IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 338 

Recognizing the Honorable Yvonne Brathwaite Burke for her distinguished 

career in public service. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 29, 2008 

Ms. WATERS (for herself, Mr. BACA, Mr. BECERRA, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. 

BILBRAY, Mrs. BONO MACK, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. CAMPBELL of California, 

Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. CARDOZA, Mr. COSTA, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. 

DREIER, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. FARR, Mr. FILNER, Mr. GALLEGLY, Ms. HARMAN, Mr. HONDA, Ms. LEE, Mr. LEWIS of California, Ms. ZOE LOFGREN

of California, Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. 

MCCARTHY of California, Mr. MCKEON, Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. GEORGE

MILLER of California, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Ms. RICHARDSON, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Ms. LINDA T. SA ́NCHEZ of California, 

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. SHERMAN, Ms. 

SOLIS, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. STARK, Mrs. TAUSCHER, Mr. THOMPSON of 

California, Ms. WATSON, Mr. WAXMAN, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. GARY G. 

MILLER of California, Mr. RADANOVICH, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. ISSA, and Mr. 

HUNTER) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the Honorable Yvonne Brathwaite Burke for 

her distinguished career in public service. 

Whereas the Honorable Yvonne Brathwaite Burke has had a 

distinguished career in public service for the past 50 

years; 


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•HCON 338 IH 

Whereas Mrs. Burke, a product of the Los Angeles Unified 

School District, has blazed a trail for African-Americans 

and women in public service; 

Whereas her career had its genesis during her high school 

years when, as a teenager, she became involved in public 

speaking and competitive contests, earning scholarships 

to college; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke attended the University of California, 

Berkeley, beginning in 1949, and transferred her junior 

year to the University of California, Los Angeles, graduating in 1953; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke was the first African-American woman 

in 1953 to be admitted to the University of Southern 

California Law School since its founding in 1928, and 

graduated with her juris doctor degree at the top third 

of her class; 

Whereas upon graduation from law school, Mrs. Burke 

opened a private law practice, as many law firms showed 

no interest in hiring women as attorneys, particularly African-American women; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke was active in the civil rights movement, 

with memberships in various local and national organizations, played a key role in organizing a legal defense 

team for those charged in the Watts Riots in 1965, and 

was appointed by the Governor of California to the 

McCone Commission to investigate the causes of the 

riots; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke was elected to the California State Assembly in 1966 and, along with the Honorable Barbara 

Jordan, was invited by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to 

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tion, establishing a close working relationship with the 

noted civil rights leader; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke was actively involved in the 1968 presidential campaign of former Senator and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke was the vice chairperson of the 1972 

Democratic National Convention, the first African-American to hold that post, and she also played a significant 

role in the 2000 Democratic National Convention by 

hosting a major event for hundreds of African-American 

elected officials from across the Nation; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke successfully campaigned for a seat in 

California’s 37th Congressional District in 1972, becoming the first African-American female elected to the 

House of Representatives from California; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke was first appointed to the Committee on 

Public Works and the Committee on Interior and Insular 

Affairs during the 93rd Congress, and subsequently became the first African-American woman appointed to a 

seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee during 

the 94th Congress, where she served for the duration of 

her congressional career; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke authored landmark amendments in 

1973 that were passed which promoted equal opportunities for minority-owned businesses in the Trans-Alaska 

Pipeline Authorization Act, which also resulted in the requirement that any future project funded with Federal 

dollars would have to support non-discrimination and 

equal employment opportunity initiatives; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke was named the first woman elected to 

chair the Congressional Black Caucus in 1976; 


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Whereas Mrs. Burke was one of the first members of the 

Congressional Women’s Caucus when it was founded in 

1977, became the first Member to give birth while serving in Congress, and the first to be granted maternity 

leave; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke proposed an amendment to a Community Services Administration bill that called for additional 

funding for community food and nutrition programs and 

other services for senior citizens, that was rejected by the 

full House of Representatives; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke supported the Humphrey-Hawkins bill 

to create a federally coordinated program of full employment; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke repeatedly sought to restrict legislation 

providing foreign aid to nations that were guilty of gross 

human rights violations; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke helped salvage a $50,000,000 appropriation for countries in Africa’s Sahel region fighting a 

large-scale drought in 1977; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke, after running unsuccessfully for California Attorney General in 1978, was appointed by the 

Governor of California in 1979 to a vacancy in the 

Fourth Supervisorial District of Los Angeles County; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke was appointed by the Governor of California in 1979 and 1982 to serve on the Board of Regents of the University of California; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke was elected to serve as Vice Chairman 

of the 1984 United States Olympics Organizing Committee; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke became the first African-American elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 


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1992, representing the largest county in the Nation with 

a population of over 10,000,000, serving as chair in 

1993–1994, 1997–1998, 2002–2003, and 2007–2008; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke has served with distinction as the Supervisor of the Second District for the past 15 years, focusing her work on improving the lives of children, encouraging economic development, improving transportation, and advocating access to healthcare in Los Angeles; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke amassed numerous distinctions and 

honors throughout her career both as an African-American and as a woman, including being selected as one of 

Time Magazine’s ‘‘America’s 200 Future Leaders’’ in 

1974; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke was selected as the Los Angles Times’ 

‘‘Woman of the Year’’ in 1996; 

Whereas Mrs. Burke was selected as the University of California, Los Angeles’ ‘‘Alumni of the Year’’ in 1996 and 

the school’s ‘‘Local Legislator of the Year in 2008’’; and 

Whereas Mrs. Burke has served on the boards of numerous 

prestigious organizations and corporations, including the 

National Association of Counties Board of Directors, and 

as the chair of the Healthcare Steering Committee: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That Congress— 

3 (1) recognizes the Honorable Yvonne Brath4 waite Burke for her inestimable contributions in 

5 public service throughout her illustrious career; 


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1 (2) believes that Mrs. Burke’s exemplary record 

2 demonstrates she is a woman of indomitable compas3 sion, courage, character, and commitment; 

4 (3) believes Mrs. Burke will be remembered for 

5 the beneficial changes she made in the lives of mi6 norities, women, and the economically disadvan7 taged; and 

8 (4) congratulates Mrs. Burke upon her retire9 ment, and with sincere best wishes, is pleased to join 

10 her family, friends, coworkers, and associates in 

11 wishing her health, happiness, and continued good 

12 fortune in her future endeavors. 

Æ 


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