[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 36 (Thursday, February 25, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H625]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING EARLINE AND CHUCK ROGERS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Mrvan) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MRVAN. Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I would like to wish my 
daughter Genevieve a happy 18th birthday.
  It is with great respect and sincere admiration that I rise today to 
celebrate Black History Month and its 2021 theme, ``The Black Family: 
Representation, Identity, and Diversity.''
  This year's theme reflects on the unwavering resilience of the Black 
family as a nurturing and loving foundation for Black excellence, even 
as it continues to face systemic racism and significant disparities in 
our society. The Black family has positively impacted our Nation 
throughout its history, and it is important to acknowledge and affirm 
that Black history is American history.
  Today, I would like to take a moment to honor a Black family that has 
played an instrumental role in public service in Indiana, and that is 
the family of former State Senator Earline Rogers and Earline's late 
husband, Louis Charles ``Chuck'' Rogers.
  Chuck and Earline married in 1955 and had two children, Keith and 
Dara, as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. From 
working selflessly as a public schoolteacher to Earline's decades of 
service in the Indiana General Assembly, and Chuck having been a 
dedicated firefighter and first responder, the Rogers family is an 
exemplary pillar of the northwest Indiana community.

  In her pursuit for education, Earline graduated with honors and as 
senior class president from Roosevelt High School and later went on to 
earn both a bachelor and master of science in education from Indiana 
University.
  After earning her degrees, Earline's early career included teaching 
in the Gary Community School Corporation and being an active member of 
the American Federation of Teachers, which subsequently encouraged her 
to run for office.
  Earline went on to serve in numerous roles during her time in public 
service and was one of Indiana's most accomplished and effective 
legislators, working with all her colleagues, including my father, 
State Senator Frank Mrvan, in a bipartisan fashion to improve the lives 
of all Hoosiers.
  One of her many accomplishments is her legislation to address child 
exploitation. A decade ago, Indiana had the second highest rate of 
girls being sexually assaulted in grades 9 through 12, with Black and 
Latino students among the most vulnerable. These devastating statistics 
prompted Senator Rogers, along with my father and countless other 
advocates, to champion Heather's Law, which requires the Indiana 
Department of Education to develop a program for Indiana schools to 
better educate students about predators and sexual abuse.
  I am especially proud to note that when I was first beginning my 
career in public service, I had the opportunity to intern for Earline 
in the Indiana General Assembly. I am proud to call Earline one of my 
mentors. As a legislator in the U.S. House of Representatives, I will 
continue to strive to be as dedicated as Earline in improving economic 
opportunity and prosperity for all residents of northwest Indiana.
  I would also like to honor Chuck, who recently passed away, on 
December 7, 2020. He will be remembered as a loving father, a 
supportive husband, and a great public servant.
  Chuck attended East St. Louis High School in Illinois and went on to 
graduate from Indiana University. After school, Chuck held several 
esteemed positions, including as a member of the U.S. Army, a high 
school sports coach, and a high school educator of Black studies.
  Chuck was also a dedicated firefighter, as he eventually earned the 
title of fire battalion chief of the Gary Fire Department, where he 
served for 40 years.
  Chuck also served as a precinct committeeman in Indiana's Third State 
District, where he played an essential role in Earline's career as a 
State senator.
  As we recognize and celebrate the contributions of the Rogers and 
others, we must also acknowledge and address the structural factors 
that continue to create challenges for the Black family.
  In the last year, the COVID-19 public health emergency and the tragic 
killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many others have 
exposed these inequities.
  Regarding the pandemic, I would note that, regrettably, minorities 
account for more than 50 percent of all hospitalizations and deaths 
from COVID-19 in the United States. We must remedy the early 
governmental failures to distribute COVID-19 vaccines in an equitable 
manner to the communities that have suffered the most.
  Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate Black History Month, let us recognize 
the indelible contributions of Black families to the strength of our 
communities as well as recommit ourselves to fighting the pernicious 
influence of systemic racism and ameliorating the ongoing harms 
experienced by too many Black families in our society.

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