[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 99 (Tuesday, July 25, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H5772-H5773]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1645

  I want to speak to their commitment, to the stairsteps of 
opportunity. I want to thank them for embracing a man like Thurgood 
Marshall, who had the good reason to, one, be an Alpha man but still 
stand in the courthouse door as he argued Brown versus Topeka Board of 
Education.
  And, yes, who would have ever thought that this great august Capitol, 
that had not yet honored in completeness the life and legacy of Martin 
King, an Alpha, would have embraced the mission of the Alpha Phi Alpha 
Fraternity that decided that they would bring about this monument of 
honoring Dr. King and his legacy with a monument. For all the years to 
come, after 100 years, 120 years, 130, 200, 300 years, we will have the 
privilege of coming to the Capitol of the United States and because of 
the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity we will be able to look to the vision, 
the hope, the inspiration of Martin King.
  So I believe that this resolution, authored by Mr. Hinchey, who I 
express great appreciation for, is, in fact, needed as we honor Henry 
Arthur Callis, Charles Henry Chapman, Eugene Kinckle Jones, George 
Biddle Kelley, Nathaniel Allison Murray, Robert Harold Ogle, and 
Vertner Woodson Tandy, the founders of the fraternity. May they live in 
legacy forever. Congratulations. One hundred years doesn't come very 
often. Congratulations to this great and wonderful fraternity.
  Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my 
time, and, first of all, I want to thank Representative Hinchey from 
New York for introducing this resolution. I also want to thank my 
colleague from Nebraska for his management of the bill, Representative 
Osborne, a tremendous educator and legislator. And let me thank all of 
those who have spoken.
  Mr. Speaker, when I think of Alpha Phi Alpha I think of its motto: 
First of all, servants of all, we shall transcend all. Alpha is a great 
service organization, and I want to congratulate our national president 
Daryl Matthews and brother Harry Johnson, who is leading the effort to 
build the Martin Luther King monument on the mall.
  Alpha is a great role model for young boys and men seeking manhood. 
Every chapter has mentoring programs, educational programs, creating 
opportunity for young boys to become young men, and then to become the 
distinguished leaders that our country is so greatly in need of.
  One of the things that I always liked about Alpha was that it helped 
one learn to communicate. And, of course, in my chapter, in order to 
get in, you had to say these poems and you had to go through all these 
processes. So I will end with this one:
  Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole, 
I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul. In the fell 
clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried allowed. Under the 
bludgeonings of chance, my head is bloody but unbowed. It matters not 
how straight the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am 
the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.
  That is the teaching of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. We commend 
Alpha for its 100 years of existence.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield my next 30 seconds to end to Mr. Chaka Fattah, 
from the great City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, could I ask the gentleman from Nebraska if 
he could yield another 30 seconds of his time?
  Mr. OSBORNE. I would certainly yield the extra time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Foley). The gentleman from Pennsylvania 
is recognized for 1 minute.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge the 100 year 
anniversary of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, which is a great 
institution in our country and will be having its centennial conference 
starting tomorrow here in Washington.
  As a member of the Alphas, I know of its reputation for academic 
involvement. One of the first programs of our fraternity was an effort 
to get young men to stay in school and to go to college, and our work 
here in the Congress continues that effort.
  I want to welcome all the Alpha brothers from across the country and 
the world who are coming here to Washington, DC. It is a proud day for 
this great organization, and I thank the Congress for honoring this 
organization and its great contributions to our country.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my thanks to 
Dante Polk, my intern, who is also an Alpha brother and is in the 
audience today.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to once again congratulate 
Alpha Phi Alpha on their 100 years of service. I thank Mr. Hinchey for 
introducing the legislation, Mr. Davis for his management, and also his 
recitation, which was quite inspiring, and the other members of Alpha 
Phi Alpha.
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues today in 
support of H. Con. Res. 384, recognizing and honoring the 100th 
anniversary of the founding of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, 
Incorporated. I also want to thank Mr. Hinchey for introducing this 
resolution, which I am proud to cosponsor.
  Mr. Speaker, what a legacy. Founded at Cornell University in 1906, 
Alpha Phi Alpha is the first black fraternity in the United States.

[[Page H5773]]

Alpha Phi Alpha has an illustrious history of service and leadership 
that is evident through its list of members over the past century. This 
list includes those who are no longer with us, such as Dr. Martin 
Luther King, Jr., and Justice Thurgood Marshall, and those with whom we 
are fortunate to serve today, such as our distinguished colleagues in 
the House--Congressmen Charlie Rangel, Danny Davis, Bobby Scott, David 
Scott, Chaka Fattah, Gregory Meeks, and Emanuel Cleaver.
  The work of Alpha Phi Alpha is as strong as ever. The progress toward 
creating a national memorial here in Washington to Dr. King would not 
have been made without the initiative and dedication of Alpha Phi 
Alpha, and our Nation owes them a debt of gratitude. The fraternity has 
established the Alpha Disaster Relief Fund to aid the families affected 
by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and they were in the forefront of 
efforts to secure passage of the Voting Rights Act Reauthorization.
  Mr. Speaker, today's resolution is especially important to me because 
A Phi A is headquartered in my hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, and the 
fraternity's presence is felt not just on St. Paul Street, but 
throughout our city.
  This week, Alphas around the world will celebrate 100 years of 
leadership and commitment to humanity. The 2006 Centennial Celebration 
will be held here in the Nation's Capital, and I am pleased to join my 
colleagues in welcoming them. I urge my colleagues to unanimously adopt 
this resolution and to join me in wishing General President Darryl 
Matthews, Sr., Executive Director Willard Hall, Jr., and all the 
brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha an outstanding 100th Anniversary.
  Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 384.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will 
be postponed.

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