[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9306]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       IN MEMORY OF MAYA ANGELOU

  (Ms. LEE of California asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, it is with a sense of sadness, 
yet gratitude, that I rise to honor the life and the memory of a great, 
phenomenal warrior woman, Dr. Maya Angelou. I offer my condolences to 
Dr. Angelou's friends and family, including her son Guy Johnson, who is 
both a friend and constituent, as they celebrate and mourn her spirit-
filled life.
  I will forever cherish the private moments I had the privilege to 
share with Maya. One I recall was when, years ago, she invited me to 
her beautiful home, where we talked in her living room as sisters about 
our lives, our struggles, our passions for improving the human 
condition. I confided in her about the many challenges I faced after 
voting against the authorization to use military force. She encouraged 
me, and the affirmation she gave to me during those trying times will 
always be with me.
  I tell you, Dr. Angelou lived life to its fullest, and she shared 
with the world the essence of a purposeful life. I will hold her words, 
``be certain that you do not die without having done something 
wonderful for humanity,'' close to my heart, knowing that she was one 
of humanity's greatest gifts.
  While the world grieves in Dr. Maya Angelou's passing, we can take 
comfort in the fact that her words and her legacy live on in 
generations of people who have been touched, challenged, and inspired 
by her work. We will miss her tremendously, but Dr. Maya Angelou's 
legacy and her spirit will live on forever.

                          ____________________