[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14170]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1240
                        WE LOVE OUR CARRIE MEEK

  (Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, we love you, Carrie Meek. 
And I am delighted to rise today to admit that Carrie Meek, 
Congresswoman Meek, was a mentor to me and someone who drew the 
admiration of Republicans and Democrats and did some unique and 
remarkable activities here in this Congress.
  One, as a freshman, she pushed enough to become a member of the 
Appropriations Committee and led graciously during her tenure. And then 
she worked very closely with Republicans and Democrats to fight to 
ensure that cigarette packages had warnings about the impact--the 
negative impact--on groups like African Americans.
  Carrie, do you remember the picture that we took with Rosa Parks and 
some of our colleagues, and how gracious you were? And do you remember 
the 25,000 people in Florida when they were trying to overturn 
affirmative action? And yes, you walked as long and as hard as anybody 
else.
  So, Carrie, I think the jobs bill that the President has could be 
named after you, where it provides some 80 percent compensation to 
small businesses to hire people. That sounds like Carrie Meek. And I 
think we can resolve the CR and provide for those who have suffered 
disasters and do the right thing. That sounds like Carrie Meek. So I'm 
here to pay tribute to our friend, Carrie Meek, and to thank her for 
sending her son, Kendrick, who is a great friend, and to let you know 
that we need to follow in the pathway of Carrie Meek that brings us all 
together to pass the jobs bill, a bill that could really be named after 
you Carrie, and as well to ensure that we protect those who have been 
harmed by disasters.
  Thank you, Congresswoman Carrie Meek.

                          ____________________