[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 34 (Wednesday, February 28, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S2372]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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   SENATE RESOLUTION 88--HONORING THE EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENTS OF 
                  MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR DEVAL PATRICK

  Mr. KERRY (for himself and Mr. Kennedy) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                               S. Res. 88

       Whereas February is widely recognized as Black History 
     Month;
       Whereas Deval Patrick was born in Chicago, Illinois but, 
     after receiving what he has described as a life-changing 
     education at Milton Academy, has made Milton, Massachusetts 
     his home;
       Whereas Deval Patrick is the second African American 
     elected Governor in the history of the United States;
       Whereas Deval Patrick has been a pioneer his entire life 
     and was the first member of his family to attend college;
       Whereas Deval Patrick graduated with honors from Harvard 
     College in 1978;
       Whereas Deval Patrick was elected president of the Legal 
     Aid Bureau while attending Harvard Law School and worked to 
     defend poor families in Middlesex County, Massachusetts 
     during law school;
       Whereas Deval Patrick spent many successful years at the 
     National Association for the Advancement of Colored People 
     Legal Defense Fund, devoting his efforts to 
     antidiscrimination and voting rights cases;
       Whereas Deval Patrick served as a partner at the Boston law 
     firm of Hill and Barlow and took on many pro bono cases, 
     including a landmark lending scam case filed on behalf of the 
     Commonwealth of Massachusetts;
       Whereas Deval Patrick was appointed Assistant Attorney 
     General for Civil Rights, the Nation's top civil rights 
     enforcement post, by President Bill Clinton;
       Whereas Deval Patrick served with distinction as Assistant 
     Attorney General for Civil Rights, investigating church 
     burnings, prosecuting hate crimes and abortion clinic 
     violence, holding public employers accountable for job 
     discrimination, ensuring access to housing free of 
     discrimination, protecting the right to vote, and enforcing 
     the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) 
     and other important civil rights laws;
       Whereas Deval Patrick returned to private practice with the 
     Boston law firm Day, Berry, and Howard in 1997;
       Whereas Deval Patrick was appointed by a Federal district 
     court in 1997 to serve as the first chairperson of Texaco's 
     Equality and Fairness Task Force, and was charged with 
     rebuilding the company's system of employment practices 
     following the settlement of a significant race discrimination 
     case against the company;
       Whereas, beginning in 1999, Deval Patrick served as 
     president and general counsel of Texaco and subsequently 
     executive vice president and general counsel of Coca-Cola 
     before returning to Massachusetts to run for Governor;
       Whereas Deval Patrick shows great promise as the 
     Commonwealth's new Governor; and
       Whereas Deval Patrick is aided in his service to 
     Massachusetts by his loving wife Diane and his daughters 
     Sarah and Katherine: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) honors the extraordinary achievements of Massachusetts 
     Governor Deval Patrick;
       (2) offers its appreciation for Deval Patrick's continuing 
     devotion to the people of Massachusetts; and
       (3) congratulates Deval Patrick on his historic election as 
     Governor of Massachusetts and becoming the second African-
     American Governor in the history of the United States.

  Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to honor an 
extraordinary man, a dedicated public servant, and, now, the Governor 
of my home State, Massachusetts: Deval Patrick. It is particularly 
fitting that we honor Deval today--during Black History Month--because 
not only is Deval an outstanding choice to lead our State, but he is 
only the second African American to be elected governor in American 
History.
  Think about that: the second African American to be elected governor 
in any of the 50 States of our great Nation. That is pretty amazing. 
But what is more amazing is that the people of Massachusetts did not 
elect him because they wanted to make history, they elected him because 
they knew he was the best man for the job. They recognized that 
``Together We Can'' was more than just a catchy campaign slogan--it's a 
philosophy about how to treat people and how to lead them. And it 
embodies the kind of leadership our State and our Nation are crying out 
for at this time.
  Throughout his entire life, Deval Patrick has been pushing the 
envelope, striving to achieve what many thought was impossible, 
overcoming obstacles that might have made others of lesser conviction 
or determination turn back. After all, this is a man who went from the 
South Side of Chicago to the Harvard Law Review.
  This is a man who was elected President of the Legal Aid Bureau while 
attending Harvard Law School and who defended poor families in 
Middlesex County, MA prior to graduation. Let me tell you something, I 
attended law school, and I worked in the DA's office prior to my 
graduation. It is no easy task to balance these competing demands, to 
work with families day in and day out on issues that their lives depend 
on. It is a truly remarkable achievement.
  Yet, Deval's commitment to public service did not end there. In fact, 
it was just beginning. Deval went on to spend many successful years at 
the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, devoting his efforts to discrimination 
and voting rights cases. Then, after serving as a Partner at the Boston 
law firm of Hill & Barlow, he was appointed Assistant Attorney General 
for Civil Rights by President Bill Clinton.
  At the Justice Department, Deval served with distinction in this--the 
Nation's top civil rights post--investigating church burnings, 
prosecuting hate crimes and abortion clinic violence; holding public 
employers accountable for job discrimination; ensuring access to 
housing free of discrimination; protecting the right to vote; and 
enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other important 
civil rights laws.
  During his time at Justice, Deval proved that he would fight for 
justice, that he would fight for individual rights, and that he was not 
afraid to hold people accountable, even if others found it politically 
difficult or distasteful.
  These are just a few of Deval Patrick's tremendous career 
accomplishments that lead him to this point in time as my state's 
newest Governor.
  For generations, too many young Americans have grown up with a 
gnawing sense of doubt: that maybe the best that America has to offer 
doesn't really apply to them. That's why I am so happy that a 
generation of children will see men like Deval Patrick in great 
positions of leadership. And it is my great hope that positive examples 
like his will lead a new generation of people of color to push this 
country to ever greater heights.

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