To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 120 Baldwin Avenue in Paia, Maui, Hawaii, as the "Patsy Takemoto Mink Post Office Building".

Mr. Speaker, I thank both of my colleagues for their very fine comments.

Mr. Speaker, just 9 months ago, in the middle of her campaign for a 13th House term, a campaign which she most certainly would have won resoundingly and, in fact, did win posthumously, the late United States Representative Patsy Takemoto Mink was tragically lost to her beloved Hawaii, this Congress, our country, and our world.

The days, weeks, and months that followed witnessed a massive outpouring of first shock and disbelief, then sorrow and regret and, finally, remembrance and gratitude for this singular life.

As just a few representative examples, we had a deeply moving memorial service in the U.S. Capitol here as well as in the Hawaii State capitol back in Hawaii attended by many of our colleagues here.

This House published a beautiful memorial volume that memorialized the many eulogies given to Mrs. Mink on this floor and a volume for which I want to relay the deep gratitude of the Mink family, husband John, daughter Wendy, brother Eugene.

The students at the University of Hawaii Law School Richardson School of Law, on their own initiative, created and funded the Patsy Mink Memorial Fellowship for the purpose of providing an internship here in the U.S. Congress each year to a person in Mrs. Mink's liking.

I am very proud to say the first Mink fellow, Van Luong, joined my office last week, and she reminds me a lot of Mrs. Mink.

There also were and continue to be a multitude of testimonials on her lasting legislative accomplishments, and I want to leave to the colleagues that come after me to document those one more time because they know better than I do what she accomplished here.

But maybe what struck me the most, when I went out to campaign to take over the representation that she had so well provided to the Second Congressional District in what is still to this day referred to as Patsy Mink's seat, the testimonies from the ordinary people, the people that she touched during her life, the people that she represented, like the longtime friend in Lihue who was sick and who Patsy visited in the hospital just 2 days before she went into the hospital herself; like the taro farmers in Kipahulu on Maui, they wanted to show her their lo'i, and the only way for her to do that was to put on boots and walk out there in a very remote part of our district, and she did that. And the pig hunter in Waimen on the Big Island; he had an issue, and the only way to show her what that issue was was to take her into the forest where he lived. She went.

These testimonials are the testimonies that really count, but they can really only give testament to the fact that her remembrances are her best legacy. But it is entirely appropriate that we honor her with a more tangible reminder that will serve as a constant physical remembrance of her and cause us to reflect on what she stood for.

So as I talked about this with John Mink after my election, he relayed his wish, later endorsed by others such as the Maui County Council, that the U.S. Post Office at Paia be renamed the Patsy Takemoto Mink Post Office. I want to tell Members about Paia very briefly. Paia is on the north shore of Maui on the slopes of Haleakala. Near Paia, only about a mile away, is a town called Hamakuapoko. It used to be a thriving plantation village. It is not quite that anymore, a time when sugar and pine were prevalent, and this is where Patsy Takemoto Mink was born in 1927 and was raised in all of the good and not so good of Hawaii in the 1930s and the 1940s, the community where the old Maui High School is located where Mrs. Mink's political career began when she ran successfully for student body president, the first woman to accomplish that position, the first of many firsts along those lines.

In short, this is where she came from, where her values were forged, where her spirit was lit, and it represents the people's traditions and beliefs that she never forgot. This is a fitting memorial for Patsy Takemoto Mink, and I urge my colleagues' full support, and I thank them for further consideration of a great Hawaiian and a great American.

Mr. Speaker, just nine months ago, in the middle of her campaign for a thirteenth House term, which she most certainly would have won resoundingly and in fact did win posthumously, the late United States Representative Patsy Takemoto Mink was tragically lost to her beloved Hawai`i, this Congress, our country, and our very world.

The days, weeks, and months that followed witnessed a massive outpouring of first shock and disbelief, then sorrow and regret, and finally remembrance and gratitude for this singular life.

As just a few examples:

A deeply moving memorial service was held in our Hawai`i State Capitol, graciously attended by many of Mrs. Mink's colleagues from this House, including now-Minority Leader Pelosi and Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Miller, and thousands of grateful citizens of Hawai`i and beyond;

This House published a beautiful memorial volume containing the many eulogies delivered by Mrs. Mink's colleagues on this House floor, and I want my colleagues to know how deeply grateful the Mink family--husband John, daughter Wendy, brother Eugene--are for that gesture; and

The students at the University of Hawai`i Richardson School of Law, on their own initiative, created and funded the Patsy T. Mink Memorial Fellowship for the purpose of providing an internship here in our Congress each year to a person in Mrs. Mink's making; the first Mink Fellow, Van Luong, joined my office last week and, you know, she reminds me of Mrs. Mink.

There also were and continued to be a multitude of testimonials on her lasting legislative accomplishments. My colleagues that will follow me and know of her exploits in this arena can tell this story best.

But perhaps what struck me most amidst this outpouring were the simple testimonials I heard, as I sought election to what is still referred to as ``Patsy Mink's seat,'' from the ordinary people out across Hawai`i's great Second District; the people she represented and lived for, like:

The longtime friend in Lihu`e on Kaua`i, who Patsy, herself sick, visited in the hospital there just days before she herself was admitted;

The taro farmers in Kipahulu, Maui, about as remote a place as there is in Hawai`i, who asked Patsy to come and see their problem personally, and she did, donning boots and walking through their lo`i; and

The pig hunter in Waimea on the Big Island; he was concerned that she understand an issue and the only way, he thought, was to show her the issue up in the forest; she went.

These testimonials, of course can never replace Patsy Mink, although they do demonstrate that our remembrances of her are her own best legacy. But it is entirely appropriate that we all provide a more tangible reminder of her life and times, a memorial that will serve as a constant physical reminder that will cause us to reflect on what she stood for.

And so, as I talked about this with John Mink after my election, he relayed his wish, also endorsed by others such as the Maui County Council, that the U.S. Post Office at Pa`ia, Maui be renamed the ``Patsy Takemoto Mink Post Office Building.'' And when you understand Pa`ia where it is and what it represented to Patsy Mink, you understand how entirely appropriate it is that we take this action.

Pa`ia is a town on the north shore of Maui, on the slopes of Haleakala, a town built on sugar and pineapple. It is located about a mile from what was once the thriving plantation village of Hamakua Poko, a village of immigrants of Japanese, Portuguese, Filipino and other origins; a village where Patsy Takemoto was born in 1927 and raised in all of the good, and not so good, of Hawai`i and our country in the 1930s and 1940s; a community in which bonds were deep but needs were great. It is also the community in which the old Maui High School was located, the school where Mrs. Mink's political career began when she was elected its first woman student body president, the first of many such firsts, and from which she graduated in 1944 as valedictorian and went on to the incredible life she led.

In short, Pa`ia is where this great American was born, where her values were forged, where her spirit was lit. And it represents, both physically and figuratively, the peoples, traditions, and beliefs that she never ever forgot.

There is no more fitting memorial to Patsy Takemoto Mink than that she be remembered by us all here in her hometown. For the Mink family and Hawai`i, I thank my 115 co-sponsors. I thank Chair Davis and Ranking Member Waxman for moving this bill through the committee so quickly, I thank those who came here to speak, and for Hawaii I thank this House.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session on Tuesday, June 17, 2003, at 10:00 a.m., to hear testimony on the ``Implementation of U.S. Bilateral Free Trade Agreements with Singapore and Chile.''

committee on foreign relations

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 17, 2003, at 9:30 a.m., to hold a hearing on ``Treaties Related to Aviation and the Environment.''

committee on governmental affairs

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Tuesday, June 17, 2003, at 10:00 a.m., to hold a business meeting to consider pending Committee business.

Agenda

Legislation: S. 481, the Kurtz Bill; S. 589, Homeland Security Workforce Act; S. 610, NASA Workforce Flexibility Act of 2003; S. 678, Postmasters Equity Act of 2003; S. 908, United States Consensus Council; S. 910, Non-Homeland Security Mission Performance Act of 2003; S. 926, Federal Employee Student Loan Assistance Act; S. 1166, National Security Personnel System Act; and S. 1245, Homeland Security Grant Enhancement Act.

Post Office Naming Bills: S. 508, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1830 South Lake Drive in Lexington, South Carolina, as the ``Floyd Spence Post Office Building''; S. 708, a bill to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 7401 West 100th Place in Bridgeview, Illinois, as the ``Michael J. Healy Post Office Building''; S. 867, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 710 Wicks Lane in Billings, Montana, as the ``Ronald Reagan Post Office Building''; S. 1145, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 120 Baldwin Avenue in Paia, Maui, Hawaii, as the ``Patsy Takemoto Mink Post Office Building''; S. 1207, a bill to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 120 East Ritchie Avenue in Marceline, Missouri, as the ``Walt Disney Post Office Building''; H.R. 825, an act to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 7401 West 100th Place in Bridgeview, Illinois, as the ``Michael J. Healy Post Office Building''; H.R. 917, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1830 South

Lake Drive in Lexington, South Carolina, as the ``Floyd Spence Post Office Building''; H.R. 925, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1859 South Ashland Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, as the ``Cesar Chavez Post Office''; H.R. 981, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 141 Erie Street in Linesville, Pennsylvania, as the ``James R. Merry Post Office''; H.R. 985, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 111 West Washington Street in Bowling Green, Ohio, as the ``Delbert L. Latta Post Office Building''; H.R. 1055, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1901 West Evans Street in Florence, South Carolina, as the ``Dr. Roswell N. Beck Post Office Building''; H.R. 1368, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 7554 Pacific Avenue in Stockton, California, as the ``Norman D. Shumway Post Office Building''; H.R. 1465, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4832 East Highway 27 in Iron Station, North Carolina, as the ``General Charles Gabriel Post Office''; H.R. 1596, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2318 Woodson Road in St. Louis, Missouri, as the ``Timothy Michael Gaffney Post Office Building''; H.R. 1609, an act to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 201 West Boston Street in Brookfield, Missouri, as the ``Admiral Donald Davis Post Office Building''; H.R. 1740, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1502 East Kiest Boulevard in Dallas, Texas, as the ``Dr. Caesar A.W. Clark, Sr. Post Office Building''; and H.R. 2030, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 120 Baldwin Avenue in Paia, Maui, Hawaii, as the ``Patsy Takemoto Mink Post Office Building.''

Nominations: Michael J. Garcia to be Assistant Secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security; C. Steward Verdery, Jr. to be an Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security; Susanne Marshall to be Chairman of the Merit Systems Protection Board; Neil McPhie to be a Member of the Merit Systems Protection Board; Terrence A. Duffy to be a Member of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board; Peter Eide to be General Counsel for the Federal Labor Relations Authority; Albert Casey to be a Governor for the United States Postal Service; and James C. Miller, III to be a Governor for the United States Postal Service.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on ``The Dark Side of a Bright Idea: Could Personal and National Security Risks Compromise the Potential of Peer-to-Peer Fine-Sharing Networks?'' on Tuesday, June 17, 2003, at 2:00 p.m., in the Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226.

Tentative Witness List

Panel I: The Honorable Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Senator, [D-CA]; The Honorable Tom M. Davis, III, U.S. Representative, [D-VA, 11th District], Chairman, House Committee on Government Reform.

Panel II: Nathaniel S. Good, Graduate Student, School of Information Science, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA; Aaron Krekelberg, Lead Web Developer, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN; Randy Saaf, MediaDefender, Inc., Los Angeles, CA; Alan Morris, Executive Vice President, Sharman Networks, Ltd., London, England; Chris Murray, Esq., Legislative Counsel, Consumers Union, Washington,

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Rules and Administration be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 17, 2003, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing on Senate Resolution 151, requiring public disclosure of notices of objections, holds, to proceedings to motions or measures in the Senate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 17, 2003, for a hearing to consider the nominations of Mr. Alan G. Lance, Sr., and Mr. Lawrence B. Hagel, to be Judges, U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans' Claims. The hearing will take place in room 418 of the Russell Senate Office Building at 2:30 p.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 17, 2003, at 2:30 p.m. to hold an open confirmation hearing on Frank Libutti to be Under Secretary for Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection, Department of Homeland Security.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Special Committee on Aging be authorized to meet on June 17, 2003, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. in Dirksen 628 for the purpose of conducting a hearing.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs and Product Liability be authorized to meet on Tuesday, June 17, 2003, from 2:30 pm on Reauthorization of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water be authorized to meet on Tuesday, June 17 at 9:30 am to conduct a hearing to receive testimony on S. 525, the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act at 2003, a bill to reauthorize the nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act. The hearing will take place in SD 406, Hearing Room.

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

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleague, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), in consideration of H.R. 2030, which names a postal facility after the late Congresswoman Patsy Mink.

H.R. 2030, which was introduced by the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case) on May 8, 2003, has met the committee policy and has been cosponsored by more than just the State delegation. The bill currently lists 115 cosponsors, truly a testament to the accomplishments of our late colleague, the Honorable Patsy Mink, who sadly passed away on September 28, 2002.

Congresswoman Mink was first elected to Congress in 1964 and served until 1976. She took a 14-year hiatus from national politics and returned to her congressional seat in 1990, where she remained unto her death in 2002.

Congresswoman Mink served on the Committee on Government Reform for a year in 1991 before being assigned to the House Committee on the Budget. She returned to our committee in 1999 where she served until her death last year. As a distinguished member of the Committee on Government Reform, Congresswoman Mink was committed to writing important legislation, such as the bill that would increase the mandatory retirement age of law enforcement officials.

As a member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Congresswoman Mink fought hard for the rights of women and children. She co-sponsored title IX, the Early Childhood Education Act and the Women's Educational Equity Act.

During her last few years in Congress, Congresswoman Mink continued to work on such important issues as immigration, Social Security, and health care. Throughout her brilliant career, the Congresswoman provided the strong voice to those who needed one. Her accomplishments will continue to benefit Americans for generations to come. It is only fitting that we share our gratitude by honoring her in this manner.

I would also urge my colleagues to remember our late colleague as a fighter for children and the working class. I note she would have joined us in our push to bring the child tax credit bill to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend my colleague, the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case), for honoring Patsy Mink with the postal designation. I would also like to thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis), the chairman, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman), the ranking member, for moving this bill to the House floor and Anne Stewart of the gentleman from Hawaii's (Mr. Case) staff for her hard work.

I urge swift passage of this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case), the author of this legislation.

(Mr. CASE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Tierney).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON).

(Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson).

(Ms. WATSON asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters).

Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey).

(Ms. WOOLSEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis).

(Ms. SOLIS asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Jones), the first African American woman on the Committee on Ways and Means.

(Mrs. JONES of Ohio asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time I have left.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the gentlewoman from Florida if we might be able to use some of the time on her side.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, we have heard speaker after speaker take to the floor and talk about the virtues and attributes of Patsy Mink. To a person, they have all talked about how fiery, how dynamic, how pointed and how relevant she was and how much she meant to this institution.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie) for some further reflections.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure now to yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the Democratic leader and a longtime friend and associate of Patsy Mink's.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from California for her remarks and comments.

Mr. Speaker, I do want to express my appreciation to you for your accommodation and to the gentlewoman from Florida. Patsy Mink was a great American, a great representative for this body, and thousands of people all over the world were inspired by her. Long before I became a Member of Congress, I was inspired by Patsy Mink.

I yield to the gentlewoman from California.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) for yielding me this time and for his leadership in bringing this to the floor. I want to commend the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case), the author of this legislation, and the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie). I am pleased to join both of them in honoring Patsy Takemoto Mink.

I rise in support of naming the post office on Maui, Hawaii, as the Patsy Takemoto Mink Post Office Building. Everyone who knew Patsy or worked with her on a daily basis had his or her day brightened by her presence. With her wonderful family and her magnificent education, Patsy could have led a comfortable life, away from the rough and tumble world of politics. But as has been said of Eleanor Roosevelt, Patsy had a ``burdensome conscience.'' She dedicated her life to helping people and challenging our consciences.

Our colleagues have spoken, as I heard the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie) speak, to the obstacles that Patsy Mink had to overcome, as she was the first woman, the first Japanese-American in her law school, in her class; the first Asian-American woman attorney in Hawaii. She broke so many barriers. She was a pioneer.

As I said, she considered public service a noble calling, and her public service was distinguished by deep patriotism and love of America. She loved America because of our freedoms, which are the envy of the world. She loved America because of its people, whose diversity is the strength of our country. She loved America because of the beauty of our country, which she worked so hard to preserve on the Committee on Resources.

Patsy worked on the Committee on Education and the Workforce and was dedicated to improving the quality of education and the quality of life for children. When Patsy said ``It is not right'' about something, Members would follow her anywhere.

I had the privilege of speaking at Patsy's funeral service, and I told a story then that I think speaks to how irresistible she was and how she would never take no for an answer and how we were all at the mercy of her smile and the twinkle in her eye.

She had said to me one day, ``I need you to come speak in Hawaii at my testimonial dinner, 25 years of service in the Congress.'' How exciting and honored I was, except it was on the day of my town meeting in San Francisco. It was a Saturday evening for her then.

She said, ``What time is your town meeting?''

I said, ``It is 10 o'clock in the morning and it lasts 2 hours.''

She said, ``Fine. You can be on the 1 o'clock to Hawaii.''

I said, ``I have another town meeting on Sunday.''

She said, ``Fine. You can be on the red-eye to go back.''

So I took the 1 o'clock flight to Hawaii, got there at 5 o'clock, got to the event at 6, left at 9, and was on the 10 o'clock flight home to San Francisco, as Patsy had decided for me. That was sandwiched in between flights to and from Washington, D.C. But there was no way to say no to her, because she had done so much for our country, because she meant so much to all of us. She had championed so many issues. We all loved her, respected her, and miss her terribly.

So I cannot help but think that if Patsy were here today, she would be concerned about the expansion of the child tax credit and saying it is not right for us not to extend it to all the children of our men and women in uniform, as well as our working families in America. I wish she were here today.

I know she would be proud of the representation of Hawaii that is here now, in the person of the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case), and, of course, her close pal and buddy and former colleague for many years, the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie).

Patsy Mink left a powerful legacy. Again, with a twinkle in her eye, her dazzling smile and her wonderful laugh,

Patsy worked her magic on our country, making history and progress along the way. We were all privileged to call her ``colleague,'' and it is an honor to have this building named for the great Patsy Mink, and, important to her family, the Patsy Takemoto Mink Postal Building in Maui, Hawaii.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, in my friendship with the Case family, which includes the recently departed Dan Case, he was a great person in our country and came from a beautiful, magnificent family of leaders, and among them was Dan Case and is Steve Case. But we are blessed in this House for Patsy to have been followed by the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case). The Case family is a family I know well, and Hawaii is well represented by the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case).

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2030) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 120 Baldwin Avenue in Paia, Maui, Hawaii, as the ``Patsy Takemoto Mink Post Office Building''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 2030.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be part of the consideration of H.R. 2030, a bill introduced by the distinguished gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case), that designates the postal facility in Paia, Maui, Hawaii, as the Patsy Takemoto Mink Post Office Building.

Mr. Speaker, Congresswoman Patsy Mink was a devoted public servant and a friend to all who served here in the House. She was a passionate representative for her Hawaiian constituents for 26 years, despite having to make the 10-hour flight home almost every weekend. For that alone, she deserves commendation.

Congresswoman Mink was a particular advocate of health, education, and civil rights issues during her tenure in the House; but her career was perhaps best known for her tireless work for gender equality. Congresswoman Mink authored the Women's Education Equity Act, and she was a coauthor of the original title IX legislation. She was an esteemed member of the Committee on Government Reform, the committee that just last month passed by voice vote this bill that honors her. I am pleased that this bill has now come up for consideration by the whole House.

Congresswoman Patsy Mink sadly passed away last September 28 during her 13th congressional term. Patsy Mink won her first election to the House in 1964 and only two current Members of this body were first elected earlier. A long congressional career never took the spring out of her exuberant step or the warmth from her caring heart; and even after her passing, her remarkable service in this House for the people of Hawaii and this entire Nation will certainly never be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 2030 that honors the life and career of Congresswoman Patsy Mink. I congratulate my colleague, the gentleman from Hawaii, for introducing this meaningful and important legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers at this moment. Therefore, I will reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would be glad to yield 10 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

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

Mr. Speaker, again I want to thank the gentleman from Hawaii for introducing this important legislation. We all worked with Congresswoman Patsy Mink and respected her. She will always be in our prayers, and her family as well.

I urge all Members to support the adoption of this important resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.