[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12638]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     SUPPORT FOR DESIGNATING FEDERAL BUILDING AFTER RONALD H. BROWN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 14, 2009

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my appreciation 
and excitement that the Senate Committee on Environment and Public 
Works has passed my bill, H.R. 837, which would designate a new State 
Department building in New York City as the Ronald H. Brown United 
States Mission to the United Nations Building in honor of the late 
Commerce Secretary. The 26-story building, located at 799 United 
Nations Plaza, across the street from the United Nations (U.N.) General 
Assembly, will house the United States Delegation to the U.N., which 
carries out the Nation's participating activities in the world body. 
The building is expected to be completed this fall.
  This legislation, which I have introduced in the past three 
Congresses, is long overdue. Thanks to the leadership of Chairman 
Barbara Boxer of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, 
and the support of my New York colleague, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, 
who serves on the Committee, the bill now awaits passage by the full 
Senate. If successful, it would go to the President to be signed into 
law. I feel very hopeful that Congress will finally and rightfully 
recognize this great public servant as one of the greatest 
international salesmen of the United States in our history.
  As Secretary of Commerce under President Bill Clinton's cabinet, Ron 
Brown became one of the greatest ambassadors that the American 
government ever had abroad. He did more than just extend trade and get 
people to buy our goods and services. He extended love, attention and 
sensitivity, especially in the developing countries where our 
government had not spent the time that we should have. Secretary Brown 
not only sold our wares, but he was able to sell our reputation as a 
country that wanted to help other countries.
  I went with him to South Africa and saw how he negotiated with 
political leaders there. He did more than talk about which South 
African party was right or wrong or how to bring about solidarity. He 
asked how we could help the people get clean water, medicine, and food. 
Secretary Brown let them know that our multinational companies were 
there not just for their shareholders, but for the shareholders of the 
world.
  Secretary Brown, a native of Washington, D.C., grew up in Harlem 
where his father once worked as manager of the community's famous 
Theresa Hotel. I was proud to be a desk clerk at the time that Ron and 
his family were living there. So I know that Ron never forgot Harlem. 
Throughout his life, Ron Brown broke many barriers. He was the first 
African-American to serve as Secretary of Commerce and the first 
African-American Chairman of a national political party.
  In addition, he advanced civil rights as Deputy Executive Director at 
the National Urban League, served four years in the U.S. military, and, 
as Democratic Party Chairman, played an instrumental role in the 
revival of the Democratic Party and the 1992 election of Bill Clinton 
as President of the United States. Secretary Brown died in a plane 
crash in 1996 on a trade mission requested by the State Department to 
boost economic reconstruction of the war torn region of former 
Yugoslavia.
  It would be fitting that when people come to New York, they would see 
diverse peoples of different colors, languages, and cultures, and the 
U.S. Mission to the United Nations Building bearing Ron Brown's name. 
There could not be a sight that would be more reminiscent of the man 
and the contributions he made to my community, this country, and the 
world.

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