[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 22897]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF CONGRESSWOMAN STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. PETE SESSIONS

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 26, 2008

  Mr. SESSIONS. Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize the life of my 
good friend and co-chair of the Capital Fraternal Caucus, Stephanie 
Tubbs Jones. Stephanie and I shared a passion to help ensure a secure 
future for fraternities and sororities on campuses all across the 
country. Together, we worked to form and mature the Capital Fraternal 
Caucus to be an organization to celebrate Greek Life both as an 
undergraduate and throughout post-collegiate years.
   Stephanie dedicated her life to ensuring that every young person had 
the opportunity for a college education. As a member of the Delta Sigma 
Theta Sorority, Stephanie understood first-hand the life-long 
friendships that fraternities and sororities foster in young people 
during their undergraduate years. It was these friendships which 
fostered mutual respect and collaboration of ideas. I am so honored to 
have shared this friendship with Stephanie and to have enjoyed our 
bonds of Greek Life as co-chairs of the Capital Fraternal Caucus.
   As the first African-American Chairman of the Capital Fraternal 
Caucus, Stephanie used her position to champion the Greek cause and 
quickly became a favorite member of interns working on Capital Hill who 
are affiliated with Greek organizations. While always lending a helping 
hand to students in Washington, Stephanie never forgot about the 
hundreds of thousands of students on every college campus. Through her 
dedicated work, she helped to pass the College Housing and 
Infrastructure Act. This leadership was recognized by the North-
American Interfraternity Conference who presented her with the NIC's 
Silver Medal. This is one of the Conference's highest honors which 
recognizes significant leadership for causes that advance the highest 
ideals of fraternalism.
   In honor of her dedication and enthusiastic work, the North-American 
Interfraternity Conference is naming a summer program for young people 
in Washington DC after her. The ``Stephanie Tubbs Jones Memorial 
Legislative Fellowship'' will afford outstanding student leaders from 
fraternity and sorority chapters throughout the country to work with 
legislative leaders on Capitol Hill to help preserve the rich 
undergraduate traditions represented by the communities on campuses 
across the Nation. I look forward to meeting the next generation of 
leaders which Stephanie's legacy will bring to Washington.
   A wonderful example of the type of person our public school system 
produces, Stephanie went on to attend Case Western Reserve University 
in Cleveland, Ohio. Following her graduation from college she began her 
career in public service by earning a degree in Social Work. This 
passion for helping others led her to pursue a law degree from Case 
Western Reserve School of Law in 1974. Ultimately, Stephanie was 
elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1998 and served the 
11th Congressional District of Ohio until her untimely and unfortunate 
death in August of this year.
   During her time as a Congresswoman, Stephanie never lost her zeal 
for public service nor her passion to help young people. She constantly 
sought to improve public schools and ensure that every American student 
had the best possible education. Stephanie was a well-respected member 
of this Congress and her presence will surely be missed.

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