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Stephanie Tubbs Jones 

LATE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM 

OHIO 

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MEMORIAL ADDRESSES 

AND OTHER TRIBUTES 

HON. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES ÷ z 1949–2008 

HON. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES ÷ z 1949–2008 

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Stephanie Tubbs Jones 


44100.001
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U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 2009

Memorial Addresses and 

Other Tributes 

HELD IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AND SENATE 

OF THE UNITED STATES 

TOGETHER WITH MEMORIAL SERVICES 

IN HONOR OF 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES 

Late a Representative from Ohio 

One Hundred Tenth Congress 

Second Session 

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Compiled under the direction 

of the 

Joint Committee on Printing 

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CONTENTS 

Page 

Biography .................................................................................................. v 

Proceedings in the House of Representatives: 

Tributes by Representatives: 

Baca, Joe, of California .............................................................. 66 

Boehner, John A., of Ohio ......................................................... 4 

Bonner, Jo, of Alabama ............................................................. 65 

Boustany, Charles W., Jr., of Louisiana .................................. 77 

Capito, Shelley Moore, of West Virginia .................................. 81 

Capps, Lois, of California .......................................................... 23 

Clarke, Yvette D., of New York ................................................ 47 

Cleaver, Emanuel, of Missouri .................................................. 29 

Clyburn, James E., of South Carolina ...................................... 77 

Cohen, Steve, of Tennessee ....................................................... 68 

Costa, Jim, of California ............................................................ 79 

Davis, Danny K., of Illinois ....................................................... 45 

Davis, Susan A., of California .............................................. 24, 76, 78 

DeGette, Diana, of Colorado ...................................................... 79 

Edwards, Donna F., of Maryland .............................................. 48 

Gingrey, Phil, of Georgia ........................................................... 62, 72 

Hastings, Alcee L., of Florida .................................................... 64 

Hayes, Robin, of North Carolina ............................................... 18 

Hirono, Mazie K., of Hawaii ...................................................... 34 

Hobson, David L., of Ohio ......................................................... 15, 85 

Jackson-Lee, Sheila, of Texas ........................................ 27, 53, 80, 84 

Jefferson, William J., of Louisiana ........................................... 32 

Johnson, Eddie Bernice, of Texas ............................................. 31 

Kaptur, Marcy, of Ohio ................................ 3, 4, 5, 28, 30, 31, 52, 75 

Kilpatrick, Carolyn C., of Michigan ..................................... 37, 41, 88 

Kucinich, Dennis J., of Ohio ...................................................... 13, 71 

Lee, Barbara, of California ........................................................ 69, 73 

Lewis, John, of Georgia ............................................................. 31 

Lowey, Nita M., of New York .................................................... 33 

Maloney, Carolyn B., of New York ........................................... 70 

Matsui, Doris O., of California .................................................. 34 

McCollum, Betty, of Minnesota ................................................. 67 

McDermott, Jim, of Washington ............................................... 75 

Meek, Kendrick B., of Florida .............................................. 45, 53, 59 

Moore, Gwen, of Wisconsin ....................................................... 81 

Pallone, Frank, Jr., of New Jersey ........................................... 79, 80 

Payne, Donald M., of New Jersey ............................................. 39 

Pomeroy, Earl, of North Dakota ............................................... 26 

Pryce, Deborah, of Ohio ............................................................. 20 

Rangel, Charles B., of New York .............................................. 16 

Regula, Ralph, of Ohio ............................................................... 12, 30 

Richardson, Laura, of California .............................................. 49 

Ryan, Tim, of Ohio ..................................................................... 63 

Sa ́nchez, Linda T., of California ............................................... 66 

Schakowsky, Janice D., of Illinois ............................................ 25 

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Page 

Proceedings in the House of Representatives:—Continued 

Tributes by Representatives—Continued 

Schmidt, Jean, of Ohio .............................................................. 22 

Scott, David, of Georgia ............................................................. 19 

Sessions, Pete, of Texas ............................................................. 86 

Space, Zachary T., of Ohio ......................................................... 21 

Stark, Fortney Pete, of California ................................. 35, 76, 82, 87 

Sutton, Betty, of Ohio ................................................................ 11 

Udall, Tom, of New Mexico ....................................................... 62 

Wasserman Schultz, Debbie, of Florida ................................... 72 

Watson, Diane E., of California ................................................ 38 

Watt, Melvin L., of North Carolina .......................................... 36 

Whitfield, Ed, of Kentucky ........................................................ 78 

Wilson, Charles A., of Ohio ....................................................... 22 

Woolsey, Lynn C., of California ................................................ 36 

Proceedings in the Senate: 

Tributes by Senators: 

Brown, Sherrod, of Ohio ............................................................ 89 

Dorgan, Byron L., of North Dakota .......................................... 89 

Memorial Services .................................................................................... 91 

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BIOGRAPHY 

Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was the first African American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio. Congresswoman TUBBS JONES was a 

lifelong resident of the 11th District, which encompasses 

most of the East Side of Cleveland and parts of the West 

Side of Cleveland and includes parts of 22 suburbs. 

For her five terms in office, the Congresswoman was a 

strong advocate for many issues, and championed wealth 

building and economic development, access and delivery of 

health care, and quality education for all. The Congresswoman was the first African American woman to chair the 

Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (Ethics) and the 

first African American woman to serve on the powerful Ways 

and Means Committee. She was an active member of numerous congressional caucuses, including the Congressional 

Black Caucus. 

Congresswoman TUBBS JONES introduced several pieces of 

legislation including the Uterine Fibroids Research and Education Act to increase funding for research on uterine 

fibroids and provide enhanced public education about this 

condition; the Predatory Mortgage Lending Practices Reduction Act, which would require certification of mortgage brokers and enhance penalties for predatory loans; and the 

Campus Fire Prevention Act, which would provide money to 

equip college dorms, fraternities, and sorority houses with 

fire suppression devices. Most recently, Congresswoman 

TUBBS JONES introduced the ‘‘Count Every Vote’’ Act of 2005 

which seeks to provide an all-encompassing solution to a 

broad range of voting irregularities that occurred during the 

2004 Presidential election. She is an original co-sponsor of 

multiple significant pieces of legislation, including health 

care for low- and middle-income families and community reentry for ex-felons. 

Congresswoman TUBBS JONES made a number of historic 

achievements in her distinguished career as a public servant. 

Prior to her election to the House, Congresswoman TUBBS

JONES served as the first African American and the first female Cuyahoga County, OH, prosecutor. She was the first 

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[ vi ] 

African American woman to sit on the Common Pleas bench 

in the State of Ohio and was a municipal court judge in the 

city of Cleveland. 

Congresswoman TUBBS JONES received numerous honors 

throughout her lifetime including the National Bible Association Capitol Hill Distinguished Leadership Award, Human 

Rights Campaign of Cleveland Equality Award, Backbone 

Campaign’s Backbone Award, and the Carib News Multi-National Business Conference Marcus Garvey Award. 

Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES is a graduate of 

Cleveland public schools. She received her undergraduate degree from Case Western Reserve University, graduating with 

a degree in social work from the Flora Stone Mather College 

in 1971. She received her juris doctorate from Case Western 

Reserve University School of Law in 1974. Additionally, she 

has received honorary doctorates from David N. Myers University, Notre Dame College, Central State University, and 

Cleveland State University. 

An active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, she served on its national social action committee. 

She was a lifelong member of Bethany Baptist Church in 

Cleveland, OH, and was a member of its board of trustees. 

The Congresswoman was married to Mervyn L. Jones, Sr., 

deceased (2003), for 27 years and was the proud mother of 

Mervyn Leroy Jones II. 

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MEMORIAL ADDRESSES 

AND 

OTHER TRIBUTES 

FOR 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES 

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Proceedings in the House of 

Representatives 

MONDAY, September 8, 2008 

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I seek to be recognized in 

order to place on the Record officially for the first time the 

passing from this life of our beloved colleague, Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES of Ohio’s 11th District. 

I would like to announce to my colleagues that after votes 

this evening, we will manage a special bereavement resolution. Many Members, I know, will want to pay tribute to 

STEPHANIE’s beautiful life. We as Ohioans, as Buckeyes, 

share her son Mervyn’s profound sense of loss; but also I 

know we share an equal gratitude for the manner in which 

she lived her life and what she contributed, not just to her 

family or her church family, or her staff, but to our country 

and indeed to our world. 

When STEPHANIE hugged many of us before we left in August, I can tell you I certainly didn’t think I would be down 

here this evening. Any Member who wishes to honor her life 

can do so after the votes are cast this evening. 

Let me just mention to my colleagues that we knew 

STEPHANIE here as chair of the Ethics Committee and as the 

first African American woman to serve on the Ways and 

Means Committee. But her path was not an easy one. Coming from East Cleveland, she was a gregarious leader who 

blazed many trails. 

She was one of the few women who have ever served in 

the Ohio delegation, and the first African American woman 

ever to be elected to the Congress of the United States from 

the State of Ohio. She was the first black woman to become 

a judge of the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, as 

well as the county’s first African American prosecutor. 

She gave so much to so many. I always seemed to catch 

STEPHANIE running through the airport with her suitcase, 

traveling somewhere, with that boundless energy and that 

constant smile; and we will pay tribute more fully to her 

later this evening. 

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To her son, Mervyn, who I would expect is listening this 

evening, we all know that your mother’s strength will hold 

you now in a very profound way; and we extend our deepest 

sympathy to you. We know that in the years ahead you will 

come to appreciate even more what her life has meant to our 

country. 

Mr. Speaker, I think my dear colleague, Mr. Boehner, the 

minority leader, has remarks at this time. 

I will be happy to yield you time. 

Mr. BOEHNER. Let me thank my colleague from Ohio for 

her words. 

We all loved STEPHANIE. Here is a lady who gave her entire career to public service, and she did so in a way that 

was gregarious, that was outspoken, loud, if you will. 

All of you know STEPHANIE. Her office was next to mine 

over in the Longworth Building, and we always knew when 

STEPHANIE was coming back to her office because she would 

be walking down the hall talking to somebody. But she and 

I were friends and we were smoking buddies. Now, I know 

that might offend some of you, but you just never know how 

well you get to know someone over a cocktail. But here was 

a lady who blazed a lot of trails, who dedicated her life to 

public service, and someone that we will dearly miss in this 

Chamber. 

Ms. KAPTUR. I thank the gentleman. 

And as I paid my respects at the wake the day before the 

service, I was reminded I had been in that church twice before to pay tribute to STEPHANIE’s father who died during her 

tenure here, and then her husband who also died. And it was 

almost hard to walk into that church for the third time, and 

my respect for her grew even more for the strength that she 

showed to all of us despite these enormous personal losses 

that she had borne. 

Mr. Speaker, in concluding, let me just say that from 1 

Peter 4:10–11, this is what the prayer card said at her funeral service: 

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he 

should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he 

should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may 

be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever 

and ever. Amen. 

And at the base of the card is STEPHANIE’s signature with 

the words, ‘‘I hope I made you proud.’’ 

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Mr. Speaker, may I ask now for the membership to rise 

and pay tribute to the life of Congresswoman STEPHANIE

TUBBS JONES. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members will now rise for a 

moment of silence in honor of the distinguished gentlelady 

from Ohio, the distinguished chairwoman of the Ethics Committee, Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening in order to 

consider the bereavement resolution in memory of our beloved colleague. 

The Clerk read the resolution, as follows: 

H. RES. 1415 

Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of the death 

of the Honorable STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, a Representative from the State 

of Ohio. 

Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the Senate and 

transmit a copy thereof to the family of the deceased. 

Resolved, That when the House adjourns today, it adjourn as a further 

mark of respect to the memory of the deceased. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Ohio 

is recognized for 1 hour. 

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, it is with a 

profound sense of sadness, as well as a deep sense of privilege that I rise this evening to commemorate and to celebrate the life of our friend, colleague, and sister, Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES of Ohio’s 11th District. This 

evening, we do this with the deepest gratitude for her life, 

and on behalf of our entire Ohio delegation, the people of our 

State, her home city of Cleveland, and citizens far and wide, 

who were blessed to know and walk, work, worship, and 

smile along with STEPHANIE. 

On the day of her funeral, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, or 

actually it was the day after, the Sunday Plain Dealer, had 

a very large photo of the memorial service held in Cleveland, 

Ohio. And the headline read, ‘‘STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, 

1949–2008: Tears Flow, Laughter Rolls During Memorial 

Service.’’ And the paper goes on to recount so many beautiful 

remarks and remembrances that people across this country 

attributed to her life. We will be placing this in the Congressional Record, and as well I would like to read from my 

home paper, the Toledo Blade, way on the other side of the 

State from where STEPHANIE represented. It stated, ‘‘a leader 

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passes, the loss of her fighting spirit will be keenly felt, 

deeply mourned and difficult to replace.’’ 

I think this evening, particularly of her son, Mervyn. We 

wish him comfort, and we wish him her strength as he 

mourns her passing. 

We all know that when you met STEPHANIE, you knew you 

had met strength. You knew you had met someone who endured struggle. She had a keen intelligence, a high-minded 

idealism, and wow, her charisma just overflowed. 

The other day I was in my district and met a man from 

Cleveland who had gone to school with STEPHANIE. And I 

asked, ‘‘tell me, was STEPHANIE always that enthusiastic?’’ 

He said, ‘‘Marcy, I went to law school with her. She never 

changed.’’ 

And from the time she was in her late teens and early 

twenties to her service here, she had the same boundless energy, drive, and positive spirit. 

She was a devoted wife, a beloved mother, a sister to us 

all, and an elected leader, in that order. And she relished all 

of her life’s roles. Her drive and energy were genuine, and 

they were infectious. And she carved a nobler path for America with her election as the first African American woman 

from Ohio to serve in the U.S. Congress. We Ohioans were 

very proud of her. 

I know that I, like my colleagues, have so many vivid lasting memories of STEPHANIE. Upon her first swearing-in, I 

still recall a little table in a reception hall here where I was 

able to present her with a single red rose as she was sitting 

next to her predecessor, Congressman Louis Stokes, and how 

she poignantly responded. She knew the steepness of the 

climb. 

I recall my efforts to comfort her on the loss of her husband, and she immediately reciprocated as she shared with 

me, over my Blackberry, a favorite poem from which she 

drew succor. 

Imagine how many memories each of us has, how many 

thousands of lives she touched, representing a district and 

State that tested her talents, her spirit, and her conscience 

daily. She served people well beyond her district, logging 

thousands of miles in freedom’s cause. 

I don’t think I saw STEPHANIE too many times without 

that little valise in the back room here. She was always 

going somewhere. She held a hard job, and she put her entire being into it. She literally gave herself to us. And in her 

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memory, we should dedicate ourselves to her unfinished 

work. 

One can imagine how few women have ever served in the 

Congress from our State. To those afforded the privilege, 

there is a priceless bond that links our spirits and provides 

support. 

STEPHANIE was such a valued sister. Though her years 

with us were far too short, her impact endures well beyond 

the years. She made history. She spoke her conscience, and 

she reveled in every step of the journey. 

Thanks be to God, she did not suffer in the end. The Lord 

spared her that, perhaps as, through her life, she had endured too much personal sadness and loss that would have 

broken lesser spirits. 

In loss, STEPHANIE’s strength strengthens us. Her enduring personal legacy of character and endurance, beyond her 

milestone achievements, remain the portrait of her life. Our 

delegation is especially honored to fittingly commemorate 

her life and achievements here this evening. 

[From the Sunday Plain Dealer, August 31, 2008] 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, 1949–2008: TEARS FLOW, LAUGHTER ROLLS

DURING MEMORIAL SERVICE

(By Tony Brown) 

It was a moment that surely would have earned one of the wide, knowing 

smiles remembered so well by all the friends of STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, the man TUBBS JONES used to call her ‘‘white 

son,’’ and fellow Congressman Kendrick Meek of Florida, whom she nicknamed her ‘‘black son,’’ had just finished moving tributes to their congressional ‘‘mom.’’ 

That’s when Mervyn Jones II, her real son, slipped out of his front-row 

seat to join his ‘‘brothers’’ in an intimate, tearful embrace in front of thousands gathered to bid farewell to the first black woman elected to Congress 

from Ohio. 

The three remained locked in each other’s arms well into remarks made 

by former Rep. Louis Stokes, the man whose seat TUBBS JONES inherited 

in 1989. 

After the men returned to their places, Sen. Barack Obama—the son of 

a black father and a white mother who grew up to become the first black 

presidential nominee of a major U.S. political party—turned in his chair to 

console a still-sobbing Meek. 

In that moment, amid the grieving and the laughter and the consolation 

and the stories and the campaign rhetoric of the celebration of a life welllived, everyone under the vaulted ceiling of Public Hall—all friends of 

TUBBS JONES—shared in that group hug. 

It was a hug that encircled the woman whose body lay in a flag-draped 

casket that rested on a square of red carpet in front of the stage: Rep. 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, who died of a burst brain aneurysm on Aug. 20 

at the age of 58. 

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Friend was a word heard over and over as the nation’s most powerful 

Democratic leaders, fresh from Obama’s nomination in Denver, joined religious leaders and TUBBS JONES’ beloved constituents, family and sorority 

sisters in testifying to the immensity of TUBBS JONES’ spirit. 

Former President Bill Clinton, not scheduled to speak but unable to help 

himself, called his relationship with TUBBS JONES ‘‘16 years of astonishing 

friendship.’’ 

So astonishing that TUBBS JONES continued to support a failing presidential bid by his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton, well after many of the congresswoman’s constituents had voted for Obama. 

‘‘She was not a fair-weather friend,’’ Hillary Clinton told the crowd. 

‘‘I certainly know what that means. Now, her friendship was not uncritical. When she was your friend, she felt it her responsibility to inform you 

of all the matters that needed improvement.’’ 

Obama, Clinton’s opponent for the party’s presidential nomination, also 

counted himself among TUBBS JONES’ buddies. 

‘‘I am here today to pay tribute to an extraordinary American and a devoted public servant, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a wife and a dear friend 

to so many here in Cleveland, so many in Ohio and so many across America. 

‘‘And during the most recent contest, STEPHANIE and I were on different 

sides, and we would see each other, she would say to me, ‘This is what it 

means to be a friend for me.’ All I could say is, ‘I understand.’ ’’ 

There were more words of praise and prayer from elected officials, some 

quoting Shakespeare and Scripture, during the three-hour-and-47-minute 

marathon of tributes. 

Speakers included Sen. Sherrod Brown, Mayor Frank Jackson, Cuyahoga 

County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora, Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick of Michigan 

and Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland. 

And they told plenty of funny and poignant stories. 

Perhaps the funniest and most poignant was recounted by Bill Clinton, 

who recalled accompanying TUBBS JONES to Puerto Rico on a primary campaign visit for his wife. 

‘‘Now, how STEPHANIE became a native Puerto Rican in 15 minutes, I’ll 

never know,’’ Clinton said, warming to his subject. 

They went into a shop, Clinton said, where TUBBS JONES admired a piece 

of locally made jewelry. Clinton bought it surreptitiously and presented it 

to her. 

‘‘She looked at me and laughed and she said, ‘You know, I really like this,’ 

she says. ‘It’s not often a man’ll give a woman a piece of jewelry and not 

want anything for it.’ I totally lost it.’’ 

So did Clinton’s audience. As the laughter died down, the former president moved in for the kicker. 

‘‘I looked at her and said, ‘STEPHANIE, you have given me and our family 

more, you have given your people and this country more than you will ever 

know.’ ’’ 

In addition to the eloquent politicians who were gathered, there were 

plenty of just plain friends who laughed and wept and patted each other on 

the back to the rhythm of hymns like ‘‘Amazing Grace’’ and ‘‘Canaan’s 

Happy Shore.’’ 

Some of the late arrivals almost didn’t make it into the funeral. 

At 11:30 a.m., about 30 minutes after the service began, Secret Service 

officers blocked the entrance. ‘‘The event is closed,’’ one told approaching 

visitors. 

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Within minutes, the number lingering at the entrance grew to more than 

a dozen. They spoke in shared disbelief. ‘‘STEPHANIE would not want this,’’ 

one woman said angrily. 

Someone in charge agreed. Within minutes, the officers stepped aside. 

Newcomers flowed into the cavernous auditorium until well past noon. 

One of the most moving speakers the friends of STEPHANIE heard Saturday was no politician or preacher. 

She was a 16-year-old named Tiffany Robertson, a member of an all-girls 

health careers class at Cleveland’s Martin Luther King Jr. High School that 

TUBBS JONES took under her wing two years ago. 

‘‘ ‘This is the future,’ ’’ Tiffany recalled JONES telling the girls. 

The congresswoman took time from her political and legislative schedule 

to visit the class and take them places. She took them to church one Sunday, but Tiffany had to work. 

So JONES dropped by the workplace with Tiffany’s classmates in tow. 

‘‘We’re family,’’ Tiffany told her classmates, who stood in a show of unity 

with their peer. 

‘‘We got to stick together. We got to carry on her legacy. She was steward, 

protector and advocate to us.’’ 

‘‘I will miss her as a friend.’’ 

‘‘There’s a famous song a few years back . . . and the refrain of the song says, 

‘If you have a choice, to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.’ And we all 

know that STEPHANIE didn’t sit it out, she danced.’’ 

—Tim Ryan, U.S. Representative from Ohio. 

‘‘STEPHANIE was the kind of political leader who needed hours to go grocery 

shopping because everyone she saw wanted a moment of her time, and she 

willingly gave it. Because if you met STEPHANIE, she was your friend.’’ 

—Ted Strickland, Ohio Governor. 

‘‘Oftentimes, late at night, on the campaign trail, whether the news had 

been good or bad, she would have a look in her eye. Sometimes she would 

grab my hand, and she would say, ‘Oh, I miss my husband, I wish he were 

here.’ Well, they are together now.’’ 

—Hillary Clinton, U.S. Senator. 

‘‘That’s not the air show. The rumbling you hear is the rearrangement of 

chairs in heaven.’’ 

—Dennis Eckart, Former Representative standing outside Public Hall as 

a jet roared by. 

‘‘I considered her my congresswoman as well. We talked all the time about 

statewide issues.’’ 

—Michael Coleman, Columbus Mayor. 

‘‘Whenever STEPHANIE came in contact with young people, she inspired 

them, she taught them, she mentored them, she stayed in touch with them. 

Her legacy is in their legacy.’’ 

—Sherrod Brown, U.S. Senator from Ohio. 

‘‘Whenever we talked on the phone, she would say, ‘Congressman, I love ya.’ 

And I’d say: ‘I love you, too.’ She was a great congresswoman. She was a 

good friend. Thanks, STEPHANIE, I love ya.’’ 

—Louis Stokes, former U.S. Representative from Ohio. 

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‘‘For STEPHANIE, it wasn’t enough to rise up from modest circumstances and 

break so many barriers herself. She had to reach back and pull others 

through the doors she opened.’’ 

—Barack Obama, Democratic presidential nominee. 

‘‘I want to let you know, Cleveland, that you were represented by one of the 

best . . . Ladies and gentlemen, she lived a life that was worth living.’’ 

—Kendrick Meek, U.S. Representative from South Carolina. 

‘‘I’ll always know her as AUNT STEPHANIE. She had a big smile.’’ 

—Erin Norton, 24, of Cleveland, whose uncle lived next to TUBBS JONES. 

‘‘All the good things she started, it’s like she’s still living.’’ 

—Schuvar Murray, 37, of Cleveland. 

÷ 

[From the Blade, August 24, 2008] 

A LEADER PASSES

Society’s downtrodden, disadvantaged, disillusioned, and disconnected 

have lost an influential voice and ally in Washington with the unexpected 

passing of STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, the first black woman to represent Ohio 

in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

The 11th District representative from the east side of Cleveland died 

Wednesday after suffering a brain hemorrhage. 

The loss to Ohio and the nation was described by one of her colleagues 

as ‘‘incalculable,’’ and that was an understatement. It was a setback for the 

cause of impassioned, committed, gutsy leadership, especially for the district, made up of east Cleveland and its nearby suburbs, which Ms. TUBBS

JONES served so tirelessly. 

A decade ago, the 58-year-old Democrat was handpicked by U.S. Rep. Lou 

Stokes to be his successor after his legendary stewardship of that congressional district for 30 years. Over five terms, Mr. Stokes said, ‘‘she took it 

to a higher level, a new level. She made me so proud.’’ 

A gregarious leader, she also blazed trails for others with a resume of 

many firsts—the first black woman to become a judge of Cuyahoga County 

Common Pleas Court, as well as the county’s first black prosecutor, succeeding the storied John T. Corrigan. 

In Washington, she was also the first black woman to sit on the powerful 

House Ways and Means Committee, where she was a force to be reckoned 

with. Fiercely partisan, but not necessarily predictable, she was that unusual politician who said what she meant and meant what she said. 

In 2001, she endorsed an unknown black lawyer for Cleveland mayor over 

the more politically experienced Jane Campbell, who eventually won. This 

year, she perplexed—and provoked—her constituents with her unflagging 

support of Hillary Clinton for president over newcomer Barack Obama. 

But her word was her bond, said the Rev. Jesse Jackson. ‘‘It didn’t waver 

in the wind.’’ Like all congressional Democrats, she was scheduled to serve 

as a super delegate at the Democratic National Convention in Denver next 

week to witness the formal nomination of Mr. Obama as the first black candidate for president of the United States. 

Ms. TUBBS JONES, who once said she considered herself a voice for minorities across the country, would have reveled in the moment. The loss of her 

fighting spirit will be keenly felt, deeply mourned, and difficult to replace. 

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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield at this 

time to Congresswoman Betty Sutton from the Ohio delegation, the able Representative from Akron-Lorain. 

Ms. SUTTON. I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio for 

yielding me the time. 

I, too, rise today with heaviness in my heart but also with 

a deep sense of gratitude and respect for my colleague, my 

friend, STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. Her passing is truly a tragic loss for the people of Ohio’s 11th District, whom she loved 

so very much, and for all of the people who she stood up for 

across this country. 

STEPHANIE was truly a historic figure in American politics. 

She achieved many firsts and she blazed many trails in a 

way that only STEPHANIE could. She was the first African 

American and first female prosecutor in Cuyahoga County, 

Ohio; the first African American woman to sit on the Common Pleas bench in Ohio; the first African American woman 

to be elected to Congress from Ohio, and the first African 

American woman to serve on the House Ways and Means 

Committee, a job she truly loved. 

STEPHANIE attacked her job as a Congresswoman with passion and a contagious enthusiasm on behalf of those she 

served. She was effective and determined. Her strength exceeded courage. She was fearless. She lived her life and represented her constituents giving it everything she had. She 

had no time for fear. 

Her amazing spirit touched and brightened so many lives, 

and with every first that STEPHANIE achieved, with every 

rung of the ladder she climbed, STEPHANIE always reached 

back to help others following behind. From encouraging the 

young women and men in her office who interned, to inspiring the young people from her hometown of Cleveland, 

STEPHANIE was a force. And she loved her staff and spoke of 

them as family. STEPHANIE was not pretentious. She treated 

all people as they should be treated, with dignity and respect. 

Mr. Speaker, when I first arrived in these hallowed halls 

in January 2007, I was very fortunate to have STEPHANIE

here to help me. She was a colleague and a friend who I 

could turn to for advice not only on the many crucial issues 

that we face but also simply on how to navigate this body. 

And when I thanked her for helping me along, she would always wave a hand in the air and explain, ‘‘Hey, we’re sisters.’’ STEPHANIE’s friendship and mentorship were vital to 

me, and I am grateful that she touched my life. 

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STEPHANIE was honest and loyal. You could count on her 

word. She was the type of person who could lift up the spirits of those feeling down. She was willing to work with others for the good that was greater than just herself, but she 

was also tough and willing to fight as necessary to protect 

the rights of the people of this great country. Nowhere was 

this more evident than in the fight she led to ensure the integrity of our voting process. STEPHANIE also worked tirelessly to promote home ownership and to help keep families 

in their homes. 

But with all of her achievements, nothing compared to 

that of the strong young man that STEPHANIE raised, her 

son, Mervyn. STEPHANIE’s face would beam when she talked 

about Mervyn. There could be no question beyond everything 

she gave in service, everything she accomplished, they all 

paled in comparison to how proud she was of Mervyn. She 

loved him and continues to love him beyond measure. 

STEPHANIE also had a beautiful and strong sister who she 

loved and appreciated so deeply. When STEPHANIE spoke of 

her sister Barbara, it was clear how special she was to her. 

Mr. Speaker, I could go on and on about the life of this 

amazing woman. I am so honored to have known her and to 

have served alongside of her. STEPHANIE was more than my 

colleague; she was my friend, and we were sisters. I will 

miss her greatly. 

My thoughts and prayers are with her son Mervyn, and 

her very special sister Barbara, and the rest of her family. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express deep 

sadness on the sudden passing of our colleague in this House 

and a member of the Ohio delegation, Congresswoman 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

August was a busy month for us. We have participated in 

events in our districts and meetings in our offices. Many of 

us participated in our party’s Presidential conventions. Unfortunately, too many of these tasks and goals were cut short 

and cut short too early for our colleague. We grieve her loss 

here this evening. 

Throughout our time together in this House, the members 

of the Ohio delegation have been a congenial group and not 

a partisan one. We regularly worked together to share common responsibilities and actions to improve and strengthen 

our State. STEPHANIE brought energy and enthusiasm to our 

delegation and to our work, and we will miss her terribly. 

As you will hear throughout this evening’s remarks by my 

colleagues, Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was a 

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Member who held many firsts in our delegation. And I won’t 

repeat those because many Members will touch on it. 

To me, Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was my 

friendly, outgoing, and upbeat colleague. We often traveled 

back and forth together in the same plane from Ohio to 

Washington for our congressional session. I will miss her 

wonderful personality and the energy she brought to our delegation and to this House. 

This morning, when I was getting ready to leave for the 

airport, I said to my wife, ‘‘You know, I’m going to really 

miss STEPHANIE because we would be on the plane together 

most of the time, the same flight, and she was always so upbeat and she had the common expression, ‘Well, how are you 

doing today? How are you doing today?’ ’’ 

Well, we did well together, but I will miss her energy and 

personality that she brought to the delegation and to this 

House. I worked with STEPHANIE—her district was not far 

from mine—and we had a common interest in furthering the 

medical facilities in Cleveland, Ohio, some of the best in the 

United States; and it was a pleasure always to work with 

her and to enjoy her boundless enthusiasm and good nature. 

And certainly on behalf of my colleagues in the Ohio delegation, we express our sincere sympathy to her son, Mervyn 

Jones, and to her sister, Barbara Walker, as well as to her 

thousands of constituents and to her devoted staff. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair understands the 

gentlewoman from Ohio to have yielded half her time to the 

gentleman from Ohio. 

And the gentleman from Ohio reserves the balance of his 

time. 

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call on the distinguished Member from Cleveland, the colleague of Congresswoman JONES, Congressman Dennis Kucinich. 

Mr. KUCINICH. I thank the gentlelady. 

When I look at this Chamber this evening, there are so 

many Members of Congress here, each who wants to pay 

tribute to her. I’m going to keep my remarks brief, not in 

any way reflecting the depth of grief that I feel over STEPHANIE’s passing. 

We shared not only districts—because my district is mostly 

on the West Side of the Cuyahoga River and hers is mostly 

on the East Side of the Cuyahoga River—but we shared political careers, having worked with each other for the better 

part of three decades. And the STEPHANIE that we saw here 

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[ 14 ] 

in the Congress, the one of the 100-megawatt smile, the 

boundless energy, the telling sense of humor, the challenging 

approach when you may not agree with her, that was the 

STEPHANIE that I knew for 30 years. 

But we also shared a friendship about family. And she 

went through it in the last years of her life with the loss of 

loved ones close to her, her father, her husband. And when 

we would have major events in our lives, like we do with 

close friends—and she was a close friend to many of us—we 

would share many of these things. And there was a lot of 

sadness to share. But there was also a moment when, for 

me, I had one of the biggest things happen in my life, and 

STEPHANIE was the first person I wanted to share it with. 

More than 3 years ago, I met a woman who walked into 

my office as part of a meeting for policy, and even though I 

had a very brief conversation with her, I knew something 

had happened at that moment. And I just knew at that moment that this was somebody I was going to marry, and I 

didn’t even have a discussion with her about anything except 

for policy for more than about half a minute. And I ran down 

the floor to tell my friend STEPHANIE, because that’s the kind 

of friend she was. You would want to tell her when you 

thought something big was happening in your life. 

And so I said, ‘‘STEPHANIE, I met her.’’ And she looked at 

me and her eyes widened, and she gave her big smile, and 

she went, ‘‘Shut up!’’ And she had that kind of way of assessing things brilliantly and quickly in a manner and a tone 

and a language that was STEPHANIE. 

And she really brought the wisdom of a keen legal mind 

and melded it with a street sense into this political persona 

that touched people all over this country and, indeed, in 

other countries as well. She had that magic. 

Her presence is so powerful that I know I speak for other 

Members when I say that even at this moment, weeks later 

after her passing, we still can’t believe it. That’s how powerful a presence she was personally. And when she engaged 

you, you knew you were in a conversation and it was real. 

When Members of Congress arrived to pay respects at the 

Bethany Church, we saw the sidewalks lined with her constituents. We saw a line to get into Bethany Church that 

was more than a block long. Hundreds of people waiting in 

line. 

I had the chance to talk to some of them. You could see— 

you have to look into people’s eyes, look at their faces, and 

you see the faces of people who are struggling with life, who 

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are dealing with the kinds of problems that STEPHANIE came 

to Congress to address: trying to save their homes, trying to 

save their jobs, trying to keep their families together. And 

their eyes are searching today because they know they have 

lost a champion, and it puts such a great responsibility on 

all of us, a greater responsibility on all of us to uphold those 

things that she came to Congress for, the basic rights of people. 

This was a loss for women who have strived for recognition 

in this body. This is a loss for African Americans who saw 

in her a champion, the first African American woman elected 

to Congress from the State of Ohio. 

But what STEPHANIE did, her genius and her magic was 

she just broke all of the barriers. She went beyond gender 

and beyond race and emerged to a whole different political 

element. That’s why she can’t be replaced. And that’s why, 

long after many of us have left this Chamber, people will 

still be talking about STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

STEPHANIE, we love you, and we will remember you. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson). 

Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Speaker, it’s been a tough term for the 

Ohio delegation. First we lost Paul Gillmor, and now we’ve 

lost STEPHANIE. Too early for both of them in their lives. But 

I think it’s these times when people in the country need to 

know the friendships that happen in this House. We may differ politically on certain issues, but we don’t differ when it 

comes to making friends and friendships here in this House. 

STEPHANIE had that beautiful energy that you will hear 

about and that we will all remember. She never met a 

stranger. Wherever we traveled in the world, STEPHANIE always had that great smile on her face. Whenever we were 

in Cleveland together—I have a daughter who lives in Cleveland, and STEPHANIE would give me a ride when I would fly 

into Cleveland to my daughter’s house. She would stop and 

talk to my grandkids. Even though she was in Dennis’ district, she was still working that side of town, too, because 

STEPHANIE worked wherever she was. 

She is a loss to all of us. She worked on issues that transcend this body, these human issues, and the people in her 

district are not going to forget that, and they truly do have 

a loss. 

We traveled together many times to view the troops, and 

I just came back yesterday from Korea. In Korea, I talked 

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about STEPHANIE to one of the general officers, and he said, 

‘‘I remember her. When we were in Bosnia, you came there 

on Thanksgiving and she related to the troops in her own 

special way and talked to these young people about what 

they were doing, what they’re going to do in the future.’’ 

But the most important thing about STEPHANIE is she 

never forgot who she was. She was a friend to all of us, but 

she never forgot her district. 

One time I talked STEPHANIE into going on a trip with me 

to Italy, and she said, ‘‘I can’t go. It’s our 25th wedding anniversary. Mervyn and I want to spend our 25th wedding anniversary together.’’ And this was when you could do this. I 

don’t even know if I want to tell this, but she’s gone and I’m 

retiring. So maybe I can tell this story now without going to 

the Ethics Committee. But I said, ‘‘STEPHANIE, we’re going to 

give you a party in Venice. You tell Mervyn it’s going to be 

a very romantic time and it isn’t going to cost him a cent.’’ 

Guess what. They went on the trip. 

And even after Mervyn’s tragic passing—and I was there 

with her then—she would recall the great time we had together. And I’m not going to miss her because she’s going to 

be here with all of us, but who’s going to miss her is Mervyn 

II. He’s lost not only his mother and his father but his 

grandparents in a very short period of time, and this is a 

young man. I hope his aunt can help him, and I hope all of 

us don’t forget this young man and his life. And we’re not 

going to forget STEPHANIE. 

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished chairman of the Ways and Means Committee from 

New York City, our beloved colleague, Charles Rangel. 

Mr. RANGEL. Thank you so much, Chairwoman Kaptur, 

for giving me this courtesy and this opportunity. 

I was a very longtime and dear friend of Louis Stokes. I 

loved him, I worked with him, and when he decided that he 

was going to retire, I did everything that I could to share 

with him how much he would be missed by his country and 

by this Congress. But when he had me meet in Cleveland 

with STEPHANIE. Some of you may have met people that you 

know that it really wouldn’t make any difference what they 

decided to do. Their intellect, their drive, their personality 

would make them successful, and especially for a woman and 

an African American woman in Ohio or any other part of the 

United States, to be a prosecutor, to be a judge and then to 

come to the Congress, it had to be extraordinary, the same 

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way Harriet Beecher Stowe, Fannie Lou Hamer, people of 

extreme resilience. 

And so from then, she said that she wanted to get on the 

Ways and Means Committee, and boy, the Ways and Means 

Committee has never been the same since she’s joined with 

us. She would come to the meetings where we would be 

fighting and arguing and, with a smile, light it up. But that 

didn’t prevent her from getting involved in the argument and 

many times on a different side of the Chair. But at the end 

of the day, I knew that once she was convinced that was the 

way the committee was going, you couldn’t stop STEPHANIE

TUBBS JONES. 

I say in conclusion, one of the reasons that so many of you 

must like her, love her is because I don’t remember that 

many complaints that she had about the Chair not responding to the needs of her constituents, especially when the 

housing market fell in Cleveland. 

But so many of you that she brought to the chairman of 

this committee, that were not on the committee, because you 

had convinced her that it was important to your community, 

and she, as a person on that committee, thought we should 

look into it, and there was never, but never, a frivolous request. Every time she came she had done so much homework 

that I just know that the gap that she leaves in my heart 

and our committee will never be filled by anyone else. 

I thank you for this opportunity of sharing. 

[The revised remarks of Mr. Rangel follow:] 

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to one of 

our own; my friend and colleague, the Honorable Chairwoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES who represented the 11th 

Congressional District of Ohio for five terms. Sadly she 

passed away at the young age of 59 on August 20, 2008, from 

an aneurysm in her brain. She is survived by her son, 

Mervyn L. Jones II, and her sister Barbara Walker. 

Congresswoman TUBBS JONES truly was a pioneer. She became the first African American woman to chair the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct in the 110th Congress and the first African American woman to serve on the 

Committee on Ways and Means in the 108th Congress where 

she played an important role on the Health Subcommittee. 

She fought tirelessly for wealth building and economic development, access and delivery of health care, and quality education for all. The Congresswoman had the ability to remain 

grounded and always continued to work and include the interests of her constituents when dealing with issues. 

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It was an honor and a privilege to have worked directly 

with her on the Committee on Ways and Means. On the 

Health Subcommittee she focused on end stage renal disease 

(ESRD) disparities and she played an important role in the 

SCHIP debate. She was a strong supporter of tax provisions 

designed to encourage the rehabilitation of historic, and 

other real property, and to encourage community development. Despite her constituency that is mainly unionized, she 

supported the Peru Trade Promotion Agreement and other 

free trade agreements as long as they met the International 

Labor Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles 

and Right to Work. 

She will be missed by Members on both sides of the aisle 

and by staff on the Hill who admired and enjoyed working 

with her as well. We who knew and worked with her will 

surely be among many who will miss her smile, her tenacity, 

and her infectious love of life. She leaves us an inspirational 

legacy, a memorable record of public service and a charge to 

keep fighting for what is right and just. She will forever be 

in our hearts. 

Mr. REGULA. I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 

North Carolina (Mr. Hayes). 

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 

Ohio, the Ohio delegation, and the gentlelady, Ms. Kaptur, 

for allowing me to be a part of this. 

STEPHANIE was a special friend. I am terribly saddened by 

the untimely passing of STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. She was 

someone who cared deeply about helping others, especially 

those who couldn’t help themselves. TUBBS JONES was a 

wonderful philanthropist and friend. I will miss serving with 

her as co-chair on the House Philanthropy Caucus. 

Representative TUBBS JONES and I began our work in the 

House the same year together in 1998. I was honored last 

year to have the opportunity to partner with her to establish 

the Congressional Philanthropy Caucus, an initiative that 

she was very passionate about. Her tireless and tenacious 

advocacy for the philanthropic field, commitment, and leadership was very inspiring and helped to forge new relationships and partnerships between and among lawmakers and 

grantmakers. 

The caucus was formed at the behest of the Council on 

Foundations, a Washington, DC, area-based nonprofit association of more than 2,100 grantmaking foundations and corVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:08 Mar 12, 2009 Jkt 044100 PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\TUBBS\44100.TXT CRS2 PsN: SKAYNE
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porations. The caucus aims to educate and inform lawmakers 

about the field of philanthropy. 

As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, 

STEPHANIE stressed the importance of reestablishing charitable incentives that have expired, emphasizing the impact 

such tools have on giving in the United States and around 

the world. She was a strong believer that charitable incentives help grow charitable giving to populations in need 

across the country. Demonstrating her commitment to her 

charitable values, Representative TUBBS JONES was an original co-sponsor of the Public Good IRA Rollover Act of 2007, 

H.R. 1419, which proposed to expand the IRA charitable rollover. That act is especially significant to the philanthropic 

field because it proposes to allow distributions to donoradvised funds, supporting organizations, and private foundations to qualify as charitable giving tools. 

In addition, when given the opportunity on the House 

floor, Representative TUBBS JONES continually advocated for 

philanthropy, encouraged our colleagues to join the Philanthropy Caucus, and sponsored legislation promoting charitable giving. She met with her foundation constituents just 

a few weeks ago to discuss their work and contributions to 

her home State. 

Representative TUBBS JONES was a champion for the philanthropic sector and will be greatly missed for her contributions to the charitable giving field. 

On behalf of the members of the Congressional Philanthropy Caucus, and the many grantmakers that STEPHANIE

supported around the country, specifically Ohio foundations, 

we wish to offer our sincere condolences and to extend to her 

family, son Mervyn, colleagues, and staff, our deepest sympathies for their loss. 

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 11⁄2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott). 

Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is indeed an honor 

to be able to stand in this House of Representatives and say 

a few words for my distinguished colleague, STEPHANIE

TUBBS JONES. 

You know, on everybody’s tombstone there are three 

things. There’s first the date you were born and then the 

date you die, and in between there is a dash. And the question we all must answer at some point is what do you do 

with the dash. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES did an amazing 

amount with her dash. 

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Born to hard-working, loving parents—Mary, who was a 

factory worker; her father, Andrew, was a skycap—good, 

hard-working people, who gave love to STEPHANIE. She rose 

to become a prosecutor, a judge, a trial lawyer, all the way 

up to the Congress of the United States. 

And I tell you, in between, Mr. Speaker, she learned how 

to play a mean game of bid whist. But I will tell you, Mr. 

Speaker, she kept the faith, she finished her course, and she 

fought the good fight. And therefore, there is put up for 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES an extraordinary crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, appointed and 

has given to STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, and we thank God for 

sending STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES our way. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 

gentlelady from Ohio (Ms. Pryce). 

Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman 

for yielding and thank the Members of the delegation for 

having this very important time to remember our colleague. 

STEPHANIE was a force in our delegation, and she was also 

an inspiration to everybody here and everybody who knew 

her. Perhaps we’ll never understand or totally accept the 

reasons that people are taken from us in such tragic and untimely ways; yet there is always some comfort found when 

we can look at a life and see the great purpose that dwelled 

therein. And STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES lived with such great 

purpose and made such a difference, and that will help those 

of us that she left behind. 

The last time I talked to STEPHANIE was not unlike most 

of us right here, but it was not in this Chamber. It was in 

her outer office. It was the office right outside the door that 

is her car. And STEPHANIE was working in her outer office, 

and she was right by the door. And I passed there, and we 

were waiting for votes. I knocked on her window, and she 

said, ‘‘Come on in, Deb,’’ and I crawled in her office. I was 

glad to see it looked sort of like my car. There were papers 

everywhere. There were books. It was just like an office. 

And we started not doing business but just chatting, like 

so often we would do when we would find a minute together. 

We talked of such great things in life as my daughter’s hair. 

Now, for those of you who don’t know, I have an adopted 

daughter who’s African American, who was born in STEPHANIE’s district. And STEPHANIE took an inordinate amount of 

interest in the lack of quality hair care that I provided to my 

daughter, and STEPHANIE was great about always giving me 

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good advice for Mia, and she wanted to become a greater 

part of Mia’s life. 

We had plans to make that happen the next visit to Washington, and I’m sad especially for Mia that that won’t happen 

because STEPHANIE was a wonderful mentor for so many people, women especially. I’m sorry that relationship never took 

hold, but I will never forget the impact that she had on me. 

What a wonderful, strong personality. What a contagious 

smile, and her laughter and her buoyancy held me up many 

times when I needed just that extra shoulder. 

She had such purpose in her life, and that is her lasting 

legacy. We will all miss her, especially her family. There are 

so many that became part of her family. There are so many 

that she loved and touched in such an important, meaningful 

way. She will sorely be missed, Mr. Speaker. 

I offer my deepest condolences to her family, to her son 

who will miss her most of all. She was loved by so many, as 

she so rightly should have been. 

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 11⁄2 minutes to STEPHANIE’s colleague from the State of Ohio, Congressman Zack 

Space. 

Mr. SPACE. I thank the gentlelady. 

I rise today to remember a dear friend and dedicated legislator, STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. She was a tireless advocate 

for justice, a dedicated mother, and a terrific legislator and 

a fighter for the people of Ohio. 

It will be very difficult for me to match the eloquence of 

someone like Chairman Rangel, certainly the gentlelady 

from Toledo, the gentleman from Canton, or my friend Mr. 

Kucinich from Cleveland. But Dennis said something during 

his presentation that struck me as being extraordinarily accurate. 

STEPHANIE did represent this magical, political persona 

that was melded between her keen legal mind and her street 

sense. She had compassion, knowledge. She was just a great 

person and a great legislator. She was a trailblazer, as those 

from the Ohio delegation have pointed out, in many respects. 

But something that many might not know is that STEPHANIE actually had an effect on the people in my congressional 

district, which is, while sharing the same State of Ohio, a 

very long way from East Cleveland. STEPHANIE served as an 

inspiration for women in politics, as well as our African 

American community there as well. She fought for justice 

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and equality at every turn in her career, and this was a tragic loss for the people of Congress and the people of Ohio. 

Indeed, I still feel her presence here, and I suspect we will 

for quite some time. This has been a tragic loss for this body. 

Mr. REGULA. I yield to the gentlelady from Ohio (Mrs. 

Schmidt). 

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay my respects to a great lady, STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

Just over 3 years ago, I first saw STEPHANIE in this very 

room. As I was sworn into office, she came over and greeted 

me with a great big smile and an enormous hug, welcoming 

me to this wonderful body. Although we share different political views, STEPHANIE understood that friendship trumped 

politics. I felt fortunate to call her my friend. 

When I went to Cleveland last week to pay my respects, 

I was welcomed by her wonderful family—her sister, Barbara; her nieces, her cousins, and her wonderful son, 

Mervyn. 

I learned something about STEPHANIE I didn’t know. I 

didn’t realize that she was involved in a very famous case, 

a case that spurred not only a TV show but also a movie, 

‘‘The Fugitive.’’ It was the Sam Sheppard case. She was involved with that case, making sure justice was done. 

I want to say thank you to the Lord for letting us have 

STEPHANIE as long as we did. We never know when the hour 

comes that he will come for us. I know that STEPHANIE was 

prepared for him because she was always prepared for her 

family and for her constituents, and she had that great big 

smile. I’m sure that it’s there in heaven. 

To Mervyn, to Barbara and to the rest of the family, you 

have my prayers. To the constituents of Cleveland, you have 

her heart. 

May she rest in peace. 

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to yield 11⁄2 minutes 

to STEPHANIE’s distinguished colleague from Ohio, our dear 

friend, Congressman Charles Wilson. 

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I’m sad to be here this 

evening, but I’m also proud that we can rise on this occasion 

to join my colleagues in paying tribute to the honor of 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. It’s right that we express the condolences of the House of Representatives. I feel like she was 

a dear friend to all of us, and I know that I loved her and 

that so many of my colleagues did. 

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It came as a terrible shock a week ago Tuesday when we 

found out that STEPHANIE died, but it’s appropriate that we 

have this resolution we’re doing this evening to appropriately 

honor a devoted American, and STEPHANIE was a devoted 

American. 

Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was a champion 

for the residents in the Greater Cleveland area. She was a 

tireless voice for our State of Ohio. 

She always greeted me with a big smile and, many times, 

with a hug. It was just the way she did and the way she 

treated people. A colleague of hers recently said that he felt 

that STEPHANIE treated people that way because it was almost as if God were watching. She was taken from us way 

too soon. 

Mr. Speaker, her work was not finished. She is counting 

on us to carry on. My deepest sympathy goes out to her son, 

Mervyn, to her sister, Barbara, and to her extended family. 

She will be sorely missed by the Ohio congressional delegation, by all of Congress, and I will miss working with her. 

Ms. KAPTUR. I would like to yield 2 minutes to our fine 

colleague from the State of California, who was such a close 

associate and friend of STEPHANIE’s, Congresswoman Lois 

Capps. 

Mrs. CAPPS. I thank my dear colleague from Ohio. 

Mr. Speaker, I rise in sad support of this resolution to pay 

tribute to our colleague, the Honorable STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES. 

As so many have said, STEPHANIE had the gift of making 

us all her friends and, for me and for others, her sisters. 

As has been said, she was a tireless advocate on behalf of 

working families and civil rights long before she came to 

Congress, and she continued her devotion to these causes 

over the last decade. I was proud to work with her in the 

last few years against a proposal that would have undermined the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Her 

leadership on this issue was exemplary of her commitment 

to protecting people against discrimination. I will cherish 

that opportunity of working with her. 

She was also a wonderful and active member of the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues. She co-chaired the 

Task Force on Women in the Judiciary with her colleague 

from Ohio and fellow former judge, Deborah Pryce. 

She also led efforts to raise awareness and to fund greater 

research into uterine fibroids. This is a disease that affects 

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as many as three of four women over the course of their lifetimes. Yet it’s rarely discussed in public. She had the courage to bring this otherwise taboo subject to the forefront in 

the quest to bring relief to millions of women who have and 

who will suffer from fibroids. 

The people of Ohio and of the entire Congress have lost a 

true champion. For me, there was a personal bond with 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. She lost her husband suddenly 

after she came to Congress, and I had lost mine recently, 

and so we had a bond, a sad one, but one that we both cherished. We made an agreement that we didn’t need to talk. 

We just needed, when we saw each other, to give each other 

a hug, and I will cherish those hugs, and that bond still exists. 

I send my condolences to her son and to her family members, and I hope they know that the grief is shared by all of 

us, and our dedication to upholding the causes which motivated and for which she showed such great leadership will 

inspire us to continue and, in each of our own ways, to make 

that legacy that was STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES’ live on. 

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to yield 2 minutes to 

the Representative from California who was a close colleague 

of STEPHANIE’s, Congresswoman Susan Davis. 

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 

honor not only one of my colleagues but a dear friend, the 

Honorable STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

As we all know, she served the 11th Congressional District 

of Ohio with dignity and pride, and she represented her district with compassion, always with compassion, fighting for 

justice and equality. 

I was very fortunate because, when I arrived here in 2001, 

my office was right across the hall from STEPHANIE’s, and so 

you can imagine how embraced I felt by her and by all of her 

staff, by all of the people who were so close to her, such a 

loyal group of people. 

There have been many stories told this evening, and many 

more will be told of her accomplishments; there have been 

many tributes that people have paid to her, but in this very 

brief time, I just wanted to talk for a minute about how her 

influence goes far beyond the district that she represented 

because, for years, Representative TUBBS JONES had been a 

special guest speaker before a group of young people from 

San Diego, the Aaron Price Fellows. She always came to 

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astic. She would just captivate this room of high schoolers, 

who come from very diverse backgrounds, with warmth and 

humor. She would weave her congressional experience with 

her personal stories to excite the whole group, and she would 

encourage their discussion. She’d love their questions and 

really would be so energized, energized in that room of young 

people every year that she spoke to them just as she did 

every time she spoke on this very floor. I think it says so 

much about STEPHANIE that she shared her time and a lot 

of that time with students far from her district. 

So, today, we remember her as such an inspirational leader, inspirational for so many—from high school students, to 

her constituents, of course, and to all of us here—to her colleagues. I am proud to say that I will continue to be inspired 

by her as I serve in Congress, and I can just think of her 

saying today, ‘‘Hey, girlfriend.’’ So I want to say to her, 

‘‘Thanks, girlfriend. Thank you for everything.’’ 

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 1 minute 

to the distinguished gentlelady from Chicago, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, who was a real soul sister to 

STEPHANIE. 

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, STEPHANIE and I were 

in the same class. We came in in 1998, and immediately 

bonded as friends and classmates. She and my husband became very good friends. We would joke about it that my husband, Bob, was her boyfriend, and at their last conversation, 

it ended with his saying, ‘‘Love you, STEF,’’ and her saying, 

‘‘Love you, Bob.’’ I’m jealous of that because they had that 

moment where they actually said the word that I feel so 

much tonight, that I loved STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

STEPHANIE was a force of nature. She was a big woman 

and she filled a room. I can just picture her now. Can’t you 

just picture her coming down and speaking from this podium 

right now and just filling the space with her presence, with 

her sense of justice, with her passion, and with, of course, 

her smile? STEPHANIE was fiercely loyal. She was a supporter 

of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s. Some of us were on the other 

side, but that didn’t challenge our friendship. 

Connie Schultz, who is a Pulitzer Prize winner for the 

Cleveland Plain Dealer said, ‘‘Our friendship was forged by 

her to the bones understanding of what it means to be a 

woman, willing to stick your neck out for your beliefs.’’ 

STEPHANIE was fearless and she was loved. I loved her. I 

love you, STEPHANIE. 

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Ms. KAPTUR. I would now like to yield time to the distinguished Congressman from North Dakota, Congressman Earl 

Pomeroy, a friend of STEPHANIE’s for many years. 

Mr. POMEROY. I thank the gentlelady for yielding. 

I doubt our departed sister, STEPHANIE, would ever have 

imagined the impact she had. In fact, the Cleveland Plain 

Dealer referenced her essential humility even when mentioning her personal electricity in this editorial of August 22: 

‘‘I have no illusions about myself,’’ TUBBS JONES told the 

Plain Dealer reporter Fran Henry in 1995. ‘‘It could all go up 

in a puff of smoke. I’ll never lose sight of that.’’ 

STEPHANIE’s presence on Earth has come so tragically to 

an all too early end, but her achievements—rising from the 

daughter of a factory worker and skycap to the positions of 

judge, county prosecutor, five-term Member of Congress— 

have made a lasting impact at each and every step along the 

way, especially with the many lives she touched. 

I was privileged to sit by her on the Ways and Means 

Committee. You could probably call us the odd couple—a reserved, middle-aged man from the most rural part of our 

country, teamed with the most energetic, charismatic, bombastic, thoroughly urban STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

Over the years, on our committee together, I came to fully 

understand just how deep and how genuine her passion for 

others was, especially for those less fortunate, for those 

needing help. We’d joke about taking turns keeping each 

other settled down even under considerable provocation 

sometimes in Ways and Means debate. My counsel of ‘‘take 

it easy, STEPHANIE’’ would be met in turn with ‘‘now settle 

down, Earl.’’ In one hearing on inexcusable Social Security 

delays, we both just lost it entirely. I’ll never forget that 

hearing; it’s one of my favorites. 

One of the greatest compliments I’ve had in this Congress, 

in any Congress I’ve served in, was when she’d call me her 

country boyfriend. She had the most incredible way of making those she met feel better. In the place where smiles, 

laughter, and deep compassion are never in sufficient supply, 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES will be deeply missed but never forgotten. 

Ms. KAPTUR. I thank the gentleman for his remarks and 

presence this evening. 

I would like to yield 2 minutes now to one of STEPHANIE’s 

sisters here from the State of Texas, Congresswoman Sheila 

Jackson-Lee. 

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Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I thank you very much. 

These are such wonderful stories that I’m listening to as 

we honor STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, so I’m going to speak on 

some issues that showed her in her fullness and in her love 

of life. 

And that was as a House basketball coach. She was that 

woman with a smile. She was a Good Samaritan. She was 

also like Ruth; if she was your friend, she was going to stick 

with you. She loved life, loved her family. How wonderful it 

was to be part of her family. And she allowed this Congress 

to be part of her family because everyone knew Mervyn, her 

husband; her son; her sisters; her mother and father, who I 

got a chance to know. But yet when she got on that basketball court and she was the coach, I tell you that was a winning smile, a winning coach, and a winning team. 

And there was nothing more exciting than being at the 

2008 House basketball team game. This was a game for 

charity. But you couldn’t tell Coach STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES

that she was out there for charity. She was out there to win, 

and you’d think it was the NBA championship, for she ran 

up and down that court. She gave the best coaching. She told 

the guys, who happened to be Members of Congress and others, what they could and could not do. And even though she 

wasn’t the referee and she wasn’t the penalizer, she’d penalize her team. 

And what an exciting time to see in this year’s 2008 winning basketball effort, Mervyn, her son, make the winning 

basketball shot. It was so exciting that those of us that were 

in the stands ran out onto the court, of course in violation, 

but we were able to get away with that. And I was so excited, in my short stature of 5′21⁄2′′, I asked the greatest 

coach that I knew if I could work with her next year, and 

she gave me the greatest honor and said ‘‘yes.’’ That was 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, the lover of life. 

But yet as a prosecutor, one would think she would be 

hard nosed and she’d be running toward prosecution and incarceration. But she teamed up with her dear friend Danny 

Davis, and they shed their light all around this campus, both 

the House and the Senate, to work on what we call the Second Chance bill. 

So I rise today on behalf of the incarcerated whom STEPHANIE loved, whom she gave an opportunity through her work 

with Danny Davis and those who co-sponsored this legislation, to say to these individuals they could have a second 

chance. 

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May God allow her to rest in peace, but may her star shine 

continuously through us. We love her and we love her family. 

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I would like to place in the 

Record the names of the very able staff of Congresswoman 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. This staff has endured great sadness, and they have tried to carry on with their leader being 

in spiritual guidance but not there personally. 

I would like to thank, from her district office, Betty 

Pinkney, her district director; Beverly Charles, her senior liaison; Theresa Lang Coaxum, her health liaison; Sharon 

Cole, business liaison; and Saulette Reed, her office manager. 

And here in Washington, Kimberley Alton, her legislative 

director; Lalla King Green, her scheduler; Eric Hammond, 

her staff assistant; Aaron Wasserman, her legislative correspondent; Darrell Doss, her tax counsel; Athena Abdullah, 

her health counsel; Nicole Y. Williams, her communications 

director; and Patrice Willoughby, dear Patrice, her chief of 

staff and counsel, who has tried to stand in STEPHANIE’s 

place during these very difficult days. 

Finally, from the Committee on Standards, Dawn Kelly 

Mobley, the counsel to the chairwoman. 

These are wonderful staff people who have STEPHANIE’s 

heart, and we want to do everything we can to help them 

through this very difficult time. And we thank them for their 

service to STEPHANIE and serving the people of the 11th District and the people of our country. 

Also, Mr. Speaker, I would like to place in the Record before I call on our final speaker this story: There were many 

tributes paid to STEPHANIE at the service in Cleveland. One 

of the most moving speakers the friends of STEPHANIE heard 

Saturday from no politician or preacher but from a young 16- 

year-old named Tiffany, a member of an all girls health careers class at Cleveland Martin Luther King Junior High 

School that STEPHANIE took under her wing 2 years ago. Tiffany recalled JONES telling the girls ‘‘This is the future. You 

are the future.’’ And the Congresswoman took time from her 

political and legislative schedule to visit the class and take 

them places. She took them to church one Sunday, but Tiffany had to work that day. So STEPHANIE dropped by the 

work place with Tiffany’s classmates in tow. STEPHANIE kept 

her eye on every one of them. ‘‘We’re family,’’ Tiffany told 

her classmates, who stood in a show of unity with their peer. 

She said, ‘‘We’ve got to stick together. We have got to carry 

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[ 29 ] 

on in her legacy. She was steward, protector, and advocate 

to us. I will miss her as a friend.’’ 

STEPHANIE had friends of all ages. We thank her for her 

leadership and for the seeds that she planted in the new 

growth forest that is growing in Cleveland and growing 

across this country to which she devoted her life. 

Mr. Speaker, I would like to call as our final speaker in 

this bereavement resolution STEPHANIE’s very good friend 

from the State of Missouri, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver. 

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, when Congresswoman TUBBS

discovered that I had three sons who had gone to college on 

basketball scholarships, she asked if I would bring them here 

for the annual fundraising basketball game with the Georgetown Law School faculty. None of them could come this year; 

so I was drafted by STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES in language 

that I would normally not use during a sermon. But I did 

show up and immediately became angry because she pulled 

me out of the game just because I could not make it down 

the court in a minute in the transition game. So I cheered 

for the remainder of the evening for our team that Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee mentioned did win in overtime. 

But the most significant moment for me came when we all 

saw the signs that the pages had made for us. They were 

cheering us on. And the pages sent me a statement that they 

asked if I would read on their behalf. And I quote: 

Ask any one of the pages from the spring 2008 class to list their favorite 

memories from the 5 months we spent working on the Hill. An anecdote 

about Ms. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES will likely be included. For some of us 

it is the unwavering charisma shown when she was the Speaker pro tempore. For others it is the simple act of coming to say goodbye to us at our 

departure ceremony. For most of us, it is the night of the 2008 home court 

charity basketball game, where our chants cheering on the Hill’s Angels 

team and the Coach TUBBS JONES rang 10 times louder than the formidable 

Georgetown students cheering section and led our team to a surprising victory. 

That night and for the rest of the time we knew Ms. TUBBS JONES, we 

weren’t just pages sitting in the back of the House. We experienced that 

night the true strength, pride, and enthusiasm of STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, 

a strength rooted in her devotion to making things better, a pride in her 

job as a public servant evident every single day, and an unmatched enthusiasm for our service as pages. She was the type of woman you only dream 

of meeting at some point in your life and the friend we never expected to 

find in the Halls of Congress last spring. 

Just as we will never forget our time as pages, we will never forget 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

—The spring 2008 page class. 

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[ 30 ] 

Mr. Speaker, STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was my friend. We 

had the opportunity to spend time together, and I don’t want 

to reminisce and say things that others have already said. 

Let me just say that I hate death. I hate it. And if I had an 

opportunity to erase it or kill it, I would. But death, unfortunately, is a part of life and we will all experience it. The 

issue is not death so much as it is life, and we are granted 

an unspecified period of time, and many of us deal with 

those moments with a kind of carelessness that certainly 

was not planned when we were given our time on this Earth. 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was exuberant. She lived her life. 

She lived it out to the fullest. And I can say that if you understand that life is not a time to just waste and then look 

at the time of STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, you know she understood that. And I would say that death is not a cul-de-sac for 

some. It’s not an end. Death is a beginning. And for STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, it was a comma for a new beginning. She 

lived her life and she lived it with zest and zeal. 

She pulled me in Kansas City on the dance floor in front 

of hundreds of people and made me dance. I have a photograph of it that I had been hiding, and I am now going to 

bring out with pride because I think when she did that, she 

was also saying live your life and live it to the fullest. Never 

ever allow cobwebs to cover you. If you rest, you rust. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES never rusted. 

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, in concluding this first hour 

this evening in honor of our dear colleague STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES, let me just say that STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was a 

true mother of this Republic. Let the Record show that. Let 

the Record comfort her son in years hence. 

I want to say to our dear friend and colleague, Congressman Regula, whose district sort of held STEPHANIE’s up on 

the southern side. I want to thank him so very much, the 

dean of the Republican side of the aisle, for being here 

throughout this evening and through the wonderful participation of her colleagues of various persuasions here on the 

floor. The friendships went beyond party, and I thank the 

gentleman for his participation. 

Mr. REGULA. Well, I would just comment that to know 

STEPHANIE was to love her. She just had that ebullient personality that you couldn’t resist. 

I also want to comment on one other thing, and that is 

that thousands of people in East Cleveland, in her district, 

have better health care today than they would have without 

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[ 31 ] 

STEPHANIE. She focused on the health care assets of East 

Cleveland, some of the best in the Nation, and as a result, 

the people that she represented have a better chance to take 

advantage of the health care facilities. And that’s a legacy of 

STEPHANIE’s that most people aren’t aware of and yet touches the lives of literally thousands of people. 

I congratulate the gentlewoman from Ohio for having this 

special order tonight because STEPHANIE was special. 

Ms. KAPTUR. Thank you, Congressman Regula, and I 

want to thank all of our colleagues who have participated 

this evening. I can guarantee you that every word that is on 

the Record will come to comfort Mervyn and the Tubbs Jones 

family, their church family, her sisterhood, all the people of 

Cleveland, all the people who have known STEPHANIE across 

our Nation. I want to thank our colleagues for their generosity and for their good hearts. 

Mr. Speaker, I would like to say that the Ohio delegation 

stands beside those from the Congressional Black Caucus, 

that will have the second hour this evening in remembrance 

of STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. We thank them for doing this. 

I know how much their words will mean not just today but 

in future years to those who love STEPHANIE always. 

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, 

I rise tonight deeply saddened by the passing of my friend 

and colleague, Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

Congresswoman TUBBS JONES was an extraordinary 

woman, wife, mother, and leader. 

Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES made history by 

becoming the first African American woman to be elected to 

Congress from her State of Ohio. 

Throughout her career, Congresswoman TUBBS JONES

demonstrated a serious commitment to her constituents and 

represented them well. 

She dedicated her life to uplift and inspire those around 

her. Her dedication, strong will, and spirit gave hope to so 

many people. 

Congresswoman TUBBS JONES and her work will never be 

forgotten as she lives in us all. She has left her mark in history, in Congress, and in our hearts. 

I will deeply miss her and my thoughts and prayers are 

with her family. 

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the untimely death 

of Representative STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES gives us pause. 

There was a great writer who once said that the death of one 

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[ 32 ] 

of us diminishes us all. As STEPHANIE’s friends and colleagues in the U.S. Congress, we all feel a little lost and a 

little less because one of our most fearless champions is 

gone. 

Those who are voiceless in America today, who have been 

left out and left behind, have lost a warrior, a fighter, a crusader who did what she could to defend the dignity of humankind. There was not anything shy about STEPHANIE. 

She had the courage, the ability, and the desire to speak 

up and speak out, to fight for what she believed was right, 

what was fair and just. 

As a fellow member of the Ways and Means Committee, 

she was very concerned about using the tax code to help lift 

the burdens of the least among us. I always enjoyed it when 

she made a statement or questioned a witness. She was a 

brilliant judge and prosecutor, and that helped make her a 

gifted Member of Congress. 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES will be deeply missed by the 

Cleveland community, by the people of Ohio, by the citizens 

of America, by her family, friends, and all of her colleagues 

in the U.S. Congress. Peace be with you STEPHANIE, my 

friend. May God Almighty grant you eternal peace. 

Mr. JEFFERSON. Mr. Speaker, I first met STEPHANIE

TUBBS JONES through her legendary predecessor, Representative Louis Stokes, who described her simply as ‘‘full of life.’’ 

Indeed, she was. And, to have heard her impassioned speech 

denoting the shortcomings of a housing bill the Congress recently passed, a speech made just before the Congress went 

on its August break, it was impossible to see her death foreshadowed. Her zeal for public service, her love for the Members of Congress, and particularly of the CBC members, and 

her commitment to people who needed a hand up from government, defined her life here. 

In a larger sense she was a devoted family person. She lost 

both her parents during her service here, and, I having also 

lost my mother and father over my years here, gave us the 

opportunity for quiet reflection on what our parents had 

meant to us, and helped to deepen our friendship. 

She was devoted to the memory of her husband, Mervyn, 

who died just a few years ago. When I chaired the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, I urged her to join the 

board, which she did. From that point, she launched the 

Mervyn Jones Golf Classic which has raised millions in 

scholarship funds for worthy and needy college students. She 

was awfully proud of her son Mervyn II, who often came to 

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the gym to play basketball with us ‘‘old jocks’’ and often 

schooled us with his basketball skills. 

Her service on the Ways and Means Committee with me 

over several years gave me insight into her caring heart for 

health care and human resource issues but also into her 

competence as an infighter in the legislative process. She 

made her points, stood her ground, and quite often carried 

her position. She sought me out after Hurricane Katrina hit 

my district and my State, offering advice and real help. 

STEPHANIE identified with human suffering everywhere and 

wanted to do something about it. 

I was stunned and saddened by her sudden and unexpected death as were we all. And it was the hardest thing 

not to take the plane ride to Cleveland to attend her funeral 

and memorial service. It was only after the sage and stern 

advice from my Chairwoman Carolyn Cheeks-Kilpatrick that 

I reluctantly canceled my trip to Cleveland to attend to the 

issues back at home with Hurricane Gustav bearing down on 

our people. I know I was well covered by the Members who 

did attend and part of me will always regret not being there. 

But, looking at it from another vantage point—not having 

fully seen her in death—my memories of her will only be 

those of her in life—not just in life but ‘‘full of life’’ as Lou 

Stokes described her. 

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to mourn the loss of my 

friend and colleague STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was a kind and caring friend, a 

hard-working and diligent colleague, and a committed Representative. She was also a trailblazer—she was the first African American and the first female prosecutor in Cuyahoga 

County, Ohio, the first African American woman to be elected to serve Ohio in the House of Representatives, and the 

first African American woman to serve on the powerful 

House Ways and Means Committee. 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was an inspiration to me and to 

others who aspire to represent their constituents with passion, dedication, and integrity. A champion of voting rights, 

she stood up for those who lacked a voice to ensure that they 

are not denied the most fundamental right of our democracy—the right to vote. 

In her role as chair of the House Ethics Committee, she 

led the House of Representatives in ensuring that Members 

of Congress live up to high standards. She understood that 

increasing Americans’ confidence in their government requires honest and ethical behavior by their leaders. 

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All those who loved STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, including 

her son Mervyn Leroy Jones II, and her sister Barbara 

Walker, are in my thoughts and prayers. 

As we mourn the passing of this intelligent, hard-working, 

and caring Representative, we celebrate her accomplishments. We are reminded that despite the tragedy of her 

passing, her life was a blessing for her colleagues, her 

friends, her family, her constituents, and so many who needed a champion. 

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in expressing great sympathy on the sudden passing 

of STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was a pioneer her entire professional career: She was the first African American and the 

first female prosecutor in Cuyahoga County, Ohio; the first 

African American woman to sit on the Common Pleas bench 

in Ohio; the first African American woman to be elected to 

Congress from Ohio; and the first African American woman 

to serve on the House Ways and Means Committee. 

As a first-term Member of Congress, my service with 

STEPHANIE was too short, but I will fondly remember her 

bright smile and vibrant personality. Her leadership and 

passion will be sorely missed. 

I would like to extend my deepest condolences to STEPHANIE’s son, Mervyn Leroy Jones II, and her sister, Barbara 

Walker. 

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today joining my colleagues in tribute, sharing kind words and memories of our 

colleague and dear friend, Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES. 

I was deeply saddened when I heard the news of her 

death. My sincerest thoughts and prayers go out to her son 

Mervyn, to all her family, and to her friends and supporters 

during this difficult time. 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was an inspiration and a tireless 

advocate for her constituents. She was a fighter—a strong 

woman of conviction and intelligence, whose values and experience guided her advocacy and fearlessness. 

STEPHANIE broke molds, she broke glass ceilings, and then 

swept away the stereotypes. STEPHANIE was never one to be 

absorbed into the folds of a monochrome following. She was 

outspoken and proactive, bold in demeanor and action. Her 

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proached every day with enthusiasm and confidence. Her 

skill in crafting intelligent and responsible legislation shows 

that she viewed the world through this diverse spectrum of 

color, dismissing the notion that solutions to complex problems can come from a world of simply black and white. 

Justice and inclusion were at the heart of her work. In her 

10 years in Congress and her lifetime of service she always 

put justice, opportunity, and equality atop all other pursuits. 

STEPHANIE did not come from a life of privilege simply to 

serve the privileged. She came from a working class community and put her heart and soul into lifting up that community with every step of the ladder she climbed. 

I remember how highly coveted she was by the then-members of the Ways and Means committee, when joining the 

powerful committee soon after her election. My husband Bob 

served on the then-committee and recognized in her character the genuine desire to serve her Nation, her constituents, and those whose voices had yet to be fully heard. Her 

experience as a prosecutor and judge gave her arguments tenacity and her decisions finality. 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES effectively represented her Cleveland district for over a decade. Yet she never dismissed the 

acknowledgment that her success as a groundbreaking figure 

touched many outside her district’s boundaries. Her work 

looked beyond district lines and party lines to affect, inspire, 

and speak for those in need of justice and advocacy. 

My heart goes out to her loved ones. I know that she will 

be greatly missed by everyone who knew her. Her impact 

will continue to be felt, not only in her Cleveland district and 

the U.S. House of Representatives, but by the many individuals who benefited from her service. 

Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great sadness 

to mourn the passing of my good friend and colleague, 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

While serving with STEPHANIE on the Ways and Means 

Committee, and more closely on the Health Subcommittee, I 

experienced first hand what a fierce and effective advocate 

she was in Congress. She was an uncompromising champion 

for health care as a right for everyone. Her constant effort 

highlighting the disparities in our health care system and 

her tireless work on behalf of end stage renal disease patients made her an outstanding Representative. She is, in a 

word, irreplaceable. 

Her spirited advocacy and commitment to justice and fairness were accompanied by warmth and strong loyalty. Those 

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who worked closely with her were privileged to see both her 

intense passion and joy for her work. 

I extend my sincerest condolences to her son Mervyn and 

her sister Barbara, and the many women and men who 

counted her among their family and friends. As a colleague 

and friend, I am honored to have served beside her. She will 

be sorely missed. 

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life 

and legacy of our dear friend, Congresswoman STEPHANIE

TUBBS JONES. Since her arrival here nearly 10 years ago as 

the first African American woman elected to Congress by 

Ohio, she was a tireless advocate for the poor and our Nation’s working families. Despite the tremendous personal 

losses she suffered, including the tragic loss of her sister, her 

parents, and her husband Mervyn of 26 years, she never 

wavered in her commitment to the people of Ohio. 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES will be remembered as a role 

model, an ardent and bold voice for progressive causes, and 

a champion for the rights of the disenfranchised. She will be 

a tough act to follow. Her remarkable passion and bravery 

continue to be an inspiration to us all, and we will all truly 

miss her presence in this Chamber. 

Ms. KILPATRICK. I’d like to yield to the former chairman, 

my predecessor of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressman Mel Watt. 

Mr. WATT. I thank the gentlelady for convening this special order for us to pay tribute to our friend and colleague, 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

In the midst of all our sadness I think the one thing that 

keeps occurring over and over and over again are wonderful, 

uplifting, fun stories and memories of STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES. In fact, I was privileged to share a whole sequence 

of fun, funny, uplifting experiences with STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES, and I concur with my colleague, Emanuel Cleaver, 

who made a comment earlier that this life did not cheat our 

friend STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. She lived and enjoyed every 

single minute of it. Even when she was working, she was 

having fun. So I suspect you’re going to hear from this group 

that is coming for this special order more stories about our 

experiences with her because they were all a series of fun experiences. 

Let me start with this experience. Probably 3 weeks before 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES’ death, 7:30 a.m. the phone rings at 

my residence in Charlotte, North Carolina, and on the other 

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[ 37 ] 

end is STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES saying, ‘‘Mel, I got into your 

city last night at about 10 o’clock. I was on my way from 

Memphis, Tennessee, where I had been campaigning for a 

person who was running for Congress, and I was on my way 

to give a speech in Cincinnati, Ohio, and there was bad 

weather in Cincinnati, Ohio, and I ended up spending the 

night at a motel in Charlotte, North Carolina, and I don’t 

have any clothes and I am supposed to be giving a speech 

in Cincinnati later today. What can you do for me?’’ 

I said, ‘‘Well, STEPHANIE, no problem. I will just have 

somebody pick you up, take you to the shopping center. You 

can do your shopping, buy a whole new wardrobe.’’ So she 

went to all this excuse to go shopping. 

So that very morning, as soon as the stores opened in 

Charlotte, one of my staff members had STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES at the mall and she did her shopping and we got her 

to the airport by 11:30 that morning to catch her flight to 

Cincinnati. She went to Cincinnati and gave her speech. 

Now I missed the opportunity to see the outfits—not one, 

but outfits—that STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES purchased that 

morning. She promised me she was going to show me the 

special outfit that she purchased, and I never got the opportunity to see it. 

But as those kinds of stories that make STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES a real person to us, not just a colleague in Congress, 

but a friend, a peer, a confidant, a person that you knew 

that if she ever made a commitment to you, would be there 

come heck or high water. I am cleaning it up a little bit. 

She was our friend, a delightful, wonderful person, always 

with a smile. She never got cheated in this life, because she 

lived every moment of it. 

I thank my colleague for yielding me time. I know there 

are so many other of my colleagues here to pay tribute. I 

could go on and on and on, but I won’t. I thank you for doing 

this. My condolences to Barbara and Mervyn and the entire 

Stephanie Tubbs Jones family. 

Ms. KILPATRICK. Thank you very much. 

Sister Sister, that is who she was to me. And to Mervyn 

too, and Barbara and the rest of the family, it has been said, 

this night is for you. She lives in this Chamber, and she always will. 

I yield now to a former U.S. Ambassador to Micronesia, 

the Congresswoman from California, Congresswoman Diane 

Watson. 

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[ 38 ] 

Ms. WATSON. Thank you so much, Madam Chairman, 

and thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had some prepared remarks, 

but I think the intimate stories really speak to who she was 

and how we felt about who she was. 

After the untimely passing of our colleague Juanita 

Millender-McDonald, STEPHANIE called and she said, ‘‘Hey 

girl, I am coming out there to spend some time. I just want 

to be in Juanita’s space.’’ 

So she came out, and I picked her up. And representing 

Hollywood, I took her with me that weekend, and she met 

Ben Vereen and she met other celebrities, and she was so 

thrilled. She said to me, ‘‘I’m coming out again, girl. I’m coming out again.’’ 

After we had our AKA Boule several weeks ago here and 

we had our pink and green, she came in the last I saw her 

in her red. And she came strutting down this aisle, and she 

said, ‘‘See, I got my red on. We are getting ready to have our 

Boule too.’’ I said, ‘‘Well, your red is just a deeper pink.’’ We 

laughed. And that was the last time I saw her. 

STEPHANIE was that kind of person, who, as everyone has 

described her as being, lived life to the fullest. She was a 

fighter with a tremendous presence. She stood up for tens of 

thousands who could not stand up for themselves, and she 

fought for justice, equality, and opportunity for every American. In her home State of Ohio and in her beloved city of 

Cleveland, she led the fight for election reform to assure that 

every American’s vote was counted and was valued. 

STEPHANIE was also loved and respected by her colleagues 

here on Capitol Hill, where in relatively short order she was 

appointed the first, among her many firsts, African American 

woman to the prestigious Ways and Means Committee. She 

also served as chairwoman of the Committee on Ethics and 

made great strides to work across the aisle in a nonpartisan 

manner. 

I admired her enthusiasm for public service, her integrity, 

her warmth, and her keen intellect. I extend to the family 

my condolences, to her friends and to all of her colleagues. 

Her presence will be missed. But I know she is in this assemblage at this moment. Her shoes will be hard to fill, but, 

STEPHANIE, we feel the surge of energy as we speak of you 

this evening. 

Thank you, Madam Chairman. 

Ms. KILPATRICK. I thank the gentlewoman from California. 

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[ 39 ] 

I yield now to a young man from Newark, New Jersey, 

chairperson of our African Globalism Committee, the gentleman from Newark, Congressman Donald Payne. 

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Chairman, the chair of our Congressional Black Caucus who has done such an outstanding job— 

it is really a great loss. We have this untimely loss of our 

wonderful friend and colleague, STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. A 

void has been left in the lives of all of those who had the 

privilege of knowing this remarkable, vibrant, and accomplished woman. It is a loss shared by her family, her many 

friends, her Ohio constituents, and all of those around our 

great Nation who looked to her as a champion of justice, a 

person who was an advocate for the everyday people. 

A former county prosecutor, a judge on the municipal 

court, she went to break glass ceiling after glass ceiling, with 

her election as the first African American woman to be elected to Congress from Ohio. She tore down barriers here in the 

House of Representatives when she successfully sought a 

seat on the Ways and Means Committee, and those walls 

came down. She was like at Jericho. When she blew that 

trumpet, the walls just came tumbling down. She was just 

so full of energy. 

In the little time that she was on the Ways and Means 

Committee, her reputation for fairness was so great that she 

was selected as chair of the Ethics Committee. To chair the 

House Ethics Committee, you have to be the fairest person 

among that body. It is a tough position. So, once again she 

was called to duty. It is really not an office you seek, it is 

just something that is bestowed upon you, and when you are 

asked, you have to take it. 

She was a pioneer who forged ahead, not just for herself, 

because she knew that she was opening doors for others. As 

co-chair of the Caribbean Caucus, I had the pleasure of traveling with STEPHANIE. We would go to the Caribbean, and 

she was a great traveling companion. She had a lot of interest in global issues. She was interested in understanding 

other cultures. She was interested in those people in nations 

less fortunate than ours. 

She was enthusiastic about promoting international trade. 

She wanted to have economic development to address the 

problems of poverty and hunger around the world. She wanted to bring more educational opportunities to regions in the 

Caribbean and other places that we traveled. 

Even though she was a diligent public servant, STEPHANIE

always found time to laugh and enjoy life. A terrific sports 

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[ 40 ] 

fan, she was unrivaled in her enthusiasm for her hometown 

teams, the Cleveland Browns, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and 

she even cheered the Cleveland Indians, even though they 

had not won a World Series since 1948 and she would complain about that. 

She was just so proud of Mervyn II. She loved to sail. My 

brother is a sailor, and they would talk about just getting 

out. The only water I like is when I take my shower every 

day, and that is about it. But she loved to sail, and she just 

knew all about it, and her sister Barbara right there paid attention. 

I remember her proud father. He was elderly and he was 

so dignified. One time we were staying on the same floor at 

the CBC’s hotel where we were, and his tie came loose. He 

was walking so proud, and I said, ‘‘Could I just fix it for 

you?’’ I felt good just trying to do something. And he was just 

so proud. I know how my grandfather was, the dignified 

black man who had to endure so much. But when they 

walked, they walked proud and they walked straight as an 

arrow, and that is how he was. 

She was just great. She was my pal. She was my traveling 

companion. It’s just hard to find words for STEPHANIE, full 

of life, full of energy. I didn’t smoke, but I used to tell her 

she needed to slow down on that smoking. But we did have 

some times together. I won’t get into that. We don’t want to 

get into too many details. 

She was good at everything. She did a great job with that 

tennis and golf tournament every Wednesday at the Congressional Black Caucus lunch. She would say, ‘‘You have got 

to come. You have got to support it, scholarships for children.’’ 

It is hard to be in Congress without STEPHANIE there, but 

we are going to have to remember her. She was my pal. 

[The revised remarks of Mr. Payne follow:] 

With the untimely loss of our wonderful friend and colleague, STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, a void has been left in the 

lives of all those who had the privilege of knowing this remarkable, vibrant, and accomplished woman. It is a loss 

shared by her family, her many friends, her Ohio constituents, and all those around our great Nation who looked to 

her as a champion of justice and also an advocate for their 

everyday concerns. 

A former county prosecutor and judge of the Cleveland 

Municipal Court, she went on to break another glass ceiling 

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ed to Congress from Ohio. She tore down a barrier here in 

the House of Representatives when she successfully sought 

a seat on the Ways and Means Committee, which had no African American woman member at the time. It was a measure of her reputation for fairness that she was selected to 

serve as chair of the House Ethics Committee. 

She was a pioneer who forged ahead not just for herself, 

but because she knew that she was opening doors for others 

who would benefit from her groundbreaking steps. 

As co-chair of the Caribbean Caucus, I had the pleasure of 

traveling with STEPHANIETUBBS JONES, and what a great 

traveling companion she was. She had a strong interest in 

global issues, in understanding other cultures, and in improving the lives of those in nations less fortunate than ours. 

She was enthusiastic about promoting international trade 

and economic development; in addressing the problems of 

poverty and hunger; and she wanted to bring more educational opportunities to regions where such opportunities 

were severely lacking. 

Even though she was a diligent public servant, STEPHANIE

always found time to laugh and to enjoy life. A terrific sports 

fan, she was unrivaled in her enthusiasm for her teams, the 

Cleveland Browns, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and she even 

cheered on the Cleveland Indians, even though they had not 

won the World Series since 1948—a year before she was 

born. 

She was also very proud of her son, Mervyn II, and she 

loved spending time with her sister, Barbara Walker. I recall 

the care and attention she paid to her elderly father; it was 

touching to see the bond between them when they were together. 

STEPHANIE lived life out loud. Her dazzling smile, her passion for causes, and her devotion to her family made her a 

remarkable person to know. 

Her hometown newspaper, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, 

summed it up well when they wrote that she was ‘‘tough, exuberant, passionate . . . a woman from modest means who 

rose to national prominence.’’ 

Our thoughts and prayers remain with her family as we 

mourn the loss of STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES and celebrate her 

amazing life and legacy. 

Ms. KILPATRICK. Thank you, Congressman. 

You know, you have heard it said tonight that she was a 

friend and a leader and intelligent, and you could count on 

her when she gave you her word. We all felt that. And I 

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[ 42 ] 

think as Congressman Payne said, she is in this Chamber, 

and she will be in this Chamber, and it is our responsibility 

to carry her spirit and her dedication to building a new 

America for all of God’s people. 

The caucus has received many letters and congratulations, 

condolences, and expressions of love for Congresswoman 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. At this time I would like to put 

some of them in the Record, from the South African Embassy, from the Embassy of Turkey, from the Black Women 

Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, and from the Embassy of Colombia. The list goes on and on, and we will be 

putting them in the Record all week long. To you, Sister Sister, you live, and you always will. 

EMBASSY OF TURKEY, WASHINGTON, DC, 

August 21, 2008. 

Hon. CAROLYN KILPATRICK, 

Chairwoman, Congressional Black Caucus, 

House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR CHAIRWOMAN KILPATRICK, I learned with profound sadness and regret the passing of Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, chairwoman 

of the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct and a valuable 

member of the Congressional Black Caucus. 

Chairwoman JONES took great personal interest in Turkey and was dedicated to upholding the strong relations, friendship, strategic partnership 

and alliance between our two great nations. We will always feel her great 

loss in our hearts. 

On this note, I would like to extend our deepest condolences and sympathies to the members of the Congressional Black Caucus. 

Sincerely yours, 

NABI SENSOY, 

Ambassador. 

÷ 

SOUTH AFRICAN EMBASSY, WASHINGTON, DC, 

August 22, 2008. 

Hon. CAROLYN C. KILPATRICK, 

Chairwoman, Congressional Black Caucus, 

Rayburn Building, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MADAM CHAIRWOMAN, it was with sadness that I learned of the sudden and untimely passing of Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. A 

spirited Representative from the great state of Ohio, Ms. TUBBS JONES stood 

up proudly for what she believed in, and her infectious zest for life, her optimism and her service to others, are all the qualities that she brought to the 

U.S. House of Representatives, and to all that had the pleasure of knowing 

her, and she will be sorely missed. On behalf of the Republic of South Africa, I hereby wish to convey our sincere condolences to the family, friends, 

constituents, colleagues and especially to you our friends in the CongresVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:08 Mar 12, 2009 Jkt 044100 PO 00000 Frm 00050 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\TUBBS\44100.TXT CRS2 PsN: SKAYNE
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[ 43 ] 

sional Black Caucus, and you remain in our thoughts throughout this very 

difficult time. 

Yours sincerely, 

WELILE NHLAPO, 

Ambassador. 

÷ 

BLACK WOMEN LAWYER’S ASSOCIATION OF

GREATER CHICAGO, INC., CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, 

August 21, 2008. 

Re death of the Honorable Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

Hon. CAROLYN CHEEKS KILPATRICK, 

Chairman, Congressional Black Caucus, 

Rayburn Building, Washington, DC. 

DEAR CONGRESSWOMAN KILPATRICK: The Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago wishes to honor the late Congresswoman STEPHANIE

TUBBS JONES for her numerous accomplishments and achievements in 

her role as a member of the Ohio Congressional Delegation, an AfricanAmerican lawyer, and an activist. 

As the chairman of the esteemed Congressional Black Caucus, we respectfully ask that you place the enclosed resolution into the Congressional 

Record. 

Should you have any questions about our bar association, please do not 

hesitate to contact me. 

Respectfully, 

MARY A. MELCHOR,

President, Black Women Lawyers’ 

Association of Greater Chicago. 

Enclosure. 

A RESOLUTION FOR

U.S. CONGRESSWOMAN STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES (OH–11) 

‘‘For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has 

come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the 

race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that 

day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.’’ 

II Timothy 4:6–8 

In commemoration of the life of U.S. Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES (OH–11) from the members of the Black Women Lawyers’ Association 

of Greater Chicago, Inc.: 

Whereas, it is with deepest regret that we are compelled to mourn the 

passing of U.S. Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES on August 20, 

2008, the first African-American woman elected to the United States House 

of Representatives from Ohio; and 

Whereas, Congresswoman JONES was a lifelong resident of the 11th District of Ohio, which encompasses most of the East Side of Cleveland and 

parts of the West Side of Cleveland and includes parts of 22 suburbs; and 

Whereas, Congresswoman JONES was in her fifth term in office and a 

strong advocate for many issues, including championing wealth building and 

economic development, access and delivery of health care, and quality education for all; and 

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[ 44 ] 

Whereas, Congresswoman JONES chaired the Committee on Standards of 

Official Conduct (Ethics), served on the powerful Ways and Means Committee, and was an active member of numerous Congressional Caucuses, including the Congressional Black Caucus; and 

Whereas, Congresswoman JONES introduced several pieces of legislation 

including, the Uterine Fibroids Research and Education Act to increase 

funding for research on uterine fibroids and provide enhanced public education about this condition; the Predatory Mortgage Lending Practices Reduction Act, which would require certification of mortgage brokers and enhance penalties for predatory loans, and the Campus Fire Prevention Act, 

which would provide money to equip college dorms, fraternities, and sorority 

houses with fire suppression devices; and 

Whereas, Congresswoman JONES introduced the ‘‘Count Every Vote’’ Act 

of 2005, which seeks to provide an all-encompassing solution to a broad 

range of voting irregularities that occurred during the 2004 presidential 

election, and was an original co-sponsor of multiple significant pieces of legislation, including healthcare for low and middle-income families and community re-entry for exfelons; and 

Whereas, Congresswoman JONES made a number of historic achievements 

in her distinguished career as a public servant, including serving as the first 

African-American and the first female Cuyahoga County, Ohio Prosecutor, 

the first African-American woman to sit on the Common Pleas bench in the 

State of Ohio, and a Municipal Court Judge in the City of Cleveland; and 

Whereas, Congresswoman JONES received numerous honors throughout 

her lifetime, including the National Bible Association Capitol Hill Distinguished Leadership Award, the Human Rights Campaign of Cleveland 

Equality Award, the Backbone Campaign’s Backbone Award, and the Carib 

News Multi-National Business Conference Marcus Garvey Award; and 

Whereas, Congresswoman JONES was a graduate of Cleveland Public 

Schools; received her undergraduate degree in Social Work from Case Western Reserve University in 1971; received her Juris Doctorate from Case 

Western Reserve University School of Law in 1974; and received honorary 

doctorates from David N. Myers University, Notre Dame College and Central State University; and 

Whereas, Congresswoman JONES was an active member of Delta Sigma 

Theta Sorority Incorporated and served on its national Social Action Committee; and was a lifelong member and member of the Board of Trustees 

of Bethany Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio; and 

Whereas, Congresswoman JONES was married to Mervyn L. Jones, Sr., deceased (2003), for 27 years and is the proud mother of Mervyn Leroy Jones, 

II. 

Be it therefore resolved, that we, the members of the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc., pause on this day with abiding 

sympathy to support the family of Congresswoman JONES; 

Be it further resolved, that we offer our admiration, respect, and support 

of the legacy of Congresswoman JONES and give recognition for the many 

‘‘firsts’’ that she achieved as an African-American woman, lawyer, and legislator and an outspoken champion of justice for her Congressional District, 

the State of Ohio, and the nation; 

Be it finally resolved that a copy of this resolution shall be given to the 

family of Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES; and a copy shall be presented to the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, 

and the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus at the Democratic National Convention which will take place in Denver, Colorado from August 25, 2008 

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[ 45 ] 

through August 28, 2008; and a copy shall also be placed in the archives 

of the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc. 

Respectfully submitted, this 21st day of August, 2008 by the membership 

of Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc., by Mary A. 

Melchor, President. 

÷ 

EMBASSY OF COLOMBIA, WASHINGTON, DC, 

August 21, 2008. 

Hon. CAROLYN C. KILPATRICK, 

Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, House of Representatives, 

Washington, DC. 

DEAR CHAIRWOMAN KILPATRICK, I would like to extend my most heart-felt 

condolences for the passing of Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES to 

you and the members of the CBC. 

During my time in Washington, I had several opportunities to meet with 

Congresswoman TUBBS JONES, and was fortunate to have had the chance 

to be with her during her visit to Colombia. Her high spirit, sharp mind and 

positive outlook left a lasting impression, and she will be missed. 

Her son, Mervyn Jones, her family, her staff and her colleagues remain 

in our prayers. 

Sincerely, 

CAROLINA BARCO, 

Ambassador. 

Ms. KILPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield the 

balance of my time to a young man who has taken this 

House by storm. He chairs our Congressional Black Caucus 

Foundation, one of Congresswoman TUBBS JONES’ sons, also 

a member of the Ways and Means Committee. I yield the 

balance of my time to Congressman Kendrick Meek. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida 

will control the remainder of the time. 

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Thank you so very much, Madam 

Chairman. 

I would like to thank my leader and colleague from the 

great city of Detroit, Ms. Kilpatrick, for yielding the balance 

of the time. We will continue to go down the list I have been 

given here, Mr. Speaker, as we continue to honor our fallen 

colleague. 

Next on this list I have Congressman Danny Davis from 

the great State of Illinois, a very good friend of the Congresswoman, STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join 

with my colleagues as we come this evening to pay tribute 

to our colleague, STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. I am pleased to 

follow so many of my distinguished colleagues, because they 

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[ 46 ] 

have said so much until there isn’t much to say. But the interesting thing is that with STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, you 

never run out of things to say, because she was so much and 

meant so much to so many. 

It is interesting that when you knew STEPHANIE, you knew 

her whole family. You just didn’t know her, you knew her 

sister; you knew her father; you knew her mother; you knew 

Mervyn; you knew her husband, Mervyn the first; you knew 

Mervyn the second; you knew nieces and nephews; you knew 

friends; and you almost got to know the whole of Cleveland 

if you knew STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

STEPHANIE, as many people have already indicated, had a 

great legal mind. Prior to coming to Congress, she served as 

both a prosecutor and a judge. And the interesting thing 

about prosecution is that you are generally trying to make 

sure that the law is upheld, and that once people commit infractions, that they pay a price. Of course, that is what prosecutors often do. 

Well, STEPHANIE had another interest in the law, and she 

wanted to make sure that the law also had a sense of justice. 

And even though she was a prosecutor, brother Kendrick, 

even though she was a prosecutor, she was a champion for 

those who had committed crimes, who had been convicted of 

crimes, and was one of the staunchest supporters of something called the Second Chance Act. 

That is a bill which simply says that once individuals have 

fallen, that they also need to be lifted up; that once they 

have had problems, they need to be reclaimed; and, once 

they had committed crimes for which they may have been 

punished, they also needed to be redeemed. And so it was 

very pleasant for me to work with STEPHANIE on the Second 

Chance legislation. 

She befriended people from all walks of life. It didn’t matter if they were Democrats or Republicans, or if they had 

been prosecuted. 

As a matter of fact, when I think of her, I often think of 

the poet Homer, who talked about the kind of house that he 

wanted to live in, and I think STEPHANIE was an embodiment of that kind of house. He said, 

Let me live in my house by the side of the road, where the race of men 

go by. Men who are good, men who are bad, wise, foolish. But then, so am 

I. So why would I sit in the scorner’s seat or hurl the cynic’s ban? But let 

me live in my house by the side of the road and be a friend to man. 

STEPHANIE was indeed a friend to mankind, to humankind. 

I thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

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[ 47 ] 

Mr. MEEK of Florida. I thank you so much, Congressman 

Davis. And she was very proud of the fact that she was able 

to work with you on the Second Chance Act, and was there 

when the bill was signed. 

I want to call on my very good friend and STEPHANIE’s 

good friend, I call her my Brooklyn Congresswoman, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke from the great State of New 

York. 

Ms. CLARKE. To my colleague and very good friend, 

Kendrick Meek, I want to thank you for picking up the mantle. I know that STEPHANIE is watching us and is a part of 

all that is taking place. 

Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of the distinguished woman 

from Ohio, and I still can’t believe that she has transitioned. 

I have taken the Congresswoman’s passing somewhat personally. You have heard many of the Members speak about 

their relationship with her and the pet names or nicknames 

that she had for them. Well, mine was Baby Girl. 

My sister, friend, mentor, Representative STEPHANIE

TUBBS JONES, to the Representative of the 11th Congressional District of Ohio, Cleveland, Ohio, from the 11th Congressional District of New York, Brooklyn, New York, I love 

you. 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was the consummate public servant. As a new Member-elect to the 110th session of Congress, 

one of the very first persons to embrace me on the Hill was 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. She opened her office, her office 

staff to helping me to adjust to Washington, to select my 

staff, and to share with me what her transition had been as 

she reflected back on becoming a Member here in Congress 

10 years previously. 

I had the privilege to have been mentored by her, and the 

one thing I can say is that she was one determined diva. We 

danced together, we shopped together, we drove together. 

Three things that I know that she loved to do; dance, shop, 

and drive. As a matter of fact, she shared with me the fact 

that if I loved to drive, then I have got to put my staff under 

reins and get me a car and do my thing, because that is 

what she had to do. 

She worked hard, she played hard, she loved hard. She 

was proud to represent the people of Cleveland, and she 

loved her family. She simply adored her son and wanted the 

very best for him in this life, Mervyn II. She was an inspiration in my life. She loved her country, and she fought for our 

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[ 48 ] 

people every day with an abiding commitment to their struggles. 

When STEPHANIE entered any venue, the chemistry 

changed, and the atmosphere immediately acknowledged her 

presence. Her history, a trailblazer, a fighter for women’s 

rights, women’s health, civil rights, civil liberties, Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was always on the move for 

justice and equality. And I learned so much from this 

woman, and I just feel privileged to have had her as my 

mentor. 

She dedicated much of her life in service to others. She has 

bequeathed to us a legacy and an imperative for me to do the 

same. To Mervyn II, to Barbara, to the Tubbs Jones family, 

to her constituents in Ohio, to her staff in Ohio, to her staff 

here in Washington, may the love of God be a comfort to you 

in this time of our bereavement. 

Bon voyage, my sweet sister. See you in that great gettingup morning. Fare thee well. 

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Thank you so very much, Congresswoman. And I know that Ms. TUBBS JONES meant so much 

to you. 

I would like to call on another good friend and new friend, 

but a colleague of Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, 

Ms. Donna Edwards from the Fourth District of Maryland, 

who posted her condolences statement on the 21st of this 

month, Mr. Speaker, the passing of Ms. TUBBS JONES. 

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, and Mr. Chairman, I am really grateful to be here this evening to speak 

of my new colleague, STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

When I was first elected to Congress just a few weeks ago, 

one of the first calls that I received was from STEPHANIE

TUBBS JONES. And when I came here to this floor to be 

sworn in to the U.S. Congress as the first African American 

woman to represent our great State of Maryland, it was 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES who greeted me and said, ‘‘Hello, 

girlfriend. I am a first, too.’’ And I won’t forget that. And she 

knew, not asking me about my office or how I was planning 

to settle in, but she said to me, ‘‘You have a man-child.’’ And 

I said, ‘‘Yes, I do.’’ And to me, that was a mark not just of 

a colleague and of a politician, but it was a mark of a 

woman. And I understood from her as a mother what it 

meant to be a mother to a man-child. 

The next question she asked me was whether I planned to 

play basketball, because she knew that I had coached my son 

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[ 49 ] 

in basketball. I am not really quite sure how she knew that, 

but she did. And so she immediately said to me that not only 

did I have to play basketball, but I also had to learn how to 

play golf. And so I am going to take that as her marching 

orders as I serve in the U.S. Congress, and try to serve in 

her memory, not just as a great woman, as a great politician, 

and as a great sportswoman. 

And I had the privilege of admiring STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES not in the U.S. Congress but outside and from afar, 

and the great privilege just prior to coming to serve in this 

body of speaking at an event with her in the spring. And she 

lit up the room. And very recently someone in my congressional district asked me, ‘‘Did you know STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES?’’ And however one knows a person, what I could say 

is one of my favorite words in the English language is ebullient. And STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was ebullient. 

Thank you. 

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Thank you so very much for that 

very kind and moving dedication to Congresswoman TUBBS

JONES. 

One of my good friends from California, Laura Richardson, 

who has taken this Congress by storm and has worked very 

well in the 37th Congressional District of California, Mr. 

Speaker, it is very unique having women that have come to 

Congress because, as you know, the Congressional Black 

Caucus has been hit hard this particular Congress with losing three women of our caucus in this 110th Congress alone. 

And all of them played a very substantial role. 

This next speaker is, I wouldn’t call a replacement, but an 

addition to that greatness as we continue to march on to 

allow good representation from all over the country here, 

Congresswoman Laura Richardson. 

Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Meek, thank you for 

yielding at this time. 

It is interesting, from Florida, you brought up that we as 

members of the Congressional Black Caucus have lost three 

great women in this session. And as I came in as a new 

Member really learning from Congresswoman Juanita 

Millender-McDonald who I had worked for, when I came into 

this body, I came into a family. And that was something that 

Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES taught us; that 

coming to Congress wasn’t about a group, it wasn’t just 

about legislation, it was about people who were committed to 

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[ 50 ] 

working together to make our communities better. That is 

why we came here. 

I’ll never forget when I stood in this very spot to share my 

comments of what it was that I hoped to do on behalf of my 

community, and I knew that Ms. TUBBS JONES was really 

hurting because she missed her colleague, Ms. Juanita 

Millender-McDonald. But in that same hand, she knew that, 

as I stood there, she was willing to embrace me. She was 

willing to help me. And she wanted to make sure that I had 

everything that Ms. McDonald had and then some. So I will 

never forget as I spoke and I turned, and, yes, she was one 

of those first big smiles that I saw, and she said, ‘‘Hey, girl. 

How are you?’’ As she would always tell us. 

Ms. TUBBS JONES, what I wanted to share with her family 

and with all of us today are just a couple things. First, what 

I know of Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES is that 

she was always ready. And I think that is a good lesson, not 

only for us as colleagues, but as young people coming forward, being ready to seize the opportunity, being ready to 

speak up and to stand up, and not to hesitate at all. 

Another thing that always stood out for me with her was 

just her knowledge. You heard a lot of people tonight talk 

about the fact of her law background and all of that. But it 

was so much that was in her head, so much of what she 

wanted to take of what she had learned to really change 

America as we see it today. 

And that brings me to my third point about sports, and 

people have talked about that. Yes, I think we are going to 

have a big basketball team next year, and I am sure we will 

work hard to win in her honor. But I want to talk about two 

other sports that were so special to her. 

One, taking her son to the Super Bowl. That was something that she valued and she treasured. And I would challenge all of us CBC members that we need to make sure that 

he goes next year and the years forward with us and our 

families. 

Two, her love for golf. In honor of her husband, who had 

also served our caucus so well, we had named the spouse’s 

program after him, and I am sure next year we are going to 

have to add her name to it. 

But also, I want to talk about another sport, and that is 

just being in the gym. You know, Congresswoman Barbara 

Lee and STEPHANIE were gym partners, and I just happened 

to be the beneficiary of being the third person there. And 

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ously she approached everything, it wasn’t just here at work. 

It was her on the treadmill, it was her on the Stairmaster. 

It was her getting ready to come in here and do work. She 

was always about working hard and really benefiting in any 

way that she could to help somebody else. 

The last two things I want to talk about are, one, her commitment to youth. If you would come on this floor, it was not 

uncommon that Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES

would pull you aside and say, ‘‘Girl, I’ve got somebody I want 

to you to meet.’’ And if it wasn’t a page from her local area, 

if it wasn’t a young intern who she was in the process of hiring, her commitment to young people was second to none. 

And I have got to tell you, as being a relatively young Member of Congress, it is critical that we take on that mantle. 

It was something that she knew and she understood more 

than most, and that was that the development that we do for 

our future young people is really showing wisdom for the future. 

And, last, I want to mention our travels that we had on 

behalf of Senator Clinton. I had an opportunity to go; Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was the co-chair for 

her national campaign, and we had an opportunity to travel 

to South Carolina, to Ohio, to Nevada. I didn’t go to Puerto 

Rico as some did, but she went all over the place. In honor 

of the sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits, I want to say 

that Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, when I had 

an opportunity to go to Ohio, because she was also working 

in so many other States, her folks loved her. 

Her folks still love her. And it was out of that respect that 

they had for her that anyone who came as her guest, they 

were so well treated. And my time that I had a chance to 

spend in Ohio, and to all the young elected officials that she 

mentored and she helped, being a part of those 8–12 months 

that we had an opportunity to work, there was no one who 

ever wearied in her drive. There was no one who ever hesitated. There was no one who worked harder to make sure 

that Americans really understood the value of what we have 

in our elected officials. 

And so, as I close, I just want to say, my time that I had 

with Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was to know 

her love, was to know how sincere she was, and last, she was 

unwavering when she committed herself to you. 

We love you and we love the family. Thank you very much. 

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Thank you so very much, Congresswoman. 

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Mr. Speaker, I am just going to yield time for my good 

friend and a good friend of my mother’s, Congresswoman 

Carrie Meek, Marcy Kaptur, who is the dean of women here 

in the House, longest serving woman on the Appropriations 

Committee, and also dean of the Ohio delegation that held 

an hour prior to this one as we dedicated a resolution and 

condolences of the House to STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

And as she sat here listening to the stories and testimonials of members of the Congressional Black Caucus of 

how we remember STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, I turned around 

and I said, ‘‘Marcy, do you have anything else that you 

would like to share with the House?’’ And she said, ‘‘I want 

to talk about the red dress.’’ So I want to hear this too. I 

yield to Ms. Kaptur. 

Ms. KAPTUR. I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 

Meek). And your mother certainly had a man-child too. And 

we love Carrie Meek, Congresswoman Meek. I miss her very 

much, and she must be very, very proud of you. I am certain 

of that. 

We have shared so many memories this evening, and there 

are very serious ones that I will end with. But I have to say 

that I can still see STEPHANIE sitting in the Speaker’s chair 

in the reddest of red suits, and she just beamed. And she 

loved that chair, and she loved that gavel, and she used it. 

You could hear it ring against the walls when she would hit 

that gavel down. 

I did not know that she was not the only member of a sisterhood that wore those red dresses. It wasn’t until her service in Cleveland that I saw an entire street from side to side 

covered with women in red dresses. STEPHANIE had many acquaintances and many friends. And I know that those red 

outfits gave her strength, and it certainly brightened this 

Chamber. 

I remember her scarves with the fringes. I don’t know 

where STEPHANIE got all those, but they certainly added a 

flourish here, and they helped to cheer us up and to add to 

the full smile, ear to ear, that greeted every person that she 

ever met. 

Now, some of us knew about her cheers. There were many 

cheers, sports cheers, political cheers, Democratic cheers. 

She had a chant and a rhyme and a rhythm about her, and 

she had a presence, and she took those cheers forward. I 

know one of those cheers, one of the more recent ones with 

a rhyme was H–I–L–L–A–R–Y. I know that was one of the 

latest cheers. 

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She had a great devotion to youth, to the younger women 

who are serving in this Chamber, three of whom we just 

heard from, Congresswoman Richardson, Congresswoman 

Edwards, and Congresswoman Clarke. And it almost seems 

somewhat providential that as we lost three women from the 

Congressional Black Caucus, we have three younger women 

on the floor tonight. That says something right there. And I 

have no doubt STEPHANIE is watching over us making sure 

that the numbers get even better. 

I think that her pathbreaking efforts in so many ways put 

her in the footsteps of Sojourner Truth; particularly, I am 

woman, I can do anything. I know STEPHANIE believed that 

to her very core. Her zest for life and her indomitable spirit 

surround us, surround her son, surround her sister, surround all of her friends, her church friends in Ohio, all of 

those who came to know her, appreciate her. 

I know that Congressman Louis Stokes, her predecessor, 

feels this loss particularly deeply. I recall with great affection his service here. As the years go on, it is amazing the 

events that we witness and that we endure. 

In STEPHANIE’s memory, I want to thank Congressman 

Meek for holding this special hour on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus and allowing me to add a few words to 

the eloquence that has been spoken this evening in memory 

of our beloved friend. And I yield back the time you have 

kindly given me. 

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Thank you so very much. And 

Marcy, I just want to thank you for being a good friend of 

STEPHANIE’s, and continuing to carry the flag here in the 

House. 

I would like to bring on another Member, a great Member 

of Congress, and she is a good, good sister of STEPHANIE’s, 

was a good friend and traveled to Cleveland in between 

STEPHANIE’s departure and her homegoing service to be with 

STEPHANIE’s family. We know her as Congresswoman Sheila 

Jackson-Lee. She was another fighter here in Congress that 

sleeps with her fists balled up. STEPHANIE and she were sisters as it relates to that. So my good friend from the great 

State of Texas, Sheila Jackson-Lee. 

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I feel like family has gathered here on the floor, and I thank my good and distinguished friend. We are like family. And his mother, and as 

he has come here, and the extended family relationship. 

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So, even as I spoke on the bereavement resolution, I wanted to come and be part of the Congressional Black Caucus 

special order because I could feel the warmth and spirit just 

continue to flow through. I hope the Congressional Record 

doesn’t mind us talking about spirit flowing through. 

I want to acknowledge her staff that is staying here till 

the end that are in the gallery there, and they are like family as well. We know that STEPHANIE would say she loved 

her staff, both in Washington and in Cleveland. 

Certainly, I think the most poignant moment of the 

homegoing service was my friend and brother, the Honorable 

Kendrick Meek, and Congressman Ryan, having stood together, stoically, strongly, and specially to talk about Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES and, as well, as they 

did so, you could feel in that huge Cleveland Convention 

Center, everyone just pouring love toward them. I think it 

drew Mervyn, her son, out of his seat to go up on the stage 

and to see the most powerful embrace that one could ever 

see. It will be lasting. I think it will go down in the annals 

of her record, when you pull her up and you look at this celebration, this homegoing service, you will note that there was 

this kind of experience, this moving experience. I want to 

thank my distinguished Member of Congress from Florida, 

Congressman Meek, for just pouring his heart out during 

that service. I think all of us just paused for a moment to 

see the largeness of our relationship with STEPHANIE. 

So I wanted to come because I didn’t get a chance to just 

mention more extensively, someone who allowed you to know 

most of her family members during her time here in Congress. The goodness is I think we should celebrate that her 

family members lived, her mom and dad lived to see her become a Member of Congress. Her husband, of which, someone mentioned they had celebrated 25 years together or 

more, lived to see her in the U.S. Congress and enjoyed 

being part of her commitment to the Congressional Black 

Caucus, with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. 

They were a couple. They were a pair. 

In fact, I am envious and dream of the fact that I used to 

hear the stories about the yachting that they did together as 

a couple, and always said one day I would have the time to 

go. But just think about how she used her life experiences 

of joy and large living to touch everyone’s life. 

When we talked about airlines, when we talked about the 

troubles airlines were having, I remember her talking after 

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cap. When they were talking about salaries or talking about 

working conditions at the airlines, she had an affinity because she would get in there that her dad was a skycap, and 

she was proud of that. 

And I want everybody to know, since we live in this kind 

of multicultural society, that being a skycap was a big deal 

for an African American and an African American man. It 

was middle class, it was a working job that had benefits, but 

it was an important responsibility. I know that because my 

uncle was a skycap. So that was an important, if you will, 

connection for her dad who supported this family. 

And of course, her mom and her sisters, and as Congressman Meek mentioned, I had a chance to visit Barbara and 

Mervyn when I went to visit them at home. 

There were friends, and I know that I will get in trouble, 

but I know that the mayor of Warrensville I believe is the 

name, Mayor Fudge, a dear friend and a part of the Delta 

family. But I know the guy that she calls Joe Hewitt; never 

a single name, just calling him Joe Hewitt, larger than life, 

someone whom she cared about; he cared about her. We had 

a chance to enter into fellowship with their family. 

So I wanted to come and say that, as we talk about sisterhood, it is really real. And as we talk about traveling with 

her, it is really real. As we talk about being larger than life, 

it is really real as well. 

I want to close simply by adding to what my good friend, 

Marcy Kaptur from Cleveland said, as I looked at the three 

Congresspersons, one each from Maryland, California, and 

New York, three beautiful young women. And we lost Congresswomen Julia Carson, Juanita Millender-McDonald, and 

now STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, all mentors. Look at the legacy that they have left. 

Look at the legacy of STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, who I call 

a great patriot, a great American, because she could fight 

you for her love for America. She would not take a back seat. 

Whether or not she was talking about predatory lending or 

about health care that did not serve the people well in her 

community or around the Nation, or those incarcerated persons who were treated unfairly and didn’t get a second 

chance, she still loved America. 

So I want to leave us with the words of Sojourner Truth. 

It was when she was sitting in the back of the room, and it 

was during the abolitionist movement, suffragette movement. It was crowded, and she saw they saw her hand raise 

up, and the person called her sir, or indicated that she was 

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[ 56 ] 

a man. And Sojourner Truth stood up and said, ‘‘Ain’t I a 

woman? I borne 13 children into slavery. Ain’t I a woman?’’ 

To STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, there will be no doubt that 

she was a woman’s woman and a leader’s leader. 

And finally, in closing, I read from Philippians 4:8: 

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever 

things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things. 

Let us think on the life of STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, and 

let us, in all of our imperfections, and we have them, embellish those things in ourselves. As the Congressional Black 

Caucus, let us live on, and the Congressional Black Caucus 

Foundation, of which my distinguished colleague is the chair, 

let her spirit live on as we do her work and do the work of 

the Lord. 

[The revised remarks of Ms. Jackson-Lee follow:] 

I rise today with a conflict of emotions to recognize Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. I stand with a heavy 

heart enriched and gladdened that I had the opportunity of 

knowing and working with such a beacon of light here in 

Congress. 

Before heading to the funeral I was reminded of the words 

of Mother Teresa, 

There is a light in this world, a healing spirit—more powerful than any 

darkness we may encounter. We sometimes lose sight of this force, when 

there is suffering, and too much pain. Then suddenly, the spirit will emerge 

through the lives of ordinary people who hear a call and answer in extraordinary ways. 

That is why although I rise with a heavy heart at the loss 

of a colleague and friend, I stand with a realization and 

gratefulness for all that Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES was able to do for her family, for her constituents, 

and for her country in her brief time here on this Earth. I 

also believe that Congresswoman TUBBS JONES is in a better 

place and is looking down on us with that contagious smile 

and generous nature that made us all love working with her. 

As Women’s Caucus and Congressional Black Caucus 

members, the Congresswoman and I spent a lot of time 

working together and talking about our lives, our unique 

work, and the issues facing our Nation. 

I had the opportunity to get to know this great woman and 

learn that she was born in Cleveland, Ohio, where she graduated from the city’s public schools, later earning degrees 

from Case Western Reserve University, the Flora Stone 

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[ 57 ] 

Mather College, and Case Western Reserve University 

School of Law. 

I knew that she was a proud member of Delta Sigma 

Theta; and even more proud to have been married to the love 

of her life, Mervyn L. Jones, Sr., for over 27 years until his 

passing in 2003. Together she and Mervyn had one son; 

Mervyn Leroy Jones II, who was the light of her life. 

Like me, STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was a lawyer who had 

been a local judge. She served on the Cleveland Municipal 

Court in 1981, and later on the Court of Common Pleas of 

Cuyahoga County before becoming the Representative for the 

11th District of Ohio. 

She was selected to be the chairwoman of the House Ethics Committee to watch over the standards of ethical conduct 

for Members of the House. She also served on the powerful 

House Ways and Means Committee where she fought for economic development and financial opportunities for all. She 

was loved by her district, and was routinely reelected against 

nominal opposition. 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES spent 58 years on this Earth. She 

was a blessing, and her memory will always be a treasure. 

She was loved beyond words and will be missed beyond 

measure by all that knew her. 

Over the last few months, Congresswoman TUBBS JONES

and I traveled across the country together. She was always 

focused on doing the right thing. She understood that in this 

unique work of ours we serve the people, but we must also 

answer to our conscience. Doing the right thing in this job 

is not always an easy task—but she did it day in and day 

out as she worked to help the people of Ohio, Americans 

across this great Nation, and our men and women overseas. 

She was an outstanding example of what it means to be 

a leader. She epitomized service before self. Indeed, as a society, we must do all we can do to build upon the strength of 

service to help strengthen the fabric of the Nation. I offer the 

Tubbs Jones family encouragement in their time of bereavement by saying, ‘‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will 

be comforted.’’ Her work on Earth is complete. We join the 

Lord in saying, ‘‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant.’’ 

She was a fighter for issues that affect the least fortunate 

among us and in all the years she was in Congress—she 

never forgot that. Now let us not forget her. 

The Bible states in Philippians 4:8: 

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever 

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things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things. 

Let us remember Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES, a public servant, a colleague—a friend. 

[From the New York Times, August 21, 2008] 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, LAWMAKER, DIES AT 58 

(By Dennis Hevesi) 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, the first African-American woman elected to the 

House of Representatives from Ohio and a leader in the fight against predatory lending practices, died Wednesday. She was 58. 

The cause was a ruptured brain aneurysm that Ms. TUBBS JONES suffered 

Tuesday, Eileen Sheil, a spokeswoman for the Cleveland Clinic, which owns 

the Huron Hospital in East Cleveland where the congresswoman died, told 

The Associated Press. 

Ms. TUBBS JONES, a Democrat, was in her fifth term as representative of 

the 11th Congressional District, which includes most of the east side of 

Cleveland. Two years ago, she was re-elected with 83 percent of the vote. 

Before her first election to Congress, in 1998, she had been the chief prosecutor for Cuyahoga County in Ohio. 

Considered a liberal, Ms. TUBBS JONES was a co-sponsor of legislative efforts to broaden health care coverage for low- and middle-income people and 

of programs supporting the re-entry of convicts into their communities. She 

was also the author of legislation requiring certification for mortgage brokers and stiffer penalties for predatory loans. 

In June, Ms. TUBBS JONES voted against emergency supplemental financing for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

‘‘I feel it important that we have a plan for a timely redeployment of our 

troops from Iraq and Afghanistan before we continue funding what has become a seemingly endless war,’’ she said at the time. 

When Congress officially ratified President Bush’s re-election in January 

2005, Ms. TUBBS JONES joined Senator Barbara Boxer, Democrat of California, in initiating a rare challenge to what has historically been a polite 

formal ceremony. They were objecting to accepting Ohio’s 20 electoral votes 

for Mr. Bush, citing voting irregularities in the state. 

Instead of holding a courteous joint session to certify the election, lawmakers were forced to retreat to their separate chambers for two hours of 

debate. In the end, the House voted 267 to 31 against the challenge; in the 

Senate, the vote was 74 to 1. 

STEPHANIE TUBBS was born in Cleveland on Sept. 10, 1949. She graduated 

from Case Western Reserve University in 1971 and received her law degree 

there three years later. 

From 1976 to 1979, she was an assistant Cuyahoga County prosecutor. In 

1981, she won election as a Cleveland Municipal Court judge, and 10 years 

later she was appointed chief prosecutor. 

As chief prosecutor, Ms. TUBBS JONES was at the center of a controversy 

in 1998 when she refused to reopen an investigation into the 1954 murder 

of the wife of Dr. Sam Sheppard, dismissing new DNA evidence that Dr. 

Sheppard’s supporters said would have exonerated him. 

The case had received nationwide coverage in the 1950s. Dr. Sheppard 

spent 10 years in prison before the Supreme Court ruled that his trial had 

been prejudiced by publicity. He was acquitted at a second trial, in 1966, 

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[ 59 ] 

and died in 1970. With the new evidence, Dr. Sheppard’s son was seeking 

to collect damages on behalf of his father. Ms. TUBBS JONES argued that the 

new DNA results would be inadmissible because the samples were too old. 

Ms. TUBBS JONES’s husband of 27 years, Mervyn L. Jones Sr., died in 

2003. She is survived by her son, Mervyn II. 

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Thank you so very much, Congresswoman. It is a very kind tribute and kind words given to our 

colleague. 

Mr. Speaker, I just want to take the remainder of our time 

to speak a few minutes on reflection of my friend and colleague, Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. I can say 

that there has been several days of reflection and testimony 

to her life and her presence here in this Chamber. 

I can also share with the House, Mr. Speaker, that this 

tribute will continue on Wednesday. The Speaker has called 

a memorial service of the House and of the Congress in Statuary Hall at 11 a.m., so those Members of the House or staff 

and friends can come and reflect and hear further stories of 

STEPHANIE and her contributions to this great country. 

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation will host a 

reception for all in the Rayburn Room afterward, where we 

will post pictures of STEPHANIE and the contributions that 

she’s not only made to this country but also to young people 

who are walking the Halls of Congress. She spearheaded efforts within the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation to 

provide internships and fellowships for so many students 

who ordinarily wouldn’t have the opportunity to do it working along with our Congressional Black Caucus spouses. 

I came to the Chamber today with mixed feelings. It was 

a special kind of warmness that hit me when I walked into 

the Chamber because so many times we would have the 

chance to laugh and talk about things that took place either 

over the weekend or over the break. And ‘‘Stephanie Hall,’’ 

like leader Boehner talked about a little earlier today, her office is right down the hall from my office, and we served on 

the Ways and Means Committee together. So it’s almost like 

not only Congresswoman TUBBS JONES, but her staff and my 

staff, it was almost like having a good neighbor, someone you 

can go get a cup of sugar from. Someone you can go sit down 

and hold common goals with. 

And we all know—and you heard a lot of folks saying 

you’re going to miss her because she was one of those individuals who you assumed was just going to pop up at any 

moment. I was talking with my wife when we attended her 

homegoing service in Ohio, and she said, ‘‘It just seems like 

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[ 60 ] 

STEPHANIE’s going to walk up behind us and say, ‘Hey, 

what’s going on,’ ’’ because that was the kind of unique person that she was. 

I think during this whole time as I continue to reflect and 

really live deep in the spirit of how good God is, here in the 

present to have served with someone like STEPHANIE, to have 

folks on both sides of the aisle, to have people who know 

what it means to punch in and punch out every day when 

they go to work, those that wake up early to catch the bus 

to go to work, those that are cleaning hotel rooms, those that 

are driving the carts at Cleveland Airport. There are so 

many times that STEPHANIE would talk to them and make 

them feel like real people. All of them, including what we 

may call the ‘‘blue shirts’’ here in the Capitol Building, those 

that work here, those that clean, those uniforms, the police 

officers, everyone knew STEPHANIE for being the person that 

will treat them the same way they would treat a Member of 

Congress or a President or a leader of a country or what 

have you. 

I say all of that to emphasize that the best conversation 

that I keep going back to, and I spoke of this at her memorial service, was a conversation that I had with my mother 

about STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

STEPHANIE was a member of our family. Period. Dot. She 

would travel to south Florida and would do things together 

with my mother, and they had a relationship prior to my arrival because they were both Delta sisters. It took me, Mr. 

Speaker, a while, because my mother and I really work hard 

to talk every day. I was holding off from calling her because 

I said I know if I call her, we’re going to get in the middle 

of this conversation about STEPHANIE. And sure enough, we 

did. 

My mother, who I consider the person in my family that’s 

closest to the cross—that’s not in the way of saying that 

she’s about to pass on, but she’s very spiritual—and a 

woman who has traveled a similar route as STEPHANIE has 

traveled in her time. We were talking, and all of a sudden 

she just rained down on the phone and said, ‘‘Kendrick, she 

had an appointment with the Maker.’’ That has provided 

more comfort to me, and I believe to others, of saying that 

why would she have to have such an untimely death. Well, 

it’s not up to us to say what is timely and what is untimely. 

That’s something that’s already planned from birth. 

Just looking at her trail and her track as we continue to 

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tional role in the primary election and to be judged by others 

and cherished by certain individuals and to be known nationally and internationally for her presence in the primary election, this Presidential election. Then after the primary was 

over, she was the person who served as the instrument to 

bring the two that were running for office against one another together in a special way. To be able to work on behalf 

of Senator Obama, to have that opportunity before her death 

to bring them together at her homegoing service is beyond 

coincidental. 

So we have to really look at every day, cherish every day 

as though it’s our last day to serve. 

STEPHANIE spent a number of days, a number of hours 

hugging those who may have had some doubt about her 

judgment and her actions, but that’s the kind of person she 

was because she had this uniqueness that very few may 

have. 

So I close with this, Mr. Speaker, because I almost feel like 

a visiting Baptist preacher. If I had time, I would really be 

able to get into the deepness of STEPHANIE’s presence, and 

it will always be here in this Chamber. I’m glad she lived life 

in the way she did because so many times people say about 

those who pass and move on, ‘‘Goodness. I wish they would 

have had the opportunity to do this, this, and this,’’ and I 

can’t say that about STEPHANIE because she did it all. 

She held all of us up. She will continue to hold all of us 

up, and as long as I’m a Member in this Congress and a 

Member of the Ways and Means Committee and serving in 

the leadership position, she will be someone I will never ever 

forget because she called Tim Ryan and I—you know, we 

know about Mervyn—but we were her congressional sons. 

She would put it this way, ‘‘Tim is my white son and 

Kendrick is my black congressional son.’’ And Tim could not 

be here tonight, but I know he will be here in the future. 

And I want the Members to know that she loved this body. 

We will forever remember her, and we will continue to have 

this great celebration of life for the next coming days. 

Mr. Speaker, with that, I want to not only thank our chair, 

Congresswoman Kilpatrick, who serves as the chair of the 

Congressional Black Caucus, but all Members of Congress 

who have come forth this evening to share words of comfort 

with the family and the country for such a loss of a great 

leader, a great hero, and someone who has been an icebreaker for so many people. 

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My love and all of our love and our condolences go out to 

the family and her staff, which was her extended family, 

here in Congress and back in Cleveland, and to the hundreds 

of constituents who wrapped the streets to pay their appreciation to STEPHANIE. 

May her spirit live long in the Halls of Congress. 

I yield back the balance of my time. 

Mr. GINGREY. . . . But before I get started, I want to join 

with my colleagues, my Democratic colleagues, and pay tribute, Mr. Speaker, to STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, the gentlewoman from Ohio. I guess you can say that everything’s 

been said that needs to be said, but not everybody has had 

an opportunity to say it. I can’t improve upon the kind words 

that we’ve heard here over the last hour in regard to her life 

and what a great person she was. 

Mr. Speaker, I would like to mention one thing that I 

thought about a lot after hearing of her untimely and sad 

passing. She is the second member, Mr. Speaker, of the Ohio 

delegation to die in office during this 110th Congress. The 

first was a member on our side of the aisle—again, very 

loved and respected—Paul Gillmor. Just like Ms. TUBBS

JONES, like Representative TUBBS JONES, as bipartisan 

whenever he could be, as she was. 

I went to his funeral in Columbus, Ohio, the great capital 

of Ohio. Of the eulogies that were offered on behalf of Representative Gillmor, the very first one, Mr. Speaker, was offered by Representative STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. And it was 

very touching, very loving. You know, it’s a sad thing, of 

course, her passing. But God has His plan, and we have our 

plans, but His plan takes precedence over everything we do. 

She was a great Member of this body, and I join my colleagues in expressing my sincere sympathy to the family. . . . 

Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, history will remember STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES as a trailblazer. News reports about her death are littered with firsts: first black 

woman to represent Ohio in the House, first black woman on 

Ways and Means, first woman and first African American 

prosecutor in Cuyahoga County. 

Those who worked with her will remember her electric 

smile, the kind of smile that made you feel like everything 

would be all right. We will remember her warmth, how she 

could hug somebody and give them a piece of her high spirits. She had that uncanny ability to make everybody she encountered—from presidents to homeless constituents—feel 

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like they had known her for years. Her gift was to connect 

with people on a purely human level. No pretense. When 

confronted with immensely powerful men and women, she 

would treat them with the same casual kindness that won 

her the love of her constituents back in Cleveland. 

Most important, we will remember her courage. STEPHANIE

was never intimidated by anybody or anything. When she 

saw injustice, she did something about it, even when the battle would be difficult and victory uncertain. She spoke for 

those in need of a champion. In her career, she transcended 

the barriers of race, class, and gender that continue to undermine the great American creed of equal opportunity. In 

her work, she helped ensure that those barriers will not stop 

future generations of Americans from achieving their potential. 

STEPHANIE loved warm words, but she preferred strong actions. Let her by example help us to speak truth to power 

and stand up for justice. The best tribute we could offer to 

so passionate and committed a public servant is to continue 

her work. 

Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my 

friend, mentor, and a true pioneer. Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was taken from us at far too young an 

age when she passed away on August 20. On August 30, during a memorial ceremony held at the Cleveland Public Hall, 

I addressed the hundreds of friends and family in attendance 

to pay tribute to STEPHANIE and I would like to share those 

remarks here as well: 

There was a famous song a few years back called, ‘‘I Hope You Dance.’’ 

And it’s a song that passes along some advice to all of us, and the refrain 

of the song says, ‘‘If you have the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you 

dance.’’ And we all know that STEPHANIE didn’t sit it out; she danced. She 

danced through this life with a style all her own, and she now gets to dance 

once again with her favorite partner, Mervyn. Whether literally dancing on 

the dance floor or dancing through life, she possessed the key quality of any 

great dancer—she was fearless. She wasn’t real concerned with criticism because she got her instructions from the inside. And as Connie Shultz pointed out last week in her wonderful column, ‘‘When the rough and tumble side 

of Cleveland politics reared its head and threatened STEPHANIE, she simply 

said, ‘I don’t have time for fear.’ ’’ 

Gandhi said, ‘‘My life is my message.’’ And so it is with STEPHANIE. Her 

life instructs us that if we live a life without fear, we allow God’s light to 

pour through us, like His light poured through STEPHANIE. We saw this 

light in her bright smile and her catchy laugh; her high-fives she always 

liked to give when she made a witty comment; and the nicknames she gave 

us. As Congressman Meek said, I was the ‘‘white son.’’ We felt this light in 

her passion for justice and her warmth for humanity. Her life teaches us 

that if we live with courage and allow God’s light to shine, we can travel 

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further and higher than we ever dreamed; that we can achieve the seemingly unachievable; and that we can break glass ceilings and overcome barriers with grace and joy. Whether it’s Mervyn, or Barbara, or her staff, or 

Members of Congress, or Senators, or Presidential candidates, STEPHANIE’s 

death gives us what she gave us so many times in life—our marching orders: To live a fearless life. To let our light shine. To bring joy and hope. 

To lift people. To dance. The daughter of Cleveland’s life mission. And the 

credo she asks us to live by is reflected in the short poem called, ‘‘I Am 

One.’’ 

I am only one, 

But I am one. 

I cannot do everything, 

But I can do something. 

And that which I can do, 

I ought to do. 

And that which I ought to do, 

By the grace of God, I shall do. 

We love you, STEPHANIE. 

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor 

the life and contributions of Congresswoman STEPHANIE

TUBBS JONES. STEPHANIE was a good friend of mine, and I 

am still in shock by her sudden passing. She brought energy 

and enthusiasm, brilliance and dedication to this Congress, 

and her presence is already sorely missed. 

In the weeks since her passing, I have been reflecting on 

her many contributions to her constituents, her State, and 

her country, not only most recently in the House of Representatives but also in a lifetime of service. She broke barriers, and in the process elevated the lives of those she 

touched, both professionally and personally. The first African 

American woman elected to Congress from the state of Ohio, 

STEPHANIE has set the bar incredibly high with her dedication and devotion, and paved the way for future generations 

to follow. As an attorney, judge, and Member of Congress, 

she worked tirelessly on behalf of reducing poverty, ensuring 

access to education and affordable health care, and advocating for the rights of minorities nationwide. STEPHANIE

and I saw eye to eye on many important issues, whether it 

was fighting to ensure affordable housing, or for greater protection for Haitian and other refugees, or for the simple notion that every vote should be counted. In the 110th Congress alone STEPHANIE introduced legislation to revitalize 

low-income communities, protect and ensure voting rights, 

curtail predatory lending, and provide greater resources for 

uterine fibroids research, a personal commitment of hers 

that I know she has carried for many years. 

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STEPHANIE and I have similar backgrounds as lawyers, 

judges, and of course Members of Congress, and thus I have 

always thought that she and I shared a kinship that went 

beyond just our professional responsibilities. I hold her in 

the highest degree of respect and admiration. Since her untimely passing, I find myself recalling her personal inspiration as she and I and so many others in this body continue 

to fight for a better, more equal, and more prosperous society. She is the very definition of a role model. 

Mr. Speaker, STEPHANIE’s presence will not be easily replaced, if it ever can. The country should value her service; 

and I, for one, also value her friendship. 

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that 

I rise today to honor the memory of former Ohio Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES and her lifetime of dedication to the people of Ohio and the United States. I was deeply saddened to learn our colleague passed away so suddenly. 

We have not only lost a wonderful friend but an individual 

who made a number of historic achievements during her lifetime. 

After graduating from law school at Case Western Reserve 

University, STEPHANIE began her career with Cleveland’s 

sewer district before serving as an attorney with the city’s 

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In 1976, she 

served as an assistant Cuyahoga County prosecutor before 

her election as Cleveland Municipal Court judge in 1981. 

Two years later, the Governor of Ohio appointed her to a 

judgeship with the Court of Common Pleas of Cuyahoga 

County, and in 1991, STEPHANIE was appointed Cuyahoga 

County prosecutor. 

STEPHANIE was elected to represent the 11th District of 

Ohio in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1998. Throughout her 5 terms of office, she strove for advances in health 

care, economic development, and education. Recently, she 

had become a leader in the fight against predatory lending 

practices. 

Most notably, STEPHANIE’s legacy will be her career filled 

with firsts. She was the first African American and the first 

female to serve as prosecutor in her native Cuyahoga County, Ohio. STEPHANIE was the first African American to be 

chief prosecutor in the State of Ohio’s history. She also became the first African American woman to represent Ohio in 

Congress and the first to serve on the House Ways and 

Means Committee. 

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At the beginning of the 110th Congress, STEPHANIE was 

named chairwoman of the House Committee on Standards of 

Official Conduct, of which I am a member. 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES will be deeply missed by her family—her son, Mervyn Jones II and her sister Barbara Walker—as well as the countless friends she leaves behind. Our 

thoughts and prayers are with them all at this difficult time. 

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my sincere 

condolences for the passing of the Honorable STEPHANIE

TUBBS JONES. 

Not only was she a true hero and noble leader in the U.S. 

Congress, a trailblazer for all minorities, but she was also a 

friend who will be dearly missed. 

Representative STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES’ passing is a tragic loss for this Congress and our Nation. Her leadership on 

the Ethics Committee and on voting rights will never be forgotten. On behalf of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, we 

send our prayers and condolences to her family, friends, and 

staff. 

As chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, I 

worked with Representative TUBBS JONES on a variety of 

projects, including our fundraising efforts for Gallaudet University here in Washington, as well as other endeavors 

which promoted advocacy for low-income and minority communities. 

Having been blessed with the opportunity to get to know 

her outside the walls of Congress as a team member of the 

Democratic Congressional Basketball Team, I was impressed 

by her continually cheerful disposition and lively energy. 

Due to this vigor, she was always able to spread joy to others 

and add a positive light no matter the situation. 

STEPHANIE’s death will be felt by all, not just within the 

Cleveland community, but also throughout the Nation because of the ideals she stood for. I offer the thoughts and 

prayers of my wife Barbara and myself to Congresswoman 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES’ son Mervyn and to her family for 

their loss. 

Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise 

to express my most sincere condolences on the death of the 

Honorable STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

I was extremely saddened to hear the news of Congresswoman TUBBS JONES’ passing. Since 1999, she has proudly 

and honorably served Ohio’s 11th District. 

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STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was the daughter of an airport 

skycap. She grew up in Cleveland and graduated from college and law school at Case Western. She began her life of 

public service when she went to work as a local government 

lawyer and went on to serve 8 years as a judge on the Court 

of Common Pleas of Cuyahoga County. As the first African 

American woman elected from Ohio to serve in Congress, she 

brought a fresh energy and new perspective to the House. No 

one was surprised when she quickly rose to a position on the 

powerful Ways and Means Committee. 

I got to know STEPHANIE in my first term in Congress because my office was next door to hers. She was never too 

busy to help a freshman Member in whatever way she could. 

Her energy was boundless, and I will sorely miss her smile— 

it could light up a crowded room. Those who had the good 

fortune to know this incredible woman know what I am talking about. 

During her four terms in Congress, she was a champion 

for the people of the 11th District. She worked tirelessly to 

create equal opportunities for all people in this country as 

she fought to increase the minimum wage, to increase funding to public schools, and to create affordable and accessible 

health care. 

The people of Ohio have lost a great political leader, and 

we have lost a beloved and respected colleague. We will all 

miss her friendly smile and her passion for her fellow man. 

Ms. MCCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, it is with tremendous sadness that I rise to mourn the passing of our 

dear colleague, the Honorable STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES of 

Ohio. STEPHANIE’s death is an unbelievable tragedy for her 

family and all of us who loved her. It is a tremendous loss 

for her Cleveland constituents and our Nation. Her passing 

reminds us how precious life is and how we must treasure 

the time we spend with our loved ones. 

STEPHANIE’s absence is profoundly personal for me because 

she was a very special person and a friend. Many memories 

and personal stories come to mind when I think of her. She 

was a caring person who showed her kindness and friendship 

freely. Her deep, strong, loving voice is memorable. STEPHANIE’s energy and strength—almost fearlessness—to fight for 

what she believed in, and at the same time, be open to opposing points of view was admirable. 

I can’t count the number of times I watched STEPHANIE on 

the floor of this House boldly speaking out on behalf of 

Americans and her Ohio constituents. She was passionate 

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and never shied away from fighting for justice, equality, and 

the belief that this great country can do so much better for 

so many of the citizens who have been left behind. A powerful voice for justice in Congress and an extraordinary public 

servant is the best way I can describe STEPHANIE and her 

legacy. 

As the chair of the House Ethics Committee, Congresswoman TUBBS JONES had one of the most difficult duties in 

Congress. Her experience as a judge and a prosecutor made 

her perfectly suited for the responsibility of maintaining the 

integrity of the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Today is STEPHANIE’s 59th birthday. It is heartbreaking 

that she is not here with us, but I am proud to celebrate her 

life of service and her commitment to both her family and 

the families she represented. Congresswoman TUBBS JONES

was the epitome of a citizen servant and demonstrated to all 

who knew her a spirit of joy, hope, and compassion. I feel 

honored to have known her and privileged to have served 

with her in this House. STEPHANIE will be missed by me and 

many others, but she will not be forgotten. 

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor our departed colleague the Honorable STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

Many have attested to STEPHANIE’s contagious smile and 

fierce loyalty to her friends. I always respected and admired 

her. I can honestly say that she was a nice and professional 

colleague. We spoke for the last time a couple of weeks ago 

at the Congressional Black Caucus’ Annual Retreat in 

Tunica, Mississippi. I feel a sense of gratitude for our meeting. We talked. We embraced. STEPHANIE expressed her congratulations for my success as a freshman legislator. She 

spoke fondly of her time in Memphis as she visited her family there. 

Over the past decade, STEPHANIE was an undeniable force 

in Congress. She broke barriers in 1998 by being elected the 

first African American woman in Congress from Ohio. She 

persisted over the years and was appointed to the powerful 

Ways and Means Committee. She served with a sense of 

pride as the chairwoman of the House Ethics Committee. 

STEPHANIE and I co-sponsored a great deal of legislation 

together. On July 29, 2008, we unified as Members of Congress and passed H. Res. 194: the formal apology for government’s involvement in slavery and Jim Crow. STEPHANIE was 

one of my earliest co-sponsors. She was a community conscious legislator. She fought for the people and sponsored 

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legislation on issue areas ranging from community economic 

development to enfranchisement and retirement security. 

I am forever grateful that my last interaction with STEPHANIE concluded with a deep and meaningful hug. My only regret is that STEPHANIE and I will not have the opportunity 

to work together in the future. 

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 

life and legacy of Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

First, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to her 

entire family, especially her son Mervyn and her sister Barbara. I want to also offer my condolences to the constituents 

of Ohio’s 11th Congressional District, to all of her many 

friends, her colleagues—especially in the Congressional 

Black Caucus—and of course to her staff here in Washington 

and in Ohio. 

On August 20, 2008, the people of Cleveland, this Nation, 

and the world lost a giant in the fight for equality and justice when we lost my beloved friend and colleague Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

So many know Congresswoman TUBBS JONES for her exceptional work on behalf of her constituents and for the 

many barriers she broke and trails she blazed as the first African American woman elected to Congress from Ohio, as the 

first African American woman to serve on the powerful Ways 

and Means Committee, and as the first to chair the House 

Ethics Committee. 

Congresswoman TUBBS JONES and I came to Congress 

about the same time. We worked closely together for a decade and she was one of the most remarkable persons I have 

ever known. Whether it was standing up for Ohio voters and 

fighting for election reform or fighting to end the unjust war 

and occupation in Iraq, she always stood on the right side of 

justice. 

She was a political giant, a skilled legislator, an incredible 

orator, but she was much more than that to me. She was 

also my sister in arms, my confidant, and my friend. We 

spent many an evening in Washington together throughout 

our decade-long friendship. 

From attending events together, to just grabbing dinner or 

an occasional down moment, we’ve spent a great deal of time 

throughout the years. We also spent many mornings together. You see STEPHANIE was also my gym partner along 

with Congresswoman Laura Richardson. 

STEPHANIE and I also had the chance to travel together on 

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ways treasure those times and memories. It was during some 

of our travel together, and our work together for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, that I got the chance to 

know her husband, Mervyn Jones, whom she loved dearly 

and tragically lost in October 2003. 

In the wake of his death, STEPHANIE created a scholarship 

golf tournament in his memory, which has become a successful annual event. I know she would be pleased that a scholarship has been now arranged in her honor. 

Unquestionably, her passing has left a tremendous hole in 

the Congress, in the Congressional Black Caucus, and in my 

heart. I will miss my beautiful friend and sister, Congresswoman TUBBS JONES so very much. 

My thoughts and prayers remain with the Congresswoman’s entire family, her son Mervyn, her sister Barbara, 

her staff, her friends, and her many supporters. 

May her soul rest in peace. 

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, today I join 

my colleagues to remember and celebrate the life of a dear 

friend and colleague, STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. It is during 

times like these that we are both able to smile, thinking 

about those who we admired and who have distinctly 

touched our lives—and in the case of STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES—touched the lives of thousands of Clevelanders who 

were so devoted to her and she to them. And of course, we 

sadly mourn the death of a woman who was dedicated to 

making the lives of Ohioans and Americans better. From increasing the minimum wage to making health care available 

to all, STEPHANIE was at the forefront, fighting for all of our 

families. 

Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES is the real-life 

American success story. Born to a factory worker and skycap, STEPHANIE went to public schools in Ohio, then became 

a prosecutor and municipal judge and finally, the first African American woman from Ohio elected to the U.S. Congress. Nearly 10 years ago, she was a little-known Democrat 

from Ohio who rose to prominence becoming chair of the 

House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct and a 

member of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. 

Like so many, STEPHANIE was taken from us too soon and 

too abruptly. I extend my sincerest condolences to STEPHANIE’s family and especially to her beloved son, Mervyn. 

Your mom was a great lady and a wonderful friend. We will 

all miss her dearly. 

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Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of my colleague and dear friend, U.S. Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, who left us far too soon. 

STEPHANIE’s fearless passion for social justice, unyielding 

commitment to improving the lives of her most vulnerable 

constituents, and limitless love for her family and friends, 

will forever resound throughout our Cleveland community 

and across our Nation. Her professional achievements were 

many—her success as a county prosecutor, municipal judge, 

trial court judge and Congresswoman are well known, but it 

was her strength of character in the face of personal hardship, her dedication to and ability in helping others and her 

luminous zest for life that ran through everything she did. 

It is these attributes, framed by her hearty laugh and generous heart—that will forever be remembered. 

STEPHANIE’s life touched and inspired countless lives, 

young and old, and her energy and positivity knew no 

bounds—reaching from the block clubs of Cleveland, to the 

Halls of Congress, across the country and around the world. 

Wherever she went, people were drawn to her quick smile, 

sharp intellect, easygoing nature, and passion for making the 

world a better place. The child of devoted, working class parents, STEPHANIE blazed a trail of possibility and hope for 

women everywhere, especially for African American women, 

when she made history upon being elected as the first African American woman from Ohio elected to Congress. STEPHANIE was not afraid to stand up against the tide—she was 

one of the Representatives to vote ‘‘no’’ to authorizing the use 

of force in Iraq—an action she believed to be a grave affront 

to the honor of U.S. veterans and the honorable service of 

our U.S. military women and men. 

STEPHANIE’s sage advice and ability to get to the heart of 

the matter was coveted by her family and wide circle of 

friends. Her warmth, friendship, and loyalty inspired and 

strengthened the lives of many, including my own. People 

from all walks of life—from U.S. Senators to the cashier 

around the corner—called STEPHANIE ‘‘friend’’ and ‘‘sister.’’ 

STEPHANIE’s most cherished roles were as wife and mother. Her unwavering devotion to her family was evidenced her 

entire life. Together, STEPHANIE and her late husband, 

Mervyn Jones, Sr., raised their son, Mervyn II, who was 

heart, soul, and center of STEPHANIE’s life. 

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and 

remembrance of my dear friend and confidant, Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. Our shared experiences— 

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from our Cleveland childhood to standing together in the 

House of Representatives—was the foundation for a friendship that grew and strengthened over the past 30 years. 

Her passing is a profound loss for all of us, and especially 

for her beloved son, Mervyn, yet her fiery spirit, love for her 

family and friends, and commitment to serving the most 

fragile of our society will be forever reflected in those who 

loved and knew her well—in Cleveland, Washington, and far 

beyond. The indomitable spirit, love for life, and passion for 

social justice that defined my friend, STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES, will live on forever, through every friendship she ever 

forged and within everyone whose life was improved, inspired, and lifted because of her, and she will be remembered 

always. 

ADJOURNMENT 

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do 

now adjourn. 

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 10 o’clock and 

32 minutes p.m.), under its previous order and pursuant to 

House Resolution 1415, the House adjourned until tomorrow, 

Tuesday, September 9, 2008, at 10:30 a.m., for morning-hour 

debate, as a further mark of respect to the memory of the 

late Honorable STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

TUESDAY, September 9, 2008 

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, how can 

words adequately describe someone who is larger than life? 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was a change-maker and a risk 

taker. As a woman, she helped blaze a trail for generations 

to follow, first in her role as a prosecutor, then a judge, 

then as Ohio’s first African American female Member of Congress. 

To me personally, STEPHANIE was a mentor and a role 

model. She was someone who didn’t hesitate to pull me aside 

when I first came to Washington and give me advice, from 

my wardrobe to my hair, STEPHANIE kept it real, because 

that is exactly what she was in every sense of the word. 

Above all else, though, STEPHANIE was my friend, and one 

of my first friends here in Washington. Her room-filling energy, her passion, her dedication, her voice for the downtrodden, all of these will be missed by the people of Ohio. 

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Her intelligence, her expertise, her counsel, will be missed by 

all of us here in this Chamber. 

And me? Well, Mr. Speaker, I will miss my friend. 

MONDAY, September 15, 2008 

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise 

to pay tribute to the life and legacy of a great woman, my 

friend and colleague, Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES. 

First, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to 

STEPHANIE’s entire family, her son Merv and her sister Barbara. I also want to offer my condolences to the constituents 

of Ohio’s 11th Congressional District, to all of STEPHANIE’s 

many friends and colleagues, and, of course, to her staff here 

in Washington, DC, and in Ohio. 

On August 20, the people of Cleveland, this Nation, and 

the world lost a giant in the fight for equality and justice 

when we lost our beloved Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES. When I walked on to the floor tonight, I looked for 

STEPHANIE. She wasn’t in the Speaker’s chair presiding. She 

wasn’t on the floor moving around, energizing and inspiring 

our deliberations. It is hard to accept the fact and to believe 

that her physical presence won’t be with us anymore. 

So many knew STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES for her exceptional work on behalf of her constituents and for the many 

barriers she broke and trails she blazed as the first African 

American woman elected to Congress from Ohio, as the first 

African American woman to serve on the Ways and Means 

Committee, and the first to chair the House Ethics Committee. 

Congresswoman TUBBS JONES and I came to Congress 

about the same time. We worked closely together for a decade, and she was one of the most remarkable persons I have 

ever known. Whether it was standing up for Ohio voters and 

fighting for election reform, or fighting to end the unjust war 

and occupation of Iraq, she was always on the right side of 

history. And, like for many, STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was a 

very good friend. 

Friendship means different things to different people. 

STEPHANIE’s friendship for me meant trust. She was my confidant. STEPHANIE’s friendship for me meant support. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES’ friendship meant spending girl time, 

shopping, eating, traveling, talking about matters of the 

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heart, like her man-child son Merv, who was her heart and 

her soul. STEPHANIE’s friendship to me meant being for real 

in discussions about political and legislative issues. And 

STEPHANIE’s friendship for me meant a lot of love. 

I always remember last year when my father passed away, 

the love and concern for me and my family that she displayed. With the loss of her husband, her mother, her father 

and her sister, she assured me that I needed to grieve, and 

she called me day and night to make sure I wasn’t planning 

on coming right back to work after the funeral. And, oh, how 

right she was. 

From attending events together, to just grabbing dinner or 

an occasional down moment, we spent a great deal of time 

together throughout the years. STEPHANIE was my traveling 

partner. We shared magnificent experiences in Israel and in 

Cuba. I will always cherish those times and memories. 

It was during some of our travel together and our work together for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation that 

I got the chance to know her husband, Mervyn Jones, whom 

she loved dearly and tragically lost in October 2003. In the 

wake of his death, STEPHANIE created two very successful 

golf and bid whist tournaments in his memory through the 

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. And she insisted 

that her friends and her colleagues participate with her. 

She loved young people, and made sure that these annual 

events helped raise money for countless scholarships. I know 

she would be pleased that a scholarship now has been established in her memory. 

Some have spoken of STEPHANIE’s culinary experiences 

and skills. She would bring some of her fabulous chili here 

to share with us, and always loved to share her recipes, especially her mustard-based fried catfish and her mother’s 

fried corn recipe. 

I can remember calling her on her cell phone one day. She 

was in a meeting in Cleveland while I was preparing her 

fried corn recipe. Of course, I didn’t quite get it right, so she 

stepped out of this meeting and she walked me through this 

recipe, step by step. 

We all have so many STEPHANIE stories. She was a woman 

for all seasons, a devoted mother, a devoted sister, a brilliant 

legislator, a dedicated Representative of Ohio’s 11th Congressional District, and she was a history maker, as the first 

African American woman to break many glass ceilings. And, 

yes, she was my trusted friend, a true friend, and a fabulous 

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tive, even on days when we were down. STEPHANIE was my 

gym partner, as we both tried to get our physical fitness regimen back on track. 

Yes, the Honorable, and that she was, Mr. Speaker, the 

Honorable STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, was a great 

Congressperson, and she never lost the common touch. She 

would help people find their seats on the airplane, she 

mentored young people, and she would constantly remind us 

to be strong advocates for working men and women. Recalling her father’s work as a skycap, she never forgot who she 

was, and she used her positions to help those shut out and 

those underrepresented. 

So, yes, we owe STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES a debt of gratitude. I thank her son Mervyn and her sister Barbara and 

her entire family for sharing this brilliant and beautiful 

woman with us. Her spirit is smiling tonight on us. It continues to move around this floor, nudging us to do the right 

thing. 

May God’s grace and His love undergird her family during 

these difficult days, and may we redouble our efforts in 

STEPHANIE’s memory, our efforts for justice and peace and 

equality and to make this a better world for all. 

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I wish to associate myself 

with the remarks of the gentlelady from California, our dear 

colleague, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, and thank her very 

much for her remarks on Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES. We share your feelings and your warmth and affection toward her, and I know that your remarks are of comfort to her son, to her sister, to her family, to all those who 

are associated with her and, of course, her staff, who must 

carry on. We thank you so much for that. . . . 

WEDNESDAY, September 17, 2008 

Mr. MCDERMOTT. . . . The passing of STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES was a great shock to all of us who worked with her. 

We were always impressed by her tireless energy and her infectious smile. 

STEPHANIE was a true champion for vulnerable families 

and children. In fact, her first legislative achievement in 

Congress was a bill designed to improve training opportunities for caseworkers in the child welfare system. 

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In recognition of Representative TUBBS JONES’ efforts to 

help vulnerable kids, this bill [H.R. 6893, the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008] 

names the primary source of Federal funding for the Social 

Security Act for Child Protective Services after her, as well 

as making several improvements to the program. 

The Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program will help at-risk children for many years and decades 

to come, just as she did during her life. . . . 

THURSDAY, September 18, 2008 

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the 

‘‘Stephanie Tubbs Jones Gift of Life Medal Act of 2008’’ with 

my colleague Mr. Camp of Michigan. Representative TUBBS

JONES’ life ended as she lived it; by exemplifying concern for 

the welfare of others. She donated her organs in the waning 

hours of her life so that the lives of others could continue. 

In that spirit, this legislation creates a commemorative 

medal for organ donors and their families, recognizing the 

brave and selfless act of organ donation. 

As I well know from my time on the Ways and Means 

Health Subcommittee, Representative TUBBS JONES worked 

tirelessly to remedy health disparities in our Nation. Organ 

donation is one area where dramatic health disparities exist, 

which makes this all the more of a fitting tribute. . . . 

This is non-controversial, non-partisan legislation to increase the rate of organ donation while honoring the life and 

service of our colleague, Representative TUBBS JONES. I ask 

my colleagues to help bring an end to transplant waiting 

lists and recognize the enormous courage displayed by organ 

donors and their families. This bill honors these brave acts, 

while publicizing the critical need for increased organ donation. I urge swift passage of the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Gift 

of Life Medal Act. 

MONDAY, September 22, 2008 

Mrs. DAVIS of California. I yield myself as much time as 

I may consume. 

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 642, the College Fire 

Prevention Act. This legislation is the result of the life work 

of the late Representative STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

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Many of us know the commitment of Representative TUBBS

JONES to the cause of campus fire safety. Every September, 

she would come to the floor to advocate for the recognition 

of September as Campus Fire Safety Month. Because of her 

efforts, States around the country also recognized September 

as Campus Fire Safety Month and helped to make students 

aware of the dangers they face and to ensure that colleges 

and universities do all they can to assist students. 

H.R. 642 builds on Representative TUBBS JONES’ work to 

protect students on campus by creating a demonstration program within the Department of Education to encourage colleges and universities to install fire sprinkler systems and 

other fire suppression and prevention technologies in student 

housing and dormitories. . . . 

In passing this legislation here today, we not only honor 

the work of Representative STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, but we 

also ensure the safety of students on campus. 

I urge the passage of this timely and important legislation. 

I reserve the balance of my time. 

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 

I may consume. 

I rise in support of H.R. 642, the Honorable Stephanie 

Tubbs Jones College Fire Prevention Act, and I join my colleagues in honoring our colleague. 

So often in this Chamber we consider legislation to expand 

access to college and strengthen our Federal higher education programs. Today, we have an opportunity to discuss 

the need to bolster safety on college campuses, specifically 

fire safety. 

The timing and the name of this bill are appropriate because this month is often designated as Campus Fire Safety 

Month, and there was no Member more concerned about protecting our college students from the dangers of fire than the 

late Representative STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. This bill would 

honor Representative TUBBS JONES by naming a demonstration program in her honor. . . . 

Today, we have the opportunity to honor Representative 

TUBBS JONES’ commitment to the safety of college students 

and pass a measure that will help colleges keep our young 

people safe from devastating fires. . . . 

Mr. CLYBURN. Let me begin by thanking Representative 

Susan Davis for allowing me to participate in this session 

here this afternoon. 

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I would like to take a moment to say a personal word 

about my dear friend STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, who was a 

powerful voice for justice, equality, and opportunity, who 

served the people of Ohio’s 11th Congressional District and 

this Nation with passion and dedication. Unfortunately, 

STEPHANIE passed away unexpectedly last month, and it is 

a great loss to this cause and to our country. 

Throughout her five terms in Congress, Representative 

TUBBS JONES tirelessly advocated for campus fire safety and 

was the author of numerous pieces of legislation on the 

issue. She introduced, and saw pass, a resolution supporting 

the goals and ideals of Campus Fire Safety Month. She was 

also the primary sponsor of the College Fire Prevention Act, 

which she introduced in the 107th Congress and then reintroduced in the 108th, the 109th and the 110th. 

I am here today to pay tribute to her efforts as a champion 

for campus fire safety and am proud to take her place as the 

lead sponsor of the College Fire Prevention Act so that we 

can continue her legacy by passing this important measure 

and renaming it the Stephanie Tubbs Jones College Fire 

Prevention Act. . . . 

I add my voice to those here today to pay tribute to Representative TUBBS JONES’ courageous efforts and say that I 

am committed to the issue of campus fire safety. 

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, we’re pleased to join our 

colleagues on the other side of the aisle in paying this tribute 

to our colleague. 

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, we come on the 

floor once again to honor the life and work of the late STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, and we do that with this bill, very important bill, H.R. 642, the College Fire Prevention Act. I’m delighted that Mr. Clyburn was able to be here and to continue 

her legacy in this way. 

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, as a co-sponsor of this legislation, I would like to thank my colleagues and the Education and Labor Committee for allowing this legislation to 

be considered today. Additionally, I would like to recognize 

Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, who during her 

five terms in Congress, worked to advance fire safety, particularly on college campuses. . . . 

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TUESDAY, September 23, 2008 

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 

I may consume. 

I rise in support of H.R. 6469, the Stephanie Tubbs Jones 

Organ Transplant Authorization Act of 2008. This legislation 

would provide important new funding for the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. . . . 

The bill is aptly named in honor of Representative STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, our Democrat of Ohio who died on August 20, 2008, from a brain aneurysm. Representative TUBBS

JONES was a strong and vocal advocate for organ donation 

during her life and donated her organs upon her passing. It 

is estimated that as many as 58 people will benefit from her 

donation. When enacted, Mr. Speaker, this legislation will 

provide critical funding to ensure the OPTN has resources it 

needs to continue to perform its valuable services to our Nation. . . . 

Ms. DEGETTE. . . . I stand here in strong support of H.R. 

6469, which has been named the Stephanie Tubbs Jones 

Organ Transplant Act of 2008. We named this bill in honor 

of our dear departed colleague because STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES was a committed advocate of organ transplantation 

and was an organ and tissue donor herself. Upon her passing 

she was able to continue serving her constituents and the 

Nation by donating her tissue and organs. . . . 

This bill is supported by numerous groups, Mr. Speaker. It 

is a vitally important bill. I look forward to passing it tonight 

and further continuing STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES’ legacy of 

public service. 

Mr. COSTA. . . . As a founder and the co-chair of the Congressional Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Caucus, I 

am very pleased to support this measure before us, H.R. 

6469, otherwise known thereafter as the Stephanie Tubbs 

Jones Organ Transplant Authorization Act. . . . 

This bill reaffirms our Nation’s commitment to providing 

lifesaving care through transplantation, and at the same 

time it honors our late colleague, Congresswoman STEPHANIE

TUBBS JONES, who gave the gift of life by becoming an organ 

donor after her passing. . . . 

I encourage all of my colleagues to join in honoring Congresswoman TUBBS JONES by supporting this bill and by also 

following her example in becoming organ donors. After all, 

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it’s perhaps the most precious gift we can give. I know because I am one of those who intends to do just that. 

I urge an ‘‘aye’’ vote on this important measure. 

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. . . . We know that we lost 

our very dear friend in August, a friend who championed 

health care, who championed her own health system in the 

State of Ohio. More important, she valued life because she 

lived it to the fullest. Yet she understood that, in death, you 

can also give life. This is a great tribute to Congresswoman 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. It reminds us again of the need of 

organ transplants and of donors in the African American 

population, which makes up about 12 percent of the Nation’s 

population, about 12 percent of the patients who donate but 

23 percent of the need. 

So this is an important step forward, this legislation that 

is now being renewed. It is an important tribute to Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES and to her family. Out of 

the joyful life that she had, she then gave life in death and 

reminded us of the importance of organ transplants and of 

the life they give to others. 

I ask my colleagues to support this legislation. 

Finally, this bill will honor an ardent supporter of transplantation, the Honorable STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. Before 

her death, she ordered that when she passed away, her organs be donated to any in need. Her death, while a great loss 

for myself, her state, and anyone who knew her and loved 

her, will hopefully serve as an example for her fellow Ohioans and beyond. Congresswoman TUBBS JONES knew, like all 

of us will, that there is a growing need among the African 

American community for transplantation. Currently, African 

Americans make up about 12 percent of the Nation’s population and about 12 percent of the patients who donate. However, of all the patients requiring a transplant, 23 percent of 

them are African American. This disparity is a growing epidemic and must be resolved. 

Mr. Speaker, Congresswoman TUBBS JONES served as a 

model for how we should live our lives and beyond. I hope 

that her memory will inspire millions around the Nation to 

take up the noble cause of saving those who have no other 

choice. I urge passage of this bill. 

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests 

for time, and I would urge the support for and the passage 

of this bill, not only because of its significance but also in 

honor of our colleague Ms. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

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Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 

such time as I may consume. 

It is with great humility and respect that I present for favorable consideration H.R. 6950, the Stephanie Tubbs Jones 

Gift of Life Medal Act of 2008. 

Our friend, our respected colleague, Congresswoman 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, worked tirelessly for her district, 

for her community and for people who are underrepresented. 

As a constant advocate for justice and peace, as a very proud 

member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, 

she was a fervent supporter and leader of efforts to reduce 

health disparities in our Nation. 

This legislation directs the Treasury Department to design 

and produce a commemorative medal that the Department of 

Health and Human Services will award to organ donors or 

to a surviving family member, which is especially fitting to 

be named in honor of Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES for a couple of reasons: 

Organ donation is an area where dramatic health disparities still exist. She, herself, was an organ donor, and over 50 

beneficiaries have benefited from her gift of life. 

The number of Americans affected by shortages of suitable 

organs for donation is considerable. Nearly 100,000 people 

are currently waiting for organ transplants, and nearly 2,000 

of these are children under 18. The national waiting list 

grows substantially every year. Since the waiting list began, 

over 80,000 donation-eligible Americans have died while 

waiting for an organ to become available. In 2007 alone, over 

6,500 people died for lack of a suitable organ. 

The men and women who elect to become organ donors are 

heroes just like our friend and colleague. They have the opportunity to give the gift of life to thousands of Americans 

who are suffering from debilitating and lethal diseases. 

While the gift of a donor is priceless, the enactment of this 

bill would have no cost to the Federal Government as funding for the medals would come from charitable donations. 

I reserve the balance of my time. 

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 

6950, the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Gift of Life Medal Act of 

2008. 

As everyone in this Chamber knows, the late Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was a wonderful woman 

and a tireless public servant. She sought to use her time 

each day to serve the people of her district and of this Nation, and the extraordinary generosity she exhibited in so 

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many of her actions proves to be one of her lasting legacies. 

She was also a very joyful woman, and she brought much joy 

to all of those who were fortunate enough to know her. I include myself in that group. 

However, nowhere have her selfless nature and leadership 

qualities been more apparent than in her decision to be an 

organ donor. Her untimely death was a tragedy, but because 

of her decision, others will be fortunate to enjoy the gift of 

life. 

Currently, there are close to 100,000 individuals on the national transplant waiting list. Each hour, this number increases, adding a new name approximately every 16 minutes. Yet, despite how sobering this statistic is and the even 

harsher statistic that my colleague mentioned, more sobering 

is the number of people who die while waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. This number is 16 people per day. 

Understanding that reality, Representative TUBBS JONES did 

what she always did. She volunteered to give to those in 

need. 

This legislation honors her actions. The bill before us 

today would establish a Stephanie Tubbs Jones Gift of Life 

Medal, and it would make any organ donor or family of the 

organ donor eligible to receive the honor. The legislation empowers the Secretary of Health and Human Services to direct the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network to 

establish an application and assessment process for donors 

in order to receive the award. 

By agreeing to this legislation, this Congress honors the 

actions of Representative TUBBS JONES and the actions of so 

many others who sought to give what they could to those in 

need. This is an important action, and I urge my colleagues 

to support the bill. 

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. 

Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge passage of 

the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Gift of Life Medal Act of 2008, 

and to thank the many colleagues and friends of STEPHANIE’s 

who joined together to bring this bill to the floor. 

STEPHANIE’s life ended as she lived it; by exemplifying concern for the welfare of others. She donated her organs in the 

waning hours of her life so that the lives of others could continue. In that spirit, this bill creates a commemorative medal 

for organ donors and their families, recognizing the brave 

and selfless act of organ donation. . . . 

As an active member of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, STEPHANIE worked tirelessly to remedy health 

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disparities in our Nation. Organ donation is one area where 

dramatic health disparities exist, which makes this all the 

more of a fitting tribute. . . . 

While minorities donate organs in proportion to their population, the rate of organ donations fails to keep pace with 

the need for transplants in the population. Minority populations account for close to 50 percent of the people who are 

currently waiting for organ transplants. 

I’d like to take a moment to recognize the help of former 

Senate Majority Leader and transplant surgeon Dr. Bill 

Frist, for whom this bill was named for when it was introduced earlier this year. Dr. Frist is a tireless advocate of 

organ donors and their families, and worked on behalf of the 

Gift of Life Medal Act. I appreciate his graciousness in expressing his strong support for renaming the bill, and I 

would ask the Chair to have Dr. Frist’s letter of support inserted into the Record. 

I ask my colleagues to help bring an end to transplant 

waiting lists and recognize the enormous courage displayed 

by organ donors and their families. This bill honors these 

brave acts, while publicizing the critical need for increased 

organ donation, and pays tribute to the selflessness and 

memory of our colleague. STEPHANIE’s dedication to improving health care should be permanently recognized. I urge 

passage of the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Gift of Life Medal Act. 

NASHVILLE, TN, 

September 15, 2008. 

Hon. PETE STARK, 

Chairman, Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, 

Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC. 

Hon. DAVE CAMP, 

Ranking Member, Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, 

Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC. 

DEAR CHAIRMAN STARK AND RANKING MEMBER CAMP: Thank you for your 

leadership on the Gift of Life Congressional Medal. 

Like you, I am truly inspired by those that donate their organs. I can 

think of no act that is more honorable or selfless, and it is befitting of Congress to pass this act to recognize these outstanding individuals and their 

families. I was pleased to sponsor this legislation in the Senate. 

It is also extremely fitting to name this legislation in honor of the late 

Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. A tireless advocate for those in 

need, she cemented her legacy by donating her organs and tissue, which will 

help over 50 individuals. Her act, and the thousands that have come before 

it, must be recognized. 

Each year, there are nearly 14,000 organs that are donated. As a transplant surgeon, I have seen first hand how lives are transformed through 

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tation process. I am continually amazed at the advances in technology that 

make transplants more successful every year. 

While advances are being made, there are still too few donors—nearly 

100,000 people are waiting on national transplant lists. To encourage more 

donors, we should make every effort to recognize those that make this lifesaving decision. I believe creating a Gift of Life Congressional medal is critically important to increasing awareness on this issue. 

Again, please accept my sincere appreciation for your work and strong 

support for naming the Gift of Life Congressional Medal Act in honor of 

Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. It is a fitting tribute for such an 

outstanding and committed woman. 

Sincerely, 

DR. WILLIAM H. FRIST. 

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I speak today 

on a very close subject to my heart, House Resolution 6950, 

a bill to establish the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Gift of Life 

Medal for organ donors and the families of organ donors. 

Congresswoman TUBBS JONES was a rare breed of person 

who not only talked the talk, but walked the walk. 

Tragedy struck Congress a few weeks ago when Congresswoman TUBBS JONES was taken from us. This brought attention to an issue of vital importance to her and the Nation. 

Organ transplantation is the greatest gift a person can give. 

While a majority of them happen while both the donor and 

the recipient are alive, a large number happen after death. 

Unfortunately these organs, such as the heart, lung, liver, 

and kidney, among others, are very hard to come by. In the 

Congresswoman’s home State, only 53 percent of the population are registered organ donors. This is a good start but 

we must go further. 

When a loved one dies, it is never a happy moment; experiences like this always bring sadness and sorrow. When that 

loved one’s death can serve as a beacon of hope for another, 

it does not lessen the sadness; it allows the family to have 

a good, if small, memory of the loss of their loved one. When 

Congresswoman TUBBS JONES passed away, we were all 

deeply saddened but I think I can speak for more than a few 

of my fellow Members of Congress when I express the joy 

and pride I felt when I learned that after years of advocating 

for organ transplantation, Congresswoman TUBBS JONES left 

all of her vital organs to those in need. . . . 

This bill will do three wonderful things and help the cause 

that the Congresswoman fought for in all her years serving 

Ohio. First, it will honor the life of an unwavering advocate 

of transplant. Naming the medal after her will show all 

those who come later, that this was a woman deep with pasVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:08 Mar 12, 2009 Jkt 044100 PO 00000 Frm 00092 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\TUBBS\44100.TXT CRS2 PsN: SKAYNE
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sion about this important issue. It will shine a light on a life 

that helped shine a light on others. 

Second, this bill will honor those, who like the Congresswoman, have shown their true patriotism to their fellow man 

or woman and shared with them the greatest gift. These 

medals are a way that the Federal Government, on behalf of 

its people, can begin to thank Americans who commit themselves to being organ donors. 

Last, this bill will help raise awareness for minority health 

issues. It was found that African Americans make up a disproportional number of patients requiring transplants and 

that they wait, on average, longer to receive an organ. When 

they do finally receive this opportunity, they are sicker and 

the success rate is not what it could be. We can, and must, 

do more. 

Mr. Speaker, we can do something to help the millions of 

men and women around the world waiting for organ transplants. We should also move quickly to honor those who have 

already given the greatest gift there is. As Albert Einstein 

once said, ‘‘Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile,’’ 

and no one exemplified this better than STEPHANIE TUBBS

JONES. I urge my colleagues to pass this bill to honor her. 

THURSDAY, September 25, 2008 

Mr. HOBSON. . . . There are two people who are not here 

that were dear friends of mine. Paul Gillmor is one. I 

wouldn’t be here if Paul Gillmor hadn’t gotten me appointed 

to the State senate. And STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES became 

one of my best friends. We traveled all over the world looking at military bases together. She would, if I flew to Cleveland to see my daughter and we were on the same plane (I 

didn’t have a car there) drive me to my daughter’s house and 

we became true friends. I took her and her husband on their 

25th wedding anniversary. She wanted to go on a codel, and 

I said, ‘‘I’ll give you the best party that you can ever have 

if you’ll go on this trip and get Mervyn to go with us.’’ And 

those were the days when you could do that. We had a great 

party for them. And she was a wonderful Member of this 

Congress. . . . 

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FRIDAY, September 26, 2008 

Mr. SESSIONS. Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize 

the life of my good friend and co-chair of the Capital Fraternal Caucus, STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. STEPHANIE and I 

shared a passion to help ensure a secure future for fraternities and sororities on campuses all across the country. Together, we worked to form and mature the Capital Fraternal 

Caucus to be an organization to celebrate Greek life both as 

an undergraduate and throughout post-collegiate years. 

STEPHANIE dedicated her life to ensuring that every young 

person had the opportunity for a college education. As a 

member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, STEPHANIE understood first hand the lifelong friendships that fraternities 

and sororities foster in young people during their undergraduate years. It was these friendships which fostered mutual respect and collaboration of ideas. I am so honored to 

have shared this friendship with STEPHANIE and to have enjoyed our bonds of Greek life as co-chairs of the Capital Fraternal Caucus. 

As the first African American chairman of the Capital Fraternal Caucus, STEPHANIE used her position to champion the 

Greek cause and quickly became a favorite member of interns working on Capitol Hill who are affiliated with Greek 

organizations. While always lending a helping hand to students in Washington, STEPHANIE never forgot about the hundreds of thousands of students on every college campus. 

Through her dedicated work, she helped to pass the College 

Housing and Infrastructure Act. This leadership was recognized by the North-American Interfraternity Conference who 

presented her with the NIC’s Silver Medal. This is one of the 

Conference’s highest honors which recognizes significant 

leadership for causes that advance the highest ideals of fraternalism. 

In honor of her dedication and enthusiastic work, the 

North-American Interfraternity Conference is naming a summer program for young people in Washington, DC, after her. 

The Stephanie Tubbs Jones Memorial Legislative Fellowship 

will enable outstanding student leaders from fraternity and 

sorority chapters throughout the country to work with legislative leaders on Capitol Hill to help preserve the rich undergraduate traditions represented by the communities on campuses across the Nation. I look forward to meeting the next 

generation of leaders which STEPHANIE’s legacy will bring to 

Washington. 

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A wonderful example of the type of person our public 

school system produces, STEPHANIE went on to attend Case 

Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Following 

her graduation from college she began her career in public 

service by earning a degree in social work. This passion for 

helping others led her to pursue a law degree from Case 

Western Reserve School of Law in 1974. Ultimately, STEPHANIE was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 

1998 and served the 11th Congressional District of Ohio 

until her untimely and unfortunate death in August of this 

year. 

During her time as a Congresswoman, STEPHANIE never 

lost her zeal for public service nor her passion to help young 

people. She constantly sought to improve public schools and 

ensure that every American student had the best possible 

education. STEPHANIE was a well-respected Member of this 

Congress, and her presence will surely be missed. 

MONDAY, September 29, 2008 

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to applaud 

House and Senate passage by unanimous consent of H.R. 

7198, the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Gift of Life Medal Act of 

2008. Representative TUBBS JONES’ life ended as she lived it; 

by exemplifying concern for the welfare of others. She donated her organs in the waning hours of her life so that the 

lives of others could continue. In that spirit, this legislation 

creates a commemorative medal for organ donors and their 

families, recognizing the brave and selfless act of organ donation. It is a fitting tribute to her, and I look forward to 

seeing this program get up and running. 

This bill is a modified version of H.R. 6950, which passed 

the House on September 25, 2008. We modified the bill in 

order to address concerns from the other body and ensure its 

passage. 

Unfortunately, in modifying the bill, we had to delete findings included in H.R. 6950. I ask to insert these findings into 

the Record. 

(1) Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was dedicated to eliminating health disparities and protecting vulnerable populations. 

(2) Through her service on the Committee on Ways and 

Means, Subcommittee on Health, she was a strong voice for 

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those who were poor, elderly, racial and ethnic minorities, 

and disenfranchised. 

(3) Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES’ concern for 

others was demonstrated by the decision to donate her 

organs, so that as her life ended, the lives of others continued. . . . 

FRIDAY, October 3, 2008 

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Speaker, I would like to submit 

the following poem, written by Mr. Albert Carey Caswell, in 

memory of our late great colleague, Congresswoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

THE THINGS WHICH MATTER

The things which matter . . . 

The moments which count, the ones all the end which so amount . . . 

All in our lives, are all of those things in our hearts of which are so tantamount . . . 

The very ones . . . 

Which all in the end, are what our souls are really so all about . . . 

As to this our world, what we so give no doubt . . . all in these our lives to 

tout . . . 

Are all those things which really matter . . . 

Are but the ones, which so make The Angels hearts so shout! 

All in the end, are but really what our lives are all about! 

The Ways and Means . . . 

By which we overcome all the odds, all in our life’s themes . . . 

Are but the ones, our songs which so make our Lord’s heart so shine and 

gleam . . . 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES . . . 

A Heroine . . . A Pioneer . . . A Champion for Civil Rights so seen! 

A great strong great woman of firsts, who but lived The American Dream! 

The only thing bigger than her bright big smile . . . 

Was but her fine kind and warm heart, that which so caressed all . . . all 

the while . . . 

For in these our short lifetimes, these are but the things you’ll find! 

For it’s how we live . . . 

And it’s how we lead, all in this world which so helps her to succeed . . . 

And who we care for, and for whom we bleed . . . giving to her what she so 

needs! 

Are but All Those Things Which Really Matter . . . 

All in these our times, all in these our short lives which we so bring 

about . . . 

All in the end, what really up in Heaven . . . what so matters no doubt! 

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Proceedings 

in the Senate 

WEDNESDAY, September 10, 2008 

Mr. BROWN (for himself, Mr. Voinovich, and Mr. Hatch) 

submitted the following resolution, which was considered 

and agreed to: 

S. RES. 654 

Whereas STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was born on September 10, 1949, in 

Cleveland, Ohio, and attended Case Western Reserve University and the 

Franklin Thomas Backus School of Law; 

Whereas, in 1982, at the age of 33, STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was elected 

to serve on the Cleveland Municipal Court; 

Whereas, in 1983, STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES became the first AfricanAmerican woman to serve on the Court of Common Pleas in the State of 

Ohio; 

Whereas STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES served as the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor from 1991 through 1999, becoming the first woman and the first 

African-American to hold the position; 

Whereas, in 1998, STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was elected to the first of 5 

terms in the House of Representatives, where she was a tireless advocate 

for the citizens of Ohio’s 11th Congressional District and championed increased access to health care, improved voting rights, and quality education 

for all; 

Whereas STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was the first African-American woman 

to represent the State of Ohio in Congress; 

Whereas Ohio has lost a beloved daughter and the House of Representatives one of its strongest voices with the passing of STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES

on August 20, 2008: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the Senate— 

(1) mourns the loss of the Honorable STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES and expresses its condolences to her family and friends and to the people of the 

11th Congressional District of Ohio; and 

(2) honors the life of STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, a highly esteemed and accomplished Member of Congress, dedicated community leader, and tireless 

advocate for those in need. 

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THURSDAY, October 2, 2008 

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, tragically, a month and a 

half ago, we lost a wonderful colleague of all of ours, STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was a Member 

of the U.S. House of Representatives, a wonderful Congresswoman who, whenever you met her, had a big, broad smile 

on her face. She obviously loved her work on behalf of her 

country. All of us miss her. . . . 

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IN LOVING MEMORY 

OF 

HONORABLE STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES 

Ohio’s 11th Congressional District 

SEPTEMBER 10, 1949–AUGUST 20, 2008 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 2008—11:00 A.M. 

CLEVELAND PUBLIC AUDITORIUM 

601 LAKESIDE AVENUE 

CLEVELAND, OHIO 44114 

REVEREND DR. STEPHEN ROWAN, OFFICIANT 


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Order of Service 

Processional 

Family of Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones 

Prayer of Comfort 

Bishop F.E. Perry 

Scripture 

‘‘Old Testament’’ Psalm 46:1–4, 10–11 Dr. E.T. Caviness 

Scripture 

‘‘New Testament’’ Romans 8:35–39, Bishop Lincoln 

Haughton 

Musical Selection 

‘‘If I Can Help Somebody’’ Hattie Johnson 

Remarks from Clergy 

Pastor Edward Small, Starlight Baptist Church 

Musical Selection 

Central State University Choir 

Special Tributes 

Governor Ted Strickland, State of Ohio 

Mayor Frank G. Jackson, City of Cleveland 

Representative Nancy Pelosi, California, 

Speaker of the House 

Senator Hillary Clinton, New York 

Senator Sherrod Brown, Ohio 

Senator Barack Obama, Illinois 

Representative Carolyn Kilpatrick, Michigan, 

Chair Congressional Black Caucus 

Representative Kendrick Meek, Florida, 

Chair Congressional Black Caucus Foundation 

Representative Tim Ryan, Ohio Delegation 

Honorable Louis Stokes, former Congressman 11th District, 

Ohio 

Commissioner Jimmy Dimora, Cuyahoga County 


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Order of Service 

(continued) 

Musical Selection 

Cleveland Metropolitan School District Choir 

Patrice Willoughby, 11th Congressional District, 

Chief of Staff 

Cynthia Butler McIntyre, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., 

National President 

Barbara Snyder, Case Western Reserve University, 

President 

Dr. Edgar Jackson, University Hospitals 

Joe Hewitt, Media Consultant 

Tiffany Robertson, Cleveland Metropolitan School District, 

Student 

Dorian Jones, Family 

Dr. Brad Bayless, Family 

Musical Selection 

Mrs. Lucretia Bolden 

Resolutions/Acknowledgements 

Dr. Lanelle Perry 

Reading of Obituary 

Selection 

Bethany Baptist Church Praise Team Choir 

Eulogy 

John 14:1–3, Reverend Dr. Stephen Rowan 

Closing Prayer 

Reverend Dr. Stephen Rowan 

Recessional 

Bethany Baptist Church Praise Team Choir 


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Obituary 

Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, a native Clevelander, was 

born to Andrew and Mary Tubbs on September 10, 1949. Her siblings 

Mattie and Barbara cherished growing up with their younger sister. Stephanie was joined in holy matrimony to Mervyn L. Jones, Sr. in November 

1976 and to this union was born Mervyn L. Jones, II. 

Stephanie attended Miles Standish Elementary School and was a graduate 

of the Major Work Program from Collinwood High School. Congresswoman 

Tubbs Jones received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Work and her 

Juris Doctorate Degree from Case Western Reserve University. She received 

honorary doctorates from David N. Myers University, Notre Dame College, 

Central State University and Cleveland State University. She was a lifelong 

member of Bethany Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio and a member of its 

Board of Trustees. Congresswoman Tubbs Jones was a lifetime member of 

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and served on its national Social 

Action Commission. 

Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones’ entire career was spent in 

public service. She was the Assistant County Prosecutor, serving under 

John T. Corrigan, and a Trial Attorney at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In 1982 she was elected to the Cleveland Municipal 

Court, her first elected office. Congresswoman Tubbs Jones made a number 

of historic achievements throughout her distinguished career. She was the 

first African-American woman to sit on the Common Pleas Court of the 

State of Ohio. She became the first African-American and first female to become the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor in 1991. Upon the retirement of the 

Honorable Louis Stokes, Congresswoman Tubbs Jones made history again 

when she became the first African-American woman to represent Ohio in 

the United States Congress. 

In Congress, she continued breaking new ground: President of the Freshman Congressional Class, Member of the Congressional Black Caucus Housing Task Force, Whip for Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi’s Leadership Campaign, Co-Chair of the Platform Committee Democratic National Convention, Co-Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), Co-Chair Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Retirement Security Brain Trust, Member of the 

Ways and Means Committee and Chairwoman of the Committee of Standards of Official Conduct (Ethics). 

Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones leaves to mourn: her loving 

son, Mervyn L. Jones, II; devoted sister, Barbara L. Walker; aunts, Lula 

Robinson (Pratt) of Memphis, Tennessee and Nevora Parker; uncle, Charles 

Tubbs; sister-in-laws, Garlindine Jones-Grant (Robert), Collette Jones, 

Leonette Jones-Singletary (Theodore), Dottie Jones; brother-in-laws, Robert 

Still, Cornelius Jones (Betty); nieces, Lori Rhoane (Rollon), Robin Still, 

Latesha Jonnes, Crystal Singletary, Deirdra Singletary and Bernadette 

Jones; nephews, Khari Walker (Barissa), Dorian Jones and Theo Singletary; 

great nieces, great nephews and a host of extended loving family and many 

treasured friends. Her parents Mary and Andrew Tubbs, husband Mervyn 

L. Jones, Sr. and sister Mattie Still preceded her in death. 


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Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones 

Public Servant 

Educational Honors and Awards: Notre Dame College, South Euclid, 

Ohio, ‘‘Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters,’’ Myers University, Cleveland, 

Ohio, ‘‘Honorary Doctorate,’’ Central State University, ‘‘Honorary Doctorate 

of Laws,’’ and an ‘‘Honorary Doctorate’’ from Cleveland State University. 

Congressional Caucus Memberships: Democratic Caucus, Black Caucus, 

Women’s Caucus, Children’s Caucus, Missing and Exploited Children’s Caucus, Human Rights Caucus, Congressional Mental Health Caucus, Steel 

Caucus, Alzheimer’s Disease Congressional Task Force, Bi-Partisan ProChoice Caucus, Caribbean Caucus, Congressional Biotechnology Caucus, 

Congressional Fraternal Caucus, Progressive Caucus, Diabetes Caucus, Congressional Arts Caucus, Congressional Manufacturing Task Force, Hungarian American Caucus, Congressional Submarine Caucus, and the Northeastern-Midwest Congressional Coalition. 

Civic: Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated-National Social Action 

Commission, Trustee of Bethany Baptist Church, Board of Trustees of the 

Community Re-Entry Program, Visiting Committee of the Board of Overseers of the Franklin Thomas Backus School of Law of Case Western Reserve University and Leadership Cleveland Alumnae (Board of Trustee, 

Class of 1984). 

Honors and Awards: National Black American Law Student Association, 

‘‘Midwest Regional Award,’’ Flora Stone Mather College, Case Western Reserve University ‘‘Centennial Citation Award,’’ YWCA, ‘‘Career Women of 

Achievement Award,’’ Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, ‘‘Althea 

Simmons Awards,’’ Collinwood High School, ‘‘Inductee into the Hall of 

Fame,’’ and Ohio State Bar Association, ‘‘Nettie Crouise Lutes Award,’’ 

Cleveland Life Newspaper, ‘‘Best of Cleveland Award,’’ Gradsnet Foundation 

of Cleveland, ‘‘Inductee into the Cleveland Educators and Alumni Achievers 

Hall of Fame,’’ International Black Women’s Congress, ‘‘Alma Nomsa John 

Inspirational Award,’’ Urban League of Cleveland, ‘‘Whitney Young Award,’’ 

‘‘Inducted into the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame,’’ NARAL Pro-Choice of Ohio, 

Champion of Choice Award,’’ Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, ‘‘Patricia Roberts Harris Award for Public Service,’’ Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund, Leadership Award,’’ National Bar Association, ‘‘Gertrude E. Rush 

Award,’’ Human Rights Campaign of Cleveland, Equality Award, Essence 

Magazine ‘‘35 Most Remarkable Women,’’ Cook County Bar Association, ‘‘J. 

Ernest Wilkins Award,’’ NAACP National Voter Fund, In recognition of Her 

Heroic Actions to Protect the Vote of All Ohioans,’’ Outstanding Politician 

Award, NAACP Freedom Fighter Award, Dominion Strong Men & Women 

Series Excellence in Leadership, Rotary Club, ‘‘International Award,’’ Rape 

Crisis and Essence. 


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LET THE WORK I’VE DONE SPEAK FOR ME

‘‘AUTHOR UNKNOWN’’ 

May 

the work I’ve 

done, speak for me. When 

I’m resting in my grave, there is 

nothing that can be said. May the work 

I’ve done, speak for me. May the life I’ve 

lived speak for me. May the service I gave 

speak for me. When I’ve done the best I can, 

and my friends don’t understand, may the 

service I gave speak for me. The works I’ve 

done seemed so small. Sometimes, they 

seemed like nothing at all. But when I 

stand before my God, I want to hear 

Him say ‘‘Well Done.’’ May the 

work I’ve done, speak 

for me. 

PALLBEARERS

UNITED STATES MILITARY

HONORARY PALLBEARERS

Mervyn Jones, II Robert Still Randy Jones 

Robert Norton Robert Grant James Berry 

Joseph Hewitt Brad Bayless Khari Walker Al Maples 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The family of the Late Stephanie Tubbs Jones acknowledges 

with deepest appreciation your many expressions of sympathy and love. We are grateful for all acts of kindness 

shown during our hour of bereavement. We thank you most 

sincerely and pray God’s richest blessings upon each of you. 

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Governor Ted Strickland. With the passing of STEPHANIE

TUBBS JONES, Ohio and the Nation have lost a remarkable 

human being and a devoted servant of the people. 

Today we face a moment of profound sadness, but we remember a lifetime worthy of great celebration. 

STEPHANIE was a woman whose contagious smile, honed 

intellect and boundless vitality truly made her larger than 

life. 

What some consider the work of politics was, for STEPHANIE, a source of joy. A handshake turned into a hug, a smile 

into a conversation. 

STEPHANIE was the kind of political leader who needed 

hours to go grocery shopping because everyone she saw 

wanted a moment of her time, and she willingly gave it. Because if you met STEPHANIE, she was your friend. 

To STEPHANIE’s son Mervyn and to all her loved ones, I 

want to extend my deepest sympathies. The tributes you 

hear today are heartfelt, because the life and work of STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES touched the people of the 11th District 

and far beyond. 

In her service as a judge, prosecutor, and Member of Congress, STEPHANIE was time and again a first. First woman. 

First African American. First African American woman. 

One of the many lessons we can learn from STEPHANIE’s 

life and all her firsts is that we need not ever wait for permission to do what’s never been done before. 

But having had the privilege of serving in the House with 

STEPHANIE, I know that her purpose was not being a symbol 

of progress but a source of progress. 

On health care, on education, on economic empowerment, 

the House of Representatives had no more tireless advocate 

nor stronger voice than STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

Everything I know about STEPHANIE tells me that even in 

our grief she would want us to rejoice for a life well lived in 

dedication to family, to community, and to her church. 

The Scripture reminds us: ‘‘Blessed are the dead which die 

in the Lord, from henceforth. they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.’’ 

As we say goodbye today, we take comfort because STEPHANIE’s works will follow her, and they will follow us. Because 

the doors she opened will never close. 

Senator Barack Obama. I’m here today with Michelle to 

pay tribute to an extraordinary American, a devoted public 

servant, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a wife, and a dear 

friend to so many here in Cleveland and all across America. 

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Today, we honor not just STEPHANIE’s intelligence, grace, 

spirit, passion, and compassion—but how she used those 

gifts to help others. 

For STEPHANIE, it wasn’t enough to rise up from modest 

circumstances and break so many barriers herself—she 

spent her life reaching back and pulling others through the 

doors she opened and along the trails she blazed. 

For STEPHANIE, it wasn’t enough just to study law and 

practice law—she spent her life working to shape our laws 

to honor our best instincts and reflect all our voices. 

If this work was hard or overwhelming—if she ever felt 

any loneliness in so often being first—you never would’ve 

known. STEPHANIE wasn’t a complainer. And self-pity was 

never an option as far as STEPHANIE was concerned. 

She just set her sights and steeled her will to the task at 

hand. And when it came to her life’s work—the work of 

fighting for justice and opportunity, the work of tending to 

overlooked places and being a friend to those who walk 

alone—she was relentless. 

And what struck me most about STEPHANIE was how, even 

after a decade in Congress, she was so utterly unaffected by 

the ways of Washington. STEPHANIE couldn’t put on airs if 

she tried. Whether you were an intern or an ambassador, 

you were treated to that same radiant warmth, that same 

good-natured ribbing, that same call-it-like-she-saw-it honesty. No one ever felt like a stranger around STEPHANIE. 

And even as she endured so many losses in her own life, 

she never lost her focus on helping others—her heart big 

enough, and strong enough, and resilient enough to hold her 

own pain and that of so many who needed someone to ease 

their load. She was the embodiment of the generosity that 

comes with grace—and the fearlessness that comes from 

knowing what really matters in life. 

And now that she’s left us, we’ve all got some slack to pick 

up. We’ve got some unfinished business to attend to. The 

business of shaking things up, and asking the hard questions, and insisting on the hard truths behind the official explanations. The business of embracing those who struggle 

and making their struggles our own. The business of refusing to settle for anything less than what’s right and fair and 

just. 

Those were the gifts that STEPHANIE gave us. That was 

the love with which she graced us—love for her son Mervyn 

and all her family and friends, love for her native Cleveland, 

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and love for this great country she served. And for that, we 

are all so grateful. 

Thank you and God bless you. 

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UNUM

E PLURIBUS

The Honorable 

Stephanie Tubbs Jones 

September 10, 1949–August 20, 2008 

A reception will be held in the Rayburn Room 

immediately following today’s memorial service. 


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UNUM

E PLURIBUS

A CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF

The Honorable 

Stephanie Tubbs Jones 

Ohio’s 11th District 

CHAIRWOMAN, COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS OF

OFFICIAL CONDUCT

SEPTEMBER 10, 1949–AUGUST 20, 2008 

Statuary Hall 

United States Capitol 

Wednesday, September 10, 2008 

11:00 a.m. 


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LET THE WORK I’VE DONE SPEAK FOR ME 

May the work I’ve done, speak for me. 

When I’m resting in my grave, 

there is nothing that can be said. 

May the work I’ve done, speak for me. 

May the life I’ve lived speak for me. 

May the service I gave speak for me. 

When I’ve done the best I can, 

and my friends don’t understand, 

may the service I gave speak for me. 

The works I’ve done seemed so small. 

Sometimes, they seemed like nothing at all. 

But when I stand before my God, 

I want to hear Him say ‘‘Well Done.’’ 

May the work I’ve done, speak for me. 

—AUTHOR UNKNOWN

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P R O G R A M 

P r e l u d e 

United States Air Force Ceremonial Brass Quintet 

W e l c o m e 

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi 

The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives 

M i s t r e s s o f C e r e m o n i e s 

The Honorable Carolyn C. Kilpatrick 

United States House of Representatives 

I n v o c a t i o n 

The Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin 

Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives 

R e a d i n g 

Proverbs 31:8–9 

The Honorable Marcy Kaptur 

United States House of Representatives 

T r i b u t e s 

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi 

The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives 

The Honorable Steny Hoyer 

Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives 

The Honorable John Boehner 

Republican Leader of the United States House of Representatives 

The Honorable James E. Clyburn 

Majority Whip of the United States House of Representatives 

The Honorable Rahm Emanuel 

Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus 

M u s i c a l S e l e c t i o n 

‘‘Precious Lord’’ 

R e f l e c t i o n 

Mr. Mervyn Jones II 

T r i b u t e s 

The Honorable Donna M. Christensen 

United States House of Representatives 

The Honorable Kendrick B. Meek 

United States House of Representatives 

The Honorable Tim Ryan 

United States House of Representatives 

B e n e d i c t i o n 

The Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin 

Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives 

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[ 104 ] 

Speaker Nancy Pelosi. My, my, my, wouldn’t STEPHANIE

have liked to see this turnout for her birthday party? 

When we were in Ohio, I was pleased to take two 

planeloads of Members of Congress to Cleveland for her memorial service. In that auditorium was a former President of 

the United States, a former First Lady who is a Senator and 

was a candidate for President, a nominee of the Democratic 

Party for President of the United States, her colleagues, her 

friends, and her family—all gathered together to celebrate 

the life and leadership of STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. 

I would like to welcome the family and loved ones of 

Chairwoman STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES to Statuary Hall in 

the United States Capitol to join her colleagues in celebrating her life. 

All of us in this room loved STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES— 

though this room or even this building could not hold all 

those who counted themselves among her friends. 

I would like to offer a particularly warm welcome to two 

members of STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES’ family: her son, 

Mervyn Jones II, and her sister, Barbara Walker. 

Mervyn is named for his father, STEPHANIE’s beloved husband of almost 30 years whom we lost a few years ago. With 

Mervyn here today, we also feel the presence of his loving father. We proudly welcome you to the Capitol, Mervyn. We 

are your family. Barbara, we welcome you too. 

It was once written that the simple act of going to the grocery store could take STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES 21⁄2 hours— 

because as she crossed items off her list, she added the 

names and numbers of her constituents in need. 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was a beloved figure in her 

hometown of Cleveland, and she loved and served her constituents in return. Their problems were her problems. 

Their story was her story—an American story—she was 

the daughter of a factory worker and a skycap at the Cleveland Airport who went on to chair one of the most powerful 

committees in Congress. 

Her work in Congress was informed by all the greatest 

things about our Nation: STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES was a 

tireless force for justice, equality, and opportunity. She 

fought to ensure that every American voter can vote. She 

passed bills to invest in the health of the American people, 

and to protect children from abuse and neglect. 

And in January of last year, she became chair of the 

House Ethics Committee. There, STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES

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[ 105 ] 

ably and conscientiously enforced the rules of the House in 

an evenhanded and nonpartisan fashion. 

Though her accomplishments were many, STEPHANIE

TUBBS JONES had a simple wish. As she said: ‘‘I hope I made 

you proud.’’ 

I was proud to be able to appoint STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, 

the first African American woman in history, to the powerful 

House Ways and Means Committee. 

I was proud to appoint STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES as chairwoman of the Ethics Committee. 

I know that every person in this room, especially STEPHANIE’s family and certainly her colleagues in the Congress, 

can say to STEPHANIE on her birthday: as a chairwoman, as 

a Congresswoman, as a Representative of Cleveland who 

loved her district and constituents, and most of all, who 

loved her family—you made everyone who cared about you 

or knew about you, very, very proud. We’ll miss you, darling. 

Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin. God of blessings, Source of 

all goodness, 

Today, feeling already the absence of Congresswoman 

STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES, the House of Representatives gathers to remember, pay tribute, and thank You, Lord, for the 

gift of her life and presence in our midst. 

May the grace of her radiant smile, strong yet gracious advocacy, and ready expressions of faith and love live on in all 

who knew her and honor her memory. 

Grant her just reward and eternal joy for she seized every 

opportunity to make a difference to bring about Your kingdom of uplifting light and prevailing justice. 

We ask this, calling upon You as our Lord and Savior, now 

and forever. 

Amen. 

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES

once told a reporter: ‘‘I have no illusions about myself. It 

could all go up in a puff of smoke. I’ll never lose sight of 

that.’’ 

Few of us can claim to have sight as clear as that. We hear 

word of a death like STEPHANIE’s—a death too sudden to 

leave time for settling up, for saying goodbye—and our first 

thought says: ‘‘It wasn’t her time yet.’’ 

But if we are blessed with some of the wisdom STEPHANIE

had, maybe that first thought gives way to a second. Maybe 

the second thought asks: ‘‘Who are we to name the right 

time, for her, or for any of us?’’ 

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We are legislators, and by nature we are good at waiting. 

We wait for a favorite bill to come to the floor; we wait for 

a consensus to form; we can wait for years for our chance in 

the majority. In so many ways, this place runs on patience. 

But when we lose a friend like STEPHANIE, when we lose her 

like this, we are reminded that none of us gets to wait forever. There is a time for patience, and there is a time for urgency. 

STEPHANIE lived a life of urgency. It was behind her passion for Southern cooking and for sailing the Chesapeake. It 

was behind her unshakeable friendships and her unbeatable 

smile. It was behind her unstoppable work for voters shut 

out, for children abused, for families denied a doctor’s care. 

Behind all of it were the simple questions: ‘‘If not now, 

when? If not me, who?’’ 

Here in this room, where Presidents and Statesmen sat, 

where these statues stand in for so many of our heroes, we 

honor the daughter of a skycap and a factory worker, who 

rose to be a judge, a leader, a breaker of so many barriers— 

all on the strength of her conviction that she had no time to 

lose. 

We mourn our friend—and we give thanks for the 58 years 

that STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES lived so well. 

Representative Donna M. Christensen. ‘‘Sorry we didn’t 

get a chance to hang out. Safe flight,’’ was the last I heard— 

via Blackberry—from our dear friend, sister, and colleague 

as I boarded my second plane on the way home from Tunica. 

And if any of us had not ever known true friendship before—we found it in STEPHANIE. I know no one who was 

more giving than she—and it was that giving to others, 

being that special girlfriend, that gave her the most joy. 

Whether it was the annual basketball game for the homeless, something for her Deltas, or reaching back and helping 

a young person or a newcomer, giving was what she thrived 

on. 

She came to Congress after me but we shared a very special bond because we both began the 106th Congress honored 

to be political heirs of Congressman Louis Stokes—she of the 

district and I of the braintrust. 

She took the Congress by storm, same way she did everything else—freshman class president, member of Steering 

Committee; and on the Small Business Committee—something else we shared. There was no shutting up or shutting 

down members if she or anyone else had something to say 

or an issue to fight for. 

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Her bucking the system could turn into a full scale revolution on our side of the committee, because when she got her 

dander up it was always for the right reasons. 

That extended to the Subcommittee on Health, a seat she 

sought and won after developing a fire-hot passion for the 

elimination of health disparities—a natural because her 

whole life was about breaking down barriers and eliminating 

disparities. There were no special interests for STEPHANIE

except that of people of color, the poor, disabled, and elderly, 

and those in any way disenfranchised. No one in this country 

was going to be shortchanged if she could do anything about 

it—and she was determined that she could and would! 

The committee and subcommittee got a real shakeup when 

she came on board, and if there is anyone thinking that we 

are going to let things slide back to normal. Think again. 

D.A., judge, Congresswoman, chair, mother, sister, girlfriend didn’t come this way for nothing, and she left no void 

behind. So if you see us a little more bubbly, if our smile is 

a little bigger, if you see a bit more passion in our work, less 

tolerance for anything unfair or unjust and a firmer faith in 

God’s omnipotence and love; if you see us grow more strident 

in our advocacy for those who are always left behind, and if 

we somehow seem to have more gusto for work and life and 

love—it’s just because we were a part of STEPHANIE’s circle 

of friends and she didn’t just up and leave us—she left some 

of her special gifts with each of us. And if you know STEPHANIE, and I know you did, we better not be messing around. 

We had better be getting busy! 

Man-child Mervyn, and big sis Barbara, she also left you 

a big family who will always be here for you. We love you 

as we continue to love her. 

She did more than anyone could ask in her too short life. 

We, her sisters and brothers in the CBC will finish the rest! 

Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin. Trusting in God’s eternal 

wisdom and mercy, we have prayed together for STEPHANIE

TUBBS JONES. There is sadness in taking leave from one another. Yet, we take comfort in the Word of God and what we 

have shared. We walk in the sure and certain hope that we 

will all meet again on the last day when God is all in all. 

We give thanks to You, Lord, God Almighty, for all the 

blessings which You graciously bestowed upon STEPHANIE, 

Your servant and public witness to faith and justice in this 

life. 

We now commend STEPHANIE into Your loving hands, 

Eternal and living Shepherd of souls. Delivered now from all 

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human weakness, bring her to eternal joy and the lasting 

peace for which she tirelessly worked and longed for all her 

days. In You and through You she moved, acted, and had her 

very being, so to You now be all glory and praise forever and 

ever. 

Amen. 

Æ