[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 186 (Wednesday, November 20, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H9101]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    MOMENT OF SILENCE IN HONOR OF THE PASSING OF MRS. FAHARI JEFFERS

  (Mr. VARGAS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. VARGAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, along with my colleagues, 
Susan Davis, Scott Peters,   Mike Levin, and Chairwoman Maxine Waters, 
to honor Mrs. Fahari Jeffers, who passed away on October 30, for her 
outstanding actions as a tireless civil rights and labor leader and 
motivator and as the cofounder of the United Domestic Workers of 
America.
  In 1977, Fahari Jeffers and her husband, Ken Msemaji, formed the 
United Domestic Workers organizing committee under the mentorship of 
Cesar Chavez. It was the first known labor organization for domestic 
workers in the United States of America and only the third labor union 
in U.S. labor history to be founded by Latinos or African Americans.
  Additionally, Mrs. Jeffers served as United Domestic Workers' 
secretary-treasurer and first general counsel until 2005.
  Ms. Jeffers worked tirelessly as lead negotiator for all union 
contracts throughout the State of California, pursuing life 
improvements that helped millions of Americans in the State and 
nationwide.
  Her model collective bargain rights law of 1999 is patterned across 
California and the Nation, where over 2 million home care workers enjoy 
union rights. Fahari regarded writing this legislation as one of her 
proudest accomplishments.
  Asserting rights for our Nation's domestic workers gave way to the 
passage of the first-ever Federal Domestic Workers Bill of Rights in 
2013.
  Mrs. Jeffers used her skills and experience to represent and defend 
the rights of one of the most underrepresented and underpaid working 
groups in our society: our home care workers, who clean, cook, and 
provide personal care assistance to the sick and disabled.
  In 2018, Fahari was inducted into the San Diego County Women's Hall 
of Fame.
  At home in National City, the devoutly Catholic couple adopted 16 
children over the years. Survivors include her husband of 44 years, Ken 
Msemaji; her siblings, Rose Glasford of Bermuda, Karama Broach of North 
Carolina, Joe Jeffers of Colorado, Vickie Jeffers of North Carolina, 
and Dr. Adam Jeffers of the United Arab Emirates; and her adopted 
children.
  We would like to honor Fahari Jeffers for her dedication and lifelong 
commitment to civil rights, the labor movement, and the community.
  I ask that Members and guests in the gallery rise for a moment of 
silence.

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