December 10, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2367 

called a coalition of activists together to plan 

the Poor People’s campaign, and he held that 

meeting at Paschal’s. The restaurant James 

and his brother founded played a major role in 

the Civil Rights Movement. 

James Paschal was a wonderful man, a 

very quiet man. He was very businesslike. He 

was always concerned that we were comfortable and checked often to make sure the 

food and service were to our liking. He would 

ask, ‘‘Is everything all right, sir? How are you 

doing, sir?’’ He was very polite and spoke to 

us with dignity and respect. He was a true 

gentleman. 

There was something so stable, so dependable, so real about James Paschal. His very 

personality, his very being was as solid as a 

rock. He was very supportive of the Movement 

in his own quiet, deliberate way. Sometimes, 

when we were having a major crisis, James 

Paschal might decide to host the meeting— 

give us our meals on the house—to help facilitate our planning and action. After Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral, many of us went to eat 

at Paschal’s. It was like a home away from 

home. 

We were more than lucky and very blessed 

that a man named James Paschal came our 

way. He made a lasting contribution to the 

free exercise of civil rights in America, not just 

for African Americans, but all Americans. He 

will be deeply missed. 

f 

TRIBUTE TO GOV. LAWTON MAINO 

HON. KENDRICK B. MEEK OF FLORIDA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise 

to pay tribute and honor the life and legacy of 

Governor Lawton Mainor Chiles, Jr., on the 

10th anniversary of his death. Throughout his 

40 years of public service, Governor Chiles 

was committed to the betterment of Florida’s 

children and families, as well as healthcare for 

all. As he stated in his 1997 State of the State 

Address, ‘‘To be a successful State, we must 

nurture successful children.’’ 

Governor Chiles’ political career, which 

began in 1958 with his election to the Florida 

House of Representatives, was proven to be 

successful when he would continue to have 

the distinction of never losing an election. 

Governor Chiles was elected to the United 

States Senate in 1970 for the term commencing January 3, 1971, and was reelected 

in 1976 and again in 1982. He served as 

chairman of the Senate Budget Committee 

during the Reagan years, as well as chairman 

of the Special Committee on Aging and the 

Committee on the Budget. During his 1970 

U.S. Senate campaign, Chiles became known 

as ‘‘Walkin’ Lawton’’ after a 91-day walk 

across Florida from Pensacola to Key West. 

His 1,003 mile walk across Florida not only 

displayed his utmost devotion to his home 

State, but his dedication to Medicaid reform 

initiatives such as the Women, Infants and 

Children, WIC, food program and increased 

funding for prenatal care and childhood immunizations while serving his three terms in the 

U.S. Senate proved that he was truly a man 

of the people. 

In 1990, Governor Chiles was elected the 

41st Governor of Florida. He was the first 

Democratic governor in State history to have 

a Republican-controlled legislature. A fourth 

generation Floridian, Chiles continued to advocate health coverage for the uninsured in Florida, the promotion of adoption, raising standards for education, and fighting back against 

big tobacco. Additionally, he fought for the creation of regional healthcare alliances throughout the State. The alliances allowed small 

businesses to pool their healthcare dollars and 

broaden coverage while saving money. He 

also created the Florida Department of Elder 

Affairs and the Florida Healthy Start program. 

The Governor and First Lady Rhea Chiles 

have four children: Tandy Chiles Barrett, 

Lawton (Bud) Chiles III, Ed Chiles and Rhea 

Chiles. 

On this 10th anniversary of Governor Chiles’ 

passing, let us remember him for his outstanding public service, his commitment to 

children and families, his dedication to his 

State and country, and his contributions to our 

Nation’s history. Governor Chiles once said, ‘‘I 

didn’t come to stay. I came to make a difference.’’ He truly made a difference, and this 

proves to be remarkably consistent and in 

tune with his original vision. 

f 

A TRIBUTE TO MAURICE WRIGHT, 

M.D. 

HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS OF NEW YORK

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 

Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, I rise today 

to pay tribute and to honor Dr. Maurice Wright. 

Dr. Wright is the chief of the Emergency Department and president of the Medical Board 

at the Woodhull Medical and Mental Health 

Center. A graduate of Fordham University and 

the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, he did 

his medical training at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt 

Hospital from 1987 to 1990, after which he 

continued to work in the Emergency Department as an attending and later as the assistant director until 1997. 

Dr. Wright joined the Woodhull Staff on April 

1997 as the associate director of the Emergency Department and was promoted to chief 

of the Emergency Department in 1998. In addition, he has held several academic appointments, including assistant clinical professor of 

medicine at Columbia University and Medical 

Director of the Harlem CUNY Physician Assistant Program at the Sophie Davis School of 

Biomedical Sciences. He is also a member of 

several professional organizations, including 

the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), The American College of Physicians (ACP), the National Association of Public Hospitals Health System (NAPHHS), and is 

also a graduate of the Physician Leadership 

Institute of the NAPHHS ’03. 

As a visionary leader, he strives to foster 

teamwork and inspire excellence. While managing a high volume emergency department, 

he has achieved a high standard of care that 

is responsive to community needs and concerns. Among his accomplishments at 

Woodhull, Dr. Wright embarked on a continuous clinical performance improvement program with outstanding results in cardiac, asthma and abdominal pain care among others. 

This vigorous program is supported by evidence-based practice guidelines and frequent 

emergency medicine conferences. He was recently honored by the New York State Physician Assistant Society as its Physician of the 

Year for his clinical teaching and leadership. 

Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize 

Dr. Maurice Wright for his extraordinary accomplishments at the Woodhull Medical and 

Mental Health Center. 

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to 

join me in paying tribute to Dr. Maurice Wright. 

f 

60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF 

HUMAN RIGHTS 

HON. LORETTA SANCHEZ OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. 

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate 

the 60th Anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to 

urge all governments to uphold the principles 

established in the declaration. Although 48 

countries committed to promoting and protecting the rights of all human beings, human 

rights violations continue to occur around the 

world, especially in Vietnam. 

As a co-chair of the Congressional Caucus 

on Vietnam, I am extremely concerned that 

despite Vietnam’s many pledges to respect 

international norms, the Government of Vietnam continues to arrest and imprison individuals for peacefully exercising their freedom of 

speech and the right to assemble. 

Today, I and several colleagues sent a letter 

to the Prime Minister of Vietnam advocating 

for the release of Pham Thanh Ngien and 

Nguyen Hoang Hai, two Vietnamese democracy activists who are currently being detained 

for peacefully exercising their freedom of 

speech and right to assemble. The letter also 

strongly urges the government to recommit 

itself to the Universal Declaration of Human 

Rights and recognize that all persons are born 

with fundamental rights and that it is our collective responsibility to uphold those rights. 

We all have a responsibility to not only 

stand up for freedom but to protect those who 

are denied freedoms and human rights. I urge 

my colleagues to join me in recognizing today 

as Human Rights Day, and stand up for the 

rights of not only Pham Thanh Ngien and 

Nguyen Hoang Hai, but all those who are denied their rights as a human beings. 

f 

TRIBUTE TO FRANK NELSON 

HON. KEN CALVERT OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 

Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today 

to honor and pay tribute to an individual 

whose dedication and contributions to the 

community of Corona, California are exceptional. Corona has been fortunate to have dynamic and dedicated community leaders who 

willingly and unselfishly give their time and talent and make their communities a better place 

to live and work. Frank Nelson is one of these 

individuals. 

Frank Nelson has been a Realtor in the Corona area for 17 years. He is the current