[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 168 (Friday, December 17, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H8772]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING RETIRING CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS MEMBERS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today as chair of the 
Congressional Black Caucus to pay tribute to our colleagues 
Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, Congresswoman Diane Watson, 
Congressman Kendrick Meek, members of the Congressional Black Caucus 
who are retiring at the end of the 111th Congress.
  I will say a bit about each of them in a moment, but I do want to 
recognize and first thank them all for their service to their 
constituents and to our country and really to the world. Each of them 
in their own way has contributed to the cause and the mission of the 
Congressional Black Caucus which was founded almost 40 years ago and 
continues as the ``conscience of the Congress.''
  Since our founding in 1971, the Congressional Black Caucus has 
remained true to its mission to root out inequality and injustice. Our 
voice has been heard throughout the Halls of Congress and throughout 
the world. We have been advancing the role of government to empower and 
protect families and children with every legislative tool at our 
disposal.
  Congresswoman Kilpatrick is an immediate past chair of the 
Congressional Black Caucus who I served under as first vice chair 
during the 110th Congress.
  Congresswoman Kilpatrick is a brilliant and focused lawmaker who I 
have also had the pleasure of serving with a member of the House 
Appropriations Committee where she has been a forceful advocate for her 
constituents and the State of Michigan.
  While serving on Capitol Hill, Congresswoman Kilpatrick has worked to 
level the playing field for minority-owned media outlets and 
advertising firms that face discrimination from major advertisers. She 
has hosted forums on diversity in advertising and was a leading force 
in the successful effort to secure a Presidential executive order 
compelling all Federal agencies to increase their contractual 
opportunities with minority businesses.
  Prior to her coming to Washington, Congresswoman Kilpatrick taught 
business education in the Detroit public schools before being elected 
to the Michigan State House where she served for 18 years and was the 
first African-American woman to serve on the Michigan House 
Appropriations Committee.
  Congresswoman Kilpatrick has a deep commitment to our young people 
and the security of their future. She established the Sojourner Truth 
Project to inspire young African-American women to be leaders. Her 
spirit, her heart, and her intellect soar. The world is a better place 
because of this great woman.
  Congresswoman Diane Watson, my friend, our colleague, believe it or 
not is a former elementary school teacher. She continues to educate us 
all each and every day. She is also a school psychologist who has 
lectured at both California State Universities at Los Angeles and Long 
Beach.
  In 1975, she became the first African-American woman to be elected to 
the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, and she led 
efforts during some very tumultuous times to expand school integration 
and improve academic standards.
  For almost 20 years, Congresswoman Watson served in the California 
State Senate where I served later. She was the first African-American 
woman to serve in that body, and she became a statewide and national 
advocate for health care long before the rest of the country was 
talking about health care reform. She was an advocate for consumer 
protection, women and children.
  During her tenure in Sacramento, she served as the chair of the 
Health and Human Services Committee and as a member of the Judiciary 
Committee. Let me tell you, and I always say this about Congresswoman 
Watson, there were 40 members of the California Senate. I came to 
politics as a result of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm running for 
President. She was the first African-American woman elected to this 
body. Congresswoman Watson, I used to watch her as being the only 
African-American woman in California in the State senate, and how she 
was able to maintain her integrity, her principles, her intellect and 
who she was as a black woman and yet negotiate very important 
legislation on behalf of the whole State. I want to salute her.
  Congresswoman Watson also served as the ambassador to Micronesia. She 
represented our country in a magnificent way. Throughout her career, 
she has demonstrated her mastery of foreign policy. She is an 
international leader. She is Dr. Watson who served in that capacity as 
ambassador until 2001 when she returned to California to run for 
Congress in a special election after the untimely death of our beloved 
Congressman Julian Dixon.

                              {time}  1730

  She is an exceptional public servant, and she has demonstrated 
throughout her life a remarkable commitment to improving the human 
condition. And so we salute you, Congresswoman Watson, and we look 
forward to this next chapter of your life.
  And also, let me just take a moment to honor the extraordinary career 
of Congressman Kendrick Meek, a man who took up the torch from his 
mother, our former esteemed colleague, Congresswoman Carrie Meek, and 
he has carried it further than any of us would have ever imagined.
  Other Members will talk more about Congressman Meek, but we salute 
all of our retiring Members and wish them well and Godspeed.

                          ____________________