[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 142 (Thursday, September 22, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1689]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING FORMER REPRESENTATIVE CARRIE P. MEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 22, 2011

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I had the honor and the privilege of serving 
in this house with Carrie Meek for ten years. The granddaughter of a 
slave and a daughter of sharecroppers, Carrie has always held in her 
heart a deep and abiding concern for the rights and the welfare of 
others. She made public service a life's calling, and her time as a 
member of this body was but one chapter in a lengthy career doing what 
she loves most: fighting for justice and the advancement of those who 
have something to contribute but are not given the chance.
  When Carrie was determined to pursue a graduate degree, the high 
obstacle of segregation was the first of many she would overcome. Her 
fourteen years of service in the Florida legislature, in both the House 
and Senate, helped make Floridians safer from crime, opened new 
opportunities to Florida's students to achieve higher education, and 
provided affordable housing to those facing financial difficulty. Her 
historic election in 1992 as the first African American to represent a 
Florida district in Congress since Reconstruction began a decade of 
distinguished service here in Washington.
  In Congress, Carrie championed economic development, housing, 
education, and access to affordable health care. Her relentless 
advocacy on behalf of her constituents in the aftermath of Hurricane 
Andrew brought over $100 million in assistance to rebuild communities 
across Miami-Dade County and South Florida. Since her retirement from 
Congress in 2003, Carrie has continued her work at the helm of the 
Carrie Meek Foundation, a charitable venture committed to improving the 
lives of Americans by supporting programs in housing, education, health 
care, and community development.
  I am grateful to call Carrie my friend, and I join with my colleagues 
in celebrating her service to the people of Florida in Congress and her 
continuing commitment to her fellow Americans across the country.

                          ____________________