[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 26017]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING CONGRESSMAN ED ROYBAL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Poe). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, Congressman Ed Roybal, who recently passed, 
will be remembered as a true pioneer in the struggle for human and 
civil rights. He was an advocate his whole life for the poor, 
disenfranchised and for seniors.
  Ed was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1962, at a 
time when Henry Gonzalez of Texas was the only other Hispanic 
representative in the House of Representatives. Ed served with 
distinction in the House of Representatives for 30 years. He quickly 
earned the respect of his congressional colleagues and, in 1971, was 
elected to serve on the Appropriations Committee, where he remained for 
the rest of his career in Congress. He became Chair of the Treasury, 
Postal Service, General Government Subcommittee in 1981. There he 
became a powerful advocate for funding for education, civil rights and 
health programs. He was one of the first Members of Congress to support 
HIV/AIDS research funding.
  Ed also had an abiding interest in the needs of our elderly and from 
1985 to 1989 served as the Chair of the Select Committee on Aging. In 
1980, he successfully restored funds to programs for the elderly and in 
1982 played an instrumental role in maintaining the Meals on Wheels 
program.
  He was a trailblazer for the rights of not only Hispanics but of all 
persons, white, black, brown, the young and the elderly, who had been 
denied an equal opportunity and were looking for a hand up. He always 
selflessly extended his hand and never lost sight of those in need 
throughout his distinguished career as a public servant.
  I looked to Ed as he served on the Los Angeles City Council and then 
in Congress as a voice that could be trusted to consistently respond on 
behalf of those who could not speak for themselves. We saw him as the 
go-to guy on the City Council.
  Ed's strong and dedicated message will never be silenced. He leaves 
behind a spiritual and an indelible legacy that will live on. God bless 
him.

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