[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 194 (Friday, December 16, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2306]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING KELLY MEARS, ADRIAN PARSONS, SAM JEWLER, AND JOE GRAY WHO 
 ARE ENGAGED IN A HUNGER STRIKE FOR DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA VOTING RIGHTS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 16, 2011

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of 
Representatives to recognize the extraordinary dedication of four young 
people who are engaged in a hunger strike for District of Columbia 
voting rights, budget autonomy and legislative autonomy, an 
unprecedented step in the District's 210-year struggle for equal 
citizenship. D.C. residents Kelly Mears, Adrian Parsons, and Sam 
Jewler, in the tradition of Mahatma Gandhi, began their hunger strike 
on December 8, and were joined the next day by Joe Gray, a Maryland 
resident. Unfortunately, this unusual journey ended for one of the 
strikers, twenty-four-year-old Kelly Mears, who was unable to continue 
with the three other strikers due to medical complications. The four 
visited members of Congress during the final days of negotiation on the 
fiscal year 2012 appropriations bills, and as the District government 
faced a possible shutdown over a federal spending bill and payroll tax 
fight. The hunger strikers have written a declaration of grievances. 
They are asking members of Congress to find ways to show solidarity 
with them. Representative Keith Ellison of Minnesota came to the floor 
during my special order on the shutdown threat and the spending bill's 
prohibition on the District's use of its local funds for abortions for 
low-income women. We are grateful to Representative Ellison for reading 
the declaration of the hunger strikers into the Congressional Record, 
and for his decision to abstain from food and water for 24 hours in 
solidarity with them. Since the fiscal year 2011 spending deal was 
announced in April 2011, which prohibited the District from spending 
its local funds on abortion services for low-income women, 72 people, 
including D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray and D.C. Council members, have been 
arrested for acts of civil disobedience in protest of the treatment of 
D.C. residents as second-class citizens. However, the D.C. hunger 
strikers will always be remembered as a special inspiration and for a 
special sacrifice. It is a sacrifice we had no right to ask for. Even 
now, we ask these young people not to endanger their health. They have 
been heard. We will never forget them. I ask the House to join me in 
honoring Kelly Mears, Adrian Parsons, Sam Jewler, and Joe Gray.

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