[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 21]
[House]
[Page 27980]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING AND RECOGNIZING THE REVEREND JESSE JACKSON

  (Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise today in honor of the 
Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr., and to recognize his landmark and barrier-
breaking run for the Presidency of the United States of America 25 
years ago. I was his campaign Chair in the U.S. Virgin Islands and a 
committed delegate during both campaigns and conventions.
  Although I recall those days on the platform committee, fighting for 
every vote on the floor and the tears of admiration from people from 
every corner and segment of U.S. society when he spoke to us, what I 
remember most was his coming to the aid of an often cast-aside, 
forgotten or ignored, misunderstood territory of our great Nation in 
our time of need.
  After the devastation of Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and the ensuing 
negative media portrayal that our community endured in its wake, I 
contacted him through my DNC Black Caucus Chair, Dr. C. Delores Tucker, 
and Rev. Jackson came to St. Croix with an entourage that included 
Cicely Tyson to bolster our spirits, inspire our recovery efforts, and 
stave off an ill-informed Presidential declaration of martial law.
  Jesse, there is so much for which we are grateful to you, but for me 
and the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands, we love you for always 
coming to the aid of those whom many look upon as the ``least of 
these,'' God's people. You are doing God's work.

                          ____________________