[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 66 (Wednesday, May 5, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H3145-H3148]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1145
CONGRATULATING THE NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE
Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 1157) congratulating the National Urban League on
its 100th year of service to the United States, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1157
Whereas the National Urban League, formerly known as the
National League of Black Men and Women, is a historic civil
rights organization dedicated to elevating the standard of
living in historically underserved urban communities;
Whereas, on its Centennial Anniversary, the National Urban
League can look back with great pride on its extraordinary
accomplishments;
Whereas, since its inception in 1910, the National Urban
League has made tremendous gains in equality and empowerment
in the African-American community throughout the United
States;
Whereas the National Urban League began as a multiracial,
diverse grassroots campaign by Mrs. Ruth Standish Baldwin and
Dr. George Edmund Haynes;
Whereas the League has since expanded to 25 national
programs, with more than 100 local affiliates in 36 States as
well as the District of Columbia;
Whereas, during the Civil Rights movement, the League
worked closely with A. Phillip Randolph, Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., as well as many other exceptional leaders;
Whereas, throughout the 1970s, the League saw tremendous
growth in its partnership with the Federal Government
addressing race relations, delivering aid to urban areas, as
well as making improvements in housing, education, health,
and minority-owned small businesses;
Whereas the National Urban League employs a 5-point
approach to increase the quality of life for Americans,
particularly African-Americans;
Whereas the League's 5-point approach is accomplished
through programs such as: ``Education and Youth
Empowerment'', ``Economic Empowerment'', ``Health and Quality
of Life Empowerment'', ``Civic Engagement and Leadership
Empowerment'', and ``Civil Rights and Racial Justice
Empowerment'';
Whereas through the League's Housing and Community
Development division, programs such as ``Foreclosure
Prevention'', ``Homeownership Preparation'', and ``Financial
Literacy'', the League was able to aid over 50,000 people in
2009;
Whereas with assistance provided by the League's
``Foreclosure Prevention'' program, 3,000 people were able to
avoid filing foreclosure in 2009;
Whereas through the League's Education and Youth
Development division, programs such as ``Project Ready''
ensure that students will be prepared for the transition from
high school to college, or in joining the workforce;
Whereas the National Urban League publishes the ``State of
Black America'', an annual report analyzing social and
economic conditions affecting African-Americans that includes
their Equality Index, a statistical measure of the
disparities between Blacks and Whites across 5 categories:
economics, education, health, civic engagement, and social
justice;
Whereas the League's programs not only emphasize the
importance of leadership and community in local areas but
also enhance the quality of life by studying and addressing
specific problems within the communities;
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Whereas throughout the League's 100 years of service the
organization has assisted millions of Americans and
especially African-Americans in combating poverty,
inequality, and social injustice;
Whereas the League has outlined 4 aspirational goals to
increase access to education, jobs, housing, and health care
to mark its centennial anniversary as part of its I AM
EMPOWERED campaign;
Whereas the work of the League has been pivotal in
improving the lives of millions of African-Americans through
community-oriented programs, civil rights, and leadership
opportunities; and
Whereas the National Urban League remains an essential
organization today: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) congratulates the National Urban League on its 100th
year of service to the United States;
(2) expresses its deep gratitude for the hardworking and
dedicated men and women of the League who, in the last 100
years, have struggled to improve American society and the
lives of all Americans; and
(3) commends the League's ongoing and tireless efforts to
continue addressing areas of inequality and fighting for the
rights of all Americans to live with freedom, dignity, and
prosperity.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Chu) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.
General Leave
Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which
Members may revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous
material on House Resolution 1157 into the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Ms. CHU. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor and privilege that I rise in
support of House Resolution 1157 in commemoration and recognition of
the National Urban League's 110th anniversary and their pursuit of
civil rights and economic empowerment for all people.
Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the National
Urban League is a preeminent voice for the civil rights of African
Americans and for improving the quality of life in our urban
communities. Through their programs, the League provides direct
services to more than 2 million people nationwide through more than 100
local affiliates in 36 States and the District of Columbia.
With its 100th anniversary, the League commemorates a rich history of
service and advocacy. In what started as a grassroots movement for
equality, Mrs. Ruth Standish Baldwin and Dr. George Edmund Haynes
provided crucial support to African Americans moving to urban centers
in the early 1900s. The League worked tirelessly to reduce the
discrimination and pervasive inequality in our Nation's cities.
The League grew in size and influence with our Nation's civil rights
movement in the 1960s. They expanded their advocacy operations and
established social service initiatives in housing, health, education,
and minority business development.
This national organization exemplifies the ideals of service and
outreach and has been a tremendous force in enhancing opportunities for
education, economic empowerment, health, and quality of life, civic
engagement, and civil rights and social justice.
I would like to extend my congratulations and appreciation to the
National Urban League for their 100 years of exceptional dedication and
service, and I wish this organization continued success in the great
work that they do for years to come.
I would also like to thank and congratulate the countless volunteers
and staff of the National Urban League for their commitment to
furthering the organization's mission of equality, and I join with them
in celebrating the League's historic milestone.
I thank Representative Hastings for introducing this resolution, and
I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today also in support of House Resolution 1157,
congratulating the National Urban League on its 100th year of service
to the United States, and I appreciate the gentleman from Florida for
having introduced this piece of legislation.
The National Urban League is a nonpartisan civil rights organization
based in New York City that advocates on behalf of African Americans
and against racial discrimination in the United States. It is the
oldest and largest community-based organization of its kind in this
Nation.
Founded in New York City on September 29, 1910, by Ruth Standish
Baldwin and Dr. George Edmund Haynes, among others, it merged with the
Committee for the Improvement of Industrial Conditions among Negroes in
New York, which was founded in 1906, and the National League for the
Protection of Colored Women, which was founded a year earlier, and was
renamed the National League on Urban Conditions.
The National Urban League helped train black social workers and
worked in various other ways to bring educational and employment
opportunities to blacks. Its research into the problems facing
employment opportunities, recreation, housing, health and sanitation
and education spurred the League's quick growth. By the end of World
War I, the organization had 81 staff members working in 30 cities. In
1920, it took its present name.
Today, this organization remains committed to improving the lives of
Americans. There are more than 100 local affiliates in 36 States and
the District of Columbia providing direct services that impact the
lives of more than 2 million people nationwide. We congratulate the
National Urban League for 100 years of service to our Nation, and I ask
my colleagues to support this resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Hastings) for 5 minutes.
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished
gentlewoman from California.
My good friend Al Green, whom I am pleased to serve with in the House
of Representatives, and I introduced this legislation to congratulate
the National Urban League on celebrating its 100th anniversary. I
believe he and I also speak not only for substantial numbers of House
Members but certainly for all of the members of the Congressional Black
Caucus in this congratulatory set of remarks.
As was said, since its founding in 1910 by George Haynes and Ruth
Baldwin, this organization has grown from one small housing department
into a comprehensive national organization.
I am immensely proud of my own affiliation with the Urban League
going back over 35 years now. In 1974, I was one of the founding
members of the National Urban League of Broward County, the 104th
affiliate chapter in the United States. Our goal then was to help
alleviate some of the racial tensions felt throughout the community
during desegregation.
I went on to serve on the original board of directors under a
tremendous executive director named Leonard Gainey for the local
chapter, and we worked to empower the community, increase educational
opportunities for our children, and change lives through strong
advocacy for essential public services.
The League has made great advances in the realm of civil rights. I
knew Whitney Young, who has no peer in this area, who worked closely
with leaders such as A. Philip Randolph and Martin Luther King. The
League assisted in planning the 1963 March on Washington and carried on
the hard work of advocating for equality and opportunity in that
tumultuous era. The magnitude of these accomplishments, and countless
others, cannot be understated.
The right to an equal education for black Americans has developed
into a program aimed at helping these students use their education to
propel themselves into leadership roles in their respective
communities. Through workshops, summer programs, hands-on learning
opportunities, and other endeavors, the League enriches the quality of
life for black Americans of all ages and, by that, enriches our
country.
With over 100 field offices around the country, League leaders are
pillars of their communities, helping to organize campaigns to, in the
League's own words, ``enable African Americans to
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secure economic self-reliance, parity, power and civil rights.''
Under the outstanding guidance of extraordinary leaders and everyday
men and women, the National Urban League has been at the forefront of
the great social efforts of the last century.
I would be terribly remiss if I did not mention the leadership of
Vernon Jordan, who was a classmate of mine in law school; Percy Lee,
who was a classmate of mine in high school; T. Willard Fair, who I was
not a classmate with, but learned to know, learned from and loved
through the years; as well as John Jacobs, who I do share fraternity
membership with and good friendship; and the new leader now, Marc
Morial, as well.
Although we can take great pride in the many exceptional
accomplishments of the National Urban League, its work is far from
over. With 100 years of experience behind them, the hard-working and
dedicated men and women of the National Urban League are well-poised to
carry forth its important mission through the next century of progress.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important
legislation congratulating the National Urban League for its 100
outstanding years of service to our great Nation, and I again thank the
gentlelady from California for the time.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I reserve my time.
Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Al Green) for 3 minutes.
Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for the
time, and I want to thank the Honorable Alcee Hastings, a most
respected Member of this House. I am honored that he would present this
resolution honoring a most respected organization in this country, the
National Urban League.
The Honorable Alcee Hastings has been a part of the avant-garde when
it comes to human rights and civil rights and protecting those who are
among the least, the last and the lost in society, which is what the
Urban League seeks to do. One hundred years of service to the United
States of America, and indirectly to the planet Earth because
indirectly what you do for one, you do for all.
I am honored to mention that the honorable Marc Morial has continued
the great tradition of leadership established in the Urban League. He
is the current president and CEO. In Houston, we have the honorable
Judson Robinson, who is the president and CEO of the Houston Area Urban
League, and he has done a stellar job as well.
The Urban League is now and has always been an integrated
organization, founded by two persons of different hues, and continues
that legacy, that heritage, if you will, of representing all persons,
but making sure that those who have been left behind have the
opportunity to catch up.
I am honored to tell you that the Urban League has this goal of self-
reliance, and it perfects the goal of self-reliance by way of political
parity, by way of making real the great and noble American ideal
expressed in Baker v. Carr: one person, one vote. The Urban League
seeks to cause those who were locked out of the process to have the
opportunity to not only participate, but to have their votes mean
something.
The Urban League seeks to have self-reliance through economic
empowerment, the notion that equality of opportunity ought to exist for
all within this great country. Equality of opportunity. Not give me
something for nothing but give the opportunity to succeed on merits or
fail on demerits, the opportunity to participate in the process.
One hundred years of service. One hundred years of combating poverty,
inequality, and social injustice.
I close with this reminder, a cliche, a phrase, if you will, that is
worn out, and it is worn because of a good reason, because it means
something. That phrase is this: if we did not have the National Urban
League, we would surely have to create it.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I reserve my time.
Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the gentlewoman from
Ohio (Ms. Sutton) for 2 minutes.
Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for her time and the
leadership that she is displaying here and on so many issues. I also
want to thank my friend, Representative Alcee Hastings, for his
leadership in bringing this very appropriate resolution to the floor.
I rise today in support of House Resolution 1157, to honor and
congratulate the National Urban League on their 100th year of giving
back to our communities.
I want to thank the leaders in our communities of the Urban League:
Bernett Williams, who has the leadership of the Akron Urban League; and
Fred Wright, who is the leader of the Lorain County Urban League. Each
of these affiliates in Akron and Lorain has stood tall and served as a
pillar in our community through the difficult times that many have
faced over the past years.
This year, the Akron Urban League will celebrate its 85th anniversary
of serving the Akron community, fighting to eliminate the disparities
that African Americans face, and helping others who face disadvantages
in our community. The Akron Urban League has set out on an aggressive
list of programs for adults, one which focuses on career training and
pairs each student with a mentor from the local corporate community.
The Lorain County Urban League has served Lorain County for 30 years,
empowering African Americans and the disadvantaged. In Lorain County,
they offer opportunities such as a youth empowerment program, a program
designed to give our young people the preparation and the skills that
they need for the 21st century careers through education and community
service.
Both the Akron and Lorain County Urban League affiliates mean a great
deal to northeast Ohio and to our country.
Putting people back to work remains my top priority in Congress, and
the National Urban League and its affiliates in Lorain County and Akron
are steadfastly dedicated to this mission.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the
National Urban League on the 100th anniversary of its organization.
Mr. Speaker, I am honored to be able to give my congratulations and
support in this Chamber today to the National Urban League, one of the
oldest civil rights organizations in the United States. Established in
1910 as the Committee on Urban Conditions Among Negroes, the National
Urban League continues to this day to be a vital community-based
organization dedicated to empowering African Americans and improving
the standard of living in underprivileged urban neighborhoods.
With over a hundred local branches across our nation, the National
Urban League is a living testament to the good that can be accomplished
when citizens come together to work for the betterment of their
communities. This landmark organization has provided immense support to
urban communities throughout the years by offering educational
opportunities for youth, expanding civic engagement and community
wellness in urban neighborhoods, defending racial justice, and working
to improve the economic conditions of African Americans. For example,
the Atlanta Entrepreneurship Center, established by the Atlanta Urban
League in 2003, works to aid small and medium-sized minority-owned
businesses in the urban community by offering much-needed resources and
financial advice to minority business owners.
The famous American civil rights leader and former President of the
National Urban League, Whitney Moore Young, Jr., was once quoted as
saying, ``every man is our brother, and every man's burden is our own.
Where poverty exists, all are poorer. Where hate flourishes, all are
corrupted. Where injustice reins, all are unequal.'' The National Urban
League's unwavering commitment to equality exemplifies the philosophy
of the late Whitney Young and has brought an inestimable amount of good
to urban communities since its inception in 1910.
I would like to commend my colleague from Florida, the Honorable
Alcee Hastings, for bringing forth the resolution to congratulate the
National Urban League on its 100th year of service.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in
support of H. Res. 1157, to congratulate the National Urban League on
its 100 year of service to the United States.
The National Urban League can look back with great pride on its
extraordinary accomplishments, as we mark the organization's centennial
anniversary. Since its inception in 1910, the National Urban League has
made tremendous gains in equality and economic empowerment in the
African-American community throughout the United States. Today,
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the League has become an essential tool in economic advancement, as it
has expanded to 25 national programs, with more than 100 local
affiliates in 36 states as well as the District of Columbia.
The beginnings of this organization can be traced to two remarkable
individuals, Mrs. Ruth Standish Baldwin and Dr. George Edmund Haynes,
who founded the League as a multiracial and diverse grassroots
campaign. Their efforts in forming the National League of Black Men and
Women, later to be known as the National Urban League, began as a civil
rights organization dedicated to elevating the standard of living in
historically underserved urban communities. The fledgling organization
counseled black migrants from the South, helped train black social
workers, and worked in various other ways to bring educational and
employment opportunities to African Americans.
Under the leadership of Whitney M. Young, Jr., the League
substantially expanded its fundraising ability, and, most critically,
made the League a full-time partner in the Civil Rights Movement.
Lending its resources to the pursuit of equality, it hosted at its New
York headquarters the meetings of A. Philip Randolph, Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., and other civil rights leaders to plan the 1963 March on
Washington. Furthermore, Young was a forceful advocate for greater
government and private sector efforts to eradicate poverty. His call
for a domestic Marshall Program, a ten-point program designed to close
the huge social and economic gap between black and white Americans,
significantly influenced the discussion of the Johnson Administration's
War on Poverty legislation.
My district of Dallas, Texas, has benefited greatly by the community
oriented services provided by the Urban League of Greater Dallas. Under
the leadership of chapter president, Dr. Beverly Mitchell-Brooks, the
Urban League's facility provides an environment where education and
training are chosen as paths to self-reliance. Dallas residents are
prepared for the world of work, home ownership, and health education
through classes and training seminars. In addition to job training,
scholarship programs are in place to help students realize their dream
of earning a college degree that may otherwise be blocked by a
families' limited income.
As we stand in the aftermath of this economic downturn, the role of
the National Urban League has become vital as entire communities seek
guidance and relief from current economic conditions. Through the
League's Housing and Community Development Division, programs such as
``Foreclosure Prevention'', ``Homeownership Preparation,'' and through
``Financial Literacy'' were able to aid over 50,000 people in 2009.
Furthermore, with assistance provided by the League's ``Foreclosure
Prevention'' program, 3,000 people were able to avoid filing
foreclosure in 2009.
Mr. Speaker, if past is prologue, then the National Urban League's
exemplarily 100-year history of empowering the lives of millions of
African Americans gives me great confidence in the organization's
ability to address the challenges of the 21st century.
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speker, I stand today to recognize the National
Urban League for its century of civil rights leadership and for its
dedication to ensuring that all Americans enjoy the benefits of equal
justice and economic empowerment.
Since 1910, the National Urban League has worked to elevate the
living standards of American families in historically underserved urban
areas. The Urban League was founded to advocate on behalf of the tens
of thousands of African Americans who began migrating to northern
American cities in the early 20th century. Committed to social justice
and equality, the Urban League worked to empower these men and women,
many of whom had fled the Jim Crow south for the north to escape
economic, social and political oppression only to find few employment
opportunities, limited access to education and substandard housing. For
a century, the Urban League has fought tirelessly to see that all
Americans, regardless of race, have equal access to a good education, a
good living wage, and safe and affordable housing.
With appreciation for a century of service to the American people, I
wish the National Urban League continued success for the years to come.
{time} 1200
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I urge once again support of this
resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I urge
passage of House Resolution 1157, and I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1157, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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