[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,

[[Page H3148]]

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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