[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 102 (Friday, July 28, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1608]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               ON THE PASSING OF AMBASSADOR ANNE FORESTER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 28, 2006

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to pay tribute 
to my sister, and friend, colleague Ambassador Anne Forrester, one of 
the premier civil servants and pan-Africanist of our generation. A 
great spirit departed this world when Anne lost her battle with 
pancreatic cancer and passed away in her home in New York City on June 
23, 2006.
  Today we mourn the loss of this great woman and celebrate her great 
legacy. As the third African-American woman ambassador in U.S. history 
and co-founder of TransAfrica Forum, Anne was a leader and mentor to us 
all. She devoted her life to public service and touched the lives of 
countless individuals. At the same time, Ambassador Forrester broke 
down barriers and paved the way for others to follow in her stead and 
continue the charge.
  As an Ambassador from the United States to Mali, a senior aide to 
U.S. United Nations' Ambassador Andrew Young, Staff Director of the 
Sub-Committee on Africa for the House of Representatives, and a senior 
official at United Nations Development Program in Africa and in the 
Caribbean, Ambassador Forrester had a truly inimitable impact on the 
African Diaspora.
  I met Anne on Capitol Hill during the mid-70s and got to know her and 
benefited from her brilliance, her great intellect, and her warm heart.
  Today, my thoughts and prayers are with her family--daughters Camara 
and Kandia and aunts, Helena and Ethel--during this difficult time, 
along with the countless individuals throughout the world who were 
impacted by her tireless dedication to public service. We all share 
their pain.
  Ambassador Forrester was truly an unparalleled force on the forefront 
of an international movement; she worked tirelessly to connect and 
improve the condition of African peoples throughout the Diaspora. And 
no words can express how greatly our sister-friend will be missed. 
Anne's far-reaching contributions to foreign affairs set a premier 
example for people all over the world. As we mourn her loss, we all 
must commit ourselves to ensure that Anne's spirit and work will live 
on.

                          ____________________