[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 131 (Wednesday, September 7, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1544]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING BARBARA HAILE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. LOIS CAPPS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 7, 2011

  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor and celebrate a 
dedicated public servant and my longtime staffer and friend, Barbara 
Haile.
  Barbara Haile would make a good book. Each chapter could start with, 
``When I had dinner with . . .'' Unfortunately, many of those passages 
would be left out because she could recognize their faces but not 
always their names. Some dinner stories would start with professional 
athletes, such as Baseball Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Willie 
McCovey or they would end with after dinner taxi rides with people like 
Norman Mailer arguing with one of his many wives. If you drop a name of 
an iconic American in the last half century, it's a good bet Barbara 
knew them or at least had dinner with them.
  Her life story took her from Jamaica to the United Nations in New 
York, to Saudi Arabia to San Francisco during the late 60s, eventually 
landing in San Luis Obispo with her husband Allen Haile and two 
children, Jonathan and Courtney.
  And speaking of books, Barbara can recite the Good Book from memory 
and may break out singing an old-time hymnal, though she would never 
describe herself as a religious woman, just the product of a 
traditional Jamaican upbringing. Whether the results of her traditional 
Jamaican work ethic or her life experiences she could also write a how-
to on helping those in need.
  The consummate caseworker, Barbara's name is known throughout federal 
government agencies. If you work in one of my offices and have the 
occasion to speak with a Federal social service agency you will 
eventually be asked, ``Oh, Representative Capps's office. Do you work 
with Barbara Haile?'' It is not because she had dinner with these folks 
but because she is a caseworker extraordinaire who found ways to help 
people who had given up hope.
  Barbara Haile was the last hope for many people facing walls of 
bureaucracy and red tape or those without options until she authored 
one of her countless letters. Her tenacity for helping those in need 
likely led to officials trying to find a way to help because they knew 
she would not go away. While her countless stories of finding homeless 
veterans a place to live, getting seniors needed healthcare or 
assisting immigrants to become American citizens are confidential, the 
volume of files on her cases would make Superman, possibly a dinner 
guest, cringe at moving her cabinets to make room for more.
  Barbara will be sorely missed not only by me but by the entire 
community of the Central Coast of California. Not only has her hard 
work helped countless constituents but she is a true example of a 
dedicated public servant. Her service and diligence to both me and my 
late husband Walter--and, most importantly, to the constituents we 
serve--will not be forgotten. I am honored to have worked with her, and 
proud to call her my friend.

                          ____________________