[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 20, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H1241]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING THE HONORABLE MARCIA FUDGE DURING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Ohio (Mrs. Beatty) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today during this month, Women's 
History Month, and it gives me great pleasure to rise today to honor a 
woman who has made history and is making history: the Honorable Marcia 
Fudge, the 18th Secretary of HUD, former United States female Black-
American Member of Congress, a lawyer, a prosecutor, and the very first 
female and Black person to be mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio.
  She hailed as the 21st national president of Delta Sigma Theta 
Sorority, Incorporated. She is a sojourner, she is a colleague, an 
adviser, and, more importantly, Mr. Speaker, a trusted friend.
  Fudge never sat down and waited for an opportunity. She made 
opportunities. Mr. Speaker, I know that firsthand. I had known Marcia 
Fudge for decades prior to coming to the United States Congress. As a 
matter of fact, when I was a senior vice president at the Ohio State 
University, then-Congresswoman Marcia Fudge invited me to sit in the 
gallery as, again, she made history.
  It was Congresswoman Marcia Fudge who honored the State of Ohio and 
my leadership for making Ohio the first State to honor Rosa Parks and 
what she did on December 1, 1955. Marcia Fudge entered it into the 
Congressional Record from this very spot. That was another history for 
the great State of Ohio.

  A few years later, there I was, a candidate for the United States 
Congress, and, again, it was then-Congresswoman Marcia Fudge who stood 
by my side and elevated me to have the confidence and the assurance 
that I, too, one day would stand on this House floor.
  Then as a freshman, she entrusted me to be the chair of the 
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference. 
Never in the history of the CBC had a freshman been appointed some 40 
days after being elected to chair such a massive event, but that is 
what Congresswoman Marcia Fudge did. She elevated people. She worked 
with people. She went out and mentored young students so they would 
know that they, too, could have opportunities.
  It was no surprise to us that she became the seventh Black woman to 
chair the Congressional Black Caucus and the 21st national president of 
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. It was no surprise when the President 
tapped her to be the 18th United States HUD Secretary.
  When she walked into that White House, she brought with her a whole 
village because she understood the depth and the importance of what it 
would mean to be United States HUD Secretary.
  Marcia Fudge's tireless efforts have not only helped families keep 
their homes, but she has also made the American Dream of homeownership 
a reality. It is a reality for countless individuals, including 
returning citizens. Through her advocacy, she has opened doors of 
housing and business opportunities for Black and Brown communities, 
championing equity every step of the way.
  Her stand against racial bias in the appraisal market is a testament 
to her commitment to justice and fairness. Marcia Fudge's impact on 
housing and racial equity will resonate for generations to come.
  Ohioans know her as a leader, a fighter, and an advocate for justice. 
We know her here as Congresswoman and Secretary Marcia Fudge.
  I wish her good luck on her journey.

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