[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 22905-22906]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             TRIBUTE TO CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS MEMBERS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, before I begin my tribute to 
my dear friends that are leaving, I want to make mention again of a 
dear friend that we lost this week, and that is the Honorable Richard 
Holbrooke, who served this Nation ably and who was given tribute today 
by H. Con. Res. 335, as amended.
  Just a brief word about Ambassador Holbrooke as I begin to talk about 
the outstanding Members that I wish to pay tribute to. I'm reminded not 
only of his courage, the magnitude of his physical size, the love that 
he had for his family, the love that he had for the Nation, and the 
admiration that he received from around the world, but I'm reminded of 
his tenure at the United Nations. He did something that was equal to 
moving the Earth. He brought peace between two giants: one, the Vice 
President of the United States, who in fact came to speak about HIV/
AIDS, and he drew also to that very issue with the then-chairman of the 
Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman Jesse Helms. He thought that was a 
great accomplishment--and we did too. Members of the Congressional 
Black Caucus went to the United Nations at that time. So I am rising to 
acknowledge Ambassador Holbrooke and will join with my other colleagues 
who honored him earlier today.
  But I have the great, if you will, honor of honoring wonderful, 
stellar organizations that are coming to pay tribute to a number of 
members of the Congressional Black Caucus. And I say ``organizations'' 
because I know that sororities, fraternities, the NAACP, women's 
organizations, so many would want to say thank-you to the following 
members:
  First, my dear sister, Ambassador Diane Watson. I always call her 
``Ambassador.'' And that she is. She carried herself in a framework of 
peace; of wanting to bring people together; of challenging our 
consciousness, and doing it with integrity, honesty, and 
courageousness. Let me thank her for the work that she did in honoring 
Dr. Dorothy Height and thank her for the work she did in helping to 
carry forth the vision of C. Delores Tucker. And now, because of my 
sister Diane Watson and myself and the late Congresswoman Millender-
McDonald, I can say that we have the Sojourner Truth statue in the 
United States Congress, which will always be remembered by this great 
work.
  And her sister, the Honorable Carolyn Kilpatrick, who took up the 
Sojourner Truth movement, she's the second African American woman to be 
appointed to the Appropriations Committee. I can tell you Carolyn 
Kilpatrick never wavered from investing in people and ensuring that 
people had resources that came from the taxpayers' dollars. My hat is 
off to the former Congresswoman and chairwoman of the Congressional 
Black Caucus.
  Might I thank a colleague on the Judiciary Committee, Congressman 
Artur Davis. Yes, a former U.S. Attorney, but a vigorous speaker and a 
progeny of the civil rights movement. He was in fact the beneficiary of 
the civil rights movement and carried it in dignity by becoming a U.S. 
Attorney in the district that covered Alabama. We thank him for his 
work on the Ways and Means Committee, and we thank him for his service 
on the Judiciary Committee, and wish him well.
  The Honorable Kendrick Meek is to all of us like a brother. We loved 
his mother, Carrie. And we saw in him those traits as he worked hard in 
the 30-somethings in the first couple of years when he was in the 
Congress, trying to get us back in the majority, but more importantly, 
speaking to the people.
  He ran a fantastic open, wide, welcoming race for the United States 
Senate. His great days are before him. His wonderful wife and children 
were a fixture around this place, and we pay tribute to him because of 
the passion and sacrifice he made for Haitians in his

[[Page 22906]]

area and for the many people that he represented.
  So, Madam Speaker, let me say to you, sadness falls because we will 
be losing to great things Members like Congresswoman Diane Watson, 
Congresswoman Carolyn Kilpatrick, Congressman Artur Davis, and 
Congressman Kendrick Meek. As my dear sister, Congresswoman Diane 
Watson, is on the floor of the House, I will tell you that is 
indicative of her work; that she was here for us in the morning, here 
for us late at night. And so I have no doubt that she will be carrying 
forth the torch in California, as all the others will be doing. Having 
just hosted the Attorney General from California, Ms. Harris, I know 
that you will be a great comfort and nurturer to her.

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