[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 85 (Friday, June 14, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E859-E860]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING MICHAEL TAYLOR RIGGS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 13, 2013

  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
extraordinary life of Mr. Michael Taylor Riggs. Devoted son, brother, 
friend and colleague, Michael was taken from us too soon, on May 24, 
2013. With his passing, we look to the outstanding quality of his 
life's work to address the global HIV/AIDS epidemic and the countless 
lives he touched and saved over the course of his career in advocacy 
and public policy.
  Born on November 10, 1970, Mr. Riggs descended from a long line of 
Navajo clans and grew up on the Navajo Nation in a remote area of 
northern Arizona. After starting out as an Emergency Medical Technician 
(EMT) at a hospital in Tuba City, AZ, Mr. Riggs began attending 
Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. In the early 1990s, while 
studying and working part-time at the Northern Arizona Area Health 
Education Center (AHEC), Mr. Riggs' passion for education, policy 
development and disease prevention took flight. His bold idea to form 
an HIV/AIDS prevention outreach program targeted at Native American men 
was unconventional for the time, but won the support and respect of his 
colleagues.
  After enduring a family tragedy, Mr. Riggs began anew in Berkeley, 
California, where he found a position in the District Office of my 
predecessor and mentor, Congressman Ron Dellums. Mr. Riggs' constituent 
work invigorated and expanded his focus on HIV/AIDS prevention. By the 
time he became a member of my staff, Mr. Riggs had developed a prolific 
knowledge base on the issue and soon joined my Washington, D.C. staff 
as a trusted policy advisor.
  His wise counsel and ceaseless dedication helped me form the platform 
of global HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention that, today, has expanded 
the availability of life-extending drugs to those living in poverty in 
Africa, the Caribbean and other impoverished areas around the world.
  Mr. Riggs was instrumental in helping me and my colleagues create and 
pass the Global AIDS and Tuberculosis Relief Act of 2000, which 
significantly expanded the U.S. commitment to fight HIV/AIDS worldwide 
and which created the framework for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, 
Tuberculosis and Malaria. Passage of this landmark legislation, which 
eventually led to the creation in 2003 and re-authorization in 2008 of 
the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), is a 
tremendous part of Mr. Riggs' professional legacy. Within days of 
Michael's death, PEPFAR celebrated its 10th anniversary--having 
directly supported life-saving antiretroviral treatment for nearly 5.1 
million men, women and children worldwide.
  He later continued this groundbreaking work with the United Nations' 
World Health Organization, the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and 
Human Rights Foundation and the Global AIDS Alliance. A sought-after 
speaker and panelist, Mr. Riggs' travels brought him across the globe 
and he was known for his uncanny ability to connect key stakeholders. 
Despite the difficult nature of the work, he was known to lift others 
up with his kindness, his unflagging energy and his generous sense of 
humor. Most recently, he returned to enjoy his roots and bolster his 
community back in northern Arizona.
  On a personal note, Michael began working with me in my District 
Office when I was first elected in 1998. He was my very first District 
Scheduler. His sense of judgment and constituent priorities were always 
reflected in my schedule. I immediately knew that I wanted someone of 
his intellect and passion to come to Washington to work with me to 
address my priority issues, such as HIV and AIDS. I quickly learned 
that I did not need to direct Michael.

[[Page E860]]

He directed me, my staff, the country and the world, saving millions of 
lives in the process. For this, we are all deeply grateful.
  Today, California's 13th Congressional District salutes and honors an 
outstanding individual and a pioneering global health advocate, Mr. 
Michael Taylor Riggs. His invaluable service to the world will live on 
in the endless legacy of his life's work. I offer my sincerest 
condolences to his many loved ones, friends and colleagues. He will be 
deeply missed.

                          ____________________