[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 170 (Monday, October 28, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H8530-H8536]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE JOHN CONYERS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 3, 2019, the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence) is
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
General Leave
Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and to include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Mrs. LAWRENCE: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to
Congressman John Conyers. He was one of the 13 founding members of the
Congressional Black Caucus. I stand here today joining the chair of the
Congressional Black Caucus, Karen Bass, in recognizing that he served
for 53 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, making him one of
the longest-serving House Members in history and the first African
American to hold the title of dean.
Congressman Conyers was born in Detroit on May 16, 1929, the eldest
of four sons of John and Lucille. He attended Detroit public schools
and graduated from Northwestern High School. After graduating he served
in the National Guard and then joined the U.S. Army.
He was inspired by his friend, Dr. Martin Luther King, to run for
office and was elected to the House of Representatives in 1964. His
first hire was civil rights hero, Rosa Parks.
As a human rights and civil rights champion, Mr. Conyers opposed the
death penalty and fought police brutality. He also co-led and was a
cosponsor for the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Mr. Conyers also assisted
in passing the Help America Vote Act, the Violence Against Women Act,
the motor vehicle bill, the National Jazz Preservation, Education and
Promulgation Act, and the Martin Luther King Federal Holiday Commission
Extension Act.
Today I am joined by a number of my colleagues who will be giving
remarks.
Mr. Speaker, it is with honor that I yield to the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Payne). My colleague and my colleague's father both served
with John Conyers.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, let me first thank the gentlewoman from
Detroit for her leadership on this issue tonight. We felt it was only
fitting that she lead us in this Special Order hour for Mr. Conyers.
I rise to honor the former Congressman, John James Conyers, after his
passing on October 27, 2019. I would like to start by offering my
thoughts and prayers to his wife, Monica, and his sons, John and Carl,
during this time of loss.
Mr. Conyers spent 53 years as a Congressman from Michigan, mostly
from districts in and around the Detroit area. Mr. Conyers was the
third longest-serving Congressman and the longest-serving African
American Congressman in United States history.
He helped found the Congressional Black Caucus with some of our
Nation's most prominent civil rights leaders and colleagues such as
Shirley Chisholm and William Lacy Clay, Sr., the father of my esteemed
colleague, William Lacy Clay, Jr., from Missouri's First District.
During his life he had several accomplishments in and out of
Congress. He joined voter registration drives in Selma, Alabama, in
1963, a year before the landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act even became law.
As a Congressman, he led the drive to help make Martin Luther King,
Jr.'s birthday a national holiday and succeeded through perseverance
and continued efforts to make that happen despite insurmountable odds.
He helped calm revolters in his district during Detroit's racial strife
of 1967. He was a vocal opponent of apartheid in South Africa, a
political system of legal racial discrimination that he just--as many
of us in this great Nation--would not tolerate. He fought for
restrictions on gun ownership to prevent violence, because he knew what
it meant in so many of our communities to have these lax laws.
At one point Mr. Conyers was called the leading Black voice in
Congress. He was also known as one of the best dressers on Capitol Hill
and a lover of jazz. He even got the Congress to declare jazz a
national American treasure in 1987.
He was a dedicated public servant, an honored Korean war veteran, a
champion of racial equality, and a strong figure in this House for half
a century. His legacy will be remembered long after his passing. The
work that he has done on this floor and in these Halls is second to
none. He cared about this Nation, he cared about his colleagues, and he
cared about his constituents in his district.
We will miss him dearly. Mr. Conyers was one of a kind. We are
saddened by his loss, so we are here to honor him in the manner in
which he should be as an esteemed former Member of this House.
Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, there are so many facts that we need to
share about John Conyers, including the fact that in his 52 years in
office he represented Michigan's First Congressional District,
Michigan's 14th Congressional District, and Michigan's 13th
Congressional District. Also during his time in Congress he chaired the
House Oversight and Reform Committee and also the House Judiciary
Committee and served as dean of the House.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) who is
my amazing colleague and who will have comments about the passing and
honoring of our colleague whom we all are mourning, John Conyers, who
impacted so many of us in this country.
Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the young lady from
Michigan-- Mrs. Lawrence. I love that.
Mr. LEWIS. Well, you are still very young--for bringing us together
to honor John Conyers.
The former dean of the House of Representatives and the cofounder of
the Congressional Black Caucus, John Conyers, was born at a time when
we needed someone to stand up and to speak up and speak out and to get
in the way of getting what I call good trouble, necessary trouble.
As a matter of fact, John Conyers and Martin Luther King, Jr. were
born
[[Page H8531]]
the same year, so maybe history, faith, and maybe God Almighty placed
the two of them here to work together.
Before being elected to Congress, Mr. Conyers served in the Korean
war and on the staff of Representative John Dingell. When the people of
Michigan elected Mr. Conyers in 1964, he brought Congress to the front
lines of the civil rights movement, and he took civil rights, voting
rights, labor rights, and human rights to the United States Congress.
John Conyers, perhaps more than any other Member of Congress, made
trips over and over and over again to the South to identify with the
struggle going on in the South. He came to Alabama, to Georgia,
Mississippi, and other parts of the Deep South.
Mr. Speaker, Representative Conyers was one of two Members of
Congress, both from Michigan, who voted on the original and every
single reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act. He could give us the
backstory of every major law from the Civil Rights Act of 1968 to the
20-year effort to establish a National Day of Service honoring my
friend and leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
When Rosa Parks, a person I got to know so well, was forced to leave
her home State of Alabama after the Montgomery bus boycott, Mr. Conyers
more than anyone else gave her a position on his staff, and she was
very proud and pleased to work in the office of John Conyers. She
served in his district office for 23 years.
The record should be clear: John Conyers loved music, but he loved
jazz. He loved jazz more than any other form of music.
{time} 2015
He loved this institution, and he dedicated his life to realizing the
dream of what our Nation could be. He was of the people, and he was for
the people.
On this difficult day, I offer my deepest condolences to his beloved
wife, sons, family, and the people of Michigan who mourn his loss.
May he rest in peace and in power.
Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Lewis.
Some other facts that people may not know about John Conyers: He
worked for the Lincoln auto factory and was a member of the UAW. He
became the director of education for UAW Local 900. He was the first
African American to chair the House Committee on the Judiciary. He also
sponsored the Racial Justice Act and the Police Accountability Act
during that time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Danny K.
Davis), a Member of Congress who has fought many fights and has stood
up and knows the story of justice in our country.
Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the
gentlewoman, first of all, for organizing this Special Order that gives
all the rest of us the opportunity to come to pay tribute to my hero.
As a matter of fact, I am old enough to remember in a very vivid way
the late 1950s and early 1960s with people like John Conyers, Martin
Luther King, John Lewis, Whitney Young, and other heroes of the
period.
Although John was elected in Michigan, he was really all of our
Congressman. He was the Representative for all of us. We didn't have 55
African American or Black Members of Congress at that time, but we had
those voices that were strong and vibrant, those voices that gave hope.
There was so much hope and possibility being expressed during that
period that those of us who were emerging had no idea that there was
anything that we couldn't accomplish, any changes that we couldn't
bring about, any possibilities that did not exist. And that, to me, was
the true essence of John Conyers.
I was tremendously impressed with John because he was always for the
underdog. He was always for the little guy, always for the little
person, always representing those who were left out, those who were
unheard, even those who were unheard of.
I don't think there was any place in America where action was going
on that John didn't go. As a matter of fact, at the time when we were
electing the first African American mayor in the city of Chicago, John
was there every week. We thought he had moved to Chicago, that he
didn't live in Detroit. I mean, every week, from the time, I guess, he
left here, in churches and churches and block parties and everyplace
that you could possibly turn, there was John Conyers.
John has given the very best that you can give.
To his wife and sons and other members of his family, we say thank
you for lending John to all of us.
I guess the poet Walter Foss maybe had John in mind when he penned
these words that I end with.
There are hermit souls that live withdrawn in the peace of
their self-content;
There are souls, like stars, that dwell apart, in a
fellowless firmament;
There are pioneer souls that blaze their paths where highways
never ran;
But let me live by the side of the road and be a friend to
man.
Let me live in a house by the side of the road, where the
race of men go by;
The men who are good and the men who are bad, as good and as
bad as I.
I would not sit in the scorner's seat, or hurl the cynic's
ban;
Let me live in my house by the side of the road and be a
friend to man.
I see from my house by the side of the road, by the side of
the highway of life,
The men who press with the ardor of hope, the men who are
faint with the strife.
But I turn not away from their smiles nor their tears, both
parts of an infinite plan;
Let me live in my house by the side of the road and be a
friend to man.
So let me live in my house by the side of the road where the race of
men go by, men who are good, men who are bad, wise, foolish, but then
so am I.
So why would I sit in the scorner's seat or hurl the cynic's ban? Let
me live in my house by the side of the road, like John Conyers, and be
a friend to man.
Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. That was
beautiful.
We continue in our effort to capture the life of a great man who
served in this House.
Again, another fact: Since 1989, John Conyers had introduced H.R. 40,
the Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act.
This bill would establish a commission to examine the institution of
slavery in the United States. The legislation has now been taken up by
our colleague from Texas, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Evans),
my colleague who has shown to be a voice of reason, hard work, and
compassion in his service to Congress.
Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my honorable friend, Congresswoman
Lawrence, for her leadership on someone who really set a tone, not just
in Detroit and Michigan, but the entire Nation. I thank her for her
leadership.
Mr. Speaker, I knew Chairman Conyers, not as well as some of the
Members who have spoken, but I did know him. We each represented the
largest city in a large northern industrial State. Philadelphia and
Detroit have many of the same problems, such as poverty, gun violence,
a loss of good manufacturing jobs, and access to healthcare.
I didn't tell my colleague, Congresswoman Lawrence, that when she
mentioned May 16, I was born on that same day, so there is that
connection there.
The chairman was one of the 12 founders of the Congressional Black
Caucus. From Pennsylvania, the person who was one of them was Robert
N.C. Nix, who was elected in 1958.
So 48 years ago, as a result of the chairman, we have built on the
backs of those founders. Today, there are 54 of us in the caucus,
including the House majority whip, two Senators, four chairs of House
committees, and one of our former members who became a two-term
President of the United States.
The chairman helped to lay the groundwork for this progress. When he
cosponsored the Voting Rights Act of 1965, I was 10 years of age. In
1965, the Voting Rights Act banned discrimination at the ballot box. He
was a fierce critic of the Vietnam war that led to a clash with
President Lyndon Johnson. It even won him a spot on President Nixon's
enemy list.
It is rather interesting to have this conversation today because, as
I recall, he played an important role in the impeachment proceedings.
Mr. Speaker, I want my colleagues to know that I saw that on my black-
and-white TV.
[[Page H8532]]
Once again, we are building on the back of the work that he and other
Members did in 1973 and 1974.
We should thank the chairman for his leading role in creating the
Federal holiday that honors Martin Luther King. He introduced a bill 4
days after Dr. King was murdered. When Congressman Lewis talks about
that, he knows what he is talking about. The fight took 15 years, but
he succeeded.
The chairman also played a leading role in another long fight, the
struggle to end apartheid in South Africa, with a Congressman from
Pennsylvania by the name of William Gray. I recall, Mr. Speaker,
meeting President Mandela.
I say all of these things because there is a connection to all of us
who are here today. I think that we should honor the chairman for all
that he has contributed to this Nation.
I want to close with how I recall the chairman urging skeptical
African Americans to get involved in politics. He used to say,
``Register, vote, run for office. It is power that counts.''
He used to say, ``Register, vote, run for office. It is power that
counts.''
There is an election, Mr. Speaker, 8 days from now. An important way
for all of us to honor the legacy of Chairman Conyers, to honor
everyone who has worked for civil rights, is to vote.
I recall him loving music so much. I heard him talk about John
Coltrane.
I think it is important to recognize that the chairman did so much
for all of us. I feel really a sincere obligation and a commitment to
add my voice to the foundation that he has laid.
As a person who has been a Member of the Congress for only 3 years,
because of the foundation he laid, I have the opportunity to stand here
today. So many of us not just in the Congressional Black Caucus but
Members who are in this House, he has contributed to all of us.
I want you to use your voice and be heard. As he would say, ``Vote.''
Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for mentioning so
many of the accomplishments that John Conyers had.
I want to add to that his legislative record extends to introducing
the Medicare for All Act, legislation to establish a government-
sponsored single-payer healthcare option to control costs.
Additionally, he championed the issues of reparations to establish a
commission that I had mentioned earlier.
He fought for justice that also extended to international issues. He
was an early leader in the anti-Vietnam war movement in addition to the
anti-Iraq war movement.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Horsford), my
colleague and a hardworking freshman. It is hard to recognize that he
is a freshman.
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair and the anchor for this
Special Order hour, Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence, for her commitment,
dedication, and service, not just to the people of Detroit but to the
people of this great Nation.
{time} 2030
I join with my colleagues, not only in the Congressional Black
Caucus, but this body of government as a whole, in mourning a giant in
the legacy of Representative John Conyers.
Representative John Conyers was a force to be reckoned with, a leader
of the civil rights movement who stood tall in the House of
Representatives for more than a half century, the longest serving
African American Congressman.
During his 53 years as the Representative for the part of Michigan
encompassing Detroit, Congressman Conyers fought for the people of his
State tooth and nail.
Congressman Conyers was known as the dean of the House of
Representatives, and he paved the way for all of us who are here this
evening. I really believe that we stand on his shoulders.
Speaking to his legacy, he was a cofounder of the Congressional Black
Caucus. So, the fact that we are now 54 members in number representing
more than 84 million people across the country, it was the vision of
people like Congressman Conyers and others that allowed the
Congressional Black Caucus to come forward.
He also led the charge to declare, as has been stated, a national
holiday in honor of the great Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., a day
Congressman Conyers fought for tirelessly that we now hold in our
hearts as a day of remembrance for the legacy of another fearless
leader.
He also served on two powerful committees as chairman: the House
Committee on Oversight and Reform--and we just mourned the passing of
the chairman of that great committee, Chairman Cummings--and the House
Judiciary Committee, which has great responsibility; and, in both, he
never shied away from speaking truth to power.
As has been stated by my good friend Congressman Evans, one of his
early mottos was: Register, vote, run for office. It is power that
counts.
So we will continue to harness this power to promote the ideals that
Congressman Conyers espoused during his career.
I want to note, and I don't think I shared this with Congresswoman
Lawrence, but there is a group called the Detroit Connection. Because
so many people tend to come to Las Vegas to retire, we have a big
contingency of Detroit people, and they have an event every year called
the Detroit Connection. They raise money. They provide scholarships.
I was so honored one year to have Congressman Conyers come to Las
Vegas and attend the event for the Detroit Connection, and it made that
group feel so good to know that their champion and their Representative
was still there.
So, we will use the privilege of serving--I know I will as one of the
new, younger Members--to continue to fight for equality and justice for
all, just as Congressman Conyers did during his 53 years here on
Capitol Hill.
Tonight, we honor him with our words, but tomorrow we must honor him
with our actions.
Congressman Conyers, we will continue the good work you started all
those years ago. May you rest in power.
Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to read a statement by the
Honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson about the Congressman.
She said: I pay tribute to the life and legacy of a distinguished
public servant and colleague, John James Conyers Jr., who passed away
this weekend, and she asked that her colleagues join her in extending
sympathies to Congressman Conyers' wife, Monica; Conyers' sons, John
Conyers III and Carl Edward Conyers; and all whom he influenced over
the course of his life. May he rest in peace.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring forth my Michigan delegation
colleague. It is significant to note that Rashida Tlaib, Congresswoman
Tlaib, actually represents the seat from which John Conyers retired.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Michigan, Rashida Tlaib.
Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart in joining my
beloved colleague, who also represents the city of Detroit, in paying
tribute to our wonderful, late Congress Member John Conyers, the
longest serving African American in the United States Congress, a true
civil rights icon and visionary, and the man who will forever be our
Congressman.
The Honorable John Conyers Jr.'s mission to make sweeping changes in
civil rights by fighting on behalf of the people started well before he
ever stepped onto the United States House floor. One of the things that
he said at the passing of Rosa Parks, his dear friend, was: ``We've got
a tremendous legacy to fulfill. You can't maintain a democracy and an
empire simultaneously.'' And he said, ``Rosa, you taught me that.''
But, when he first was sworn in to the Congress in 1965 during a time
of great social unrest in our country's history, he embarked on what
would become a 50-year tenure of service to our people that would
result in that mission being accomplished, and then some.
Indeed, his more than 50 years of service brought forth the vision of
reparations for African Americans, the centering of voting rights, a
continued push for universal healthcare, the creation of the
Congressional Black Caucus, and the inspiration of not just those in
Detroit for whom he worked tirelessly, but he directly impacted many,
many countless Americans across the country.
When I first was elected to succeed Congressman Conyers, I knew that
I
[[Page H8533]]
had a tremendous legacy to carry. It is that tremendous legacy that
propels my work on behalf of Michigan's 13th Congressional District
that I fight for every single day.
I remember when I was in his presence of greatness, he never
exhibited anything less than grace and kindness. He always paused and
took time to talk to the residents. He taught me that.
Sadly, the last time I spoke to him was at his 90th birthday
celebration in Detroit. He was joyful and, yes, he still had the
presence of greatness, as Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence saw for herself
as well.
Detroit and our district will sorely miss him.
May he rest in peace as we continue to fight for what he fought for
for so long with unwavering strength: for jobs, justice, and peace.
I pray that his wife, Monica Conyers, and the family find strength
during this difficult time.
Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman as we share the
amazing honor of representing the city of Detroit, a place that John
Conyers loved and gave his life to.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to also read from a statement from our
chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Karen Bass. Her statement
outlines his life and his history.
It also talks about how he fought apartheid and that he confronted
President Nixon about imposing sanctions against South Africa; and,
when it became clear that the President wouldn't act, he joined
Congressman Dellums in introducing legislation to that end and was even
arrested at a protest, in front, of South Africa.
He impacted so many people in his district and throughout the
country. America is a better country today because of the legislative
and advocacy work of Representative John Conyers Jr.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring forth a chair of this amazing
body--a chair, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and an
amazing leader, Congressman Scott.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott).
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for
holding this Special Order and recognizing the legacy of Congressman
John Conyers. I want to join those who are honoring his legacy.
He served in Congress longer than any other African American. He
represented Michigan and the Nation for over 50 years. He was a
founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and he served as
dean of the House.
He was a giant in civil rights. He often bragged about being the only
candidate for elective office ever endorsed by Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr.
Also, for many years Rosa Parks worked in his Detroit district
office.
As a legislator, he was a true champion of civil rights and leaves
behind a legacy of fighting for transformative change that continues
today. His five decades of service in Congress are marked by a core
fundamental belief in equity and justice for all.
For many years, I worked with Congressman Conyers on the Judiciary
Committee, and most recently, we worked together to address segregation
in our public schools. We also fought together for equity in education,
as well as criminal justice reform, voting rights, and breaking down
barriers to employment.
I want to send my condolences to his family, his loved ones, the
entire Detroit community, and all who are mourning the loss of a
lifelong champion for a better America.
Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for those kind
words and informative message.
Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would like to bring forth a woman in our
Congress, the longest serving woman in Congress, Marcy Kaptur, who
served with the dean of Congress and would like to reflect.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).
Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence for
inviting us to come to the floor this evening to share our sorrow with
the Conyers family and the people of Greater Detroit that Congressman
Conyers represented here so forcefully throughout his entire career.
I would like to extend sympathy to his wife, Monica, and to his sons,
John and Carl, that he used to come walk through Congress, even when
they were small. He would take them on the train from one side of the
Capitol to the other. I can still see him doing that.
As others have mentioned, he served from 1965 to 2017. So, from the
civil rights movement at its apex, that fervor came into this Chamber,
and John served over half a century in furtherance of America's
betterment.
He was the 44th dean of the House. He became its most senior member
and, certainly, the longest serving African American in the history of
the United States of America.
I think most Members would agree, he truly was a drum major for
justice and also a drum major for jobs and fair wages for all workers.
His service was anchored by those parallel visions, and I can still
remember coming as a new Member to Congress. There were three men who
were serving at that time: John; another John, John Dingell; and a man
named William Ford.
The three of them together, in my mind, actually formed the northern
apex of the civil rights and labor rights movement in this country, and
America was bettered by all of their services. They worked in tandem.
They had been forged by the same set of experiences and came to us
from what we in the Midwest call Motown, Motor City. That is a place
that is unlike any other in the United States of America.
It has a rich history. It has a history of struggle. It produced
famous singing groups like The Supremes, contemporaneous with John's
adulthood, the Detroit Tigers, and lots of jazz. John loved jazz.
If you think about what he represented, Detroit is not really a tea
and crumpets city. My apologies to all those who enjoy tea and
crumpets. It is really a heavy-duty town, a very pluralistic community
where the fight for organized labor was rooted and, something that we
know well in our region, the strike at a place called River Rouge that
began the work in our country to value labor through contract--not just
happenstance, but by an actual contract.
And John Conyers was a part of the development of the law that
allowed for the dignity of labor, but it was born out of the struggle
in Detroit, a very rough-and-tumble world.
One of his early jobs was with the United Auto Workers, in which our
family has had members for many generations now, and he and I shared
that affinity.
{time} 2045
He was not an arrogant man, but he was rooted, again, in the fight
for justice during the best years of his life.
When he arranged for the funeral in Detroit of Rosa Parks--and the
history of the Montgomery Bus Boycott is written, I don't think a lot
of people really know that he actually had hired Rosa Parks in his
office from 1965 to 1988. I can recall, in 2005, attending the funeral
of Rosa Parks--what a central role John Conyers played in that
magnificent ceremony. But through it was the continuing education of
the people of the United States of America as to what the civil rights
struggle, and our struggle as a people, has actually been comprised of,
a constant struggle.
I have to say, on the humorous side, he loved cars that drove fast. I
happened to be in one of those cars one time, 90 miles an hour on I-75.
I don't know how we ever didn't get a ticket.
But he was always moving forward. I would guess we shared thousands--
I started adding it up today--thousands of airplane flights between
Washington and Michigan, as we went to our respective hometowns. And I
always found him to be very cordial, very friendly, full of good humor.
He was a perpetual anchor for us on moving American forward, a
leading strategist in that endeavor.
So I hope it is of some comfort to his loved ones and to the people
that he represented that his being and his indefatigable spirit are now
freed from Earth's binds; and that his soul may rise high and shower
our precious world with peace and justice from sea to shining sea.
With heavy heart, golden memories, and abiding gratitude may I extend
deepest sympathies on the passing of Congressman John Conyers of
Detroit, Michigan to his family, his loving wife Monica, sons John and
Carl, his
[[Page H8534]]
constituents and colleagues who honor his life of service to our
nation.
An accomplished lawyer and passionate civil rights and labor leader,
Rep. Conyers rose through the ranks of Congress to become Chair of the
powerful House Judiciary Committee. In 2015, he because Dean of the
U.S. House of Representatives. His contributions to advancing the cause
minority and labor rights as intertwined is legendary. He was a
founding member of the Black Caucus, along with Rep. Bill Clay of
Missouri and Rep. Louis Stokes of Ohio now 54 members strong. When Rep.
Conyers arrived in Congress, and helped create The Congressional Black
Caucus, there were only 13 African American Members. He authored and
passed legislation creating the Martin Luther King holiday in 1983, and
by 2000--17 years later--all 50 states had adopted it.
John Conyers served as a perpetual anchor in the North for the
burgeoning Civil Rights movement of the 1960's and became a leading
strategist. His deep commitment accompanied by an affable nature drew
people to his cause. A lover of jazz and the arts, Rep. Conyers never
lost his joy of living despite the serious obstacles he confronted.
Along with his Michigan barrister colleagues Rep. William Ford and Rep.
John Dingell, the three formed a triumvirate that defined the value set
and meaning of ``Democrat'' from the industrial, pluralistic cities of
middle America.
May it be of comfort to his loved ones that his being and
indefatigable spirit are now freed from earth's binds, May his soul
rise high and shower our precious world with peace, and justice from
sea to shining sea.
Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee
(Mr. Cohen) for his remarks.
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, when I was a freshman, in 2007, I was the
only Member of the House who chose Judiciary as their first committee
choice, at least the only Democrat. That gave me the opportunity to be
on John Conyers' committee, him being my chairman for 10-plus years,
and that was a blessing to me.
He taught me much. I would consider him my mentor. He taught me about
life; he taught me about Judiciary issues in the Congress. He taught me
about life.
John Conyers was a spirit. I sometimes thought of him kind of as like
a hippie because he had these ethereal thoughts about the way people
ought to be, and about caring about people, and about justice, and
about civil rights that was unlike thoughts you would hear from most
people.
But he was ahead of the hippies. He was ahead of Bernie Sanders. He
was ahead of so many people.
And we talk here today, so many people, about him being--which is all
true--the longest serving African American Member of Congress. But it
was more than that. He was a voice for truth on this floor before
people realized the truth was the truth. He was a voice for truth when
people just thought it was an African American guy talking about
African American issues. But it wasn't African American issues, it was
human issues. It was the essence of America, about justice, and
freedom, and opportunity, and right, and he espoused it at an early
time, when a lot of people didn't get it. People get it now.
Dr. King got a holiday. Dr. King was great, but people hated Dr. King
for years.
People didn't know about Rosa Parks, per se. He gave her a job, and
he put her on a pedestal, which she deserved to be.
I will tell you a story about John Conyers. When I was a freshman,
and I have an African American district, and some people weren't so
crazy about me being up here. John Conyers took me under his wing from
day 1.
I had a resolution to apologize for slavery and Jim Crow. I had that
resolution because I had suggested it to Bill Clinton in 1997 and wrote
him a letter when I was a State Senator and suggested he should sponsor
such a thing and have a dialogue about race in America. I got a
response from Bill Clinton, but it was gibberish and he didn't act upon
it.
But when I got elected to Congress and I was going through my letters
as a State Senator in my office, I came across that letter; and I said
to myself, I am a Congressman now and I can do something about it. I
don't have to write Bill Clinton and get a meaningless response.
So I introduced that resolution, heartfelt, and appropriate. Some
people didn't want it to come to the floor. Some didn't want a White
person to sponsor it. Some thought I was using it for politics to get
re-elected.
The fact is, my political consultant told me not to do it. He said:
``You've got this race won. Don't do it. It can only hurt you.''
I said: ``You don't get it. I'm doing this because it matters to me,
to make it happen. It has mattered to me since 1997 when I was a State
Senator.''
So one day, I had my cell phone, low on power; and I had a staffer
bring from Longworth, where my office was, a charger, and I charged it
up in the Judiciary Committee.
I went back to Longworth and I couldn't find my cell phone. I had
forgotten where I had left it. I realized I left it charging in the
Judiciary Committee, so I went over there at the end of the day. That
is the only time that ever happened to me. It was about a week or 10
days before my election in August, just to put it in perspective. I
went there, and John Conyers was having a meeting with his staff on
what to do the next week.
We were in the midst of interviewing people on the Bush team, Alberto
Gonzales, and some lady from Liberty University who had done some stuff
that was questionable; and we were taking on the Bush Justice
Department which had done some egregious things.
I was a freshman, and pretty much in awe of John Conyers, and so I
was in the back room and he was in his office and he said: ``Steve,
come on in.''
Well, I was 10 feet high. I was going into a meeting with John
Conyers of what was going to go on that next week. They were tossing
about ideas about maybe bringing up an impeachment of George Bush and
some other issues. And I decided to throw out kind of a Doug Flutie
Hail Mary pass. I said: ``Well how about if we have an apology for Jim
Crow and slavery?''
And without a blink, John Conyers said: ``That's a great idea. Put it
on for next week.''
That is how it got scheduled. We came here, John Conyers managed the
time. It passed on a voice vote. I regretted that because I wanted to
have everybody vote on it, but John Conyers said, and properly so, take
your victory when you can get it.
We had a man on the other side, a Republican, who brought up some
insane babble about some Christians being thrown off a boat in the
Mediterranean by some Moroccans or something. What this had to with
slavery and Jim Crow was beyond any of us, and I wanted to respond to
it.
Mr. Conyers said: ``Let him be. Let's just pass this and move on.''
And he was right.
My proudest accomplishment as a freshman, and one of my proudest
accomplishments in this Congress, was the passage of that resolution.
It would not have happened but for John Conyers' sponsorship and
support. So I thank him for being a mentor, and teaching me so much,
and giving me that opportunity.
He did love jazz. We talked about jazz all the time. He played jazz
in his office. He had jazz musicians come up to any proceedings he had
in Washington and had them perform. And I learned about different jazz
people that I had previously not known about.
He came to Memphis to support me in my first term as the first
Congressperson to come there. He was honored with an April 4th
Foundation award, which goes to great, courageous leaders in civil
rights on the anniversary of the assassination of Dr. King. He was
given that award.
He came to Memphis also just to support me. He was a proud Kappa,
coming in his red coat. And all the Kappas were there with him, and the
Kappas loved him. He was a Kappa, and they loved it.
I thanked him for his service. I think about him almost every day up
here. We used to sit here together on the floor.
He would ride the escalators when he would leave the Judiciary
Committee. Sometimes I ride the escalators now, and I think about John
Conyers. It is not really the quickest way to go, but John Conyers did
it, and I do it.
So thank you, John Conyers, for teaching me so much, and for being a
great leader, a man beyond his years in terms of his knowledge, and his
spirit, and ahead of his time with his ideas of civil rights and
justice and fairness for all people.
[[Page H8535]]
God bless you.
Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, as I wrap up now in our tribute to John
Conyers, the dean, he was many things: He was a UAW labor member; he
was a military veteran; he was a fighter for voters' rights, for
healthcare, for reparations, for racial justice. He was a lover and
promoter of jazz.
But most of all, I stand here today, as a Member of Congress
representing Michigan's 14th District. He was Detroit. He was Motown.
He was a person whose thumbprint will remain throughout history as a
political voice, a leader, and a beloved man in the history of our city
and of metro Detroit.
I want to say to the family, we send all the love and respect; and to
say, in closing, John Conyers, rest in power.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I am very saddened to hear
Congressman Conyers passed away. He was a champion for racial equality
and changed Congress for the better by co-founding the Congressional
Black Caucus. John was a powerful and effective legislator who never
stopped fighting to improve our nation, which he served longer than any
other black Member of Congress to date. His career helped pave the way
for the thriving Black Caucus we now enjoy.
John lived through many pivotal moments in our nation's history. When
Rosa Parks struggled to find a job after her historic protest, John
rushed to hire her. She worked in his district office for 23 years
until her retirement. When Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was
assassinated, John began to fight for a holiday to honor him 4 days
after Dr. King's death.
It took him 15 long years, but John kept pushing to honor King's
memory and the battle for civil rights.
Vivian and I send our condolences to his wife, children, and all
loved ones as we keep them in our prayers in this difficult time.
Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the
life and legacy of a distinguished public servant and colleague,
Congressman John James Conyers, Jr., who passed away this weekend.
Congressman Conyers was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, to
parents Lucille Janice (Simpson) and John Conyers. He graduated from
Northwestern High School before answering his country's call to service
and joining the military. Congressman Conyers served three stints in
the military; in the Michigan National Guard from 1948 to 1950; in the
U.S. Army from 1950 to 1954; and in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1954 to
1957. Following his military service, he attended Wayne State
University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws.
Congressman Conyers had the opportunity to represent three
Congressional Districts in the U.S. House of Representatives during his
52 years in office; Michigan's 1st Congressional District, 14th
Congressional District, and 13th Congressional District, respectively.
During his time in Congress, he chaired the powerful House Oversight
and Judiciary Committees, served as Dean of the House, and notably
hired Rosa Parks as a staffer in his district office. Additionally,
Congressman Conyers is marked as an original co-founder of the
Congressional Black Caucus and was the first to introduce a bill
calling for the recognition of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday as a
national holiday. At the time of his retirement from public office, he
was the longest-serving African American Member of Congress in our
history.
Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in extending sympathies
to Congressman Conyers' wife, Monica Conyers, sons John Conyers III and
Carl Edward Conyers, and all whom he influenced over the course of his
life. May he rest in peace.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Congressional Black Caucus
for convening anchoring this Special Order in remembrance of Chairman
John Conyers, Jr., the tireless fighter for justice and equality,
Chairman of House Committees on Oversight and on the Judiciary,
founding member of Congressional Black Caucus, Member of Congress,
Member of Congress from Michigan for 53 years, my mentor, a beloved
colleague, and dear friend who died on Sunday, October 27, 2019, at his
home in Detroit, Michigan at the age of 90.
Mr. Speaker, John Conyers, Jr. was a statesman and strong and
supporter of equality, economic and social justice, civil rights, and
human dignity for all.
John Conyers, Jr. was born May 16, 1929 in Highland Park, Michigan to
Lucille Janice and John Conyers, Sr., a union organizer in the
automotive industry and an international representative with the United
Auto Workers.
After graduation from Northwestern High School, John Conyers
dutifully served his country in the Michigan National Guard from 1948
to 1950, the U.S. Army from 1950 to 1954, and the U.S. Army Reserves
from 1954 to 1957, serving during the Korean War and as an officer in
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers where he was awarded combat and merit
citations.
Following his military service, John Conyers earned his Bachelor of
Arts and Juris Doctor from Wayne State University and was admitted to
the Michigan State Bar.
Chairman Conyers began his legislative career on the staff of the
late Congressman John Dingell and during this time he also served as
counsel to several Detroit-area labor unions and was referee for
Michigan's workmen's compensation department.
In 1964, John Conyers was first elected to represent the First
Congressional District of Michigan and was reelected to the succeeding
90th Congress and the following 15 Congresses until he retired on
December 5, 2017.
On the retirement of Congressman John Dingell at the end of the 113th
Congress in December 2015, John Conyers became the longest-serving
Member of the United States Congress, serving as Dean of the House from
January 3, 2015 until December 2017.
Mr. Speaker, John Conyers was also the third longest-serving Member
of the House in history and the sixth longest-serving Member of
Congress in history; the second-longest serving Member of either the
House or Senate in Michigan history, trailing only his former boss,
Congressman Dingell; and was the last member of the large Democratic
freshman class of 1964 to serve in the House of Representatives.
In the more than half century he served in Congress, John Conyers was
at the forefront of most of the seminal moments in American political
history, such as working to enact into law this partial list of
landmark legislation:
Voting Rights of 1965, Title XVIII of the Social Security Act
(Medicare), Fair Housing Act of 1968, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act,
Help America Vote Act, Affordable Care Act, Dodd-Frank Act, Americans
With Disabilities Act, Assault Weapons Ban, Immigration Reform and
Control Act of 1982, Drug Kingpins Act, Fair Chance Act.
Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Social Security Amendments of
1965 (including Medicaid and Medicare), Voting Rights Act of 1965,
Housing and Urban Development Act of 1965, National Foundation on the
Arts and the Humanities Act, Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965,
Heart Disease, Cancer, and Stroke Amendments, Freedom of Information
Act, Child Nutrition Act, National Historic Preservation Act, National
Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act, Foreign Gifts and
Decorations Act, Cuban Adjustment Act, Public Broad casting Act of
1967.
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, Bilingual Education
Act, Civil Rights Act of 1968, Consumer Credit Protection Act, National
Trails System Act, Gun Control Act of 1968, National Environmental
Policy Act, Organized Crime Control Act, including the Racketeer,
Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (``RICO''), Urban Mass
Transportation Act of 1970, National Cancer Act, Federal Election
Campaign Act, Equal Employment Opportunity Act, War Powers Resolution,
Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act, District of Columbia Home Rule Act,
Endangered Species Act, Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control
Act of 1974, Legal Services Corporation Act, Employee Retirement Income
Security Act (ERISA), Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act
of 1974.
Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, National Mass Transportation
Assistance Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Privacy Act of 1974,
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Copyright Act of 1976,
Federal Land Policy and Management Act, Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act, Water Resources Development Act of 1976, National Forest
Management Act.
The proposal to expand Medicare to all, a political idea gaining
increasing popularity daily, was first introduced by John Conyers in
2003 as the United States National Health Insurance Act.
John Conyers served on the Judiciary Committee that investigated
Watergate and voted articles of impeachment against President Richard
Nixon in August 1974.
John Conyers marched in the historic March from Selma to Montgomery,
Alabama, with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and later employed civil
rights legend Rosa Parks in his congressional office until her
retirement in 1988.
John Conyers was loved by his constituents, regularly winning
reelection with 80 percent of the vote or more.
John Conyers is one of the 13 founding members of the Congressional
Black Caucus in 1971, which has worked diligently to strengthen
African-American lawmakers' ability to address the legislative concerns
of African American and minority citizens and has now increased to 55
members in the House and Senate, including myself.
While in Congress, John Conyers chaired the prestigious House
Judiciary Committee from 1989-1995 and Oversight from 2007-2011, the
first African American to hold these coveted positions.
Throughout his career, John Conyers used his influence to push civil
rights; in 1968, only days after the assassination of the Rev. Dr.
[[Page H8536]]
Martin Luther King Jr., Chairman Conyers began a long and ultimately
successful effort to make Dr. King's birthday a national holiday, which
was enacted in 1983.
John Conyers also cosponsored and worked tirelessly to pass the Anti-
Apartheid Act of 1986, which help topple South Africa's system of
apartheid and free Nelson Mandela from prison.
In the 101st Congress, John Conyers introduced legislation to study
the issue of reparations for slavery and was the original sponsor of
H.R. 40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for
African-Americans Act.
I am proud to have assumed principal sponsorship of this piece of
landmark legislative proposal and continuing the fight for justice.
John Conyers was dedicated to justice for all, he supported
legislation to generate the Justice Department's national study on
police brutality.
John Conyers was opposed to the imposition of the death penalty and
began a series of hearings on police brutality.
As Judiciary Committee Chairman, John Conyers also worked to create
and enlarge federal death benefits for police officers and firefighters
who died in the line of duty.
Mr. Speaker, John Conyers dedicated his life to serving his
constituents and the citizens of the United States; his persistence for
justice and his fight for equal rights is a testament to his character.
Chairman John Conyers will live forever in the hearts of the people
of Detroit, his State of Michigan, and the United States.
John Conyers was a legislative lion whose presence will forever be
missed, and we all mourn his loss and extend our deepest sympathies to
his wife Monica, his children, and family and friends who loved him so
dearly, my deepest sympathies go out to and I hope you find consolation
in the certain knowledge that John is now resting peacefully.
____________________