citizens Medal of Honor. But
it is not his awards that people will remember. It is his dedication to
serving his district and the Nation.
Edward Roybal was a man ahead of his time, who saw beyond the limits
society tried to impose. His vision for this country has empowered and
improved the lives of many in this Nation--and I would not be standing
here in the midst of so many of my distinguished Latino colleagues if
it hadn't been for the work of leaders like him. We are impressed by
his many accomplishments and truly grateful for his outstanding
service.
I would like to offer my sincere condolences to his wife, Lucille,
and to my dear colleague, Lucille Roybal-Allard, and her entire family.
May they take comfort in the proud legacy that Congressman Roybal left
behind, and may they find peace in knowing that his mission to defend
civil rights and empower Latinos will be taken up and continued by
those of us here today.
Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to one of the most
pre-eminent trailblazers in the Hispanic community--the recently
departed former Congressman Edward Roybal from the great State of
California.
Recently, we celebrated the unveiling of the portrait of Romualdo
Pacheco--the first Hispanic elected to this body from the State of
California. The man we honor today, Congressman Edward Roybal was the
second Hispanic Member of Congress, elected in 1962--over 80 years
since Congressman Pacheco served.
Congressman Roybal was a founding member of the Congressional
Hispanic Caucus. He was also one of the founding members of the
National Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO) and the
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. He made sure that the voice of
the barrio was heard loud and clear in our Nation's capital. His
example looms large over all of the work we do today.
Congressman Roybal wrote the first bilingual education law. He was a
tireless champion for children and families whose first language was
not English. He made a personal commitment to ensuring that language
was no barrier to education, health services, voting rights, our court
rooms and other areas vital to the community.
He was a champion for elderly Americans. He served on the Select
Committee on Aging and fiercely protected programs such as Meals on
Wheels.
As we prepare for the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, his
handiwork is evident, and his spirit lives on.
After leaving Congress, he found new venues for his advocacy. In
1993, former Representative Roybal used his leftover campaign funds to
found a non-profit research agency dedicated to improving the quality
and effectiveness of health and human service delivery to older
persons, now called the Edward R. Roybal Institute for Applied
Gerontology at the California State University--Los Angeles campus.
Here in the halls of Congress, his legacy continues. The
Congressional Hispanic Caucus that he founded is now 21 members strong
and poised for growth. His daughter, our friend and colleague,
Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, carries on the family tradition of
service and great leadership. Lucille has earned the respect of Members
of Congress on both sides of the aisle the same way her father did it
during his many years of service in Washington.
The best way we can honor Edward Roybal's memory is to continue the
fight to improve the quality of life for our community--young and old,
immigrant and native born, English speakers and speakers of other
languages. To the Roybal family, I offer my heartfelt condolences and
my pledge to continue the fight.
Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in tribute to the late
California Congressman Ed Roybal.
Ed Roybal left this nation a rich legacy. He was a civil rights and
social justice champion. He was an advocate for those least likely to
have a voice--the poor and the elderly. Ed Roybal consistently fought
to invest in people, seeing the long-term benefit and future pay-off of
this investment.
But Ed Roybal also forged a path in politics creating new
opportunities for many Hispanics. Not only was Ed an inspiration to
future generation, he' actively worked to encourage many in the
Hispanic community to explore a future in politics--personally serving
as a mentor to a number of future elected officials.
While I did not serve with Ed Roybal, my late husband did. Bob was
honored to have served in the House of Representatives with him, as he
greatly admired Ed. They shared a similar philosophy. Both chose not to
allow discrimination in their youth define their role in life. Instead
of condemning intolerance in this nation, Ed Roybal, chose to serve and
make it a better place.
To my friend and colleague, Lucille and the entire Roybal family,
please accept my deepest condolences on your loss.
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, Edward Roybal was a man of dignity and
determination. I had the great pleasure of serving in Congress with him
for 10 years. During that time, we worked very closely on immigration
issues and on many matters affecting Los Angeles and California. He was
not only a colleague, but my mentor and my friend.
Ed served his country in the Army during WorId War II and returned to
serve it as one of America's political trailblazers.
Beginning with his first election to the Los Angeles City Council in
1949, Ed's distinguished career in politics spanned more than six
decades. He was the first Hispanic elected to the Council since 1881
and he served there for four terms. It would take 23 additional years
before another Mexican American took a seat on the City Council.
Although ``just'' a city official, Ed was a vociferous critic of the
excesses of the House Un-American Activities Committee--and Jewish
leaders in Los Angeles well remember how he stepped forward in the
early 1950s to welcome the prime minister of Israel to the City of
Angels.
In 1962, he was elected to Congress--the first Hispanic from
California to serve in Congress since 1879. From that first campaign,
the support given him by his constituents was unwavering. He never
received less than 66 percent in a general election. The three times he
was challenged in a primary, he won by more than 80 percent.
From his position as chairman of the Appropriation Committee's
Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service and General Government, he
sought funding for Alzheimer's victims, and for Alzheimer's disease
research.
He introduced a medigap proposal, and had a universal health care
bill. He promoted a measure to offset a national nursing shortage by
providing funds to recruit and raise the salaries of nurses.
He also took on the cause of mental health treatment, passing
provisions that expanded demonstration projects for rural mental health
care and establishing a national mental health education program.
In 1985, he succeeded Representative Claude Pepper as chairman of the
Select Committee on Aging. The two of them worked long and hard to
provide funding for long-term health care for the chronically ill. In
the 101st Congress, he helped enact legislation that reversed a 1989
Supreme Court ruling allowing age-based discrimination in employee
benefits.
As a founding member and the first chairman of the Congressional
Hispanic Caucus, Ed mounted strong opposition to the Simpson-Mazzoli
immigration bill because it imposed sanctions on U.S. employers who
hired illegal immigrants. He worked against this provision with such
intensity that it had to be brought up in three Congresses--two as
Simpson-Mazzoli and one as Simpson-Rodino--before it finally won
passage. I supported it, and learned in the process, that he could be
not only a good friend, but a worthy adversary.
After his retirement from Congress, Ed maintained his interest in
health care and public health programs and to this end, he founded the
Edward R. Roybal Institute for Applied Gerontology at UCLA. The Centers
for Disease Control named its Atlanta campus after him and named him
their ``Champion of Prevention''--an honor reserved for individuals who
have made significant contributions to public health. He was also
honored by President Clinton with the highest civilian award in the
Nation--the Presidential Medal of Freedom-- for his ``exemplary deeds
of service for our Nation.''
No award meant more to him than the affection and respect of his
family. He was enormously proud of his three children, Lucille, Lillian
and Edward, Jr.--and I am certain that he was greatly pleased that his
oldest daughter followed him into public service and into this great
body, where U.S. Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard serves with
dedication and distinction and where she is one of my favorite
colleagues.
I am privileged today to tell you of my enormous regard and high
esteem for Edward R. Roybal--a mentor for a whole generation of
Hispanic community leaders, a prominent national advocate for the
elderly and the infirm, and a great champion for civil rights and
social justice.
Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the life of my
former colleague, Edward Ross Roybal.
[[Page H10207]]
Ed Roybal lived an extraordinary life. As a young man growing up
during the Great Depression, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Later he served his country in World War II.
He made his jump into politics--and into history--in 1949. Ed was
elected to the Los Angeles City Council, becoming the Council's first
Hispanic Member in over 100 years. After 13 years of distinguished
service to Los Angeles, Ed was elected to the House of Representatives.
From 1963 to 1993, Ed Roybal served this House--and his
constituents--with distinction. He was a quiet power on the
Appropriations Committee and used his enormous influence to help those
who needed help the most. He worked tirelessly for funding health and
civil rights programs and spearheaded efforts to restore funding for
programs benefiting the nation's elderly population. He was ultimately
successful in preserving the widely used Meals on Wheels program.
In 1976, Ed was one of the founding members of the Congressional
Hispanic Caucus and served as its first chair. He was also one of the
founding members of the National Association of Latino Elected
Officials, NALEO, as well as the Congressional Hispanic Caucus
Institute.
After deciding not to run for re-election in 1992, Ed's daughter,
Lucille Roybal-Allard was elected to Congress to carry on Ed's
essential work.
His service to his community did not end when he left public office.
In 1993, Ed established a non-profit research organization committed to
efficient health and human service delivery to the elderly. The center
is now known as the Edward R. Roybal Institute for Applied Gerontology.
In 2001, Ed Roybal received the Presidential Citizens Medal from
President Clinton. And in 2004, the Mexican-American Political
Association honored him as a ``Latino Legend of the 20th Century.''
Ed Roybal will always be remembered as a dedicated community activist
and a devoted public servant who always made the needs of those he
served paramount. His life and work will continue to serve as an
example to us all. I was proud to have served in the House with him and
I consider him a friend and mentor.
Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, today we mourn the loss of a 20th Century
American giant, Congressman Edward Roybal. When I got to Congress so
many years ago, there were not many people in Washington that I could
identify with or look up to as a role model. There were just a few
Hispanics in Congress when I arrived there. Nobody stood taller than Ed
Roybal in my eyes. He was already a legend in Congress and Los Angeles.
Lord knows we were different--he was a businessman from California, I
was a sheriff from Texas. But we were more the same for our backgrounds
in families that came from modest means. We both represented a large
number of low income people.
We met in 1976--the year the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, or CHC--
was founded. Even then he was organizing the nation's elected Hispanic
officials; and as a County Commissioner in Texas, I was invited to a
conference on Hispanic matters.
My first impression was what a gentleman he was, and how smart and
well-organized. He seemed to know everybody and know everything about
the organs of government at all levels. He was a charming and gentle
mentor. Paying tribute to Ed Roybal is to remember that to see the
future, you must stand on the shoulders of a giant. And this Hispanic
pioneer had giant shoulders on which we all stand today.
When Ed came to Congress in 1963, he was nearly alone as a Hispanic
member of Congress. He faced quite a quandary: While he represented a
Los Angeles area district, he carried the hopes and dreams of a growing
segment of the population that lived all over the Nation.
When he left Congress in early 1993, he saw not only his beloved
daughter win a seat in Congress--he witnessed yet another growth spurt
of the number of Hispanic members sitting in Congress. That year our
Caucus grew to 20 members, quadrupling the membership just over a
decade earlier when Ed founded the CHC.
Ed knew that he and his Hispanic colleagues: Herman Badillo, Kika de
la Garza, Henry Gonzalez, and Baltasar Corrada del Rio represented
disjointed districts and the interests of the national Hispanic
community. It was Ed's leadership in this group that led to the
creation of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in 1976.
When he talked about the formation of the CHC, he talked about the
use of other Hispanic members as a ``force multiplier''--or the
philosophy that more people working together created more opportunities
and more information for the larger national community. In the
beginning, there were just the five members and they all sat on various
committees. Ed knew if there was a central organization for the sitting
members, it would be easier for all of them to know what was coming in
the various committees.
In Washington, information is power. Ed understood that and through
the CHC the Hispanics in Congress shared information in a regular,
organized way.
He was an extraordinary visionary. Just as he organized the Hispanic
members of Congress to maximize our numbers to serve the larger
Hispanic population--Ed also carried that vision beyond Capitol Hill.
He helped create the National Association of Latino Elected
Officials, NALEO, which connects the Hispanic office holders around the
Nation.
Visiting Ed's Capitol Hill office was to take a walk through the
important events of the 20th Century.
There were pictures of Ed with President Kennedy, with President
Johnson, with Cesar Chavez, and with dozens of other bigger-than-life
people. His office seemed almost like a living museum.
He loved his wife very much. They were a beautiful couple. They were
always together and he was so attentive.
He was forever explaining to the younger members: the issues are
large and complex, and our population is growing, be smart. He was
enormously respected on both sides of the aisle and that may have been
the legacy he will be remembered for by those of us who labor on
Capitol Hill.
Ed never believed the other party was bad or evil; he knew we were
all Americans, and we all wanted the best for our Nation.
He brought his considerable business sense to our cause.
Realizing that our future was literally ours to shape, Ed founded, in
1978, a non-profit called the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute,
whose main purpose was: ``each one, teach one.''
CHCI, the Institute, was created to bring young people to Capitol
Hill each year, put them in congressional offices to learn and
understand the dynamics of our government, then send them back to their
communities with more savvy about affecting change at the national
level. In the early 1980s after my service in Congress began, Ed
pointed out that we were wasting precious resources on rent for the
Institute on Capitol Hill and insisted that we buy a building. He told
us this was literally an investment in our children's future, and in
the future of the Hispanic community. As always, he was right.
While Ed was a quiet man, he had an unwavering commitment to the
principles of justice and compassion and to the poor, the elderly and
the disenfranchised. He had an enormous heart, a quick wit, and was
among the smartest members I ever served with. I was always fascinated
by his stories of his early days in the 1960s when the population of
Hispanic members of Congress could be counted on one hand. Many of his
stories reminded me of experiences many of us shared--how other members
of Congress were surprised that he spoke English fluently, with
exceptional diction how people didn't think he was Mexican because he
didn't have a long mustache or wear a sombrero.
Ed Roybal's legacy simply cannot be measured but it can be found in
policies he championed, in the organizations he created to further the
cause of Hispanic Americans, in the thousands of young lives he touched
and influenced during the course of his amazing public service and in
the service of his daughter who went on to follow in his footsteps in
Congress.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, at the recent memorial service for our
former colleague the Honorable Edward Roybal of California, whom we
remember tonight, my distinguished friend the Honorable David Dreier
delivered a moving eulogy. The remarks that I will submit for the
Congressional Record include Mr. Dreier's recollections of the powerful
influence that our friend Mr. Roybal had on this House. It is in that
same bipartisan spirit that I compliment my colleague, Mr. Dreier, for
his comments. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the remarks of
Mr. Dreier be included in the Congressional Record.
Statement of the Honorable David Dreier Honoring Former Congressman Ed
Roybal, November 15, 2005
Mr. Speaker, recently, our nation lost two icons in the
battle for equal rights. Twenty-five years before Rosa Parks
refused to give up her seat on that bus in Montgomery,
Alabama, a young Ed Roybal was in the vanguard of the
struggle for equality here in Los Angeles.
Speeches are given in Congress every day. Mr. Roybal's
account of his fight for justice was one of the most
memorable speeches I've ever heard.
He told a packed House chamber that the Evergreen swimming
pool in Boyle Heights was a favorite neighborhood hangout
where fun was had by all. There was just one problem. They
would only allow Mexican Americans to swim the day before the
pool was to be cleaned. Still a teenager, Ed Roybal led the
effort to overturn that abhorrent policy.
Without bitterness or anger but with resolve he spent the
rest of his life confronting the Evergreen pools that pervade
our culture and laws.
[[Page H10208]]
The Times called him, ``a mentor to scores of lawmakers.''
I hope this doesn't upset anyone but he had at least one
Republican protege who has been inspired by his example. Mr.
Roybal was a giant in public service. A gracious man, who
through his conscience and his actions was one of the great
leaders of this city and our nation.
I have served in Congress for twenty-five years. It has
been an honor to be a colleague of Mr. Roybal's for half that
time and a colleague of Lucille's for the other half. There
is no greater tribute to his legacy than the dedication of
his daughter to the very same ideals and beliefs that guided
him.
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart
at the loss but pride for the service of Congressman Ed Roybal that we
yield back the balance of our time.
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