December 9, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2343 

its contributions to the community. The Westchester County Press has published news 

about politics, religion, and social events in 

our district. 

While the Westchester County Press targeted a broad audience when it was founded 

in 1928, it eventually focused more exclusively 

on religious and social news in the AfricanAmerican community. In 1950, Dr. Alger L. 

Adams bought the newspaper and transformed it into a publication for black audiences 

to give voice to their contributions to the fabric 

of our society. Decades later, the Press is still 

thriving. 

In 1961, Paul Redd was hired as a columnist for the Westchester County Press. In 

1986, Mr. Redd purchased the paper, for 

which he now serves as president and publisher. For 47 years, Redd has written a column, ‘‘M. Paul Tells All,’’ which informs his 

readers about politics and opportunities to get 

involved in the political process. 

As a life-long advocate, Paul Redd’s interests have included employment training for the 

disenfranchised, voter registration, education, 

and civic participation. Redd served as president and chief operating officer of the Westchester-Putnam Affirmative Action Program, 

Inc., for over 25 years. The agency’s employment and training activities have resulted in 

over 5,000 job placements for local residents. 

Madam Speaker, I am proud to recognize 

my good friend M. Paul Redd for his unparalleled contributions to the community through 

the Westchester County Press and other organizations, and I urge my colleagues to join me 

in honoring his tremendous accomplishments 

on the 80th anniversary of the Westchester 

County Press. 

f 

TRIBUTE TO ROBBIE FLOYD 

HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY OF INDIANA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, December 9, 2008 

Mr. VISCLOSKY. Madam Speaker, it is with 

deep sadness and great respect that I take 

this time to remember one of Northwest Indiana’s finest citizens, Ms. Robbie Floyd of 

Gary, Indiana. Ms. Floyd’s many contributions 

to the Northwest Indiana community, as a 

businesswoman, as a civil servant, and as a 

leader within her church, are worthy of our 

deepest admiration. Robbie passed away on 

Sunday, September 28, 2008, but the impact 

and influence she has had on her community 

will surely live on for generations to come. 

Robbie Lorraine Floyd was born in Gunnison, Mississippi to Joseph and Julia Floyd. At 

the age of 8, Robbie relocated to Gary, Indiana. She attended Froebel High School, one 

of only two schools in the City of Gary with integrated classes, where African-American students could attend with other children and receive the same education. The type of person 

who always sought to deepen her understanding of different areas, Robbie later enrolled in real estate school and became a licensed realtor. 

Known for her focus and determination, 

Robbie Floyd took on the many challenges life 

brought her, and in spite of the shortage of 

advantages for African-Americans, sought to 

improve the quality of her life and the lives of 

her other family members. In the 1940s, she 

and her father became owner-operators of a 

grocery store, as well as apartment rental 

units in Gary. 

Ms. Floyd, a true activist in the Northwest 

Indiana area, also recognized that having a 

voice at City Hall was essential to social 

progress. Recognizing the respect Robbie had 

in her community, and seeing just how dedicated an individual she was, then Mayor Peter 

Mandich encouraged her to enter politics. 

Thus she became a Precinct Committeewoman twice, first in District 4 and later in District 3. These positions enabled Robbie to 

serve her constituents by giving them a voice 

and allowing them to acquire the services they 

needed. Later, continuing her service in the 

public sector, Robbie worked as the Administrative Assistant/Secretary to two city controllers, George Chacharis and my father, John 

Visclosky, both of whom later became mayors 

of the City of Gary. It is in the City Controller’s 

office that I first met Ms. Floyd as a child. 

Robbie kept an eye on me there, and until the 

day of her passing, to make sure I stayed on 

the straight and narrow. 

A true renaissance woman, Robbie Floyd 

was also the first African-American woman to 

serve as a police officer for the Lake County 

Sheriff. As her peers would recall, in breaking 

this glass ceiling, she did so with distinction, 

dignity, honor, and dedication. For her efforts, 

she was honored with the highest accolade 

bestowed upon an individual by the governor 

of the State of Indiana, the Sagamore of the 

Wabash. 

While she was fully committed to the people 

of Gary and Northwest Indiana, Robbie’s commitment to her faith was equally impressive. 

After confessing Jesus Christ as her Lord and 

Savior with First Baptist Church in Gary, she 

later became a charter member of Christ Baptist Church. Prior to her passing, Ms. Floyd 

was a key member of her church. For 16 

years, Robbie served as its Financial Secretary. As her congregation would attest, she 

loved serving others and never failed to aid 

‘‘the stranger,’’ ‘‘the friend,’’ or ‘‘the child’’ in 

any way that she could. Robbie was known for 

her ability to help those who needed it most, 

leading to her participation in various church 

ministries, including: the Willing Workers, 

Church School, the Church School Fellowship 

Committee, for which she served as its chair, 

Male Chorus Boosters, and the Pearce Prayer 

and Study Group. 

While Robbie Floyd was always active in 

her community and her church, she cherished 

her time with her family the most. She leaves 

to cherish her memory two daughters, Dr. 

Doris Keys Ward and Debra Floyd; grandnieces, LaTanya Obgiofor, Desnee Flakes, 

and Donna Floyd; grandnephews, Cordell 

(Millicent) Olive and Joseph Floyd, and numerous great-grandnieces and nephews. She will 

also be greatly missed by her many friends, 

her Pastor, Reverend Dr. Maurice White, Jr., 

and all of the members of Christ Baptist 

Church. 

Madam Speaker, I respectfully ask that you 

and my other distinguished colleagues join me 

in honoring Robbie Lorraine Floyd for her outstanding devotion to her community in Northwest Indiana. Her unselfish and lifelong dedication to those in need is worthy of the highest commendation. Robbie’s selflessness was 

an inspiration to us all, and I am proud to 

have represented her in Congress. 

TRIBUTE TO PAUL H. SNIDER 

HON. JOHN T. DOOLITTLE OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, December 9, 2008 

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I would 

like to pay tribute to Paul H. Snider. Paul is a 

loyal American and a fine man. 

Paul grew up in Denair, CA and graduated 

from Turlock High School. After high school he 

entered the U.S. Maritime Service as a radio 

operator. Following his Maritime service, he 

enrolled in Modesto Junior College. While attending Modesto Junior College, Paul and his 

father started Snider Honey, a business in 

which they marketed and distributed honey to 

retailers. One of those retailers was Tom 

Raley, who at that time had only one store in 

Placerville, but went on to establish the wellknown chain of Raley’s grocery stores. 

After graduating from Modesto Junior College, Paul joined the National Guard. He was 

sent to Okinawa for 6 months and was honorably discharged in January 1953. Upon returning to California, Paul began working for his 

uncle, Stewart Snider, selling Buicks. As was 

the custom in the early 1950s, Paul went 

door-to-door after dinner contacting people 

who had visited the dealership in order to sell 

them a car. 

In 1956, Paul bought his own Chevy dealership in Patterson, CA. In 1966, he bought a 

Volkswagen dealership in Sacramento. Paul’s 

success continued, and at one time he owned 

about one dozen dealerships, including Ford, 

Toyota, Nissan, Volkswagen, Chevy, Pontiac, 

Isuzu, Hyundai, and Infiniti. Paul has managed 

to succeed in business without compromising 

his character; he has remained humble and 

has cared about his many employees. In fact, 

Paul hated it when he was forced to fire 

someone and agonized over the decision each 

time it needed to be made. 

Paul has three children: Shelby, Marcus, 

and Blake. He is an avid hunter and has been 

a member of the Safari Club International, 

Ducks Unlimited, the Lions Club, and the Rotary Club. He has contributed generously and 

repeatedly to the Red Cross, the Shriners, the 

River Oak Center for Children Foundation (for 

children with developmental disabilities), and 

to Ducks Unlimited and the Safari Club International. Paul is a man who puts his energy 

behind his beliefs, and he has been a faithful 

supporter of many conservative causes. I am 

grateful for his support and friendship and 

wish him well in the years to come. 

f 

OSCAR ELIAS BISCET 

HON. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART OF FLORIDA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, December 9, 2008 

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. 

Madam Speaker, this last December 6 was 

the 9th anniversary of the imprisonment—the 

cruel and unjust imprisonment in a cold and 

damp cell in the most inhuman of conditions— 

of the great Cuban leader in the fight for democracy and human rights in that imprisoned 

island, Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet. Dr. Biscet is 

prohibited even from walking in the prison’s 

yard, and he is incarcerated along with common criminals. 


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