Expressing the sense of Congress that Dinah Washington should be recognized for her achievements as one of the most talented vocalists in American popular music history.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 144) expressing the sense of Congress that Dinah Washington should be recognized for her achievements as one of the most talented vocalists in American popular music history.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Con. Res. 144.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 144.

Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 144, which expresses the sense of Congress that Dinah Washington should be recognized for her achievements as one of the most talented vocalists in American popular music history.

Born in 1924, Dinah Washington was a singer and performer whose early influence and focus was gospel music and spirituals. She began touring the country in 1940, was hired to sing with Lionel Hampton's big band, and signed her first recording contract in 1943.

Dinah Washington was recording with jazz stars and leaders in the industry by 1948 and was a full-fledged pop music star by the late 1950s after recording the ballad ``What a Difference a Day Makes.''

Throughout her career, Dinah Washington recorded in jazz, blues, rhythm and blues, and pop and was considered a preeminent figure and an enormously gifted vocalist in each genre. After dominating the charts in the late 1940s and 1950s, Dinah Washington died on December 14, 1963. By today's measure, she would have been considered a tremendous crossover superstar.

House Concurrent Resolution 144 is simple and straightforward. It expresses the sense of Congress that Dinah Washington should be recognized for her versatility, remarkable music talent, and for influence on female vocalists in jazz, blues, rhythm and blues, pop, and gospel. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) for his introduction of this resolution, and I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 144, which recognizes the tremendous talent and accomplishments of Dinah Washington.

I have always been told that music is universal and everlasting. Therefore, Ms. Washington's impact on music can be felt and seen even among today's contemporary talents. While Dinah Washington was born in the 1920s, her true impact on music began in the late 1940s and 1950s.

Ms. Washington's early focus was on gospel music and spirituals, yet she did not believe in mixing the secular and spiritual. And once she entered the nonreligious music world professionally, she refused to include gospel in her repertoire. She became a full-fledged pop music star by the late 1950s, giving her the title of the Most Popular Black Female Recording Artist at that time.

She was noted as one of the most versatile and gifted vocalists in American popular music history. Ms. Washington's talent lent itself to making recordings in jazz, blues, rhythm and blues, and pop.

Despite her passing in December of 1963, her music continues to influence artists today. In 1993, her memory and influence on music became forever as we remember she was inducted into the

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Her face became a symbol of soul as her voice does in her music, as she is portrayed in one of the black history commemorative stamps.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I want to urge Members to support this resolution. I remember some of the titles of songs, ``What a Difference a Day Makes,'' ``Just 24 Little Hours,'' ``My Yesterday Was Blue But Today I'm a Part of You''; and forever in the annals of music history will Dinah Washington be a part of us. What a difference a day makes and what a difference she made.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.