Expressing the condolences of the House of Representatives on the death of the Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones, a Representative of the State of Ohio.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening in order to consider the bereavement resolution in memory of our beloved colleague.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, it is with a profound sense of sadness, as well as a deep sense of privilege that I rise this evening to commemorate and to celebrate the life of our friend, colleague, and sister, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio's 11th District. This evening, we do this with the deepest gratitude for her life, and on behalf of our entire Ohio delegation, the people of our State, her home city of Cleveland, and citizens far and wide, who were blessed to know and walk, work, worship and smile along with Stephanie.

On the day of her funeral, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, or actually it was the day after, the Sunday Plain Dealer, had a very large photo of the memorial service held in Cleveland, Ohio. And the headline read, Stephanie Tubbs Jones, 1949 to 2008: Tears flow, laughter rolls during memorial service. And the paper goes on to recount so many beautiful, beautiful remarks and remembrances that people across this country attributed to her life. We will be placing this in the Congressional Record, as well as I would like to read from my home paper, the Toledo Blade, way on the other side of the State from where Stephanie represented. It stated, a leader passes, the loss of her fighting spirit will be keenly felt, deeply mourned and difficult to replace.

I think particularly this evening of her son, Mervyn. We wish him comfort, and we wish him her strength as he mourns her passing.

We all know that when one met Stephanie, you knew you had met strength. You knew you had met someone who endured struggle. She had a keen intelligence, a high-minded idealism, and wow, her charisma just overflowed.

The other day I was in my district and I met a man from Cleveland who had gone to school with Stephanie. And I said, tell me, was Stephanie always that enthusiastic? He said, ``Marcy, I went to law school with her. She never changed.''

And from the time she was in her late teens and early 20s to her service here, she had the same boundless energy, drive and positive spirit.

She was a devoted wife, a beloved mother, a sister to us all, and an elected leader, in that order. And she relished all of her life's roles. Her drive and energy were genuine, and they were infectious. And she carved a nobler path for America with her election as the first African American woman from Ohio to serve in the U.S. Congress. We Ohioans were very proud of her.

I know that I, like my colleagues, have so many vivid lasting memories of Stephanie. Upon her first swearing in, I still recall a little table in a reception hall here where I was able to present her with a single red rose as she was sitting next to her predecessor, Congressman Louis Stokes, and how she poignantly responded. She knew the steepness of the climb.

I recall my efforts to comfort her on the loss of her husband, and she immediately reciprocated as she shared with me, over my Blackberry, a favorite poem from which she drew succor.

Imagine how many memories each of us has, how many thousands of lives she touched, representing a district and State that tested her talents, her spirit, and her conscience daily. She served people well beyond her district, logging thousands of miles in freedom's cause.

I don't think I saw Stephanie too many times without that little valise in the back room here. She was always going somewhere. She held a hard job, and she put her entire being into it. She literally gave herself to us. And in her memory, we should dedicate ourselves to her unfinished work.

One can imagine how few women have ever served in the Congress from our State. To those afforded the privilege, there is a priceless bond that links our spirits and provides support.

Stephanie was such a valued sister. Though her years with us were far too short, her impact endures well beyond the years. She made history. She spoke her conscience, and she reveled in every step of the journey.

Thanks be to God, she did not suffer in the end. The Lord spared her that, perhaps as, through her life, she had endured too much personal sadness and loss that would have broken lesser spirits.

In loss, Stephanie's strength strengthens us. Her enduring personal legacy of character and endurance, beyond her milestone achievements, remain the portrait of her life. Our delegation is especially honored to fittingly commemorate her life and achievements here this evening.

[From the Sunday Plain Dealer, Aug. 31, 2008]

Stephanie Tubbs Jones, 1949-2008: Tears Flow, Laughter Rolls During

Memorial Service

(By Tony Brown)

It was a moment that surely would have earned one of the

wide, knowing smiles remembered so well by all the friends of

Stephanie Tubbs Jones.

Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, the man Tubbs Jones used to call

her ``white son,'' and fellow Congressman Kendrick Meek of

Florida, whom she nicknamed her ``black son,'' had just

finished moving tributes to their congressional ``mom.''

That's when Mervyn Jones II, her real son, slipped out of

his front-row seat to join his ``brothers'' in an intimate,

tearful embrace in front of thousands gathered to bid

farewell to the first black woman elected to Congress from

Ohio.

The three remained locked in each other's arms well into

remarks made by former Rep. Louis Stokes, the man whose seat

Tubbs Jones inherited in 1989.

After the men returned to their places, Sen. Barack Obama--

the son of a black father and a white mother who grew up to

become the first black presidential nominee of a major U.S.

political party--turned in his chair to console a still-

sobbing Meek.

In that moment, amid the grieving and the laughter and the

consolation and the stories and the campaign rhetoric of the

celebration of a life well-lived, everyone under the vaulted

ceiling of Public Hall--all friends of Tubbs Jones--shared in

that group hug.

It was a hug that encircled the woman whose body lay in a

flag-draped casket that rested on a square of red carpet in

front of the stage: Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, who died of a

burst brain aneurysm on Aug. 20 at the age of 58.

Friend was a word heard over and over as the nation's most

powerful Democratic leaders, fresh from Obama's nomination in

Denver, joined religious leaders and Tubbs Jones' beloved

constituents, family and sorority sisters in testifying to

the immensity of Tubbs Jones' spirit.

Former President Bill Clinton, not scheduled to speak but

unable to help himself, called his relationship with Tubbs

Jones ``16 years of astonishing friendship.''

So astonishing that Tubbs Jones continued to support a

failing presidential bid by his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton,

well after many of the congresswoman's constituents had voted

for Obama.

``She was not a fair-weather friend,'' Hillary Clinton told

the crowd.

``I certainly know what that means. Now, her friendship was

not uncritical. When she was your friend, she felt it her

responsibility to inform you of all the matters that needed

improvement.''

Obama, Clinton's opponent for the party's presidential

nomination, also counted himself among Tubbs Jones' buddies.

``I am here today to pay tribute to an extraordinary

American and a devoted public servant, a mother, a daughter,

a sister, a wife and a dear friend to so many here in

Cleveland, so many in Ohio and so many across America.

``And during the most recent contest, Stephanie and I were

on different sides, and we would see each other, she would

say to me, ``This is what it means to be a friend for me.'

All I could say is, `I understand.' ''

There were more words of praise and prayer from elected

officials, some quoting Shakespeare and Scripture, during the

three-hour-and-47-minute marathon of tributes.

Speakers included Sen. Sherrod Brown, Mayor Frank Jackson,

Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora, Rep. Carolyn

Kilpatrick of Michigan and Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland.

And they told plenty of funny and poignant stories.

Perhaps the funniest and most poignant was recounted by

Bill Clinton, who recalled accompanying Tubbs Jones to Puerto

Rico on a primary campaign visit for his wife.

``Now, how Stephanie became a native Puerto Rican in 15

minutes, I'll never know,'' Clinton said, warming to his

subject.

They went into a shop, Clinton said, where Tubbs Jones

admired a piece of locally made jewelry. Clinton bought it

surreptitiously and presented it to her.

``She looked at me and laughed and she said, `You know, I

really like this,' she says. `It's not often a man'll give a

woman a piece of jewelry and not want anything for it.' I

totally lost it.''

So did Clinton's audience. As the laughter died down, the

former president moved in for the kicker.

``I looked at her and said, `Stephanie, you have given me

and our family more, you have given your people and this

country more than you will ever know.' ''

In addition to the eloquent politicians who were gathered,

there were plenty of just plain friends who laughed and wept

and patted each other on the back to the rhythm of hymns like

``Amazing Grace'' and ``Canaan's Happy Shore.''

Some of the late arrivals almost didn't make it into the

funeral.

At 11:30 a.m., about 30 minutes after the service began,

Secret Service officers blocked the entrance. ``The event is

closed,'' one told approaching visitors.

Within minutes, the number lingering at the entrance grew

to more than a dozen. They spoke in shared disbelief.

``Stephanie would not want this,'' one woman said angrily.

Someone in charge agreed. Within minutes, the officers

stepped aside. Newcomers flowed into the cavernous auditorium

until well past noon.

One of the most moving speakers the Friends of Stephanie

heard Saturday was no politician or preacher.

She was a 16-year-old named Tiffany Robertson, a member of

an all-girls health careers class at Cleveland's Martin

Luther King Jr. High School that Tubbs Jones took under her

wing two years ago.

`` `This is the future,' '' Tiffany recalled Jones telling

the girls.

The congresswoman took time from her political and

legislative schedule to visit the class and take them places.

She took them to church one Sunday, but Tiffany had to work.

So Jones dropped by the workplace with Tiffany's classmates

in tow.

``We're family,'' Tiffany told her classmates, who stood in

a show of unity with their peer.

``We got to stick together. We got to carry on her legacy.

She was steward, protector and advocate to us.

``I will miss her as a friend.''

``There's a famous song a few years back . . . and the

refrain of the song says, `If you have a choice, to sit it

out or dance, I hope you dance.' And we all know that

Stephanie didn't sit it out, she danced.''--Tim Ryan, U.S.

Representative from Ohio.

``Stephanie was the kind of political leader who needed

hours to go grocery shopping because everyone she saw wanted

a moment of her time, and she willingly gave it. Because if

you met Stephanie, she was your friend.''--Ted Strickland,

Ohio Governor.

``Oftentimes, late at night, on the campaign trail, whether

the news had been good or bad, she would have a look in her

eye. Sometimes she would grab my hand, and she would say,

`Oh, I miss my husband, I wish he were here.' Well, they are

together now.''--Hillary Clinton, U.S. Senator.

``That's not the air show. The rumbling you hear is the

rearrangement of chairs in heaven.''--Dennis Eckart, Former

Representative standing outside Public Hall as a jet roared

by.

``I considered her my congresswoman as well. We talked all

the time about statewide issues.''--Michael Coleman, Columbus

Mayor.

``Whenever Stephanie came in contact with young people, she

inspired them, she taught them, she mentored them, she stayed

in touch with them. Her legacy is in their legacy.''--Sherrod

Brown, U.S. Senator from Ohio.

``Whenever we talked on the phone, she would say,

`Congresswoman, I love ya.' And I'd say: `I love you, too.'

She was a great congressman. She was a good friend. Thanks,

Stephanie, I love ya.''--Louis Stokes, former U.S.

Representative from Ohio.

``For Stephanie, it wasn't enough to rise up from modest

circumstances and break so many barriers herself. She had to

reach back and pull others through the doors she opened.''--

Barack Obama, Democratic presidential nominee.

``I want to let you know, Cleveland, that you were

represented by one of the best . . .Ladies and gentlemen, she

lived a life that was worth living.''--Kendrick Meek, U.S.

Representative from South Carolina.

``I'll always know her as Aunt Stephanie. She had a big

smile.''--Erin Norton, 24, of Cleveland, whose uncle lived

next to Tubbs Jones.

``All the good things she started, it's like she's still

living.''--Schuvar Murray, 37, of Cleveland.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to call on the distinguished Member from Cleveland, the colleague of Congresswoman Jones, Congressman Dennis Kucinich.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished chairman of the Ways and Means Committee from New York City, our beloved colleague, Charles Rangel.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to Stephanie's colleague from the State of Ohio, Congressman Zack Space.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to yield a minute and a half to Stephanie's distinguished colleague from Ohio, our dear friend, Congressman Charles Wilson.

Does the gentleman yield?

Would the gentleman be kind enough to yield us any remaining time he might have so we can complete the speakers on our side.

I thank the gentleman very much.

Mr. Speaker, would you please tell me how much time we have remaining then?

Thank you very much.

I would like then to yield 2 minutes to our fine colleague from the State of California, who was such a close associate and friend of Stephanie's, Congresswoman Lois Capps.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to yield 2 minutes to the Representative from California who was a close colleague of Stephanie's, Congresswoman Susan Davis.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlelady from Chicago, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, who was a real soul sister to Stephanie.

I would now like to yield time to the distinguished Congressman from North Dakota, Congressman Earl Pomeroy, a friend of Stephanie's for many years.

I thank the gentleman for his remarks and presence this evening.

I would like to yield 2 minutes now to one of Stephanie's sisters here from the State of Texas, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to place in the Record the names of the very able staff of Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones. This staff has endured great sadness, and they have tried to carry on with their leader being in spiritual guidance but not there personally.

And I would like to thank, from her district office, Betty Pinkney, her district director; Beverly Charles, her senior liaison; Theresa Lang Coaxum, her health liaison; Sharon Cole, business liaison; Saulette Reed, her office manager.

And here in Washington, Kimberley Alton, her legislative director; Lalla King Green, her scheduler; Eric Hammond, her staff assistant; Aaron Wasserman, her legislative correspondent; Darrell Doss, her tax counsel; Athena Abdullah, her health counsel; Nicole Y. Williams, her communications director; and Patrice Willoughby, dear Patrice, her chief of staff and counsel, who has tried to stand in Stephanie's place during these very difficult days.

And, finally, from the Committee on Standards, Dawn Kelly Mobley, the counsel to the chairwoman.

These are wonderful, wonderful staff people who have Stephanie's heart, and we want to do everything we can to help them through this very difficult time. And we thank them for their service to Stephanie and serving the people of the 11th District and the people of our country.

Also, Mr. Speaker, I would like to place in the Record before I call on our final speaker this story: There were many tributes paid to Stephanie at the service in Cleveland. One of the most moving speakers, the friends of Stephanie, heard Saturday from no politician or preacher but from a young 16 year old named Tiffany, a member of an all girls health careers class at Cleveland Martin Luther King Junior

High School that Stephanie took under her wing 2 years ago. Tiffany recalled Jones telling the girls ``This is the future. You are the future.'' And the Congresswoman took time from her political and legislative schedule to visit the class and take them places. She took them to church one Sunday, but Tiffany had to work that day. So Stephanie dropped by to the workplace with Tiffany's classmates in tow. Stephanie kept her eye on every one of them. ``We're family,'' Tiffany told her classmates, who stood in a show of unity with their peer. She said, ``We've got to stick together. We have got to carry on in her legacy. She was steward, protector, and advocate to us. I will miss her as a friend.''

Stephanie had friends of all ages. We thank her for her leadership and for the seeds that she planted in the new growth forest that is growing in Cleveland and growing across this country to which she devoted her life.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to call as our final speaker in this bereavement resolution Stephanie's very good friend from the State of Missouri, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver.

Mr. Speaker, in concluding this first hour this evening in honor of our dear colleague Stephanie Tubbs Jones, let me just say that Stephanie Tubbs Jones was a true mother of this Republic. Let the record show that. Let the record comfort her son in years hence.

And I want to say to our dear, dear friend and colleague Congressman Regula, whose district sort of held Stephanie's up on the southern side, I want to thank him so very much, the dean of the Republican side of the aisle, for being here throughout this evening and through the wonderful participation of her colleagues of various persuasions here on the floor. The friendships went beyond party, and I thank the gentleman for his participation.

Thank you, Congressman Regula, and I want to thank all of our colleagues who have participated this evening. I can guarantee you that every word that is on the Record will come to comfort Mervyn and the Tubbs Jones family, their church family, her sisterhood, all the people of Cleveland, all the people who have known Stephanie across our Nation. I want to thank our colleagues for their generosity and for their good hearts.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to say that the Ohio delegation stands beside those from the Congressional Black Caucus, who will have the second hour this evening in remembrance of Stephanie Tubbs Jones. We thank them very much for doing this. I know how very much their words will mean not just today but in future years to those who love Stephanie always.

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

I thank the gentlelady.

When I look at this Chamber this evening, there are so many Members of Congress here, each who wants to pay tribute to her. I'm going to keep my remarks brief, not in any way reflecting the depth of grief that I feel over Stephanie's passing.

We shared not only districts--because my district is mostly on the West side of the Cuyahoga River and hers is mostly on the east side of the Cuyahoga River--but we shared political careers, having worked with each other for the better part of three decades. And the Stephanie that we saw here in the Congress, the one of the 100-megawatt smile, the boundless energy, the telling sense of humor, the challenging approach when you may not agree with her, that was the Stephanie that I knew for 30 years.

But we also shared a friendship about family. And she went through it in the last years of her life with the loss of loved ones close to her, her father, her husband. And when we would have major events in our lives, like we do with close friends--and she was a close friend to many of us--we would share many of these things. And there was a lot of sadness to share. But there was also a moment when, for me, I had one of the biggest things happen in my life, and Stephanie was the first person I wanted to share it with.

More than 3 years ago, I met a woman who walked into my office as part of a meeting for policy, and even though I had a very brief conversation with her, I knew something had happened at that moment. And I just knew at that moment that this was somebody I was going to marry, and I didn't even have a discussion with her about anything except for policy for more than about half a minute. And I ran down to the floor to tell my friend Stephanie, because that's the kind of friend she was. You would want to tell her when you thought something big was happening in your life.

And so I said, ``Stephanie, I met her.'' And she looked at me and her eyes widened, and she gave her big smile, and she went, ``Shut up!'' And she had that kind of way of assessing things brilliantly and quickly in a manner and a tone and a language that was Stephanie.

And she really brought the wisdom of a keen legal mind and melded it with a

street sense into this political persona that touched people all over this country and, indeed, in other countries as well. She had that magic.

Her presence is so powerful that I know I speak for other Members when I say that even at this moment, weeks later after her passing, we still can't believe it. That's how powerful a presence she was personally. And when she engaged you, you knew you were in a conversation and it was real.

When Members of Congress arrived to pay respects at the Bethany Church, we saw the sidewalks lined with her constituents. We saw a line to get into Bethany Church that was more than a block long. Hundreds of people waiting in line.

I had the chance to talk to some of them. You could see--you have to look into people's eyes, look at their faces, and you see the faces of people who are struggling with life, who are dealing with the kinds of problems that Stephanie came to Congress to address: trying to save their homes, trying to save their jobs, trying to keep their families together. And their eyes are searching today because they know they have lost a champion, and it puts such a great responsibility on all of us, a greater responsibility on all of us to uphold those things that she came to Congress for, the basic rights of people.

This was a loss for women who have strived for recognition in this body. This is a loss for African Americans who saw in her a champion, the first African American woman elected to Congress from the State of Ohio.

But what Stephanie did, her genius and her magic was she just broke all of the barriers. She went beyond gender and beyond race and emerged to a whole different political element. That's why she can't be replaced. And that's why, long after many of us have left this Chamber, people will still be talking about Stephanie Tubbs Jones.

Stephanie, we love you, and we will remember you.

I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio for yielding me the time.

And I, too, rise today with heaviness in my heart but also with a deep sense of gratitude and respect for my colleague, my friend, Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Her passing is truly a tragic loss for the people of Ohio's 11th District, whom she loved so very much, and for all of the people who she stood up for across this country.

Stephanie was truly an historic figure in American politics. She achieved

many firsts and she blazed many trails in a way that only Stephanie could. She was the first African American and first female prosecutor in Cuyahoga County, Ohio; the first African American woman to sit on the Common Pleas bench in Ohio; the first African American woman to be elected to Congress from Ohio, and the first African American woman to serve on the House Ways and Means Committee, a job she truly loved.

Stephanie attacked her job as a Congresswoman with passion and a contagious enthusiasm on behalf of those she served. She was effective and determined. Her strength exceeded courage. She was fearless. She lived her life and represented her constituents giving it everything she had. She had no time for fear.

Her amazing spirit touched and brightened so many lives, and with every first that Stephanie achieved, with every rung of the ladder she climbed, Stephanie always reached back to help others following behind. From encouraging the young women and men in her office who interned, to inspiring the young people from her hometown of Cleveland, Stephanie was a force. And she loved her staff and spoke of them as family. Stephanie was not pretentious. She treated all people as they should be treated, with dignity and respect.

Mr. Speaker, when I first arrived in these hallowed Halls in January of 2007, I was very fortunate to have Stephanie here to help me. She was a colleague and a friend who I could turn to for advice not only on the many crucial issues that we face but also simply on how to navigate this body. And when I thanked her for helping me along, she would always wave a hand in the air and explain, ``Hey, we're sisters.'' Stephanie's friendship and mentorship were vital to me, and I am grateful that she touched my life

Stephanie was honest and loyal. You could count on her word. She was the type of person who could lift up the spirits of those feeling down. She was willing to work with others for the good that was greater than just herself, but she was also tough and willing to fight as necessary to protect the rights of the people of this great country. Nowhere was this more evident than in the fight she led to ensure the integrity of our voting process. Stephanie also worked tirelessly to promote home ownership and to help keep families in their homes.

But with all of her achievements, nothing compared to that of the strong young man that Stephanie raised, her son, Mervyn. Stephanie's face would beam when she talked about Mervyn. There could be no question beyond everything she gave in service, everything she accomplished, they all paled in comparison to how proud she was of Mervyn. She loved him and continues to love him beyond measure.

Stephanie also had a beautiful and strong sister who she loved and appreciated so deeply. When Stephanie spoke of her sister Barbara, it was clear how special Barbara was to her.

Mr. Speaker, I could go on and on about the life of this amazing woman. I am so honored to have known her and to have served alongside of her. Stephanie was more than my colleague; she was my friend, and we were sisters. I will miss her greatly.

My thoughts and prayers are with her son Mervyn, and her very special sister Barbara, and the rest of her family.

Mr. Speaker, when Congresswoman Tubbs discovered that I had three sons who had gone to college on basketball scholarships, she asked if I would bring them here for the annual fund-raising basketball game with the Georgetown Law School faculty. None of them could come this year; so I was drafted by Stephanie Tubbs Jones in language that I would normally not use during a sermon. But I did show up and immediately became angry because she pulled me out of the game just because I could not make it down the court in a minute in the transition game. So I cheered for the remainder of the evening for our team that Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee mentioned did win in overtime.

But the most significant moment for me came when we all saw the signs that the pages had made for us. They were cheering us on. And the pages sent me a statement that they asked if I would read on their behalf. And I quote:

``Ask any one of the pages from the spring 2008 class to list their favorite memories from the 5 months we spent working on the hill, an anecdote about Ms. Stephanie Tubbs Jones will likely be included. For some of us it is the unwavering charisma shown when she was the Speaker pro tempore. For others it is the simple act of coming to say good-bye to us at our departure ceremony. For most of us, it is the night of the 2008 home court charity basketball game, where our chants cheering on the Hill's Angels team and the Coach Tubbs Jones rang 10 times louder than the formidable Georgetown students cheering section and led our team to a surprising victory.

That night and for the rest of the time we knew Ms. Tubbs Jones, we weren't just pages sitting in the back of the House. We experienced that night the true strength, pride, and enthusiasm of Stephanie Tubbs Jones, a strength rooted in her devotion to making things better, a pride in her job as a public servant evident every single day, and an unmatched enthusiasm for our service as pages. She was the type of woman you only dream of meeting at some point in your life and the friend we never expected to find in the halls of Congress last spring.

``Just as we will never forget our time as pages, we will never forget Stephanie Tubbs Jones.

``The spring 2008 page class.''

Mr. Speaker, Stephanie Tubbs Jones was my friend. We had the opportunity to spend time together, and I don't want to reminisce and say things that others have already said. Let me just say that I hate death. I hate it. And if I had an opportunity to erase it or kill it, I would. But death, unfortunately, is a part of life and we will all experience it. The issue is not death so much as it is life, and we are granted an unspecified period of time, and many of us deal with those moments with a kind of carelessness that certainly was not planned when we were given our time on this Earth.

Stephanie Tubbs Jones was exuberant. She lived her life. She lived it out to the fullest. And I can say that if you understand that life is not a time to just waste and then look at the time of Stephanie Tubbs Jones, you know she understood that. And I would say that death is not a cul-de-sac for some. It's not an end. Death is a beginning. And for Stephanie Tubbs Jones, it was a comma for a new beginning. She lived her life and she lived it with zest and zeal.

She pulled me in Kansas City on the dance floor in front of hundreds of people and made me dance. I have a photograph of that that I had been hiding that I am now going to bring out with pride because I think when she did that, she was also saying live your life and live it to the fullest. Never ever allow cobwebs to cover you. If you rest, you rust. Stephanie Tubbs Jones never rusted.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express deep sadness on the sudden passing of our colleague in this House and a member of the Ohio delegation, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones.

August was a busy month for us. We have participated in events in our districts and meetings in our offices. Many of us participated in our party's presidential conventions. Unfortunately, too many of these tasks and goals were cut short and cut short too early for our colleague. We grieve her loss here this evening.

Throughout our time together in this House, the members of the Ohio delegation have been a congenial group and not a partisan one. We regularly worked together to share common responsibilities and actions to improve and strengthen our State. Stephanie brought energy and enthusiasm to our delegation and to our work, and we will miss her terribly.

As you will hear throughout this evening's remarks by my colleagues, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones is a Member who held many firsts in our delegation. And I won't repeat those because many Members will touch on it.

To me, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones was my friendly, outgoing, and upbeat colleague. We often traveled back and forth together in the same plane from Ohio to Washington for our congressional session. I will miss her wonderful personality and the energy she brought to our delegation and to this House.

This morning, when I was getting ready to leave for the airport, I said to my wife, ``You know, I'm going to really miss Stephanie because we would always be on the plane together most the time, the same flight, and she was always so upbeat and she had the common expression, `Well, how are you doing today? How are you doing today?' ''

Well, we did well together, but I will miss her energy and personality that she brought to the delegation and to this House. I worked with Stephanie--her district was not far from mine--and we had a common interest in furthering the medical facilities in Cleveland, Ohio, some of the best in the United States; and it was a pleasure always to work with her and to enjoy her boundless enthusiasm and good nature.

And certainly on behalf of my colleagues in the Ohio delegation, we express our sincere sympathy to her son, Mervyn Jones, and to her sister, Barbara Walker, as well as to her thousands of constituents and to her devoted staff.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson).

I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlelady from Ohio (Ms. Pryce).

I yield to the gentlelady from Ohio (Mrs. Schmidt).

Mr. Speaker, we have no further requests for time.

Yes, I yield.

Yes, we'd be happy to yield whatever time we have left to your side.

Well, I would just comment that to know Stephanie was to love her. She just had that ebullient personality that you couldn't resist.

I also want to comment on one other thing, and that is that thousands of people in East Cleveland, in her district, have better health care today than they would have without Stephanie. She focused on the health care assets of East Cleveland, some of the best in the Nation, and as a result, the people that she represented have a better chance to take advantage of the health care facilities. And that's a legacy of Stephanie that most people aren't aware of and yet touches the lives of literally thousands of people.

And I congratulate the gentlewoman from Ohio for having this Special Order tonight because Stephanie was special.