[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 17]
[House]
[Pages 23452-23453]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1930
       WELCOMING THE HONORABLE LAURA RICHARDSON TO THE HOUSE OF 
                            REPRESENTATIVES

  (Mr. STARK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, as the dean of the California delegation, 
it's my privilege, my honor and distinct pleasure to introduce the 
newest member of our California delegation, Laura Richardson, elected 
to California's 37th Congressional District in a special election held 
just recently. Laura Richardson is a passionate critic of the war in 
Iraq, a supporter of universal health care, and a welcome addition to 
our delegation.
  After three terms on the Long Beach City Council and several years as 
director for Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante, Laura was elected to 
the California State Assembly last November. And less than a year 
later, she won a special election to succeed our dear departed 
colleague, Juanita Millender-McDonald, and joins us here. It is a 
distinction that she is one of the few people in the history of this 
country to serve both in a local, State and Federal post within 1 year. 
She worked for Juanita as a field deputy, and she will continue her 
important work to ensure that all Americans can participate in a fair 
and free electoral process.
  Laura's career has many highlights. While on the city council, she 
was responsible for bringing Long Beach's inner city its first job 
training center for working families; she championed economic 
development and improved upon transportation services. And dear to my 
heart, she helped open the first new bank in the city's central area 
since the 1992 riots.
  In the assembly, she became the first African American woman to serve 
as the Assistant Speaker pro tempore. In the House, she will keep 
California's Democratic delegation a majority female; of our 34 
members, 18 are women.
  She is a member of the International Association of Machinists and 
Aerospace Workers, and she joins us as an effective voice for working 
families in Congress. I look forward to working with her to improve 
health care for everyone and address the disparities in our health care 
system, issues I know are important to her and should be to all of us.
  At this time, I yield to my distinguished colleague and senior Member 
from the Republican delegation of California.
  Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding.
  I would like to join with our colleague in extending congratulations 
on behalf of all Republican Members to our new colleague, Ms. 
Richardson.
  We were all saddened by the untimely passing of our friend and former 
colleague, Juanita Millender-McDonald, but knowing that her former 
field deputy is going to be representing her I know would make Juanita 
extraordinarily proud. And to go from the city council to the State 
legislature to the United States Congress within a 1-year period of 
time is a very, very impressive accomplishment.
  And I will say that I know the California delegation will continue to 
work together in a bipartisan way. And we look forward to welcoming Ms. 
Richardson as part of that effort.
  Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, at this time I would like to yield the 
balance of my time to the Honorable Laura Richardson, Representative of 
California's 37th Congressional District.
  Ms. RICHARDSON. Speaker Pelosi, Leaders Hoyer, Clyburn, Emanuel, 
Becerra, Caucus Chairs Lofgren, Kilpatrick, Baca and Honda, the 
California delegation, thank you all for meeting with me, kind of 
putting me under your wing, and really sharing your pearls of wisdom.

[[Page 23453]]

  To Congresswoman Waters, for the last 120 days you have been 
tirelessly, unrelentingly instructive and even graciously transparent 
in your efforts to help me to get here. Thank you.
  To my supporters and friends and family in the gallery, my 
consultant, manager, labor brothers and sisters, volunteers, friends 
and staff, I will individually thank you in the reception that will 
follow, but I would be remiss to not publicly acknowledge the dedicated 
work that you did to get me here. Thank you very much.
  To my new colleagues, yes, on both sides of the aisle, it is my 
desire to establish a reputation to be a Member's Member. What that 
means to me is to be a hard worker, to be responsive, to be 
straightforward and honest, even if we disagree; and I hear that 
happens a few times here. You know, or you will learn to know, that I 
will keep my word.
  To the constituents of the California 37th Congressional District, my 
job will be to focus as much on the war in America, the war of crime, 
poverty, inadequate health care, failing education, crumbling 
infrastructure, and sparse development as much as I will focus on the 
war in Iraq.
  My job will be to prove that the poor aren't just poor because they 
want to be or because they don't want to work, that with job training 
and livable wages, not all urban youth choose gang life, and that 
blighted areas are not a result of ``white flight.'' Rather, they're a 
result of lack of investments and revitalization.
  I also believe I have a responsibility to unveil the shameful sin of 
injustice, inequality and inequities that still do exist, and I've seen 
them and lived them, in this wonderful country today.
  To the McDonald family, I will always be grateful to Congresswoman 
McDonald, who first hired me and trained me over 10 years ago. As a 
staffer, I almost got fired my first week because I left her in a 
church. And I fondly recall her saying to me, ``I guess I can't throw 
the baby out with the bath water.'' I respectfully stand today on her 
legacy as I reach towards my own destiny.
  Finally, to the God that I serve and to my family who support me and 
love me dearly, my mother, my sister, my uncle, my nephew, haven't we 
come a mighty long way? My maternal grandparents, who emigrated here 
freely from Ireland and from Germany, and yet my fraternal 
grandparents, completely the opposite, who came here forcibly in chains 
and centuries of bondage. Who would have thought that the cost had a 
price that would require my payment?
  A seed of hope, yet equally a seed of despair, a seed of opportunity, 
yet equally a seed of why I can't, a seed of love that was met with 
seeds of hate. Who would have thought, I guess those who built and have 
served in this sacred Chamber, many of you, that after all, that's what 
this place is for. For a girl like me at the age of six, who chose, 
after watching and living the civil rights movement, that really those 
of us who lived through the pains of struggle would one day have an 
opportunity to make sure that everyone really was free. I welcome this 
responsibility. Thank you.

                          ____________________