[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 173 (Tuesday, December 1, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1683]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IN RECOGNITION OF DIONNE WARWICK

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. DONALD M. PAYNE, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 1, 2015

  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor New Jersey-native and 
music marvel, Ms. Dionne Warwick. The legendary Ms. Warwick is world 
renowned not only for her incredible music career, but also for her 
humanitarian and philanthropic work.
   Ms. Warwick is a pillar of American pop music and culture. She began 
singing in East Orange, New Jersey during her childhood years. Her 
gospel roots marry well with R&B and pop in a way that transcends 
culture and race. Ms. Warwick is a five-time Grammy Award-winning 
singer and the second most-charted female vocalist of all time, with 69 
singles on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. She became a superstar with 
early hits like ``Walk on By'' and ``I Say a Little Prayer,'' and 
followed them up for decades with hits including ``Do You Know the Way 
to San Jose,'' ``I'll Never Love This Way Again,'' and ``That's What 
Friends Are For.''
   As a performer, Ms. Warwick delighted audiences all around the 
world. Her talents received a star on Hollywood's ``Walk of Fame.'' She 
was also honored by Oprah Winfrey at the 2005 Legends Ball. As an 
activist, Ms. Warwick has devoted countless hours and supported a 
number of charities and causes.
   Always one to aid those in need, Ms. Warwick advocates on behalf of 
music education, world hunger, disaster relief, and children's 
hospitals. She has used her stardom over five decades to raise 
awareness about major health issues, including AIDS and senior citizen 
health. For her commitment, President Ronald Reagan and the U.S. 
Department of Health & Human Services appointed her U.S. Ambassador of 
Health in 1987. In 2002, she served as Global Ambassador for Health and 
Ambassador for the United Nations' Food & Agriculture Organization. She 
is currently working to ensure Medicare covers the best method of 
administering FDA approved drugs in cataract surgery, a procedure she 
herself has undergone.
   I join all of Dionne Warwick's friends and loved ones in celebrating 
her many achievements and contributions, and I wish Ms. Warwick--the 
jewel of New Jersey's 10th Congressional District--a very happy 75th 
birthday. I have no doubt that Ms. Warwick will continue to use her 
voice to captivate international audiences, through her music and her 
dedication to the human condition.

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