[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 176 (Thursday, December 12, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H8089-H8096]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             NELSON MANDELA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Valadao). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 3, 2013, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah) 
is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I rise at this moment for the House to 
appropriately acknowledge the life and legacy, the truly extraordinary 
leadership, of President Nelson Mandela who has passed on to history 
now but who, during his 95 years, played an extraordinary role in the 
life of his country and his countrymen. And this Congress played a part 
in that process through the debates on this floor and through, finally, 
the passage of sanctions and then, even more so, by overriding the 
Presidential veto and putting into place sanctions that President 
Mandela indicated and all recognized played an important role in ending 
apartheid in South Africa.
  There are Members who are no longer Members of the House, some of 
whom have even passed on themselves. There was Congressman Bill Gray 
from Philadelphia, who authored the sanctions legislation; Congressman 
Dellums, who had previously authored and fought side by side; and many 
members of the Congressional Black Caucus and others, Democrats and 
Republicans, on the floor of this House who were involved in this 
activity.
  I rise for this Special Order to appropriately pay tribute to the 
leadership that was exhibited by President Mandela and his African 
National Congress. I am going to yield to Members for an opportunity 
for them to reflect on the life of President Mandela. Obviously, we 
recognize that he was born and that he died, that he went to school and 
he played certain roles in his profession as a lawyer, but he has also 
been recognized around the world for the struggle that he led and that 
he dedicated his life to.
  I yield to the gentlewoman from the great State of Ohio (Ms. Fudge), 
who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus.
  Ms. FUDGE. Thank you, Mr. Fattah, for leading this Special Order.
  Mr. Speaker, today we celebrate the life and legacy of former South 
African President Nelson Mandela, a relentless pioneer for justice, 
equality, and democracy.
  I am proud to say that members of the Congressional Black Caucus 
stood with President Mandela before it was popular or politically 
advantageous. Working with grassroots advocates, members of the 
Congressional Black Caucus and many others from across the world, 
Mandela activated a movement that not only spoke of democracy and 
equality, but realized those principles through action, meaningful 
action that ultimately broke the chains of apartheid and will be 
forever remembered as the legacy of Madiba.
  Today, the CBC salutes the life of a world leader who sacrificed a 
lifetime for the ideals of democracy. Today, we celebrate the life of a 
man from humble beginnings who overcome the obstacles of racial 
intolerance and rose to lead a country and a people to prosperity and 
freedom. Today, we cherish the life of a President who led with dignity 
and strength. Today, we treasure the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela.
  Madiba, you will forever be remembered.
  Mr. FATTAH. I thank the gentlewoman, and I thank her for her 
leadership on this House floor on behalf of not just the people she 
represents in Ohio, but throughout the country.
  I now yield to someone who is no stranger to struggle. Nelson 
Mandela, when asked about his life being a struggle, he said, No, you 
misinterpret; the struggle was my life. Well, the struggle is this 
gentleman's life. I yield to the gentleman from the great State of 
Georgia (Mr. Lewis).
  Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend and colleague for 
yielding.
  I rise to join my colleagues to pay tribute to a man I deeply admire, 
President Nelson Mandela.
  When I first met Mr. Mandela, I felt as if I was touching the spirit 
of greatness. He was tall and graceful with the common spirit of the 
Dalai Lama. President Mandela was one of those rare individuals, like 
Gandhi, Lincoln, or King, who come along only once in a generation and 
who are a lesson to all humanity. They teach us not just to liberate 
the body, but to free our minds and unleash the power of the human 
spirit.
  This weekend, I had the honor of traveling with Members of the House 
and one Member of the Senate to attend an official memorial service in 
South Africa. I would like to thank the Speaker and his staff for 
working with Chairwoman Fudge to ensure that Congress was represented 
at this global tribute.
  Tonight, I express my deepest sympathy to the family and friends of 
President Mandela. To the people of South Africa and the global 
community, we have lost a giant of a man who embodied grace, dignity, 
and peace. He just walked out of prison after 27 years without any 
bitterness, hostility, or hatred. And through the power of love and 
complete forgiveness, President Mandela not only freed the oppressed, 
but he also freed the oppressor.
  What we know of his long walk to freedom, what he endured and what he 
overcome, has made us all a little more human. What he taught us about 
reconciliation, love, and inner peace inspires each and every person 
who knows his story to be better, stronger, more loving, more peaceful 
citizens of the global community. He was the father of a new South 
Africa who helped build a new nation, more focused on unity today than 
ever before.
  Mr. Speaker, during the height of the civil rights movement, the 
chant of the African people became our chant: ``One man, one vote.'' He 
was a great leader, but I never thought that I would have the honor of 
meeting him and calling him my friend, my brother.
  During this holiday season, I hope that my colleagues on both sides 
of the aisle in both Chambers will use this time to reflect on how we 
can be representatives of the people, can continue to work in unity, 
extend the legacy of love of service and respect for all humankind as 
Mr. Nelson Mandela did.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I met President Mandela on a number of 
occasions, both in Philadelphia and here

[[Page H8090]]

in Washington, and when I traveled to Africa with then-President Bill 
Clinton when Mandela was leading some peace talks in a country that was 
involved in a great deal of conflict at that time.
  Before I met Nelson Mandela, I knew a State legislator from the great 
State of California who had led the fight and the rallying cry in State 
houses, not just in California, but around the country, for divestiture 
from South Africa. I want to yield now to Congresswoman Maxine Waters, 
who really was an extraordinary figure in the fight in the United 
States to get pension funds and universities and others to divest.
  I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters).
  Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend and colleague from 
Pennsylvania for that warm introduction, and I want to thank the 
members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
  We just returned from South Africa where we participated with 
thousands of folks from across South Africa memorializing Nelson 
Mandela. It was a wonderful moment in our lives. But, of course, Nelson 
Mandela has helped us all to be better persons. He has inspired us all 
in so many different ways.
  When I was a member of the California State Legislature, I authored 
the legislation that divested all of our pension funds from doing 
business in South Africa. That legislation caught fire across the 
country.

                              {time}  1915

  And so that legislation caught fire across the country, and we had 
other divestment movements going on, and others divesting their funds 
from businesses that were doing business in South Africa.
  We went on to have rallies and marches. We came to Washington, D.C. 
We got arrested at the South African Embassy.
  We sat in in the South African consulate in Los Angeles. We worked 
with students on the college campuses. They got involved in divestment. 
Some of them took the names of the streets in those campuses down and 
made them Nelson Mandela Way. And as we worked and worked, we were 
instrumental in helping to free Nelson Mandela, who had served 27 years 
in prison.
  In addition to that, some of us had the opportunity to go to South 
Africa when they lifted the ban on the ANC, and we witnessed all of 
those heroes who came back from out of exile. We continued to work with 
them until Nelson Mandela walked out free from having served that 27 
years.
  And then we were able to welcome him to the United States. In Los 
Angeles we put together a huge celebration, and when he and Winnie 
Mandela walked on that stage, the crowd just exploded. But it exploded 
because here was a man who had the courage of his convictions, a man 
that was so committed to freedom, justice, and equality that he was 
willing to put his life on the line.
  He was a warrior, and he tried to negotiate. He tried to get the 
South African Government to realize that they should be recognizing 
that Black South Africans were human beings too. And when they didn't, 
he organized the struggle. He resisted and, of course, they placed him 
in prison.
  And some people thought that we would never see Black South Africans 
free. But because of Nelson Mandela, and because the people loved him 
so, followed him as he led, today we have a free South Africa.
  Mandela is gone. He is no longer with us, but he will be remembered 
forever because what he did was such a feat that we cannot identify 
anybody else, certainly in the 20th century, that led the way that he 
led.
  So I am pleased to be here with my colleagues tonight paying tribute 
to him. I thank my colleagues for all the work that they too 
participated in to honor him.
  Mr. FATTAH. I thank the gentlelady. And she reminds me of all the 
great people in Philadelphia who played a role, Godfrey Satoli, who 
represented the ANC. He was the ANC's representative there, and former 
State representatives David Richardson and Sonia Sanchez.
  But the one clarion voice in the Congress when I was very, very 
young, who introduced the divestiture legislation, and was just at the 
very point of the spear, was Congressman Ron Dellums.
  And Barbara Lee, who now represents that district, but worked for the 
great Congressman when he was here, I want to recognize Congresswoman 
Barbara Lee now, who has dedicated a significant part of her work to 
helping Africa in its development and continuing to deal with the 
challenges that remain after so many years of colonial rule in a number 
of these countries.
  I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).
  Ms. LEE of California. Thank you very much. Let me thank you, 
Congressman Fattah, first of all, for yielding and for your tremendous 
leadership on so many fronts. And thank you so much for this Special 
Order tonight and for reminding us in many ways of the history of this 
great movement that took place in this country.
  Let me also just thank our chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, 
Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, for her tremendous leadership and her 
tireless work and for the real humbling honor to be part of her 
delegation to South Africa to honor President Mandela. Also to Leader 
Pelosi and to our assistant leader, Mr. Clyburn.
  Let me just take a moment to extend my thoughts and prayers on behalf 
of my district to President Mandela's family, for South Africa. We all 
have lost a warrior. South Africa has lost a warrior. The world has 
lost a freedom fighter and a great statesman.
  The Congressional Black Caucus stood alongside the ANC and Nelson 
Mandela in the fight for equality and justice. And I am so proud of 
this contribution.
  Even throughout his 27 years of incarceration and brutal treatment, 
his spirit was never broken, and this stands, really, as a testament to 
the power of resistance and determination.
  Not only is Nelson Mandela the father of the liberation movement in 
South Africa, but he also laid the framework for modern liberation 
movements throughout the world.
  With a dignified defiance, Nelson Mandela never compromised his 
political principles or the mission of the anti-apartheid movement, and 
he took up the mantle of fighting HIV and AIDS.
  Like many of my colleagues, I was first inspired by Mr. Mandela in 
the early seventies. I was arrested in Berkeley, California, during the 
time when our brave brothers and sisters in the labor movement refused 
to unload ships carrying cargo from South Africa that arrived in 
Oakland's port.
  My predecessor, former Congressman Ron Dellums, lead the effort with 
Congressman--our beloved Bill Gray--over and over and over again 
introducing legislation calling for divestment against this racist 
apartheid regime. But they finally put the United States on the right 
side of history when the Congress overrode President Reagan's veto.
  And I vividly remember that the ANC was designated a terrorist 
organization by the United States Government, and it was illegal to 
meet with the freedom fighters, but many of us did anyway. I remember 
meeting with ANC members at the United Nations in Switzerland and 
Austria to help map out our solidarity work here in the United States.
  So you can imagine how I personally felt when I joined some of you as 
an election observer, seeing lines and lines of people waiting to vote 
for the first time for Nelson Mandela as the first Black President of a 
free South Africa.
  One of my proudest moments as a Member of Congress was when I led the 
effort to remove President Mandela, a Nobel Peace Prize, and the ANC 
from the U.S. Terrorist Watch List in time for his 90th birthday, just 
5 years ago.
  What now lives is Madiba's legacy of sacrifice, fighting for what is 
right and as an example of the power of healing and reconciliation.
  And I just have to say that legacy was shown briefly in the handshake 
of President Obama when he extended it to President Raoul Castro of 
Cuba. I was proud of that handshake for what it means for diplomacy and 
the possibility of opening lines of communication. That handshake 
stands with the legacy of Nelson Mandela, of working and negotiating 
with those with whom you may not agree.
  As Madiba said, and I quote, ``Reconciliation means working together 
to correct a legacy of past injustice.'' He was a peacemaker.
  President Mandela taught us so many lessons, from reconciliation and

[[Page H8091]]

personal perseverance to the true meaning of public service. What he 
taught us was never to give up the fight for justice.
  I had the privilege to meet Mr. Mandela many times. His serenity and 
his strength really were larger than life.
  His legacy will live on forever in how we live our lives in the fight 
for freedom and for justice in a multiracial society.
  Finally, let me just say that I hope, in his honor, that we live his 
legacy and continue our fight to end racism and to defend voting rights 
right here in the United States.
  May his soul rest in peace.
  Mr. FATTAH. I thank the gentlelady from California.
  I yield to my colleague from the United States Virgin Islands (Mrs. 
Christensen).
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Thank you. I want to begin by thanking you, 
Congressman Fattah, for bringing us together to dedicate this hour to 
the life and legacy of an iconic leader, who has truly fought the good 
fight, has now finished the race, and always kept the faith, our 
beloved Madiba, President Mandela of South Africa.
  And to say to Congresswoman Fudge, as I was honored to join her and 
my other colleagues and our codel leader, Congressman Aaron Schock, at 
the funeral of President Mandela in Johannesburg on Tuesday, I am 
again, honored to join all of you to speak on behalf of my 
constituents, the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands, in tribute to this 
great man.
  Behind me is a picture of the sign that marks the site of Mandela 
Circle in St. Thomas. It was given that name in jubilant celebration 
when he was released from prison after 27 years. And through it, the 
people of the Virgin Islands have paid tribute to Nelson Mandela every 
day.
  I want to especially recognize and remember someone who I honored 
several years ago, a gentleman named Dale Rodgers, who, from the time 
the circle was so named until he died, took it upon himself to sweep 
and maintain the area so that it would always be a fitting tribute. The 
St. Thomas St. John Environmental Association will host a community 
gathering at that site on Saturday.
  In the days since December 5, the people have gathered there with 
signs and flowers and have adorned the area with black and purple 
ribbons. There have been vigils and other ceremonial tributes.
  Our flags, like flags across the country, were flown at half staff. 
And our Governor, John P. DeJongh, Jr., in tribute said, and I quote:

       The people of the Virgin Islands have a deep love and 
     respect for Nelson Mandela and all that he came to represent. 
     Nelson Mandela was an inspiration to Virgin Islanders and to 
     aspiring democracies and free nations around the world.

  Tomorrow, the Legislature of the Virgin Islands will host a public 
tribute. Our Senate President, Shawn Michael Malone, said in 
remembrance, and I quote him as well:

       The world has lost a civil and human rights champion and 
     oppressed people everywhere have lost a splendid example of 
     sacrifice, discipline, commitment and resolve to end 
     injustice around the world.

  On Sunday, on St. Croix, one of our Senators, Senator Terrance 
Nelson, will lead a festive celebration of his life in Frederiksted's 
Buddho Park, which is the historic site where enslaved Africans seized 
freedom for my ancestors in the then-Danish West Indies in 1848.
  But even when these celebrations are ended, it is my hope and prayer 
that the essence of why we celebrate Madiba remains firmly planted in 
our hearts and minds, for it would be the real tribute to a man who 
taught us how to be resolute in our fight for justice and equality to 
the end, and that love, peace and reconciliation is a better path for 
us and for the world than hatred, conflict and retribution, in fact, 
the only way to true freedom.
  To his wife, his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, to 
his extended family and all the people of South Africa, we extend our 
deepest sympathy, but also our deep appreciation, for you have given 
us, the people of the Virgin Islands, our Nation, and the world, a 
beautiful gift that has enriched our lives and inspired us to be better 
human beings.
  I consider myself blessed not only to have met him, but just to have 
lived in the time of Nelson Mandela and to be able to personally bear 
witness to his life and legacy.
  Madiba loved the CBC. The CBC loved and will always love Madiba.
  Mr. FATTAH. I thank the gentlelady, and I thank the people of the 
U.S. Virgin Islands for establishing this honor.
  Obviously, there are many segments of Nelson Mandela's life and there 
was a period, a point, when he was a lawyer. There was a point in which 
he was leading and involved in negotiations. There was a point in 
which, upon the police assault on those who gathered in Sharpeville 
when 69 died, that he took up armed struggle.
  And there was a point, after being released from prison, after 27 
years, that he was elected President. I embrace the entire legacy. I 
think it is very much in keeping with our own country's evolution over 
time, in which you had to deal with the times as they presented 
themselves.
  Remembering her predecessor, Congressman Mickey Leland, who was so 
involved in these issues over time, I yield to the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Let me thank the Congressional Black Caucus and Mr. 
Fattah and our chairwoman, Congresswoman Fudge, for bringing us all 
together on this very important evening.
  It gives me great privilege to be able to speak about this patriot, 
this human rights leader, this father and husband, this man who 
experienced incarceration, yet came out with the limitations that would 
normally shackle anyone, completely released.
  It is important to connect Nelson Mandela to Houston; and this 
signifies many of us who gathered in front of the Federal building just 
a week ago to be able to honor him and to acknowledge him. So many of 
us wanted to share and extend our love.
  We also participated in honoring him in restaurants in southwest 
Houston. And throughout the week, as I go home this week, we will honor 
him at the George L. Brown Convention Center and the SHAPE Community 
Center.
  Last Sunday I was able to call in to a very important honoring at the 
Rothco Chapel celebrating Dominique de Menil, who invited Nelson 
Mandela to Houston, Texas in 1991, 1 year after he was released from 
Robbens Island.

                              {time}  1930

  And the surprise and the excitement was that he accepted her 
invitation--the de Menils being great humanitarians themselves--and 
brought together the connection between Houston, the Nation, South 
Africa, and the patriot that Nelson Mandela, Madiba, was and, of 
course, we will always be reminded of.
  We listen to the stories of the time that he had to pull away from 
the ANC to form a fighting unit, if you will, a rebel unit. And I also 
explain to people that it was no less than the patriots who stood on 
the shores of this country to fight against oppression and to stand 
against the British and to dump tea into the Boston Harbor, to rebel 
against oppression. So I would never call Nelson Mandela a terrorist. I 
would call him a patriot, one who loved his beloved South Africa and 
wanted to make sure that those who understood that apartheid could not 
stand would recognize that he had no other choice. But yet, in time, he 
was able to make other choices.
  And I am reminded of his words: ``courage was not the absence of fear 
but the triumph over it.'' And he triumphed over fear. But he also 
triumphed over bitterness. And he opened his arms, coming out of that 
incarceration in 1990 and walking in freedom, standing with his then-
wife Winnie--and now the beloved wife who has been with him for the 
past 15 years. He expressed to the nation his humanity, his humility.
  An elder statesman, a father figure, Nelson Mandela showed us that in 
the course of the debate here on the floor of the House that we should 
never forget the vulnerable.
  I want to read these words that he gave in defense in the 1964 trial:

       I have fought against white domination, and I have fought 
     against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a 
     democratic and free society in which all persons live 
     together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an 
     ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs 
     be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.


[[Page H8092]]


  I have met Nelson Mandela many times, engaged in the efforts to 
ensure that the apartheid oppression would end, joined with 
Congresswoman Barbara Lee in 2008 to rid his name off the terrorist 
list. All of us in our small way are diminished by the commitment, 
dedication, and sacrifice of this man.
  And so finally I close by saying to all in a letter that he wrote 
from Robben Island in April of 1971, for many of us who had the 
experience of walking into that cell and looking through those prison 
bars, to be reminded of the peace that he brought to the Nation and to 
the world:

       There are times when my heart almost stops beating, slowed 
     down by heavy loads of longing. I would love to bathe once 
     more in the waters of Umbashe, as I did at the beginning of 
     1935.

  He comforted himself by the wishes of hope. He comforted himself by 
wishing to hear the voices of children. He comforted himself by wanting 
to be what the people of South Africa needed, an unembittered leader 
coming forward to lift the country up.
  Madiba, may you rest in peace. Nelson Mandela, thank you for your 
years of service. Thank you for leading South Africa. And thank you for 
leading the world.
  I acknowledge and thank the many persons who have spoken today about 
Nelson Mandela.
  On this sad day, the thoughts, prayers, and wishes of all Americans, 
and peace loving people the world over, are with Nelson Mandela and his 
family.
  Nelson Mandela once said that ``courage was not the absence of fear 
but the triumph over it.''
  What is the message and meaning of Nelson Mandela to the world?
  Courage in the cause of moral righteousness will triumph in the end;
  Love, forgiveness, and reconciliation is far more powerful that 
hatred, resentment, and war;
  That we should ``never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, 
committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing 
that ever has.''
  Nelson Mandela's commitment to humanity as a human rights lawyer, a 
prisoner of conscience, an international peacemaker, and as the first 
elected president of a free, democratic, and multiracial Republic of 
South Africa inspired the world.
  Nelson Mandela dedicated his life to serving humanity and making the 
world better for our children.
  Nelson Mandela once said that the one of things that bothered him 
most during his imprisonment was not being able to hear the laughter 
and experience the joy of children.
  His life teaches us the importance of instilling in our children a 
zest for living and a love for serving others.
  Today we honor the life and work of a man went from a militant 
freedom fighter, to political prisoner, to a unifying figure, to elder 
statesman of the world.
  He was a father figure, elder statesman and global ambassador. He was 
the guarantee, almost like an insurance policy, that South Africa's 
young democracy and its leaders will pursue the nation's best 
interests. He led the campaign to defeat apartheid through non-
violence, peace, and dialogue.
  Nelson Mandela never allowed resentment to drive him away from the 
path of reconciliation. He emerged from prison to set free an entire 
nation; he shed the bonds of slave labor to reshape the fate of his 
people.
  Nelson Mandela's life is the a story of courage and a triumph over 
fear, and unyielding faith in the power, promise, and possibility of 
the human spirit.
  He inspired the world with his strength and perseverance, with his 
message of hope and his embrace of freedom. He shared that legacy of 
love and partnership with us 22 years ago this day when he came to 
Houston's Rothko Chapel on December 8, 1991 shortly after his release 
from prison.
  May the life of Nelson Mandela long stand as the ultimate tribute to 
the triumph of hope in the quest for freedom.
  As Nelson Mandela said: ``To be free is not merely to cast off one's 
chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of 
others.''
  May it be a comfort to his family and to the people of South Africa 
that so many mourn the loss of this extraordinary man and world 
historic figure.
  I will be remembering and thinking of these things as I travel to 
Johannesburg, South Africa to attend the memorial service of one of the 
greatest persons in the record history of mankind.
  Mr. FATTAH. I thank the gentlelady from the great State of Texas.
  In 1994, Nelson Mandela was elected President. It is not of the same 
historical importance, but I was elected to the Congress that same 
year. But I am reminded that every day we are made anew.
  And we have a new Congresswoman from the great State of Ohio, 
Congresswoman Beatty, who I want to recognize now for her comments on 
the life of Nelson Mandela.
  Mrs. BEATTY. Thank you, Mr. Fattah, for organizing this Special Order 
hour for us.
  First, let me say, as I stand here today, I am honored to talk about 
a man who is hard to define because he is a man who gave so much of his 
life, a man who understood that his success would be the success of the 
people around him.
  Yesterday, I returned from South Africa where I had the distinct 
honor and pleasure to pay tribute to a man who inspired billions, for 
his courage, for his commitment to people, for his fight for justice, 
for equality, and for freedom.
  Hundreds of thousands of people from around the world came there, 
witnessed it through electronic media, and gave their final respects to 
a man we love so dearly and call Madiba, a most beloved leader who 
liberated South Africa from apartheid. They waited for hours. They 
lined up. They filled the streets. And there I was, this new freshman 
with my Congressional Black Caucus members and Members from this 
Congress.
  So I say to our chairwoman and president of the Congressional Black 
Caucus, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, a job well done for leading us, and 
to Congressman Aaron Schock, thank you for leading us on this 
delegation.
  And as I sat there with my colleagues, we witnessed the spirit, the 
culture, and the evidence that a great man has gone on. We watched the 
spirit and the rhythm of the toyi-toyi and the dancers. And as the 
memorial service began, to have our President of these United States 
come and pay tribute to Nelson, within itself was a great honor.
  Before his election in 1994, he gave up so much to rid his country of 
injustice. As we know, he spent 27 years, almost a third of his life, 
in prison, most of that time on Robben Island, which I had the 
opportunity to visit. Fourteen years living in a small cell without 
water or accommodations for his personal needs speaks volumes for him.
  But to be able to see this firsthand, what Mandela endured in that 
tiny, isolated cell when I was there, to set his people free. Time and 
time again, Nelson Mandela had taught the world many powerful lessons 
about justice, tolerance, and reconciliation. He astonished us all with 
his ability to forgive, something that we should remember on this House 
floor, including his forgiveness for those who jailed him and 
persecuted his family.
  Nelson Mandela, lastly, believed in people. He believed in 
communities. He believed in countries. And he believed in world change 
for the better, something that I think we are witnessing now with our 
first President of these United States, a man of color. So I say to us, 
let us remember his words. It seems impossible until it is done.
  To you, Madiba, we say, a job well done. God bless you.
  Mr. FATTAH. I thank the gentlelady from the great State of Ohio.
  And, obviously, when Nelson Mandela looked at the United States, one 
of the things that he was most interested in was the civil rights 
struggle in this country, understanding that African Americans who were 
fighting for the right to vote and for equal justice under the law, we 
were in a significant minority position demographically; whereas in 
South Africa, Black South Africans were the overwhelming majority in 
that country. And he was quite taken that the United States could right 
itself in such a way, at least legally, against the law that oppressed 
minorities here in our country, African Americans, in particular. He 
always was interested in this.
  One of the persons who was uniquely involved in that and who serves 
with us in this House today is the gentlewoman from the District of 
Columbia, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton.
  Ms. NORTON. I thank my good friend, the gentleman from Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania, who is so honorably following the great example of his

[[Page H8093]]

predecessor Bill Gray in leading us today in the House and for all of 
the work that he has done in the House.
  I want to thank the Congressional Black Caucus and particularly our 
chairman, Marcia Fudge, who led us on an exhausting but exhilarating 
trip to South Africa just this week. I want to thank the CBC--before I 
ever thought about coming to Congress--for their decades of work which 
was instrumental in release and the work of Nelson Mandela.
  I went to South Africa earlier this week to share with South Africans 
their farewell to the father of their country, Madiba, the man who 
meant so much to millions of us, for his leadership throughout the 
world. And I went because, for me, he was a freedom-defining leader.
  I knew Nelson Mandela before I met him. I was a member of the Free 
South Africa Movement that was particularly active here in the District 
of Columbia, the movement led by TransAfrica which became synonymous 
with Free Mandela.
  Mr. Speaker, it was almost 30 years ago that four of us went into the 
South African Embassy--Randall Robinson; the head of TransAfrica, Dr. 
Mary Berry; my own predecessor, former Congressman Walter Fauntroy and 
I--who secured an appointment with the ambassador of South Africa, I 
must say, under false pretenses because we didn't intend to come out.
  However, in those first arrests, we could not have imagined the 
cascade of events that followed. We did not imagine that from all over 
the country people would come to be arrested to free Mandela.
  Mr. Speaker, perhaps least of all did I imagine that on his 95th 
birthday we would have a commemoration where the Democratic and the 
Republican leaders of this House would gather to celebrate Mandela's 
95th birthday. If you can imagine the life of Nelson Mandela, there is 
so much about that life that was unimaginable.
  And there are so many people to thank tonight because as I think 
about all of those who are connected with Mandela--because there are 
millions of them--I hope we do not forget those who led this movement, 
that we do not forget Bill Gray who was the sponsor of the sanctions 
bill and succeeded in overriding a veto to get it through the Congress 
of the United States. I hope we do not forget TransAfrica, which 
invented the struggle for freedom for Mandela, or Ron Dellums or former 
Senator Mike Lugar, who were sponsors of the bill. I hope we do not 
forget the hundreds of thousands who lobbied and picketed their State 
legislatures to divest pension funds from South Africa. It is very 
difficult to imagine that without collective action, Mandela would have 
been free to free his country.
  Most of all, Mr. Speaker, tonight we thank Nelson Mandela himself. 
How do you thank a man for making the highest and best use of his best 
years, by spending them--almost 30 years--incarcerated and then coming 
out to peacefully and ever so gently lead his fellow South Africans to 
lay down their grievances--just as Martin Luther King said, ``Lay down 
your arms''--laid down their grievances, rose above their painful 
scars, their own years of suffering, and to somehow march with him into 
a new multiracial South Africa. It is a South Africa which today, like 
Madiba, its great leader, is an example for the rest of the world.
  Much of the rest of the world today I hope remembers Madiba not only 
for what his years of sacrifice meant but for how he used those years 
to bring peace in the last place where peace was expected.
  I thank the gentleman for leading us tonight.
  Mr. FATTAH. I thank the gentlewoman for her extraordinary 
contributions to this remarkable occurrence in our lifetime, to see 
Mandela and his transformation from prison to President. I will have 
something more to say about that as we close.
  But I want to recognize the gentlelady from the great State of New 
York, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, our new ambassador to South Africa 
who is doing an extraordinary job. I want to mention that she also, by 
the way, has the best birthday in the world because she shares it with 
me.

                              {time}  1945

  Ms. CLARKE of New York. I thank Congressman Fattah for leading us in 
this Special Order in commemoration of ``Madiba.''
  I stand today to honor the memory of President Nelson Mandela of 
South Africa, a world leader of the highest order: an icon. His 
commitment to justice, equality, and the right to human dignity that 
must be afforded each individual person accorded him a moral authority 
that just could not be denied.
  Nelson Mandela, affectionately known as Madiba, understood that the 
policy of apartheid was pure evil--a violation of our shared commitment 
to human rights and to the dignity of each individual.
  Trained as an attorney, he became an activist. And for his activism, 
he was imprisoned in the very year that I was born, confined to a cell 
on Robben Island.
  Through activism, he affirmed the ability of women and men to achieve 
freedom from the harshest forms of racial oppression and created a 
movement that inspired people worldwide. I, myself, as a young person 
was inspired by his example on the campus of Oberlin College, where, 
like many campuses across this Nation, we led a divestment movement.
  I was within the enormous crowd of people in Brooklyn who cheered 
President Mandela upon his release from Robben Island. I remember the 
electricity in the air. Who could forget the experience of cheering a 
man who had come to our shores, arrived in the very district that I 
represent today, and who transformed his Nation and the whole world, in 
saying the words: Free Nelson Mandela.
  Mr. Speaker, I was honored and humbled to be a part of the 
congressional delegation that attended his memorial earlier this week 
and to pay my respects and that of my constituents in the Ninth 
Congressional District.
  Nelson Mandela will remain forever an inspiration to those who 
believe in justice and equality and the promise of a better future for 
all of God's children.
  Today, Madiba is truly free. We all mourn in tribute to a hero to men 
and women everywhere.
  Mr. FATTAH. I thank the gentlelady. I thank not just you, but all 
those who hail from your part of the country who helped in this 
struggle.
  I will yield to the Congressman from the city of Newark, the State of 
New Jersey, Congressman Donald Payne, Jr., who will speak on the life 
and legacy of President Nelson Mandela.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, Nelson Mandela, as we know, was a hero for 
social justice and a model of leadership for me and leaders around the 
globe. Born during the years of apartheid, he was a resilient 
democratic leader, a peacemaker, and inspiring fighter for racial 
equality.
  As it has been stated and is a well-known fact, Mr. Mandela spent 27 
years in prison. Let's look at that time in a little more detail.
  He was jailed as a young man, with two young children, one of them 
being only 3 years old. He wasn't able to touch her again for 27 years. 
While in prison, his mother passes away and his first-born son dies in 
a tragic car accident, never being able to say good-bye. Also, during 
that time, his wife was subjected to both physical and mental abuse. 
She was locked up in prison for 16 months in solitary confinement.
  So how does a person after all that strife and all that grief come 
out of prison and talk about reconciliation?
  President Mandela never let his 27 years in prison deter him from 
doing what he knew was right by ending apartheid and bringing democracy 
to the country that he loved. Even in the face of extreme diversity, he 
has proven that, with a noble cause and internal will, one person can 
change the tide of oppression. One person can change an entire country 
and, in turn, the entire world.
  Although I did not have the pleasure of meeting President Mandela, he 
has always been a role model to me. Likewise, he was an inspiration to 
my father, the late Congressman Donald Payne, who toiled on the 
continent of Africa for equal rights and humanity for all people, and 
especially in South Africa.
  So I am thankful for his tireless years of service and for being an 
example to true leadership. My condolences and prayers go out to the 
Mandela family and to the country of South Africa

[[Page H8094]]

as the entire world mourns such a great loss.
  Although Madiba is gone, his work and the imprint he has made on this 
world will never be forgotten.
  Mr. FATTAH. I thank the gentleman.
  I now yield to the Democratic leader of the House of Representatives, 
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi.
  Ms. PELOSI. Thank you very much, Mr. Fattah, for taking this Special 
Order as part of the Congressional Black Caucus period of mourning for 
President Mandela.
  I was so proud that so many members from the CBC, Mr. McDermott, and 
others went to South Africa to be present at the celebration of the 
life and the memorial services for President Mandela. I wish that I 
could have gone. In fact, I thought I was. So did Mr. Van Hollen and 
Mr. Clyburn. But the business of the budget kept us here. Our thoughts 
and prayers were with all of you as we were at the National Cathedral 
yesterday.
  What I came to the floor to say is I wish to associate myself with 
all the beautiful sentiments expressed by my colleagues about an icon 
in the world--a person that is so unique in history, not just in our 
lifetime, but in the history of the world.
  When I was asked today some thoughts about President Mandela, I said 
that what he did reminded me of King Solomon. When King Solomon was to 
inherit the throne from his father, King David, he prayed to God with a 
great spirit of humility. In humility, he said: God, please give me the 
wisdom to be the king of your people and to follow in the footsteps of 
King David. Please give me wisdom and understanding so that I can do 
the job.
  And God came back to him another night and said: Solomon, because you 
did not ask for longevity, vengeance upon your enemies, or great 
wealth, I will give you more wisdom and more understanding than any 
other person has ever had, and people will come from all around and 
your wisdom will be renowned in the world for ages to come.
  It reminds me so much of Nelson Mandela because in his greatness was 
that spirit of humility--that humility that was open to wisdom, to 
understanding, to being in somebody else's place--that led him not to 
wish for a long life, though God gave him that; not to give him great 
wealth, which he did not possess; and certainly not to give him 
vengeance upon his enemies, because that was the opposite of what he 
was. In the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation, as our colleagues 
have discussed, and the great wisdom God gave him, as well as the long 
life, he was able to use that wisdom springing from that humility to 
understand other people's situations and then do great things, things 
that would make him renowned for ages to come for his wisdom and for 
his spirit.
  I had the privilege of seeing President Mandela when he came to 
address a joint session of Congress in 1994 as the President of South 
Africa. Afterward, Speaker Foley had a luncheon. He invited a large 
number of us to have lunch with President Mandela.
  President Mandela spoke again at that luncheon, and what was sad 
about it was that he spoke about the price he paid to be the father of 
his country--at the expense of his being a father to his family. He 
talked about how it was to be separated from his family for over 26 
years.

  Imagine that, trying to meet the needs of his wife and children, and 
also has his need to be a father. He made quite a sacrifice. It was 
urgent that he do so.
  But, again, in different periods of his life he demonstrated great 
courage, great determination, great strength, great persistence in 
prison, and great sadness about not seeing his family. And all of that 
strengthened him to say he really had to exploit the investments that 
had been made by the people of South Africa in the name Mandela. And he 
came out to be an example to the world of forgiveness, reconciliation, 
and of a strength unlike most of us have ever seen.
  As a Californian, we take some ownership of the Mandela issue, 
whether it was stopping investments in South Africa and the rest. Ron 
Dellums was the champion of this. So we are proud of the role that we 
played in from the State of California.
  It really is, again, in that same humility that is a virtue that we 
should all possess that I come to this floor to even talk about such a 
great person who went from a village, to a leader of a movement, to 
prison, to the presidency of South Africa; from a name that we heard in 
America, to a person who would address a joint session of Congress. But 
on top of all of that, to go from his village, to be a world icon.
  Thank you, my colleague, for giving me the time.
  Mr. FATTAH. Thank you, Madam Leader, for coming and sharing with us 
profound reflections on the life of President Mandela.
  I yield to the gentleman from Maryland, Chris Van Hollen, who has 
done a lot of work in this House today.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. I want to thank my friend, Mr. Fattah; my friend, Ms. 
Fudge; and the entire CBC for organizing this time to honor the life of 
Nelson Mandela.
  Nelson Mandela was a man who stood up so bravely to injustice. The 
power of his beautiful example inspired people around the world, 
stirred our hearts and stirred our conscience.
  It was Nelson Mandela and the injustice of apartheid that first moved 
me to political activism. At the time, I was a student at Swarthmore 
College in the State of Pennsylvania. I joined the Swarthmore 
Antiapartheid Committee to urge and petition Swarthmore College to 
divest from South Africa. Young people at colleges around the country 
were moved to action.
  I watched there as members of the Congressional Black Caucus here in 
the United States Congress worked to make sure that the United States 
stood up to the meaning that is in our founding creed that all people 
will be created equal. They were people like Congressman Gray and 
others, and Members who are members today of the CBC that are standing 
up.
  And then, in 1985, I had the privilege of going to work as one of the 
foreign policy advisers to a great Maryland Senator by the name of Mac 
Mathias, who served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and was 
one of the sponsors of the legislation to impose economic sanctions 
against South Africa because of the evil of apartheid.
  It was Senator Mathias, Senator Kennedy, and Senator Lugar, the 
Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, working 
in the Senate along with the CBC in the House of Representatives and 
others who said the United States cannot stand by while the evil of 
apartheid is in place. We must answer the call of Nelson Mandela.

                              {time}  2000

  Certainly, my proudest moment as a staff member to Senator Mathias on 
those days on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was, first, when 
the United States Congress passed that legislation and then on a 
bipartisan basis overrode the veto of then-President Reagan, showing 
how the democratic process in this country would work to stand up for 
justice.
  As we confront issues here at home and around the world, we would do 
well by remembering the example of Nelson Mandela as we confront other 
issues of justice and peaceful reconciliation.
  Mr. FATTAH. I thank the gentleman.
  Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time I have remaining.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Pennsylvania has 5 
minutes remaining.
  Mr. FATTAH. I yield to the gentleman from the great State of Georgia.
  To this list of Republicans who supported this effort, let me add the 
name of former Speaker Newt Gingrich, who supported the divestiture 
effort here in the House, and we want to appropriately recognize his 
contribution since he is from the great State of Georgia.
  I yield to Congressman Johnson.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. I thank you, Mr. Fattah.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my distinguished colleagues in a 
tribute to the life of President Nelson Mandela. I do so with a heavy 
heart.
  The people of South Africa and the world at large have lost a great 
human being and one of the finest leaders ever known. Although 
President Nelson Mandela has passed, his legacy and his vision remain 
vital, and they will remain with us. Madiba taught us how to live and 
also how to die. He inspired

[[Page H8095]]

hope in the people of South Africa. He set an example of leadership we 
would all do well to follow. He showed the world that an impassioned 
pursuit of justice could win over complacency and corruption.
  I will always remember Nelson Mandela as a man and a movement. In 
1990, not long after Mr. Mandela's release from jail, I attended a 
speech he gave at the Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Seeing 
this icon in the flesh and hearing his calm voice taught me something 
about the nature of true revolutionaries--that they are very real 
people.
  Nelson Mandela was a real person who personally faced oppression. 
Facing that reality made his legend all the more inspiring to me. True 
progress is not beyond our reach. It is not a product of wishful 
thinking or of serendipity. Radical change comes from determination and 
integrity. His peaceful presence underscored the intensity of his 
resolve. He bravely sought to change the seemingly unshakable status 
quo. The consequences of his actions were severe, but they did not 
break him. He showed the world that no amount of brutality could 
overpower the will of a people determined to be free. Nelson Mandela 
worked tirelessly to channel the righteous anger of the oppressed into 
a positive and revolutionary change.
  What impressed me the most about Nelson Mandela was his humble spirit 
of forgiveness and love towards those who persecuted him. Neither angry 
nor vindictive and with great courage and dignity, he endured 27 years 
in prison, sacrificing his liberty for the sake of all South Africans. 
Ultimately, he lived a life of triumph over evil and adversity, leaving 
the world a better place for his journey amongst us.
  On behalf of the people of Georgia's Fourth Congressional District, 
my wife and myself, I celebrate his life, and will work in pursuit of 
his vision. The spirit of his life will remain in my heart for so long 
as I shall live.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material relative to the subject of this Special Order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FATTAH. In closing, I would like the House to focus on the 
transformation of this man who moved from a prison cell to being the 
President of a nation.
  Through his circumstance of 27 years, during which his picture or his 
name could not be spoken, he became a world figure. He could not have 
more than one visitor for 30 minutes in a 6-month period, but yet 
hundreds of thousands have gathered to memorialize him. Delegations 
from almost 100 countries will go to his funeral and have gone to his 
home-going celebration. This is a man who traveled a great distance 
over these 95 years. He had the willingness to fight against 
oppression, and he had a willingness to reconcile with his oppressors 
in a way in which all could live in harmony.
  He sets a great example for the world, so I thank the House for 
taking this time to honor his life and legacy.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a man who 
has inspired me and millions of people across the globe. He died last 
week at the age of 95, but lived a full life defined by a dedication to 
serve others and a simple, but all important, insistence that all 
citizens be treated with dignity and respect.
  Serving as the first black president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela 
fought and sacrificed for civil rights in his home country. To Nelson 
Mandela, all were equal--peace and justice were to be shared among all 
races, religions, and nationalities. Beyond words, Mandela lived a life 
of leadership by example. His long and courageous opposition to South 
Africa's long and violent apartheid and relentless pursuit of freedom 
and justice was a profound example of moral leadership that will long 
be remembered.
  A man not deterred or discouraged from his goals, Nelson Mandela was 
determined and unwavering in his fight for liberty. Beyond death, his 
life continues to serve as a daily inspiration for my public service, 
and I believe all of us can learn from Mandela's examples in 
forgiveness, hope, and sacrifice. South Africa and the world are better 
for the example of his life--his work laid the foundations for a bright 
future in South Africa and his vision of peace has been since shared 
around the globe.
  His faith in God and commitment to the principles of freedom and 
justice for all are reflected in his favorite scripture from the 
Apostle Paul found in the 8th Chapter of Romans; `Neither death, nor 
life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, 
nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, will 
be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus 
our Lord.' He would not be separated from his principles of justice for 
all, no matter the cost.
  Mr. Speaker, today I ask my colleagues to join me and the people of 
South Africa in paying tribute to Mr. Nelson Mandela and his 
exceptional legacy as a world leader. May his family and all of the 
lives he touched be consoled and comforted by their faith in the Lord, 
along with the assurance that the courage of Nelson Mandela will not 
soon be forgotten.
  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Nelson Mandela--a man 
who leaves South Africa and the world a better place for his presence.
  From a childhood herding cattle to an adulthood fighting for his 
people's freedom, Mandela's 95 years are a testament to the power of a 
single life to change the course of history.
  And the arc of Mandela's life bends towards peace.
  There are many ways to change the world.
  And too often, the world is changed:
  By war
  By violence
  By conflict
  But Mandela took the road less traveled and changed the world with 
his commitment:
  To freedom for his oppressed people
  To equality for all people--oppressed and oppressors alike
  And ultimately to peace for a country deeply wounded by conflict.
  From the prison walls of Robben Island to the halls of Pretoria and 
beyond, Mandela was only human but exemplified super-human courage.
  But he was admittedly not a perfect man. And it is his imperfections 
that bring us closer to him.
  And enable us to follow in his footsteps.
  His legacy of reconciliation and forgiveness can live on in each one 
of us when we, too, take the road less traveled and act in the name of 
justice and in the name of peace.
  Let us learn from Nelson Mandela and write the narrative of our lives 
with
  Justice
  Equality
  And peace.
  As Mandela said, ``When a man has done what he considers to be his 
duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace.''
  Now is your time to rest in peace, Madiba.
  As we honor you by promoting peace in our words, actions and deeds.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a man who 
has inspired me and millions of people across the globe. He died last 
week at the age of 95, but lived a full life defined by a dedication to 
serve others and a simple, but all important, insistence that all 
citizens be treated with dignity and respect.
  Serving as the first black president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela 
fought and sacrificed for civil rights in his home country. To Nelson 
Mandela, all were equal--peace and justice were to be shared among all 
races, religions, and nationalities. Beyond words, Mandela lived a life 
of leadership by example. His long and courageous opposition to South 
Africa's long and violent apartheid and relentless pursuit of freedom 
and justice was a profound example of moral leadership that will long 
be remembered.
  A man not deterred or discouraged from his goals, Nelson Mandela was 
determined and unwavering in his fight for liberty. Beyond death, his 
life continues to serve as a daily inspiration for my public service, 
and I believe all of us can learn from Mandela's examples in 
forgiveness, hope, and sacrifice. South Africa and world are better for 
the example of his life--his work laid the foundations for a bright 
future in South Africa and his vision of peace has been since shared 
around the globe.
  His faith in God and commitment to the principles of freedom and 
justice for all are reflected in his favorite scripture from the 
Apostle Paul found in the 8th Chapter of Romans; `Neither death, nor 
life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, 
nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, will 
be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus 
our Lord.' He would not be separated from his principles of justice for 
all, no matter the cost.
  Mr. Speaker, today I ask my colleagues to join me and the people of 
South Africa in paying tribute to Mr. Nelson Mandela and his 
exceptional legacy as a world leader. May his family and all of the 
lives he touched be consoled and comforted by their faith in the Lord, 
along with the assurance that the courage of Nelson Mandela will not 
soon be forgotten.

[[Page H8096]]



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