November 20, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2317 

PAYING SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO AN 

HIV/AIDS ACTIVIST 

HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL OF NEW YORK

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, November 20, 2008 

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today 

to acknowledge Debra Fraser-Howze, a constituent and HIV/AIDS activist, for her many 

years’ of dedication and hard work to find 

ways to test, educate, and treat those that 

have HIV/AIDS. 

The November 11, 2008, CARIB News article, ‘‘Debra Fraser-Howze: Making a Difference,’’ points out her more than 20 years’ 

commitment to helping the fight against HIV/ 

AIDS in New York where she resides, across 

America, and around the world. Since the 

President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, 

PEPFAR, passed, which will allocate $48 billion in Federal money towards fighting this epidemic in Africa, she is now pushing to have 

some of the money go towards battling HIV/ 

AIDS in the Caribbean. There are 14 Caribbean nations that could get some of the 

money, including Jamaica where her mother is 

from. This is a great initiative that Debra Fraser-Howze has made. With her leadership, I 

am confident that she will be able to get funds 

from PEPFAR to go towards fighting this epidemic in the Caribbean. 

Again, I commend Debra Fraser-Howze for 

her determination to find cures, provide funding and to educate people about HIV/AIDS 

around the world. 

[From CaribWoman, Nov. 11, 2008] 

DEBRA FRASER-HOWZE: MAKING A DIFFERENCE

(By Causewell Vaughan) 

There’s growing optimism for fighting 

AIDS in the Caribbean region as billions of 

dollars become available to fund programs 

aimed at preventing and containing the disease. 

With $48 billion in federal money being set 

aside to battle the disease in Africa, the Caribbean is actively seeking to qualify for a 

share. 

The funds will be allocated through a U.S. 

foreign aid program known as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief 

(PEPFAR). It is the largest commitment in 

history by any nation to fight a single disease. 

‘‘It’s going to open doors to a new stream 

of funding where those doors were not open 

before,’’ said Debra Fraser-Howze, a longtime HIV/AIDS advocate. 

‘‘The Caribbean will have the same positioning as some of those African nations 

with whom they share a similar AIDS situation.’’ 

Fraser-Howze has been helping to lead the 

fight against HIV/AIDS for more than two 

decades. She founded the National Black 

Leadership Commission on AIDS in 1987 and 

subsequently advised two presidents while 

she served on the Presidential Advisory 

Council on HIV/AIDS. 

In 2003 she was appointed to the New York 

City Commission on AIDS and last year to 

the New York State Governors Advisory 

Council. 

Fraser-Howze is now vice president of External and Government Affairs for OraSure 

Technologies, a medical diagnostics company. While her responsibilities with the 

company focus on domestic matters, she remains an active advocate for anti-AIDS 

funding for the Caribbean. 

‘‘It’s a personal issue with me,’’ FraserHowze said, ‘‘because I know the numbers, 

and I see the rising rate of infection.’’ 

That’s why she’s resolute about the funding, especially since the Caribbean did not 

receive any of the initial PEPFAR money, 

which became available in 2003. ‘‘The Caribbean islands to which Americans travel all 

the time need to get the same focus as Africa,’’ she said. 

There are 14 Caribbean nations that could 

get some of the new money. They are Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, 

Belize, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, 

Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and 

Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. 

Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. 

Any PEPFAR money they receive will be for 

AIDS testing, prevention, treatment and 

care. 

Fraser-Howze is quick to credit U.S. Rep. 

Donna Christiansen of the U.S. Virgin Islands for taking the lead in getting those nations included in the PEPFAR funding. ‘‘I’ve 

known her for more than 25 years, and I’ve 

worked with her and her staff on this issue. 

We understand that it is imperative that the 

Caribbean have a robust testing initiative,’’ 

Fraser-Howze said. 

But, she added, even with funding the battle against AIDS is truly difficult in the Caribbean because the region’s culture is almost 

an ally of the disease. Fraser-Howze’s mother is from Jamaica so she has knowledge of 

the cultural barriers to AIDS testing. 

‘‘Sex and drugs are very taboo topics in the 

Caribbean, and there is a lot of homophobia 

because the disease is very much focused on 

gay men,’’ she said. ‘‘That is why the key to 

testing in the Caribbean is to have those barriers broken down by the community itself. 

‘‘I’ve seen government send in different 

people and different groups who are not culturally competent. The best approach is for 

Caribbean nations to develop their own plan. 

We want them to craft their own proposals 

to PEPFAR.’’ 

Fraser-Howze cited Barbados as already 

having ‘‘a major HIV/AIDS initiative.’’ 

She said she’s ‘‘extremely optimistic’’ the 

Caribbean will get PEPFAR money and, she 

added, ‘‘I’m humbled at playing some small 

role in opening up this opportunity.’’ 

f 

HONORING REP. JIM MCCRERY 

HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, November 20, 2008 

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor 

the service of my colleague JIM MCCRERY of 

Louisiana who is retiring after over 20 years 

as Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. JIM and I have also served together on 

the Committee on Ways and Means for 16 

years. 

Though we are from opposite sides of the 

aisle—and we frequently take opposite perspectives on issues—he is a colleague I admire greatly and a friend I will miss. 

One of the many downsides to the increased partisanship in Congress is that many 

Members do not take the time to develop personal relationships across the aisle. JIM has 

never adhered to that philosophy. Maybe 

that’s because he started in Congress on the 

staff of a Democratic Member of Congress. 

But I believe it’s because JIM values the array 

of opinions to be had in Congress and is willing to look at the data and listen to others’ 

thoughts before he makes up his mind—not 

necessarily always toeing a straight party line. 

As the Ranking Member on the Committee 

on Ways and Means during this session of 

Congress, JIM and our Chairman CHARLIE

RANGEL restored civility and respect to the 

proceedings of our Committee—something 

that didn’t exist under the leadership of the 

previous Chairman. 

For JIM, the title ‘‘Honorable’’ is truly representative of him. He’s served his constituents and this country well. His leadership and 

service will be missed. I wish JIM and his family all the best. 

f 

HONORING THE DISTINGUISHED 

SERVICE OF DOLORES HUERTA 

HON. JIM COSTA OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, November 20, 2008 

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 

pay tribute to the distinguished public service 

of community organizer Dolores Huerta. She 

has been selected as this year’s honoree from 

the Center for Kern Political Education. For 

more than half a century, Dolores has devoted 

her life’s work to ensuring economic justice for 

farm workers and their families as well as securing rights for women. 

Dolores was born on April 10, 1930, in the 

small mining town of Dawson situated in 

northern New Mexico. She spent much of her 

childhood and young adult years in Stockton, 

graduating from Stockton High School. Dolores continued her studies at University of 

Pacific’s Delta College where she received a 

provisional teaching credential. Soon after, 

she began a career in teaching where Dolores 

became acutely aware of the pressing need to 

address economic injustice. 

During her post in leadership with the Stockton Community Service Organization (CSO), 

Dolores became christened as an organizer. 

In 1955, she encountered CSO Executive Director Cesar E. Chavez who shared in her vision of organizing farm workers, distinctively 

separate from the CSO mission. Thereafter, in 

1962, Dolores and Cesar launched the National Farm Workers Association. In 1963, Dolores’ lobbying and negotiating skills prevailed 

in securing Aid to Families with Dependent 

Children (AFDC) and disability insurance for 

California farm workers. The Agricultural Labor 

Relations Act of 1975 was also enacted with 

her efforts. 

Dolores wielded her powerful voice as the 

United Farm Worker’s spokesperson to gain 

political power for farm workers. She helped in 

the election of many candidates: Robert F. 

Kennedy, President Clinton, Congressman 

Ron Dellums, Governor Jerry Brown, Congresswoman Hilda Solis, and, most recently, 

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Currently, 

Dolores acts as President of the Dolores 

Huerta Foundation which principally serves to 

protect, organize and educate working poor 

immigrants. 

In her honor, 5 elementary schools and a 

high school are named in recognition of Dolores Huerta. Among the countless prestigious 

awards received include the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award from President 

Clinton in 1998, Creative Citizenship Labor 

Leader Award from Puffin Foundation in 1984, 

Kern County’s Woman of the Year by California State legislature, and the 100 Most Important Women of the 20th Century by Ladies 

Home Journal. Nine honorary doctorates from 


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