[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 17398]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 TRIBUTE TO CONGRESSWOMAN MARCIA FUDGE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to stand with my fellow 
members of the Congressional Black Caucus to pay tribute to the 
outstanding leadership of our outgoing chair, Marcia Fudge of Ohio.
  Chair Fudge has done much more than occupy a position in her time as 
CBC chair. She has truly led this caucus at a time where it required 
active leadership.
  It has often been said that Chair Fudge's work ethic, problem-solving 
approach, and coalition building has earned her the reputation as an 
insightful leader, and over the past year, that leadership has been on 
display to an impressive degree. Her legislative priorities have 
included job creation, protecting voting rights, health and nutrition, 
protecting Medicare and Social Security, education, and housing.
  Chair Fudge's simple philosophy is reflected in her daily pledge, 
``To do the people's work.'' That dedicated approach has enabled her to 
be an extraordinary chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and keep 
faith with this historic role.
  To some, they say we are the conscience of the Congress. But I say, 
under Chair Fudge, we have been much, much more because we have not 
relied just on our conscience. We have risen to levels of involvement 
not achieved very often in this body.
  On a personal note, it has been my pleasure to witness the growth and 
maturity of a leader I am proud to call not only my chair but my close 
personal friend as well. And I do not mean that in the way that we 
often use that word on this floor. She is a close personal friend.
  Mr. Speaker, as you see here, we come from various backgrounds and 
experiences. I am from South Carolina; our chairlady is from Ohio. We 
have had a different set of experiences, which means that we will not 
always see things the same way. But what has made her an effective 
leader is the fact that she can look to the west, to Ms. Barbara Lee, 
look south to Ms. Jackson Lee, go down to Texas to Ms. Eddie Bernice 
Johnson, over to Alabama, and bring all of these experiences together 
and form a cohesive approach.
  I am proud to call her my leader and proud to call her my personal 
friend.
  I yield to the gentleman from Detroit (Mr. Conyers), the dean of the 
Congressional Black Caucus who, come January 6, will be the dean of the 
entire United States Congress.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I feel, as all of us do, that we rise today 
to honor an accomplished public servant, an effective problem-solver, 
and a tireless advocate for our society's most vulnerable, 
Congresswoman Marcia Fudge of Ohio.

                              {time}  1030

  As she concludes her tenure as chairwoman of the Congressional Black 
Caucus, she makes us all obligated to share our deep appreciation for 
her courage and her thoughtfulness.
  Since taking office 6 years ago, Congresswoman Fudge has been a 
national leader in the fight for job creation, the safety net, access 
to health care, and quality nutrition, and she has been able to 
motivate some 43 other Members of the Congressional Black Caucus in 
supporting these issues that have made her so outstanding.
  It is fortuitous that she came to lead the Congressional Black Caucus 
at a time of unprecedented attacks on the Nation's nutrition-support 
systems that are essential for saving lives and eliminating the 
opportunity gap.
  She has been unwavering and unstinting in her defense of people who 
rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP--as well as 
child nutrition and school feeding programs--for survival. There's no 
better way to reduce inequality than to ensure that children have 
access to the nutrition they need to prosper.
  As the Senior Member of the Judiciary Committee, I am also extremely 
grateful for Chairwoman Fudge's leadership and extraordinary insight 
and energy in advocating for voting rights and for victims of excessive 
force.
  Chairwoman Fudge has played an indispensable role in preserving the 
CBC's legacy as the ``Conscience of the Congress.''

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