[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 1, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H583-H584]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENTS OF ANGELO K. TSAKOPOULOS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Bera) for 5 minutes.

[[Page H584]]

  

  Ms. BERA. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the lifetime 
achievements of Angelo K. Tsakopoulos.
  Mr. Tsakopoulos' story is a story of the American Dream. Angelo 
immigrated to the United States from Greece at the age of 15. He worked 
hard. He didn't have a whole lot but went into the real estate business 
to help pay for his education at California State University, 
Sacramento. He built a real estate company.
  Angelo helped shape Sacramento over his life. The Sacramento Bee has 
identified Mr. Tsakopoulos potentially as the most influential 
Sacramentan since John Sutter. His contributions, not just to our 
community but to philanthropy, to education, and to the arts are 
outstanding.
  Mr. Tsakopoulos also never forgot his roots in Greece. This Monday he 
will receive lifetime recognition for his service to Hellenism. He 
established multiple foundations and organizations to celebrate the 
values and the culture of his homeland.
  He also, through his family, continues to do public service through 
his daughter Eleni who is our Lieutenant Governor in California. On 
Monday, February 6, all of us in Sacramento, the United States, and all 
Greek Americans recognize the contributions of Angelo Tsakopoulos and 
his family; contributions to preserving Greek culture.


                          Black History Month

  Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the first day of Black History 
Month to recognize the importance of studying African-American history 
and Black history in the United States.
  It is incredibly important for us to recognize Black history and 
teach it not only to our young students from elementary school to 
middle school to high school, but to all Americans. We have to 
understand the good and the bad. We have to understand the legacy of 
slavery, Jim Crow, and mass incarceration.
  We need to understand--as I stand her on the floor of the House of 
Representatives in the United States Capitol, a beacon of democracy and 
freedom--that this is a building that was built by enslaved people. It 
is important for us to understand that because we need to recognize 
that and get better at teaching that to future generations of 
Americans.
  We also need to recognize the accomplishments of a few individuals: 
the moral character of our former colleague, John Lewis, who really was 
the moral backbone of this institution; the first President that I 
served under, Barack Obama, the accomplishments, not just as President 
but as a great human being, father, and husband; my close friend, the 
first female Vice President, the first African-American Vice President, 
the first Asian-American Vice President, Vice President Kamala Harris 
who is a role model for my daughter and future women across the 
spectrum in the United States; and our good friend, the minority leader 
of the Democratic Party, Hakeem Jeffries, someone who we are all proud 
of.

  Let's understand African-American history. Let's teach it. Let's not 
try to erase the parts that we don't want to teach. If we don't teach 
Black history, we will be condemned to repeat some of those mistakes. 
We need to learn from the past, and we need to get better. Let's teach 
it to all of our students.


                          Honoring Ken Cooley

  Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Assemblyman Ken Cooley 
for his decades of service to Sacramento County and the State of 
California.
  Ken served in the California State Assembly for 10 years representing 
the Eighth Assembly District, which covered the eastern half of 
Sacramento County.
  Assemblyman Cooley started his public service career in Sacramento as 
the chief of staff to the State assemblyman, and later as chief counsel 
to the Assembly Finance and Insurance Committee.
  He was elected to the Rancho Cordova's first city council in 2002 and 
twice served as mayor to Rancho Cordova. Ken was a constant presence 
and continues to be a constant presence throughout our community.
  I have had the privilege to go to many events with Ken, and he is a 
close friend. He is an Eagle Scout, as well, and his commitment to 
Scouting helped recognize youth achievement through the Boy Scouts of 
America.
  The City of Rancho Cordova and all of us in Sacramento County are 
better off thanks to his hard work and determination, and I wish him 
all the best in the next chapter of his life.

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