[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 13, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E187-E188]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            RICHARD HATCHER

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 13, 2008

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Madam Speaker, it is with great honor and pleasure 
that I stand before you today to honor one of northwest Indiana's most 
distinguished and honorable citizens. I have known the Honorable 
Richard Hatcher for many years, and he is one of the most influential 
citizens I have ever known, especially when it comes to the progress he 
made for residents of northwest Indiana and the entire United States. 
Forty years ago, Richard was elected mayor of Gary, Indiana, and in 
doing so, he, along with the late Carl Stokes of Cleveland, Ohio, 
became the first African American individuals elected to serve as 
mayors of major metropolitan areas. Since this time, Richard has been a 
constant fixture in not only Gary, but throughout northwest Indiana. 
Today, as we celebrate this significant event in our Nation's history, 
we reflect on the magnitude of his election and the progress that has 
been achieved since that time. In Mayor Hatcher's honor, as well as in 
honor of Carl Stokes, a celebration will be taking place on Saturday, 
February 23, 2008, at the Genesis Convention Center in Gary, Indiana.
  Richard Gordon Hatcher was born on July 10, 1933, in Michigan City, 
Indiana. Following his graduation from high school, Richard went on to 
complete his bachelor of science degree in business and government at 
Indiana University. Subsequently, he also earned his bachelor of law 
and juris doctorate degrees from Valparaiso University. After 
completing law school, Richard relocated to Gary and began practicing 
law in East Chicago, Indiana. This was the beginning of his remarkable 
legal career, which included service as a deputy prosecutor for Lake 
County, Indiana. From there, his political career began when he was 
elected to the Gary City Council. Then, in 1967, he was elected mayor 
of Gary, the office he would hold for an astonishing 20 years.
  Throughout his political career, Richard was always involved with 
various commissions and councils, including: the United States 
Conference of Mayors, for which he served as a member of the executive 
board and as vice president and president of the conference, the 
National League of Cities, the National Conference of Black Mayors, for 
which he was elected its first president, the National Urban Coalition, 
and the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials, for which he 
served 4 years as president. He also received Presidential appointments 
to serve on two commissions: the United States Advisory Commission on 
Intergovernmental Relations and the United States Commission on 
Education. Richard has also had a great impact on American society 
through his involvement with several civil rights organizations, both 
locally and nationally, including: the National Association for the 
Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Urban League of Northwest 
Indiana, TransAfrica, the National Civil Rights Hall of Fame, the 
Martin Luther King Center for Non-Violent Social Change, and the 
Operation PUSH/Rainbow Coalition.
  Throughout his illustrious career, Richard has been honored time and 
time again for his dedication and steadfast efforts in improving the 
quality of life for all people. To name a few of his accolades, Richard 
was honored in 1974, by Time magazine as one of the ``200 Outstanding 
Young Leaders in the United States,'' as well as one of the ``100 Most 
Influential Black Americans'' by Ebony magazine. He was also awarded 
the ``President's Award'' by the National League of Cities in 1987, the 
``Adam Clayton Powell Award'' by the Congressional Black Caucus in 
1977, the Operation PUSH ``Award of Excellence'' in 1980, and the Roy 
Wilkens Award from the NAACP in 1989. In addition, he has been honored 
with the ``Urban Leadership Award'' by the Indiana Association of 
Cities and Towns, the ``Distinguished Mayor Award'' by the National 
Urban Coalition, and the ``Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom Award'' from the 
National Conference of Black Mayors.
  Madam Speaker, through his election as mayor of Gary in 1967, Richard 
Hatcher has been a cornerstone in the building of a better America. He 
has continued his efforts toward progress through the many ways he has 
selflessly given his time and efforts to the people of Gary, northwest 
Indiana, and beyond. At this time, I ask that you and all of my 
distinguished colleagues join me in commending him, as well as the late 
Carl Stokes, on their 40th anniversary of this significant event in our 
Nation's history, as well as for his lifetime of service and dedication 
to his community.
    

[[Page E188]]

                       SENATE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

  Title IV of Senate Resolution 4, agreed to by the Senate on February 
4, 1977, calls for establishment of a system for a computerized 
schedule of all meetings and hearings of Senate committees, 
subcommittees, joint committees, and committees of conference. This 
title requires all such committees to notify the Office of the Senate 
Daily Digest--designated by the Rules Committee--of the time, place, 
and purpose of the meetings, when scheduled, and any cancellations or 
changes in the meetings as they occur.
  As an additional procedure along with the computerization of this 
information, the Office of the Senate Daily Digest will prepare this 
information for printing in the Extensions of Remarks section of the 
Congressional Record on Monday and Wednesday of each week.
  Meetings scheduled for Thursday, February 14, 2008 may be found in 
the Daily Digest of today's Record.

                           MEETINGS SCHEDULED

                              FEBRUARY 21
     10 a.m.
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine pending judicial nominations.
                                                            SD-226

                              FEBRUARY 26
     9:30 a.m.
       Armed Services
         To hold hearings to examine the defense authorization 
           request for fiscal year 2009 for the Department of the 
           Army, and the future years defense program.
                                                            SH-216
     10 a.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
         To hold hearings to examine U.S. oil inventory policies, 
           focusing on the Department of Energy's Strategic 
           Petroleum Reserve Project Management Office policies.
                                                            SD-366

                              FEBRUARY 27
     9:30 a.m.
       Armed Services
         To hold hearings to examine the current and future 
           worldwide threats to the national security of the 
           United States; with the possibiliy of a closed session 
           in S-407 following the open session.
                                                            SD-106
     9:45 a.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Stanley C. 
           Suboleski, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
           Energy (Fossil Energy), and J. Gregory Copeland, of 
           Texas, to be General Counsel, both of the Department of 
           Energy.
                                                            SD-366
     10 a.m.
       Small Business and Entrepreneurship
         To hold hearings to examine the President's proposed 
           budget request for fiscal year 2009 for the Small 
           Business Administration.
                                                           SR-428A
     2:30 p.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
       Public Lands and Forests Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine S. 2229, to withdraw certain 
           Federal land in the Wyoming Range from leasing and 
           provide an opportunity to retire certain leases in the 
           Wyoming Range, S. 2379, to authorize the Secretary of 
           the Interior to cancel certain grazing leases on land 
           in Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument that are 
           voluntarily waived by the lessees, to provide for the 
           exchange of certain Monument land in exchange for 
           private land, to designate certain Monument land as 
           wilderness, S. 832, to provide for the sale of 
           approximately 25 acres of public land to the Turnabout 
           Ranch, Escalante, Utah, at fair market value, S. 2508 
           and H.R. 903, bills to provide for a study of options 
           for protecting the open space characteristics of 
           certain lands in and adjacent to the Arapaho and 
           Roosevelt National Forests in Colorado, S. 2601 and 
           H.R. 1285, bills to require the Secretary of 
           Agriculture to convey to King and Kittitas Counties 
           Fire District No. 51 a certain parcel of real property 
           for use as a site for a new Snoqualmie Pass fire and 
           rescue station, H.R. 523, to require the Secretary of 
           the Interior to convey certain public land located 
           wholly or partially within the boundaries of the Wells 
           Hydroelectric Project of Public Utility District No. 1 
           of DouglasCounty, Washington, to the utility district, 
           and H.R. 838, to provide for the conveyance of the 
           Bureau of Land Management parcels known as the White 
           Acre and Gambel Oak properties and related real 
           property to Park City, Utah.
                                                            SD-366
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
       Space, Aeronautics, and Related Agencies Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine the President's proposed 
           budget request for fiscal year 2009 for the National 
           Space and Aeronautics Administration (NASA).
                                                            SR-253
       Intelligence
         Closed business meeting to consider pending calendar 
           business.
                                                            SH-219

                              FEBRUARY 28
     9:30 a.m.
       Armed Services
         To hold hearings to examine the defense authorization 
           request for fiscal year 2009, for the Department of the 
           Navy, and the future years defense program; with the 
           possibility of a closed session in SR-222 immediately 
           following the open session.
                                                            SH-216
       Energy and Natural Resources
         To hold hearings to examine the impact of increased 
           minimum wages on the economies of American Samoa and 
           the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
                                                            SD-366

                                MARCH 5
     9:30 a.m.
       Armed Services
         To hold hearings to examine the defense authorization 
           request for fiscal year 2009, for the Department of the 
           Air Force, and the future years defense program.
                                                            SH-216

                                MARCH 6
     9:30 a.m.
       Armed Services
         To hold hearings to examine the defense authorization 
           request for fiscal year 2009 for the U.S. Southern and 
           Northern Command, and the future years defense program.
                                                            SH-216

                                MARCH 11
     9:30 a.m.
       Armed Services
         To hold hearings to examine the defense authorization 
           request for fiscal year 2009 for U.S. Pacific Command 
           and U.S. Forces in Korea, and the future years defense 
           program.
                                                            SH-216

                                MARCH 12
     2:30 p.m.
       Armed Services
       Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine technologies to combat 
           weapons of mass destruction.
                                                            SD-106
       Armed Services
       Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine the defense authorization 
           request for fiscal year 2009, the future years defense 
           program, and military installation, environmental, and 
           base closure programs.
                                                           SR-232A

                                MARCH 13
     2:30 p.m.
       Armed Services
       Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine the defense authorization 
           request for fiscal year 2009 for the Cooperative Threat 
           Reduction Program and the Proliferation Security 
           Initiative at the Department of Defense, and nuclear 
           nonproliferation programs at the National Security 
           Administration, and the future years defense program.
                                                            SR-222