Date: 2010-12-17
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Speaker. before I begin my tribute to my dear friends that are leaving. I want to make mention again of a dear friend that we lost this week. and that is the Honorable Richard Holbrooke. who served this Nation ably and who was given tribute today by H. Con. Res. 335. as amended. Just a brief word about Ambassador Holbrooke as I begin to talk about the outstanding Members that I wish to pay tribute to. Im reminded not only of his courage. the magnitude of his physical size. the love that he had for his family. the love that he had for the Nation. and the admiration that he received from around the world. but Im reminded of his tenure at the United Nations. He did something that was equal to moving the Earth. He brought peace between two giants: one. the Vice President of the United States. who in fact came to speak about HIV/ AIDS. and he drew also to that very issue with the thenchairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Chairman Jesse Helms. He thought that was a great accomplishmentand we did too. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus went to the United Nations at that time. So I am rising to acknowledge Ambassador Holbrooke and will join with my other colleagues who honored him earlier today. But I have the great. if you will. honor of honoring wonderful. stellar organizations that are coming to pay tribute to a number of members of the Congressional Black Caucus. And I say "organizations" because I know that sororities. fraternities. the NAACP. womens organizations. so many would want to say thankyou to the following members: First. my dear sister. Ambassador DIANE WATSON. I always call her "Ambassador." And that she is. She carried herself in a framework of peace. of wanting to bring people together. of challenging our consciousness. and doing it with integrity. honesty. and courageousness. Let me thank her for the work that she did in honoring Dr. Dorothy Height and thank her for the work she did in helping to carry forth the vision of C. Delores Tucker. And now. because of my sister DIANE WATSON and myself and the late Congresswoman MillenderMcDonald. I can say that we have the Sojourner Truth statue in the United States Congress. which will always be remembered by this great work. And her sister. the Honorable CAROLYN KILPATRICK. who took up the Sojourner Truth movement. shes the second African American woman to be appointed to the Appropriations Committee. I can tell you CAROLYN KILPATRICK never wavered from investing in people and ensuring that people had resources that came from the taxpayers dollars. My hat is off to the former Congresswoman and chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus. Might I thank a colleague on the Judiciary Committee. Congressman ARTUR DAVIS. Yes. a former U.S. Attorney. but a vigorous speaker and a progeny of the civil rights movement. He was in fact the beneficiary of the civil rights movement and carried it in dignity by becoming a U.S. Attorney in the district that covered Alabama. We thank him for his work on the Ways and Means Committee. and we thank him for his service on the Judiciary Committee. and wish him well. The Honorable KENDRICK MEEK is to all of us like a brother. We loved his mother. Carrie. And we saw in him those traits as he worked hard in the 30somethings in the first couple of years when he was in the Congress. trying to get us back in the majority. but more importantly. speaking to the people. He ran a fantastic open. wide. welcoming race for the United States Senate. His great days are before him. His wonderful wife and children were a fixture around this place. and we pay tribute to him because of the passion and sacrifice he made for Haitians in his area and for the many people that he represented. So. Madam Speaker. let me say to you. sadness falls because we will be losing to great things Members like Congresswoman DIANE WATSON. Congresswoman CAROLYN KILPATRICK. Congressman ARTUR DAVIS. and Congressman KENDRICK MEEK. As my dear sister. Congresswoman DIANE WATSON. is on the floor of the House. I will tell you that is indicative of her work. that she was here for us in the morning. here for us late at night. And so I have no doubt that she will be carrying forth the torch in California. as all the others will be doing. Having just hosted the Attorney General from California. Ms. Harris. I know that you will be a great comfort and nurturer to her.