[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 148 (Thursday, September 6, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H7903-H7908]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING RONALD V. DELLUMS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 3, 2017, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) is
recognized for the remainder of the hour as the designee of the
minority leader.
General Leave
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5
legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the subject of our Special Order tonight.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to really celebrate the
life and legacy of my mentor, my former boss, and my dear friend,
Congressman Ronald V. Dellums.
I had the privilege to serve as an intern in Ron's Washington office
during the Watergate hearings of 1974 and as a senior member of his
staff for 11 years.
First, my deepest condolences to Ron's beloved family, friends, and
our community, who he loved so deeply, as we continue to come to grips,
quite frankly, with the grief in the passing of this tremendous voice,
yet we honor and celebrate Ron's magnificent legacy.
Mr. Speaker, let me thank Congressman Jamie Raskin for being a part
of this Special Order tonight and for co-leading it. Congressman
Raskin's father, Marcus Raskin, was a close and cherished friend of
Ron's. They deeply loved and respected each other.
Let me also thank all of my colleagues in the Congressional
Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus for holding this
Special Order tonight to remember a truly historic figure, the late,
great Congressman Ron Dellums.
Congressman Dellums was a founding member of the Congressional Black
Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and I know this
celebration of his life would mean so much to him.
Ron will be remembered not only for his many accomplishments, but for
his integrity and his brilliance. He was a courageous statesman, a
warrior for world peace, a soldier for social justice, and a son of
west Oakland. He served his country in both the Marines and in this
Congress, with distinction, for 27 years and as mayor of Oakland for 4
years.
He was beloved by his east bay constituents, regarded by his
colleagues from both sides of the aisle, and respected as a global
leader.
Above all else, Congressman Dellums was a visionary, and his
conscience guided him in the pursuit of peace and justice and equality
in all forms.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), one
of Ron's very close friends, a person whom he loved dearly, who is an
icon in his own right, someone who led the fight for our voting rights.
Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank my beloved friend,
Congresswoman Barbara Lee, for holding this Special Order.
You know, Ron Dellums was a special human being, special leader. He
was one of a kind. He was born and grew up in due season.
Those of us who worked with him and got to know him, we loved him. We
admired him. I can see him now saying, ``Hi, bro. What is going on?''
We must continue to stand up and speak up and fight the good fight.
You know, Ron never gave up; he never gave in. He never became
bitter. He was never hostile. He loved people. He worked so hard and
tirelessly for what he believed in.
As Congresswoman Barbara Lee has stated so well, Ron was the founding
member of the Congressional Black Caucus. But I tell you, he was a
peaceful warrior. He believed in peace.
He struggled to help build what I call a true democracy in America.
He fought to build what Dr. King called the beloved community. He
wanted to redeem the soul of America.
He wanted to bring people together. It didn't matter whether they
were Black or White, Latino, Asian American, or Native American. He saw
us as one people, one family living in the same house, not just the
American house, but the world house.
I tell you, as one Member who came here after winning an election in
1986, coming here in 1987, I would talk with Ron a great deal. I
learned a great deal from him.
He used his leadership of the Armed Services Committee to highlight
the senseless nature of war and to press for greater investment in the
public good. He fought for peace at home and abroad.
As a Member of Congress, he was the author of legislation and the
movement for corporate divestment in South Africa.
As a political leader, he was an inspiration to people all over the
world. People admired him. People loved him.
You know, he was tall. He stood up; he stood out. And he spoke with
passion.
In his passing, the Nation has lost a strong and powerful crusader
for justice, for equality, and for peace.
He was cool before it became popular to be cool. He dressed so well.
You knew Ron Dellums was coming when you saw him before he made it to
you.
{time} 1645
For many of us, he was our hero. Activists of the 21st century, and
all of the new Members of Congress who seek progressive change in
America would do well to take several pages from Ron Dellums' book. It
would make you a better Member of this body.
His voice made him a force to be reckoned with as a committee chair,
as a legislator, as a leader. He insisted in his call for justice for
his cause for peace. He will be deeply missed all over America, not
just in California, not just in Oakland, but all over America and
around the world, for people who long for peace, for justice, for
equality.
Thank you, Ron Dellums, for all that you did to help make our country
and make our world a better place. I thank the gentlewoman, Barbara
Lee, for this Special Order.
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Lewis for that very
beautiful tribute to Ron. It was a loving tribute, and I know
personally how much Ron loved him and, in many ways, looked up to him
and respected him as a human being and for his tremendous leadership.
So I thank the gentleman on behalf of Ron's family, friends, and our
community.
Now I would like to ask Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton to come
forward. Congresswoman Norton knew Ron very well, served with Ron, and
Ron served as chair of the District of Columbia Committee when I was
actually a staffer during that period. They had many, many struggles
during that day. Ron and Eleanor remained friends, and he loved her
dearly and always asked about her.
I yield to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms.
Norton).
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my very good friend, Representative
Barbara Lee from California, who has the great honor of serving in the
seat that Ron held. And she has that honor because of her work with Ron
and because those who lived in his district understood that Ron did not
serve them alone.
I think that for Barbara Lee to have risen from intern to chief of
staff to Ron Dellums says everything about her service in the Congress.
She is just the right person to be leading this special honor for our
good friend, the dapper, the brilliant, Ron Dellums.
Ms. Lee shows us that Ron had an eye for talent, and I thank her for
sharing that talent now with the Nation.
It is true that my district and I had a special relationship with Ron
Dellums; and, therefore, a special love. Because for 14 years, he
chaired the old District of Columbia Committee, which he helped me get
rid of, understanding
[[Page H7904]]
that the District deserved equality with other districts.
Yet, I have to say how fortunate we were that Ron chose to use one of
his committee seats for the District of Columbia. Why would Ron Dellums
do that? There is not a vote in the District of Columbia for Ron
Dellums--much as people would have loved to vote for him--but there
wasn't a single vote because he didn't live in the District of
Columbia.
This was such an unselfish human being. He went where he thought he
was needed. And I do need to tell you how unusual that is, because most
Members choose their committees, and this applies to his choice of the
Armed Services Committee, as well as the District Committee. You choose
your committee because it allows you to bring home something to your
constituents, and I am the perfect example.
I have chosen committees which have helped me rebuild entire sections
of the District of Columbia, the Wharf, or the Southwest Waterfront,
the Southeast Waterfront, and other sections of the city. That is how
most of us operate.
Well, let me tell you something: It is hard to bring home peace. Yet,
that is why Ron Dellums chose to serve on the Armed Services Committee,
as he unselfishly served on the District Committee. I will have a word
to say about that--it was because he could not bear to see any
Americans treated as less than full American citizens.
I must note, though, because I don't want to leave you with a sense,
a parochial sense of Ron Dellums, or think I am just here because of
what he did for my district. That would be reason enough for me to be
here, but I am here to note the uniqueness of Ron Dellums as a Member
of Congress, because not before, and not since, has there been a Member
like Ron Dellums.
As a lawyer, I am going to prove this point. I hope you will agree
before I sit down.
First of all, here was a Marine Corps vet--a pretty tough branch of
the armed services--and, of course, this gave Ron special credibility
when he became the leader of antiwar efforts in the Congress of the
United States. Whether House or Senate, this was the leader of antiwar
efforts when we were in Vietnam and when we were in wars since.
Never before or since has a Member who opposed most of the mandate of
a committee been elected to chair that committee, as Ron was elected to
chair the Armed Services Committee. Now, remember, you don't get
appointed to chair these committees. You have to earn the respect of
your colleagues on the committee so that they want to elect you to
chair them.
I defy my colleagues to find any other Member of Congress who has
gotten elected or could get elected chairman of a committee with a
mission they oppose.
Ron Dellums was the leading advocate for peace in the Congress,
winning the votes of his colleagues to chair the Armed Services
Committee, which has, if you will forgive me, little to do with peace.
They have to do with preparing for war.
I begin there to make you understand what manner of man I am talking
about. Now, he didn't just decide when he came to Congress: Wouldn't
this be a cute thing to do given where I stand on these issues to
chair, to grow up as it were in Congress to chair the Armed Services
Committee. He started right where he ended. As a freshman, Ron
introduced a resolution calling for an investigation of war crimes, or
what he regarded as war crimes in Indochina. Particularly as a
freshman, that was refused.
So instead of walking away as virtually any Member would, especially
a freshman, he said: I am going to call some unofficial hearings on
this very subject and he was able to lure some of his colleagues with
him, despite many colleagues regarding the introduction of the
resolution as an outrage to begin with.
Here is a Member of Congress whose reputation for fairness, whose
congeniality was such that when time came to elect a chairman, many
Republicans as well supported him to become chairman of the Armed
Services Committee. The defense establishment that was certainly
rattled. What to expect from this man? Well, this is what you got. You
got leadership from a man who managed every bill to increase defense
funding with great equanimity and fairness, while opposing his own
bills. That is what you got. Find yourself that kind of a Member, much
less a chairman, today in the Congress of the United States.
You got a man who was, in fact, very much for equal rights for gays
in the military, but ushered through his committee a ban on gays
serving openly in the military regardless. He understood the difference
between Ron Dellums the man and Mr. Chairman. That is an important
difference. And because Members tend not to understand that difference,
they tend not to get elected chair of a committee whose mandate they
oppose.
I must say, because I was not a Member of Congress at the time of the
Free South Africa movement, but, was a leader of that movement, how
much Ron was appreciated throughout the country for his leadership as
the chief sponsor of the bill that produced sanctions against South
Africa for its apartheid policies, and, ultimately, the release of
Mandella from prison.
Finally, if I may say to my friend from California, a word of special
thanks regarding Ron Dellums' service on the District of Columbia
Committee. He served on it from the moment he was in Congress, and he
chaired the committee for, as I indicated, 14 years. It is interesting,
that this was a committee he wanted to eliminate as one of the first
supporters for statehood for the District of Columbia when the District
of Columbia was just trying to get the local vote, or what we call home
rule.
Some of his words deserve repeating. For example, he said: ``I am an
advocate, not an overseer of District affairs.'' Now, Ron was the
committee chairman. He clearly was the overseer. We didn't want that
power. He had it. This is how he approached his work as chair of a
committee that had nothing to do with his district. This is how he
approached giving the District the respect that it deserved.
I was not a Member of Congress at the time, but I know that my
friend, Walter Fauntleroy, who represented the District at the time,
deeply appreciated Ron Dellums, in particular.
When I indicate that Ron was for D.C. statehood, you might think,
well, you are for D.C. statehood. What do you expect? Remember, we
didn't have good home rule then. We didn't get that until 1994, and we
were just getting to the point where people understood the inequality
of the residents who live in the District of Columbia. But Ron Dellums
understood, you have got to advocate for what people deserve, not where
they are now in getting what the Congress wants to give them.
His service as chair of the District Committee was long ago, it meant
everything to the District to have a chairman who loved the District of
Columbia as he loved his own city who understood what the District
needed and wanted, and who always consulted with the District.
Yes, California is far away from the District of Columbia, but
notwithstanding the distance, I stand here this evening with the
greatest gratitude for the 700,000 people I represent now and for all
those who at the time had the great privilege of having Ron as the
chair of the District Committee.
I stand here to thank Representative Ron Dellums, to let him know he
will be forever remembered in our city, and to let him know that he has
not been and never will be forgotten by the people of the District of
Columbia.
My thanks to my good friend for leading this Special Order.
Ms. LEE. I thank Congressman Eleanor Holmes Norton. Let me say that
Ron passed away in his home here in Washington, D.C., on July 30. She
was his Representative.
{time} 1700
Ron loved the District of Columbia, as Ms. Norton said. His children
went to Alice Deal Junior High School and Woodrow Wilson High School.
He worked with Ms. Norton, as well as Hilda Mason, who was on the city
council and was a strong activist for statehood. So I thank Ms. Norton
for reminding us of Ron's wonderful history in the District of
Columbia.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson), my
friend, a member of the Judiciary Committee and the Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee, but a prior member of
[[Page H7905]]
the House Armed Services Committee. I thank Congressman Johnson for
being with us tonight.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for
yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I express my sincere condolences to the family and
friends of a great patriot, Representative Ron Dellums. My sincere
condolences for their loss.
It is my great honor to be here tonight to pay my respects to a man
who was a true giant of this body, the United States House of
Representatives, as well as in American life, a man who, I think we can
all say with assurance, was one upon whose shoulders we all stand.
Before we had the incomparable John Lewis and the inimitable Maxine
Waters in Congress, there was Ron Dellums, who left us his distinct
mark, not just on this august body, but the San Francisco Bay Area, the
Nation, and the world.
He left an indelible impression upon me as a Congressman.
The greatest legacy that he left us, however, was his successor,
Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who carries on his legacy.
For 10 years, I was honored and privileged to serve as a member of
the House Armed Services Committee. Ron Dellums' portrait hanging in
the committee room was a constant reminder of the type of committee
member who I aspired to be.
``If being an advocate of peace, justice, and humanity toward all
human beings is radical, then I am glad to be called radical,'' he once
said. I will repeat that: ``If being an advocate of peace, justice, and
humanity toward all human beings is radical, then I am glad to be
called radical.'' That is what Ron Dellums said.
He further stated, ``And if it is radical to oppose the use of 70
percent of Federal moneys for destruction and war, then I am a
radical.''
That quote, ladies and gentlemen, has stuck with me. It has guided me
in my public service.
Ron Dellums would never allow the powers that be, or the corrosive
forces of Washington, D.C., to put him in a box. He never allowed
labels to define who he was. Rightwing critics called him a Communist.
But Ron shot back and described himself as a ``commie pinko, Afro-
topped, bell-bottomed dude from Berkeley.'' He was a true Renaissance
man. And he was cool before Congress knew what cool was, a bell-
bottomed cat from Berkeley.
Who other than Ron Dellums could rise from the streets of Oakland to
become a Congressman, a mayor, and one of the guiding forces behind a
14-year campaign against apartheid in South Africa that helped bring
down that racist regime? Who else but Ron Dellums could help form the
Congressional Black Caucus, and from his seat and chairmanship on the
powerful House Armed Services Committee propose spending not for war
and weapons, but instead for education, jobs, housing, healthcare,
assistance to the poor, and programs to fight drug abuse?
Ladies and gentlemen, Ron Dellums set the ultimate example for us
today with the powerful message and legacy of being true to one's self,
a man who stood tall for the people, and not just for the people of
America. Ron stood for the people of the world.
He was a unique and authentic human being, and his presence will be
missed.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Ron for his guidance and for his example that we
can look to as a beacon as we make our way, moving our country forward
during these turbulent times. The lessons we have learned from his
example will serve us well as we continue the good fight for peace,
justice, and humanity toward all human beings.
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Johnson for that very
beautiful tribute.
I know one of Ron's greatest gifts was mentoring those who came after
him, and I know he certainly appreciated Mr. Johnson's leadership on
that Armed Services Committee and talked a lot about the great work
that he was engaged in.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi),
our leader, who knew Ron very well, even before Ron and Nancy served
together in Congress. I thank her so much for being here and for paying
tribute.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Lee for bringing us together for
this Special Order to honor a very, very special person, Congressman,
Mr. Mayor, Ron Dellums.
She has worked with him, so she saw close up his commitment to values
to make the future better for everyone in our country.
She also participated in his collaboration, that when an issue arose
or even was anticipated, he engaged the entire community in the
discussion, in the collaboration of what was best for the community,
not deigning to tell them, but listening. He listened, and we all
listened.
When Ron Dellums came to the floor, it was an occasion. Everything
stopped, as we wanted to hear what he had to say, because we knew it
would be substantial. But we also knew it would be eloquent and, on
occasion, humorous.
He was an absolute star in the Congress of the United States, like no
other in the galaxy of stars here that many of us have served with. He
shined so much brighter, and the world is a duller place for his
leaving us.
What is important about Ron are some of the things that our colleague
Mr. Johnson referenced about apartheid in Africa, how important he was
in that fight, and how effective he was as a leader in that fight.
When he assumed the chairmanship of the Armed Services Committee, a
progressive from Berkeley, he understood that our country had to be
strong, but he measured our strength not only in our military might,
but the health, education, and well-being of the American people. He
saw them go together. Without that piece of it, we could never really
reach the potential of strength that America is about.
We will have a number of occasions, one in Oakland on Sunday, to
share some stories, then at a later date here in Washington, D.C.,
again, and many times in between, about Ron Dellums. But I know, for
anyone who served with him--and he was in Congress long before I came,
but I had the privilege of serving for a while--anyone who served with
him considered it a tremendous honor to call him colleague. For those
of us who had the privilege to call him friend, that was a joy in our
lives.
As Californians, though, we took special pride in Ron Dellums. One
story that I love about him, there are many, but one that I love about
him is--this is a prince. You see how elegant he is, dressed
meticulously, so beautifully.
But one story that he told is that, the first time he went to Africa,
a person who was proud of his skin color and proud of the community he
represented and sprang from, but to be on a continent and visit
countries where the leaders of the country were African, to see people
who shared his ethnicity lead their countries and be respected, it was
something he brought home to us with great emotion and great pride.
With great emotion and great pride, I am grateful that I had the
opportunity to serve with him.
I know time is limited, so I will save some stories for Oakland on
Sunday, but I thank Ms. Lee again for not only bringing us together
here, but for honoring the legacy of Ron Dellums and his long career as
a Member of Congress, honoring the values they shared, making her own
mark in the Congress, and now keeper of the flame of Ron Dellums.
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Leader Pelosi for those remarks.
Let me just say one thing to Ms. Pelosi in terms of Ron's sensitivity
and an example of his humanness. He was so happy she reached out to him
during his last few days on this Earth. I was with him, and after he
spoke with Ms. Pelosi, he had tears in his eyes. He talked about how
much he missed her and how much he loved her. He was so grateful that
she gave him that call, so I thank her very much.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay).
Congressman Lacy Clay, of course, is the son of a great hero,
Congressman Bill Clay, with whom Ron served. Also, he was so proud of
Lacy, because he knew Congressman Clay as a teenager. He may want to
share some of his stories about that period of time also.
Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Lee for teeing that up, our good
friend Congresswoman Barbara Lee who succeeded my friend Ron Dellums.
Ron was a giant, and I truly admired him.
[[Page H7906]]
Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight in honored memory of a great American who
served with distinction in this House for 27 years, the late gentleman
from California, former Congressman Ron Dellums.
Like my father, former Congressman Bill Clay, Congressman Dellums
will forever be revered as one of the founding members of the
Congressional Black Caucus, and he was also a founding member of the
Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Ron was a legendary figure. Whatever task he took on, he excelled in
it. I first met Congressman Dellums when I was a very young man in
college and I was assigned to this Chamber as an assistant door keeper.
My door was what is known as the west door, and I had to know Ron.
I remember two instances where one time Ron Dellums portrayed the
iconic figure of Frederick Douglass in a play, and I was so impressed
with that.
He was also a member of the congressional baseball team and played
first base.
Whatever he did, he did it well.
Our families became close, and when I came back to this body as a
Member, our professional relationship continued. When I first met him,
I was immediately impressed, not just with his powerful intellect, but
with his fearless advocacy to end the war in Vietnam, protect the right
to vote, speak truth to power in defense of our most vulnerable
citizens, and his unyielding demand that America must be a beacon for
human rights around the world.
During his first run for Congress in 1970, former Vice President
Spiro Agnew branded Ron Dellums as a ``dangerous radical'' for his
vigorous opposition to the Vietnam war. In response to that, Ron
Dellums said, ``If it's radical to oppose the insanity and cruelty of
the Vietnam war; if it's radical to oppose racism and sexism and all
other forms of oppression; if it's radical to want to alleviate
poverty, hunger, disease, homelessness, and other forms of human
misery, then I'm proud to be called a radical.''
{time} 1715
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand on the shoulders of Ronald Dellums
as we continue the unfinished struggle to make America live up to all
that we promise as a great nation, and I hope all Members will join me
as we send our deepest condolences to the family and give thanks for
his courageous leadership.
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Clay for some of the
stories he shared that many of us as a former staffer remember.
Yes, I remember Ron playing the role of Frederick Douglass, and it
was unbelievable because it didn't take much for the transformation.
Sometimes we would say: Who is this, Ron or Frederick?
So I thank the gentleman for reminding us of that tonight.
Mr. Speaker, Ron's family hailed from Texas. Congresswoman Jackson
Lee was a friend of Congressman Dellums. She currently serves on the
Judiciary Committee, Homeland Security Committee, and the Budget
Committee. Also, Ron was very proud of Sheila, and he loved hearing the
gentlewoman speak and listening to her insights about criminal justice
reform in our judiciary.
So I thank the gentlewoman again for being here tonight.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from the great State of Texas
(Ms. Jackson Lee).
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to stand here with our
good friend just leaving the podium, the Honorable Lacy Clay.
It is good to see the kind of family attitude that we are all
expressing. Each person has gone to hug the Honorable Barbara Lee
because she is the closest to Congressman Ron Dellums, and we want his
family to know of the intensity of our love and respect.
Congressman Lacy opened up the gate for me and the door for me
because I think Congressman Ron Dellums understood, as Frederick
Douglass did, that, where there is no struggle, there is no power.
Without struggle, there is no power. For all that he stood for, even in
his early years, he had no fear of struggle.
So I stand today on the floor of the House to be able to pay tribute
to our friend and, might I say, our brother, to be able to thank the
gentlewoman from California for her wisdom in allowing us to share this
time with him. I thank the gentlewoman so very much for giving us this
beautiful portrait for us to stand next to and for America to be
reintroduced to the Honorable Ron Dellums.
Ron Dellums was a Member of Congress, former bay area Congressman and
Oakland mayor, first African American elected to Congress from northern
California, tireless champion of racial and social justice, Marine
Corps veteran and peace warrior, and Congressional Black Caucus and
Congressional Progressive Caucus cofounder. That is a long litany of
brilliance, but, as well, a pioneer--legendary, brilliant--and a
dynamic former chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. And the
fact that he represented constituents so ably.
I am glad, as I came here as a newbie, as a new Member of the United
States Congress, wasn't I fortunate to get the last years of service of
the Honorable Ron Dellums? I saw him as the lead Democrat on the Armed
Services Committee, just missed his service as a chair of the Armed
Services Committee.
I listened to Leader Pelosi, and she will be able to tell her stories
going forward as they celebrate in Oakland. Might I pay tribute to his
family members who will celebrate in Oakland.
Let me say to the family members, my deepest sympathy, but joy for
his life, and thank you for sharing him with us.
I must start with the story that I heard, which was of the
appointment of Ron Dellums and Pat Schroeder to, I believe, the Armed
Services Committee, as the committee was convened then by individuals
who held themselves high and mighty, including the chairman. There was
only one chair, and that chair had to be shared by the first woman and
the first African American to be on that committee.
Yes. Can you imagine? They were told to sit in one chair.
But I am grateful that through that struggle--power in his birth in
1935; power to his parents, Verney and Willa Dellums, and all of his
relatives; and, as well, power in what he did in life--his engagement
and his passionate commitment were traits of the Dellums family.
His father was a longshoreman. There lays the foundation for his love
of labor. I understand Cottrell Laurence Dellums helped Asa Philip
Randolph organize the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, of which my
grandfather was a member.
He graduated from high school. He enlisted in the Marine Corps during
the Cold War, but he also came back to his community and used the GI
Bill. He developed a pathway for education, an associate of arts degree
out of Oakland City College, then on to get a bachelor of science
degree from San Francisco State. What I want most of all to say is that
he then carved his pathway.
And Barbara Lee continues to remind us that she is a social worker.
Well, Ron Dellums got his MSW from the University of California at
Berkeley in 1962.
Yes, this manly man, this man of men, was a social worker who
understood the needs of people who were vulnerable, a psychiatric
social worker where he worked in the department of mental health and
mental hygiene and taught at San Francisco State.
Interestingly enough, he became a council member, of which I was one
as well, at a young age, served only for a short time. And then, in his
thirties, he went to the United States Congress and never looked back.
He never lost. He ran against an incumbent as an antiwar, anti-Vietnam
candidate, and he won overwhelmingly.
Again, there is no power without struggle. That was not a friendly
place to be, against the war. It was well known to follow you
throughout your career. It was viewed as unpatriotic, maybe even as NFL
players today are viewed as they take a knee for issues that they
believe in.
But Ron Dellums was a dignified patriot. He loved his country. He
loved his flag. And he came to this Congress with a love of the
institution as he served on so many committees, Foreign Affairs.
I remember the Post Office Committee because Mickey Leland was on the
Post Office Committee, and they
[[Page H7907]]
served together. They became good friends. It is important to
acknowledge them together as good friends.
I met Ron, maybe for the first time, as an unelected official when
Mickey brought the Congressional Black Caucus to Houston, Texas. It was
a day we will never forget. It was a day of happening. It was a day of
celebration. We couldn't believe it. The Congressional Black Caucus was
coming to Houston, Texas, to the Shamrock Hotel that used to be a
segregated hotel, and all of us came to pay homage, tribute, and honor
to these Congresspersons who had come to celebrate.
He was of grand stature, being a member of the Permanent Select
Committee on Intelligence, and then, of course, going on to be a
founder of the Congressional Black Caucus. I stand here as the chair of
the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation to express my deepest
appreciation for that service.
In the Progressive Caucus, Ron Dellums again became a soldier on the
battlefield for so many issues, in particular, ending and breaking the
shackles of apartheid in South Africa.
Remember, when I started out, there is no power without struggle. He
participated in that struggle, and I remember that fight, that
magnificent day when he brought forward this bill in 1986 to overturn
Reagan's veto, the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986. He had a
congressional override where the President of the United States was
vetoing the sanctions that Congress was attempting to put forward. That
was a legacy, or that was the pathway, the struggle, that helped to
propel the end of apartheid, the vicious cycle of apartheid in South
Africa.
He continued to champion Africa even after he retired. He continued
to mentor and to stay around to give us inspiration, to tell us that we
could do it, that we could be strong.
Of course, how I remember when this Congresswoman, the Honorable
Barbara Lee, came and touched all of us and came with that inspiration
and that idea and vision that Ron Dellums had about ending the horrors
of HIV/AIDS in Africa, the whole idea of PEPFAR, the whole idea of the
Millennium Fund. All of these were visionary ideas that came about for
him to help save lives.
So as I said, in my early years, he retired in 1998, but he then
continued on to be the man that he is, being the mayor of Oakland, and
being a striking mayor, a truth-telling mayor, somebody who was loved
and beloved by all those whom he had the privilege of serving.
Then, of course, to his family, he was that giant, that husband, that
father and brother and just someone whom they could look up to.
So I thank the gentlewoman for organizing this Special Order, and I
thank this giant of a man in stature but, as well, in purpose and in
heart. I thank him so very much for serving his nation and showing us
what patriotism is, what the flag really means. It is the opportunity
to protest, petition, and to speak to your government, and also to
protest to make your government a better place.
This is a great, great nation. Ron Dellums understood that. Marine
Corps Ron Dellums understood that. Social worker Ron Dellums understood
that. Husband, father, and relative understood that. And, of course,
United States Congressperson Ron Dellums understood that.
But never would he yield his values, his heart, his passion, and his
sense of justice just because he had a title. He believed that
America's greatness was one based upon her people's willingness to
challenge her and to make her the very best that she can be.
My heart goes out to his family and I continue to mourn, but I
celebrate his life with joy.
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Jackson Lee for reminding
us what a visionary and a leader Ron was.
Mr. Speaker, I remember when we came to Houston, Texas, Ron was
determined to put together a coalition between African Americans and
Latinos to look at our common issues. He and Mickey Leland were very
close, and he worked very closely with the Latino community to really
put together the agenda that spoke to both of our communities. So I
thank the gentlewoman very much for being here and reminding us of
that.
He was a coalition builder. I called him the father of coalition
politics, and the gentlewoman laid that out tonight.
Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Higgins of Louisiana). The gentlewoman
from California has 6 minutes remaining.
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, we have heard quite a bit tonight of the life
and legacy of a great human being and a great warrior for peace and
justice, Congressman Ron Dellums. Let me highlight a couple of stories
that weren't highlighted tonight that I would like to share.
First of all, Ron really worked in a bipartisan fashion on many, many
issues. I remember that Ron and former Speaker Newt Gingrich were
talking about collaborating on a book together. This was really a time
of true bipartisanship.
Also, Ron called himself a feminist, and he believed in equality for
women. This just wasn't lip service. He followed his convictions in his
hiring practices. Ron hired women and women of color in the early 1970s
and took pride in employing a diverse staff.
When I worked for Ron in the seventies, I was one of a very few
African Americans and only a couple African American women in key
senior staff positions on Capitol Hill, but he made certain that I was
treated fairly and empowered me to manage his office.
Ron had remarkable female role models, including his mother, Mrs.
Willa Dellums. She was a major influence on Ron and taught him to be
proud that he was an American of African descent. She taught him that
his culture and his heritage was an important part of who he was as a
human being and as an elected official.
Ron was really the big brother that I never had. He gave me personal
advice and support as a single mom raising two boys here in Washington,
D.C. He loved children.
When my son, Craig, graduated from Brent Elementary School around the
corner from the Capitol, he asked Ron to be his graduation speaker.
Mind you, this was, I believe, in the sixth grade.
Ron left the Hill, spoke at the graduation, took pictures, and talked
to the children afterwards. Mind you, these were young children. They
didn't have political clout and they couldn't vote, but Ron didn't
mind. He did this out of the goodness of his heart because he loved
children and cared about their future.
When Ron retired, I announced my candidacy for his seat. He
introduced me at my campaign kickoff, and he literally passed a blue
baton to me at that kickoff, which I will cherish forever. But that
baton reminds me of his impact on the world both in the policies that
he championed and in all of those he inspired to follow in his
footsteps.
{time} 1730
Ron didn't serve in public office for the glory. He served to make
life better for other people. He used to tell his staff: ``Don't
measure decisions by what is politically expedient. Just ask yourself:
Is this the right thing to do? And if it is, then go ahead and do it.
You don't need to ask me about that.''
In his final weeks on this Earth, I had the privilege to visit Ron
several times. I spent my birthday, July 16, with him in the evening.
He was in rare form, telling stories, toasting our friendship, and
singing happy birthday to me. Yet he was frail, in pain, but all along
he demonstrated a sense of hope and courage, even as he knew he would
meet his Maker soon.
As Ron lived with dignity and respect, doing it all ``his way,'' he
left this Earth exhibiting courage and a sense of peace, reminding me
of the Scripture 2 Timothy 4:7, ``I have fought the good fight, I have
finished the race, and I have kept the faith.''
There is no more fitting way to honor the memory of Congressman
Dellums than for us to lift his legacy in the spirit of respect for
different points of views, sticking to one's values and principles, and
fighting to make this a better world for all.
It is an honor of a lifetime to carry the baton which Ron passed on
to me in our shared fight for justice, peace,
[[Page H7908]]
and equality. But most importantly, as Ron said, we must secure the
future for generations yet unborn. That is what this blue baton reminds
me of.
I thank all of those who have been here tonight to share the memory
and celebrate the life and mourn the loss of my friend, my former boss,
the great Congressman Ronald Dellums.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend Rep. Lee and my
other colleagues tonight who have gathered to pay tribute to our former
colleague Rep. Ron Dellums, who passed away on July 30. I rise to join
them in remembering Ron, who was my friend and with whom I served in
this House for many years.
Ron Dellums's entire career was spent in service--to his community,
his city, and his country. As a U.S. Marine, he proudly wore the
uniform of our nation at a time when the peace of the world was
threatened by cold war. As a city councilman in Berkeley, he drew on
his family history of labor activism to fight for better conditions for
working families. As a Congressman, he led the fight for sanctions
against apartheid South Africa and chaired the Armed Services Committee
as our military challenges were changing from a Cold War to a post-Cold
War environment. He was a founder of the Congressional Black Caucus,
which today is the conscience of the Congress. Later, as Mayor of
Oakland, Ron worked hard to make neighborhoods safer, improve local
schools, and bring new infrastructure funding to the city.
Ron fought with tenacity for the causes he believed in. One of those
was human rights and the equal dignity of all people. When a
presidential veto threatened to block his anti-apartheid legislation,
he rallied support to override it. As Chairman of the Armed Services
Committee, he earned the respect of his Committee colleagues and
military leaders, and he worked diligently to transition our military
to meet the threats of the twenty-first century. It came as no surprise
to those of us who served with him that when he retired in 1998, praise
for his service and leadership came from both sides of the aisle.
I was deeply saddened to learn of Ron's passing. Our nation lost a
faithful public servant and a champion for working families and those
working hard to make it in America. I mourn with the people of
California and my colleagues in this House who served with Ron. I mourn
with his wife Cynthia and the Dellums family. I mourn the loss of a man
who gave service his all and contributed so much to the nation he loved
and this institution he so faithfully served.
Ms. MAXINE WATERS of California. I would like to thank Congresswoman
Barbara Lee and Congressman Jamie Raskin for organizing a Special Order
Hour to honor the memory of our dear friend and former colleague,
Congressman Ron Dellums.
Ron Dellums was an unabashed, progressive icon, and a strong and
outspoken advocate for his constituents, veterans, people of color, and
other vulnerable communities during his 13-term tenure in the U.S.
Congress.
Understanding the unique problems facing the African American
community, Ron Dellums joined with 12 fellow civil rights giants,
including Louis Stokes, Bill Clay, Sr., and Shirley Chisholm, to create
the Congressional Black Caucus in 1971. True to its creed, the CBC
remains the `Conscience of the Congress' today, and has grown to a
historic 48 members.
As a former U.S. Marine, Ron Dellums was one of the most outspoken
opponents of the Vietnam War. In Congress, he led an effort to educate
the American public of war crimes that were committed during the
Vietnam War. In 1993, he also made history as the first African
American Chair of the House Armed Services Committee.
However, one of Ron Dellum's greatest achievements is one that is
also dear to my heart: ending apartheid in South Africa. As a member of
the California State Assembly and a national board member of
TransAfrica, I had the privilege of working with Ron Dellums to pass
legislation at the state and federal level that forced the United
States to divest from the apartheid regime in South Africa.
While I authored, and fought to enact California Assembly Bill 134,
which passed in August 1986 and made California the first state to
divest its $12 billion in state pension funds tied to the apartheid
regime in South Africa, Ron Dellums was simultaneously championing
similar legislation in the U.S. Congress. His historic bill, the
Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986, gained enough support to not
only pass in both chambers of Congress, but to also override President
Ronald Reagan's veto in 1986.
Though he retired from Congress after 27 years of service, Ron
Dellums maintained his dedication to his community and was elected
mayor of his hometown, Oakland, California, in 2007.
The incomparable Ron Dellums--a passionate drum major for peace,
inspiring community leader, effective politician, and lifelong public
servant--left an indelible mark on the City of Oakland and in the
hearts of so many people across this country who also love him.
Though our hearts are heavy, I join the Congressional Black Caucus
and the entire U.S. Congress in celebrating his service to our nation.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a
man who I was honored to call a mentor, colleague, and dear friend,
former Representative Ron Dellums.
Ron was an extraordinary man who wore many hats. He was a determined
public servant who was dedicated to improving the conditions of
humankind. He was also a marine, a social worker, a titan for civil
rights here and across the world, a chairman of the House Armed
Services Committee, and a founding member and past chair of the
Congressional Black Caucus. Representative Dellums was a true advocate
for fairness, human rights, and justice.
Congressman Ron Dellums was an icon. I served with him early during
my career in Congress. He demonstrated courage, compassion, fairness,
character, and dignity as a Member of Congress and as a man. He was a
great role model for people of conscience to emulate. I will be forever
grateful for his wise counsel, friendship, and his legacy of service to
humankind.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay
tribute and to honor the legacy of my dear colleague, the Honorable
Ronald V. Dellums. Although it saddens my heart to see that we have
lost another great trailblazer, I would be remiss if I didn't take the
time to honor his life and the change he brought to this great country.
Dellums was not only a patriarch for the Congressional Black Caucus,
but he was trailblazer for change all around the world. With a
political career of over forty years, he was determined to help those
around him and provide hope for his community. As a former member of
the Berkeley City Council, United States House of Representatives, and
mayor of Oakland, Dellums always inspired to pave the way for the next
generation to be advocates and a voice.
During his 14 years in the U.S. House of Representatives he became
the first African American to chair the Armed Services Committee.
Dellums used this platform not for his own benefit, but to create an
agenda to ensure civil rights and programs for people ahead of weapons
systems and warfare. He was also the antiwar activist to hold that
post. As a Congresswoman who proudly stands in the gap for my
constituents, I always admired how Congressman Dellums fought hard and
served his constituents with distinction and treated his colleagues
with the utmost respect. He was determined to share his light with the
world.
As a dedicated leader in human rights and civil rights in America and
around the world, Congressman Dellums worked tirelessly to pass anti-
apartheid legislation against South Africa. After a 14-year campaign
against apartheid in South Africa, he wrote the 1986 legislation that
mandated trade embargoes and divestment by American companies and
citizens of holdings in South Africa.
Congressman Dellums was not only a leader; he was a person of
incredible intellect who possessed the ability to build alliances with
people and groups from diverse backgrounds and varying interests. He
was a co-founder of the Congressional Black Caucus, which he chaired
from 1989-1991, and a co-founder of the Congressional Progressive
Caucus in 1991. After retiring from Congress he remained involved and
determined to be a light for his people. He worked in the private
sector on global aids, healthcare and transportation. He returned then
to his native Oakland, in 2006, and was elected Mayor, serving one term
and retiring from elective office in 2011.
I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to Congressman
Dellums for his outstanding and dedicated service.
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