[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 153 (Thursday, November 17, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2385]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO CONGRESSMAN ED ROYBAL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 17, 2005

  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise to mourn the passing and celebrate 
the life of former Congressman Ed Roybal, an individual who had an 
extraordinary and inspiring dedication to public service. Ed Roybal's 
fight for social justice and the rights of the underserved mark him as 
a true American patriot.
  Congressman Roybal's lifelong commitment to public service began at 
the California Tuberculosis Association, where he eventually became the 
Director of Health Education. He served in the U.S. Army during World 
War II, and then returned to Southern California to found the Los 
Angeles Community Service Organization, an agency dedicated to 
mobilizing Los Angeles' Mexican-Americans against discrimination. He 
was the first Hispanic to serve on the Los Angeles City Council. 
Representative Roybal was also the first Hispanic from California to 
serve in the United States Congress in nearly one hundred years. During 
his 30 years of service, Representative Roybal sat on the 
Appropriations Committee and chaired the Treasury, Postal Service 
General Government Subcommittee.
  Representative Roybal spent his career fighting for and protecting 
the rights of the underprivileged. Through his leadership in Los 
Angeles, he advocated for an end to discrimination against Mexican-
Americans in housing, employment, and education. On the national level, 
Representative Roybal fought for funding for civil rights, health 
programs, and education initiatives. In 1967, he introduced and won 
approval for the first federal bilingual education law, which 
established English classes for migrant children and others. 
Representative Roybal was also one of the first members of Congress to 
press for HIV/AIDS research funding. In addition, he fought for the 
elderly, campaigning for funding for senior programs and successfully 
maintaining Meals on Wheels. In 1993, the retired congressman founded a 
non-profit agency dedicated to improving the quality and effectiveness 
of health and human services for older persons.
  Representative Roybal will be remembered for his distinguished 
service and his remarkable leadership in the fight for civil rights and 
justice. His work is a legacy that serves as an important example for 
all of us about the immense good that a dedicated and committed public 
servant can accomplish. I am proud to serve with Representative 
Roybal's daughter, Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard, who continues 
the legacy of her father with honor and distinction.

                          ____________________