[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 56 (Thursday, April 2, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E884]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORABLE JOHN LAWRENCE MADURO

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN

                         of the virgin islands

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 2, 2009

  Ms. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, one of the legends of the U.S. Virgin 
Islands, the Honorable John Lawrence Maduro will be laid to rest next 
week. Many will rise to speak in his honor for he was one of the 
founding fathers of the political system in the territory and as a 
consequence someone who influenced our community in the social and 
economic aspects as well.
  Born on St. Thomas, Maduro was a graduate of Charlotte Amalie High 
School, New York University and George Washington University School of 
Law. He served in World War II in the North African and European 
theaters and achieved the rank of Master Sergeant and later Second 
Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserves.
  We were proud to honor him and all living WWII Veterans in the Virgin 
Islands two years ago, and he was always very proud of his service
  When he returned to the Virgin Islands in the 1950s, he became active 
in politics and in the process became one of the titans of the 
Legislature, serving for twenty-two years. He presided over the body 
twice and during his tenure, worked with his colleagues to achieve 
political rights for the territory that included the right to elect its 
own governor and delegate to congress, the right of the Legislature to 
apportion its seat in accordance to the vote rule, the right to fix the 
compensation of its members and the rights to override gubernatorial 
vetoes.
  Maduro presented a weekly political radio broadcast that kept his 
constituency informed about legislative issues and also was an active 
partner in the law firm of Birch, deJongh and Farrelly.
  It has been said of John L. Maduro that ``he was determined to create 
a Virgin Islands that would offer unlimited opportunities to its 
citizens in all areas of social, political and economic endeavor and a 
Virgin Islands where pride in one's heritage and homeland would be 
everlasting.''
  Madame Speaker, John L. Maduro and Elmo D. Roebuck, who I spoke of 
earlier this week are part of a generation of leaders who put their 
intellect, their discipline and their foresight to the use of the 
people of the Virgin Islands. They were leaders who we were proud to 
follow, who rose to the challenge of shepherding the territory through 
the rapid changes of 20th century modernization and they gave our 
generation and the generations to follow a territory that is still 
poised to be a regional leader and a positive example of democratic 
government.
  Madam Speaker, we will miss Johnny Maduro. The people of the Virgin 
Islands will not forget his example as we work to create for this 
century, a free and prosperous Virgin Islands.

                          ____________________