[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 152 (Friday, December 12, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1819]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      RECOGNIZING DONALD E. GRAHAM

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 11, 2014

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me 
in recognizing Donald E. Graham for his outstanding contributions to 
the nation and to the people of the nation's capital. Don Graham is 
best known for his unique contributions to the field of journalism, but 
he is also greatly admired in the District of Columbia, his hometown, 
as a citizen and leader.
  For more than four decades, Don Graham has played a significant role 
in the life of the nation and here in the District of Columbia. Don 
served his country for two years during the Vietnam War, prior to 
returning to the District of Columbia and joining the D.C.'s police 
department, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). At MPD, Don 
courageously dedicated himself to serving the residents of the District 
as a patrol officer in the Ninth Precinct in the Northeast section of 
the District of Columbia. Only after charting his life with these 
experiences, life changing in themselves, did Don begin his career in 
professional journalism, in 1971, when he joined the family business as 
a reporter. Don Graham proceeded to come up through the ranks of the 
Washington Post and eventually became Publisher of the paper and then 
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Washington Post Company. 
During his tenure, Don Graham shepherded a historic era at the Post. 
Under his leadership, the Post not only won more than 20 Pulitzer 
Prizes, it entered into the digital age, launched a website, and began 
printing in color.
  Beyond his stellar accomplishments in journalism, Don Graham also has 
made notable contributions to the District of Columbia and its 
residents. He has continued a family tradition of service to the 
District with special attention to secondary education and higher 
education. Don was the driving force behind the D.C. Tuition Assistance 
Grant program (DCTAG), not only in our ability to achieve federal 
funding for higher education unique to the District, but in what it has 
taken to maintain it for 15 years. DCTAG has doubled college attendance 
in the District of Columbia, allowing D.C. students, who have no state 
university system, to attend any state university in the country with 
up to $10,000 per year in assistance. Moreover, Don has gone even 
further in pursuit of higher education opportunities for D.C. 
residents. He is a co-founder of the D.C. College Access Program, which 
has assisted over 13,000 D.C. students and provided over $18 million in 
scholarships. Most recently, Don has formed TheDream.US, a new 
scholarship program that seeks to assist undocumented students, who 
cannot qualify for federal financial aid programs. Don sold the Post to 
engage in other pursuits, leaving the paper in good hands to continue 
its distinctive contributions. However, Don Graham's dedicated public 
service as a private citizen continues to this day.
  Mr. Speaker, I could only summarize Donald E. Graham's achievements. 
Even so, it should now be clear why I ask my colleagues to join me in 
honoring Donald E. Graham for his service to American journalism and 
for his continuing service to the residents of the District of 
Columbia.

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