To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1915 Fulton Street in Brooklyn, New York, as the "Congresswoman Shirley A. Chisholm Post Office Building".

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of designating the United States Postal Service facility at 1915 Fulton Street in Brooklyn, NY, as the Congresswoman Shirley A. Chisholm Post Office Building.

When I think about the honorable lady from Brooklyn, I am constantly reminded of her personal and campaign slogan of ``unbought and unbossed.'' This bold assertion of independence captured the essence of who Shirley Chisholm was: a woman, a Black woman, who was long a champion of justice and a true pioneer who broke the glass ceiling for women in politics and elected office. Her life presented a model of resistance to discrimination, of challenge to the status quo, and of the inappropriateness of stereotypes. She broke barriers by her very presence and she set examples for future generations of leaders by her demeanor and behavior.

Shiirley was an individual with a clear vision of the right--not the political right, but the moral one. She knew that to overcome struggle minorities, those with the least power in a democracy, must stand up to the majority. They must counter the popular misconceptions and prove those in positions of authority of the wrongness of their ideas.

Shirley was determined to lift the Black community in its own eyes as well as the rest of the world. She was confident in herself and her ability to get tasks done and she passed that confidence to those who were in her presence. At a time when few Blacks and few women held elected office, Shirley stepped forward for a seat in the House of Representatives and won that seat. She also stood up against the hierarchy and leadership of the Democratic party and ran for President. Facing insurmountable odds was not enough to prevent Shirley from advocating, fighting for, and working towards the goal of being President of the United States of America. Could you only imagine how different this country would have been if Shirley had won?

I thank the Honorable Gentleman from New York, Mr. Towns, as well as the Honorable Senators Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton for introducing and championing this legislation into the 109th Congress. We send an important message to the Nation by paying honor to this extraordinary individual. We send the message that regardless of your race, your background, and your gender, you can be respected in this country for your determination, commitment, dedication, and hard work to justice and equality. This is a powerful message to send today to our young people in particular.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the legacy of my predecessor and mentor, the Honorable Shirley A. Chisholm. In order to provide her community with an enduring testament to her name, S. 571, and its companion bill H.R. 1209, will designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1915 Fulton Street in Brooklyn, New York, as the ``Congresswoman Shirley A. Chisholm Post Office Building.''

Mrs. Chisholm was a New York icon and committed public servant. She was born in Brooklyn, on November 30, 1924, graduated with honors from Brooklyn College, and earned a Master's degree from Columbia University. She was an active member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), founder of the Unity Democratic Club, and Representative in the New York State Assembly (1964-68).

In 1968, Mrs. Chisholm became the first African American woman to be elected to Congress and serve for seven consecutive terms. During her congressional career (1968-82), Mrs. Chisholm served on the House Education and Labor, Veterans' Affairs and Rules Committees, where she passionately advocated for the rights of women, children, and minorities, and staunchly opposed the Vietnam War. In fact, she was unmatched as a voice for social justice.

Mrs. Chisholm was also a founding member of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues and the Congressional Black Caucus, and the first African American to seek the nomination of a major political party for President of the United States (1972). Her ``unbought and unbossed'' political style allowed her to make friends and political alliances on both sides of the aisle. In addition, her lifetime achievements have inspired members of her Brooklyn community, and generations of women and African Americans, to engage in our nation's policymaking. We are forever grateful for her trailblazing effort.

Mrs. Chisholm was truly one in a million. I am honored to have been part of her Brooklyn political circle and to have worked along side her throughout her political career. In particular, I am thankful for her recommendation of my former chief-of-staff, the late Dr. Brenda Pillors. She, like Mrs. Chisholm, was an insightful and innovative force on Capitol Hill and a source of inspiration for me. Mr. Speaker, in light of the accomplishments and contributions of The Honorable Shirley Chisholm, I deem her to be more than worthy of the designation of a post office building in her name.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 571) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1915 Fulton Street in Brooklyn, New York, as the ``Congresswoman Shirley A. Chisholm Post Office Building''.

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

Senate 571, sponsored in the other body by the distinguished Senator from New York, Senator Charles Schumer,

honors the late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to Congress.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, on November 20, 1924, Shirley Chisholm spent a lifetime advocating civil rights for all Americans. After graduating with honors from Brooklyn College, Shirley Chisholm worked at the Mount Cavalry Child Care Center in Harlem for several years. Later, she founded the Unity Democrat Club, which mobilized black and Hispanic voters. In 1964, Shirley Chisholm ran for and won a State assembly seat in the New York General Assembly. During her term, Ms. Chisholm most notably championed bills to aid day care centers and schools.

In 1968, she campaigned and was elected as the Representative from New York's Twelfth District to the United States Congress, where she served until 1982. Throughout her tenure, Congresswoman Chisholm boldly spoke out on civil rights, women's liberties, and issues specifically affecting those in need.

In 1972, Congresswoman Chisholm was emboldened and encouraged, as many are, to run for President. That year, she sought the Democrat nomination for President and in doing so became the first African American woman to run for the White House on a major party ticket. She received nearly 5 percent of the vote in the Democrat national convention, losing the nomination to then--Senator George McGovern of South Dakota.

Mr. Speaker, Shirley Chisholm sadly passed away on January 1 of this year. It is clear that Shirley Chisholm touched her colleagues and constituents with her courageous and groundbreaking public service career. Thus, it is appropriate to name the post office located in her hometown of Brooklyn in Congresswoman Chisholm's honor. I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting Senate 571.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleague in the consideration of S. 571, legislation designating a postal facility in Brooklyn, New York, after the late Shirley Chisholm.

This measure, which was introduced by Senator Charles Schumer of New York on March 9, 2005, was unanimously passed by the Senate on July 29, 2005. An identical bill, H.R. 1208, has been introduced by a Democrat in the House, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns).

Shirley Chisholm, a native New Yorker, was the first African American woman to be elected to Congress. After serving in the New York State legislature from 1964 to 1968, Ms. Chisholm was elected to the 91st Congress, where she represented the Twelfth Congressional District.

As a former educator and child care manager, Shirley worked hard in Congress on issues ranging from employment and education, to day care and income-support programs. She pushed hard to end the draft and reduce defense spending. She served in six Congresses, from 1969 to 1983, and was not a candidate for reelection to the 98th Congress.

Shirley Chisholm will be remembered for always fighting the good fight and for being the first black woman to announce her candidacy for President of the United States in 1972. In her speech before the Democratic National Convention in Miami, she declared ``Although I am a woman, and I am equally proud of that, I am not the candidate of any political bosses or special interests. I am the candidate of the people.''

Shirley Chisholm was fond of saying that she was unbought and unbossed, simply meaning that she did not represent any particular special interest, but she represented the will of the people.

Sadly, she passed away on January 1, 2005. Mr. Speaker, the late Shirley Chisholm was a legend; and I commend Senator Schumer and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns) for seeking to honor her hard work and dedication in this matter, and I urge support for this bill.

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