Expressing profound sorrow on the occasion of the death of Irma Rangel.

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 227: H. Res. 159. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable vote on rollcall No. 228: H. Res. 195. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 229: H.R. 1465. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 230: S. 222. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 231: S. 273. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 232: S. 763. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 233: H. Amdt. to H. J. Res. 4. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 234: Final passage of H. J. Res. 4. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 235: Motion to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 231. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 236: on agreeing to H. Res. 257. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 237: Motion to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 177. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 238: Motion to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 201. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 239: H.R. 1954. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 240: H. Amdt. 154 to H.R. 760. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 241: Motion to Recommit to H.R. 760. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 242: final passage of H.R. 760. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 243: On Ordering the Previous Question for H. Res. 256. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 244: H. Res. 258. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 245: H. Res. 258. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 246: on passage of H.R. 1474. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 247: S. 222. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 248: S. 273. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 249: H.R. 1610. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 250: H. Con Res. 162. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 251: S. 763. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 252: H. Res. 263 to H.R. 2143. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 253: H. Res. 263 to H.R. 2143. Had I been present, I would have voted ``No.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 254: H. Amdt. 159 to H.R. 2143. Had I been present, I would have voted ``No.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 255: Passage of H.R 2143. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 256: H. Res. 252: Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 257: On ordering the previous question for H.R. 2115. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 258: On agreeing to the rule for H.R. 2115. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 259: On passage of H. Con. Res. 110. Had I been present I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 260: On passage of H.R. 1320. Had I been present I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 261: H.R. 2350. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 262: H. Amdt. 5 to H.R. 2115. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 263: H. Amdt. 4 to H.R. 2115. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 264: On passage of H.R. 2115. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 265: H. Res. 269 to H.R. 1115. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 266: H. Res. 269 to H.R. 1115. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 268: H. Amdt.

168 to H.R. 1115. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 269: H. Amdt. 169 to H.R. 1115. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 270: H. Amdt. 170 to H.R. 1115. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 271: Motion to Recommit to H.R. 1115. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 272: Passage of H.R. 1115. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 273: H. Res. 270 to H.R 1308. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 274: Rule for H.R. 1308. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 275: Motion to Instruct Conferees H.R. 1308. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 276: H.R. 2254. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 277: H. Con. Res. 220. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 278: S. 703. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 279: H. Res. 276. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 280: H. Res. 171. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 281: Passage of H.R. 658. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 282: S. 342. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 283: Passage of S. Con. Res. 43. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 284: Previous Question to H. Res. 281. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 285: H. Res. 281 to H.R 8. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 286: Approving the Journal. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 287: H. Amdt. 171 to H.R. 8. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 288: Passage of H.R. 8. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''.

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 289: H. Res. 283 to H.R. 660. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 290: H. Res. 283 to H.R. 660. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''.

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 291: H. Amdt. 172 to H.R. 1528. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 292: Motion to Recommit H.R. 1528. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 293: Passage of H.R. 1528. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''.

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 294: Kind amendment to H.R. 660. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 295: On motion to recommit with instructions to H.R. 660. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 296: On final passage to H.R. 660. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 297: H. Res. 264. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 298: H. Res. 177. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 299: H. Con. Res. 209. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 300: Passage of H.R. 2465. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 301: Previous Question to H. Res. 293. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''.

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 302: Agreeing to H. Res. 293. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''.

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 303: Passage of H.R. 923. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 304: H.R. 1460. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 305: On sustaining the ruling of the chair on H.R. 2555. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''.

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 306: Sustain ruling of the chair on H.R. 2555. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 307: H. Amdt. 176 to H.R. 2555. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 308: H. Amdt. 183 to H.R. 2555. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 309: H. Amdt. 188 to H.R. 2555. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''.

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 310: Passage of H.R. 2555. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 311: Passage to H.R. 1416. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 312: S. 858. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 313: H.R. 2474. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 314: H. J. Res. 49. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 315: H. Con. Res. 49. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 316: H. Res. 199. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 317: H. Res. 294. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 318: On the Hastings amendment to H.R. 2417. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 319: On the Kucinich amendment to H.R. 2417. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''.

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 320: On the Lee amendment to H.R. 2417. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 321: H. Res. 299 to H.R. 1 and H.R. 2596. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''.

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 322: H. Res. 299 to H.R. 1 and H.R. 2596. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''.

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 323: H. Res. 297 to H.R. 1 and H.R. 2596. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''.

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 324: Ordering the previous question on H. Res. 298. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 325: Passage of H.R. 2559. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 326: Passage of H. Res. 277. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 327: On approval of the Journal. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 328: H.R. 2596. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''.

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 330: H. Amdt.

197 to H.R. 1. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''.

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 331: Motion to recommit with instructions to H.R. 1. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 332: Final passage of H.R. 1. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''.

Mr. Speaker, due to family reasons, I was unable to vote on Rollcall No. 333: On passage of H.R. 2417. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois for yielding me this time. I also want to thank the chairman of the committee, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis); the ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman); our minority leader, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi); and the Republican leadership for bringing this legislation to the floor today.

I rise today as the original sponsor of House Resolution 159 expressing profound sorrow on the occasion of the death of Irma Rangel, a courageous legislator and a great Texan.

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to honor a true Texas legend. Irma Rangel was the first Mexican American woman elected to the Texas House of Representatives, where she served her South Texas constituents for 26 years. She served on the Higher Education Committee for most of her career and became chairwoman in 1995, a leadership position she held until Republicans won control of the House this year. She stayed on as vice chair of the committee until she passed away.

Her legacy includes over 25 years of working to improve minority access to higher education. During her 26-year tenure in the Texas House, Ms. Rangel devoted her efforts to increasing the educational attainment of Hispanics, bringing economic development to Texas, and empowering Texas youth with the tools they needed for success.

It was Irma Rangel's landmark legislation that ensured that all Texas high school seniors who graduate in the top 10 percent of their class would be able to attend any public university in the State of Texas, including the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University at College Station.

Representative Rangel was always ready to engage her colleagues, not only on the pressing issues of the day, but she also sought to raise issues that had been forgotten or ignored yet were important to average working families.

Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Rangel was famous for her quote, ``Will it help or hurt?'' She was also known to say, ``Why not here? Why not in Kingsville?'' And after dialogue, she took action. She fought for her constituents to ensure their needs were addressed by the Texas legislature.

Her relentless efforts to help establish a school of pharmacy at Texas A&M University, Kingsville, the first professional school in South Texas, has emerged as one of her greatest contributions as a State representative.

Not only was Representative Rangel a great State leader, she was an exceptional and courageous example of how to live with cancer. She has survived two bouts of cancer before valiantly battling brain cancer, which ultimately took her life. Irma was a positive force in educating women who faced the same adversities. Her straight talk, get-it-done demeanor, helped open the dialogue on the issue of cancer and treatments.

Irma Rangel was preceded in death by her parents, Herminia L. Rangel and P.M. Rangel and her sister Olga Rangel Lumley. She is survived by her sister Minnie Rangel Henderson and her brother-in-law Howard A. Henderson, nieces Debbie Henderson and Margo Hoover and nephews Dino Henderson and Marc Lumley.

I hope my colleagues will join me in extending the condolences of this Congress to these surviving family members, expressing its deep gratitude to Irma Rangel and her family for the service that she rendered to the great State of Texas, recognizing with appreciation and respect her exemplary commitment to public service and to her constituents, and esteeming Irma Rangel as a role model for generations to come in South Texas and the entire Nation.

Mr. Speaker, the people of Texas will miss Irma's unique style and engaging dialogue. She will be remembered for her great contributions in making Texas a better State for all of its people.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my Texas colleague's resolution expressing profound sorrow on the occasion of the death of State Representative Irma Rangel. On March 18, 2003, the Nation lost a leader, Texas lost a hero, and I lost a friend.

Irma was a veterans of the Texas House of Representatives, having been first elected in 1976. She was the first Mexican-American woman elected to the House and I was privileged to work and serve with Irma for almost 10 years.

She was a vocal proponent of higher education and services for the poor. During her 13 sessions in the House, Rangel spent most of her time and energy on minority and educational issues. She knew her issues, and she knew how to overcome any obstacle.

In response to the Hopwood v. Texas decision, which ended affirmative action at all Texas state colleges and universities, Irma sponsored the 10 percent law, which grants admission to State colleges and universities to students who graduate in the top 10 percent of their high school class.

Irma grew up in Kingsville. She was the daughter of a man who picked cotton, learned to read and write on his own and later owned two barbershops and several other businesses.

She taught for 14 years in schools in Robstown and Alice, in Venezuela and in Menlo Park, CA. In the later 1960s, Irma decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an attorney. She received her law degree from St Mary's University School of Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1969.

Irma worked as a law clerk for U.S. District Judge Adrian A Spears of San Antonio, who was the chief justice for the Western District of Texas.

She also worked as an assistant district attorney in Corpus Christi before returning to her hometown in 1973 to open her own law practice.

Irma was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame in 1994. She also received the Legislator of the Year award from the Mexican American Bar Association of Texas, the Women's Political Caucus' Texas Mexican-American Woman of the Year in 1979, the Unsung Heroines Award in 1991 from the Women's Advocacy Project, the Latina Lawyer of the Year from the Hispanic National Bar Association and the Texas Woman of the Century from the Women's Chamber of Commerce of Texas.

She the first Hispanic in the state to receive the Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award from the American Bar Association's Commission on Women in the profession.

Irma touched the lives of all those who were fortunate enough to know her. Her absence leaves a big hole in the Texas Legislature and in our hearts.

Our thoughts and prayers are with her sister, Herminia Rangel Henderson of Kingsville.

I would like to conclude my remarks by quoting from an editorial in the Houston Chronicle shortly after the announcement of her death: ``Irma Rangel was small in stature, but she was always a large force in the Legislature for all those underserved by government and needing help. She was a trailblazer with a strong voice for many in Texas who had been unheard.''

Irma was a trailblazer. The State of Texas is a much better place because of her work. She will be missed.

Mr. Speaker, I was absent for legislative business last week from June 2, 2003 through June 5, 2003 due to the birth of my son, Charles Wilson Ryan on Friday, May 30, 2003, As a result, I missed rollcall votes 227 through 248.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on the following rollcall votes:

227, H. Res. 159, Expressing the Profound Sorrow on the Occasion of the Death of Irma Rangel;

228, H. Res. 195, Congratulating Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs for hitting 500 Major League Home Runs;

229, H.R. 1465, Designating the facility of the United State Postal Service in Iron Station, North Carolina as the ``General Charles Gabriel Post Office'';

230, S. 222, the Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act;

231, S. 273, the Grand Teton National Park Land Exchange Act;

234, H.J. Res. 4, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of the United States Authorizing the Congress to Prohibit the Physical Desecration of the Flag of the United States;

235, H. Res. 231, Supporting the Goals of Peace Officers Memorial Day;

236. H. Res. 257, Providing for Consideration of H.R. 760, The Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act;

237, H. Con. Res. 177, Recognizing and commending the members of the U.S. Armed Forces, and the allies of the United States and their armed forces, who participate in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq and the dedication of military families and countless others for their support;

238, H. Res. 201, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that our Nation's businesses and business owners should be commended for their support of our troops and their families as they serve our country in many ways, especially in these days of increased engagement of our military around the world;

239, H.R. 1954, Armed Forces Naturalization Act;

242, H.R. 760, The Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act;

243, H. Res. 256, Providing for the consideration of H.R. 1474, Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act;

244, H. Res. 258, On Ordering the Previous Question for the consideration of S. 222, Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights and Settlement Act and S. 273, Grand Teton National Park Land Exchange Act;

245, H. Res. 258, On Agreeing to the Resolution for the consideration of S. 222, Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act and S. 273, Grand Teton National Park Land Exchange Act;

246, H.R. 1474, Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act;

247, S. 222, Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act;

248, S. 273, Grand Teton National Park Land Exchange Act.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on the following rollcall votes:

232, S. 763, Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States Courthouse Designation Act;

233, Substitute Amendment offered by Mr. Watt to H.J. Res. 4, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of the United States Authorizing the Congress to Prohibit the Physical Desecration of the Flag of the United States;

240, Substitute Amendment offered by Mr. Greenwood to H.R. 760, Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act;

241, Motion to Recommit with Instructions to H.R. 760, Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to former Texas State Representative, Irma Rangel, who passed away after a long battle with cancer on March 18, 2003, at the age of 71.

Throughout her career, Irma Rangel was a trailblazer among Mexican- American women. Born in Kingsville, TX, in 1931, Irma was a pioneer advocating for women, minorities, and the poor, ensuring a voice for those who might otherwise remain voiceless. Continuing on her path of breaking down barriers, Irma became one of the first Hispanic female law clerks for Federal District Judge Adrian Spears.

In 1976, after 14 years of teaching in Texas and graduated from St. Mary's Law School, Irma became the first Mexican American woman to serve in the Texas House of Representatives.

Mr. Speaker, this great leader spent much of her time in the Texas state house fighting for equal opportunity in education. In her fourth term, Irma joined the House Higher Education Committee, focusing on higher education because it was not guaranteed by the Texas Constitution. She once said her proudest moment was passing legislation in 2001, to establish a pharmacy school at Texas A&M University- Kingsville. In 1997, after the controversial Hopwood decision, the case that struck down affirmative action in college admission at the University of Texas, Irma passed legislation to allow all students in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating

class automatic admission to any of the State's colleges or universities.

Mr. Speaker, Irma fought tirelessly to the end of her life for improved education. Despite her illness, she waited an hour and a half to testify before a House Appropriations Committee hearing over proposed funding cuts for South Texas universities and community colleges.

I would like to especially thank my colleague and fellow Texan Ruben Hinojosa for leading a special order in honor of Irma Rangel. Irma Rangel was a trailblazer and champion of Texas. Irma was not just a leader in Texas politics but also inspiration to all of us in the Texas delegation. I am certainly proud to have had an opportunity to serve with her and learn from her example. Irma was absolutely delightful, which made our working relationship so wonderful. I will miss her bubbly and cheerful spirit. The people of Texas and her constituents in Kingsville will miss her and her colleagues will fondly remember her courage, determination, humility, and devotion to public service.