Celebrating the life and achievements of Dr. Dorothy Irene Height and recognizing her life-long dedication and leadership in the struggle for human rights and equality for all people until her death at age 98 on April 20, 2010.

Let me thank the chairman of the Judiciary Committee and my colleague from Texas (Mr. Poe) for his presence and comments on the floor about Dr. Dorothy Height and, as well, the author of the resolution.

I am very proud to have joined Congresswoman Fudge to be an original cosponsor of this legislation and come to the floor today, as we did yesterday, for I believe that the celebration of Dr. Height's life needs no stopping, if you will. If we continue to commemorate her throughout this week, it will not be able to account for her service.

And for those who may not be familiar with Dr. Dorothy Height, I only wish that this picture was in color. For maybe as you look at this lady adorned with this fabulous hat, well attired, you will remember seeing in many pictures with Presidents, kings and queens, international leaders, a lady who was appropriately attired with that dapper and beautiful hat. The color that I remember most is her beautiful aqua, and I say that only because many times we look at women as to how they are adorned.

I think that Dr. Height did not fail to be noticed when she came into a room, both by her stature and her attire, but certainly by her words. I would count her the most influential woman in the Civil Rights Movement, a friend to many, one who empowered women and clearly progeny of Mary McLeod Bethune, what a wonderful legacy that was given to Dr. Height in her leadership of the National Council of Negro Women for some 40 years.

There are chapters throughout the Nation, and I am grateful to be a member of the Dorothy Height Chapter in Houston, Texas. There are many, and I must remind my colleagues and those that are listening, that the name continues to be the National Council of Negro Women, which was the name that was given by Mary McLeod Bethune. No one dared view that as any undermining of the dignity and purpose, reliability and, of course, the power of this organization.

No one ran away from the word ``negro'' because we knew that in that word there was struggle, there was a showing of what we overcame. And to the instruction of Mary McLeod Bethune, we knew that it captured the empowerment of women, but it also spoke to the education of our children. Dr. Dorothy Height was in the center point of that.

I had the privilege of coming here to the United States Congress and being able to look up to Dr. Height as I got to know her even before my congressional duties. What a pleasure to be

able to join C. DeLores Tucker at her annual events and the National Council of Black Political Women to deal with her seeking empowerment for women, and as well to be able to join with then Betty Shabazz, Dr. Dorothy Height, and Coretta Scott King. What a powerful group of women whose history paralleled each other, but in essence they were sisters.

And so I rise today to be able to acknowledge this glorified woman who came eagerly to the National Council that was headed by C. DeLores Tucker and now by E. Faye Williams, and to be able to thank her.

When we were looking to pass legislation to include Sojourner Truth as the only standing figure now of an African American woman in this United States Congress, this great heroine, this great woman added her leverage, her power, her support and sisterhood to ensure that we placed Sojourner Truth, a suffragette and an abolitionist, here.

So Dr. Height, as you rest today, let it be known that we do recommit ourselves to the universal access of education for all children, for the education of America's children, for reminding us that Haiti's children--now suffering in the wane of an earthquake--must be provided education, and to be reminded that there is no shame in being an agitator and a provocateur and someone who fights for freedom and justice.

We are in your debt, the godmother, if you will, of civil rights. We will be forever in your debt. And the women and the men and the many different rainbow colors of these United States and around the world, people will be indebted to you for your common touch, for your spirit, and, yes, for saving so many of us.

May God bless your soul. May you rest in peace as we celebrate over these days your life. God bless you, Dr. Dorothy Height.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1281, Honoring the life and Achievements of Dr. Dorothy Height and Recognizing her Lifelong Dedication and Leadership in the Struggle for Human Rights and Equality for All People Until Her Death at Age 95 on April 20, 2010.

I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Dr. Dorothy I. Height who was a national treasure and a civil rights icon. For more than half a century, Dorothy Irene Height played a leading role in the never ending struggle for equality and human rights here at home and around the world. Her life exemplifies her passionate commitment for a just society and her vision of a better world.

Dr. Height was a social justice and civil rights activist, a servant of the people, one who served a number of Presidents, a humanitarian, American, a hero, and a great patriot. She believed in women's rights and the empowerment of minorities. She was an inspiration to all women. She never ran away from the fight for justice. All of those are words without motion, unless you had the privilege to know Dr. Dorothy Height as I did. You would then be captured by her charm, her energy, her insight, her intellect and her compassion. Her legacy is one of a glorious and wonderful champion of the people.

Dorothy Height witnessed or participated in virtually every major movement for social and political change in the last century. During the 1963 civil rights March on Washington, Dorothy Height was the only woman on the podium when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his ``I Have a Dream'' speech. For nearly 75 years, Dorothy Height fought for the equality and human rights of all people. She was the only female member of the ``Big 6'' civil rights leaders (Whitney Young, Jr., A. Philip Randolph, Martin Luther King, Jr., James Farmer, and Roy Wilkins). Her vision and dedication made the National Council of Negro Women the premier organization in advocating for the health, education, and economic empowerment for all women of African descent around the world.

Dorothy Height was born in Richmond, Virginia, March 24, 1912, and educated in the public schools of Rankin, Pennsylvania, a borough of Pittsburgh, where her family moved when she was four. She established herself early as a dedicated student with exceptional oratorical skills. After winning a $1,000 scholarship in a national oratorical contest on the United States Constitution, sponsored by the Fraternal Order of the Elks, and compiling a distinguished academic record, she enrolled in New York University where she earned both her bachelor and master's degrees in just 4 years. She continued her postgraduate studies at Columbia University and the New York School of Social Work.

In 1933, Dorothy Height joined the United Christian Youth Movement of North America where her leadership qualities earned her the trust and confidence of her peers. It was during this period that she began to emerge as an effective civil rights advocate as she worked to prevent lynching, desegregate the Armed Forces, reform the criminal justice system, and provide free access to public accommodations. In 1935, Dorothy Height was appointed by New York government officials to deal with the aftermath of the Harlem riot of 1935.

As Vice President of the United Christian Youth Movement of North America, Dorothy Height was 1 of only 10 American youth delegates to the 1937 World Conference on Life and Work of the Churches held in Oxford, England. Two years later she was selected to represent the YWCA at the World Conference of Christian Youth in Amsterdam, Holland.

Madam Speaker, it was in 1937, while serving as Assistant Executive Director of the Harlem YWCA, that Dorothy Height met Mary McLeod Bethune, founder and president of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW). Mrs. Bethune was immediately impressed with young Dorothy Height's poise and intelligence and invited her to join the NCNW and assist in the quest for women's rights to full and equal employment, pay and education.

In 1938, Dorothy Height was 1 of 10 young Americans invited by Eleanor Roosevelt to Hyde Park, NY to help plan and prepare for the World Youth Conference to be held at Vassar College.

For the next several years, Dorothy Height served in a dual role: as a YWCA staff member and NCNW volunteer, integrating her training as a social worker and her commitment to rise above the limitations of race and sex. She rose quickly through the ranks of the YWCA, from working at the Emma Ransom House in Harlem to the Executive Directorship of the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA in Washington, DC, to the YWCA National headquarters office.

For 33 years, from 1944 through 1977, Dorothy Height served on the staff of the National Board of the YWCA and held several leadership positions in public affairs and leadership training and as Director of the National YWCA School for Professional Workers. In 1965, she was named Director of the Center for Racial Justice, a position she held until her retirement.

In 1952, Dorothy Height lived in India, where she worked as a visiting professor in the Delhi School of Social Work at the University of Delhi, which was founded by the YWCAs of India, Burma and Ceylon. She would become renowned for her internationalism and humanitarianism. She traveled around the world expanding the work of the YWCA. She conducted a well-received study of the training of women's organizations in five African countries: Liberia, Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria under the Committee of Correspondence.

Dorothy Height loved and led her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta. She was elected National President of the sorority in 1947 and served in that capacity until 1956. She led the sorority to a new level of organizational development, initiation eligibility, and social action throughout her term. Her leadership training skills, social work background and knowledge of volunteerism benefited the sorority as it moved into a new era of activism on the national and international scene.

In 1957, Dorothy Height was elected the fourth National President of NCNW and served in that position for 40 years, when she became Chair of the Board and President Emerita.

In 1960, Dorothy Height was the woman team member leader in the United Civil Rights Leadership along with Martin Luther King, Whitney H. Young, A. Philip Randolph, James Farmer, Roy Wilkins and John Lewis. In 1961, while Dorothy Height was participating in major Civil Rights leadership, she led NCNW to deal with unmet needs among women and their families to combat hunger, develop cooperative pig banks, and provided families with community freezers and showers.

In 1964, after the passage of the Civil Rights Act, Dorothy Height with Polly Cowan, an NCNW Board Member, organized teams of women of different races and faith as ``Wednesdays in Mississippi'' to assist in the freedom schools and open communication between women of difference races. The workshops which followed stressed the need for decent housing which became the basis for NCNW in partnership with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to develop Turnkey III Home Ownership for low income families in Gulfport, Mississippi.

In 1970, Dorothy Height directed the series of activities culminating in the YWCA Convention adopting as its ``One Imperative'' to the elimination of racism. That same year she also established the Women's Center for Education and Career Advancement in New York City to prepare women for entry level jobs. This experience led her in 1975 to collaborate with Pace College to establish a course of study leading to the Associate Degree for Professional Studies (AAPS).

In 1975, Dorothy Height participated in the Tribunal at the International Women's Year

Conference of the United Nations in Mexico City. As a result of this experience, NCNW was awarded a grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to hold a conference within the conference for women from the United States, African countries, South America, Mexico and the Caribbean. This was followed with a site visit with 50 of the women to visit with rural women in Mississippi. Under the auspices of the USAID, Dorothy Height lectured in South Africa after addressing the National Convention of the Black Women's Federation of South Africa near Johannesburg (1977). Since 1986, she has worked tirelessly to strengthen the Black family.

Madam Speaker, under the leadership of Dorothy Height:

NCNW achieved tax-exempt status in 1966;

NCNW dedicated the statue of Mary McLeod Bethune in Lincoln Park, Washington D.C. in 1974; the first woman to be so honored on public land in the Nation's Capital;

Developed model national and community-based programs ranging from teen-age parenting to pig ``banks''--which addressed hunger in rural areas;

Established the Bethune Museum and Archives for Black Women, the first institution devoted to black women's history;

Established the Bethune Council House as a national historic site;

Transformed NCNW into an issue-oriented political organization, sponsoring ``Wednesdays in Mississippi'' when interracial groups of women would help out at Freedom Schools; organizing voter registration drives in the South; and fostering communications between black and white women.

Established the Black Family Reunion Celebration in 1986 to reinforce the historic strengths and traditional values of the Black family.

Among the major awards bestowed upon Dorothy Irene Height in gratitude and appreciation for her service to our nation and the world are the following:

Presidential Medal of Freedom presented by President Bill Clinton;

Congressional Gold Medal presented by President George W. Bush;

John F. Kennedy Memorial Award;

NAACP--Spingarn Medal;

Hadassah Myrtle Wreath of Achievement;

Ministerial Interfaith Association Award;

Ladies Home Journal--Woman of the Year;

Congressional Black Caucus--Decades of Service;

President Ronald Reagan--Citizens Medal;

Franklin Roosevelt--Freedom Medal;

Essence Award; and the

Camille Cosby World of Children Award.

Dorothy Height was also elected to the National Women's Hall of Fame and is the recipient of 36 honorary degrees from colleges and universities as diverse as Tuskegee University, Harvard University, Spelman College, Princeton University, Bennett College, Pace University, Lincoln University, Columbia University Howard University, New York University, Morehouse College, and Meharry Medical College.

Madam Speaker, Dorothy Height has witnessed or participated in virtually every major movement for social and political change in the last century. For nearly 75 years, Dorothy Height has fought for the equality and human rights of all people. She was the only female member of the ``Big 6'' civil rights leaders (Whitney Young, Jr., A. Philip Randolph, Martin Luther King, Jr., James Farmer, and Roy Wilkins). Her vision and dedication made NCNW the premier organization in advocating for the health, education and economic empowerment for all women of African descent around the world.

Thank you, Dorothy Height, for your service to our nation. You have made America a better place for all persons of all races, religions, and backgrounds. You have mentored hundreds, been a role model to thousands, and a hero to millions. You are an American original. I am glad to count you as a friend.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1281) celebrating the life and achievements of Dr. Dorothy Irene Height and recognizing her lifelong dedication and leadership in the struggle for human rights and equality for all people until her death at age 98 on April 20, 2010.

I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise their remarks and include extraneous material.

I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

This is a day we come to remember and honor the life and legacies of one of America's most celebrated civil rights leaders, the late Dr. Dorothy Height, who passed just yesterday and was one that brings back many memories for many of the Members of the House. Her connections with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Rosa Parks and all of the organizations that she was connected with are already a part of legendary record.

I was with her in 1963 when Dr. King led this March on Washington, and I remembered seeing her. I didn't know her at that time, but I sure got to know her a couple of years later.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, this resolution honors the life and achievements of one of the most celebrated and cherished women in the Civil Rights movement, the late Dr. Dorothy Height.

With Dr. Height's passing yesterday, heaven gained one of its most beloved treasures, while this nation lost a true soldier in the fight for equality for all men and women.

I recall the first time I met Dr. Height. Her confidence in our nation's potential, and her passion for seeing every person obtain equality, made her a force to be reckoned with.

A few years ago, I was humbled when Dr. Height honored me for continuing to pursue the dream of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today, I stand proud to have been her friend and to have the privilege to celebrate her life before this Congress.

Today, I would like to touch on three significant points about Dr. Height.

First, Dr. Dorothy Height was a centerpiece on the many stages of the Civil Rights movement.

In 1960, Dr. Height was the only woman team member in the United Civil Rights Leadership. She worked beside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., A. Philip Randolph, John Lewis, James Farmer, and many other celebrated civil rights leaders.

Although Dr. Height was not among the speakers who addressed the crowd gathered at the Lincoln Memorial at the March on Washington in 1963, she was the only woman to stand on the stage that day as Dr. King delivered his historic ``I Have A Dream'' speech.

And 45 years later, she watched that dream of equality move even closer to becoming true, as she attended the inauguration of our nation's first black President.

This historic moment was built on the hard work and perseverance of Dr. Height, whose tenacity led her to be known as the ``godmother of the Civil Rights movement.''

Second, Dr. Height's commitment to equal treatment for every American has influenced American Presidents for over 70 years.

From President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to President Barack Obama, Dr. Height's influence and advocacy helped shape the Civil Rights issues that confronted each generation.

When Dr. Height was a young woman, she was one of 10 American youth invited by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to spend a weekend at her Hyde Park New York home, to plan a World Youth Conference in 1938.

Through this relationship, Dr. Height encouraged President Roosevelt to take action to desegregate America's public schools.

Later, in the 1960's, she went on to encourage the Johnson Administration to make unprecedented appointments of African American women to positions in government.

Dr. Height gained significant influence throughout her lifetime. She transformed her leadership into a movement of empowerment for those who were living under unfulfilled promises of their country.

She once said ``greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplished, but by the opposition he or she has overcome to reach his goals.''

Finally, Dr. Height's personal experience with segregation motivated her to become an excellent and educated leader who selflessly sought to ensure that others have similar opportunities.

Dr. Height dedicated herself to achieving a good education. At a very young age, Dr. Height was distinct amongst her peers, and provided great leadership to the Christian Youth Movement of North America, where she worked to prevent lynching, desegregate the armed forces, and reform the criminal justice system. She was also an advocate for free access to public accommodations.

Her focus and dedication paid off as she won scholarships, and recognition for her scholastic excellence. Although she was denied admission by one institution because it had reached its quota of two black students, she went on to attend New York University and Columbia University.

We should be very thankful for the sacrifices and hard work of Dr. Dorothy Height. A recipient of the President's Medal of Honor, the Congressional Medal of Honor, and a tireless advocate for individuals who had yet to see the American dream become a reality, we honor this outstanding woman.

I would like to commend my colleagues for their work on this important resolution. In particular, I would like to thank my good friend from the State of Ohio, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, who is the sponsor of this resolution.

I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.

I thank Judge Poe for co-leading this resolution from the Judiciary Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished majority leader, James Clyburn, the gentleman from South Carolina.

I am pleased to yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Fudge) one of our newest Members of the Congress, who knew, worked for, studied under, and was a mentee to Dorothy Height.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Madam Speaker, I am delighted to recognize our former State senator, former ambassador, and now a Member of Congress, who has served here with such distinction, Diane Watson, Hollywood, California. I yield her 1 minute.

I want to thank Judge Poe for his generosity.

At this time, I am going to yield 2 minutes to Donna Edwards of Maryland.

Madam Speaker, it is my distinct honor to recognize our Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, for 1 minute.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to my friend and colleague from Michigan, Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, a distinguished member of the Appropriations Committee and an activist in her own right.

I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.

I am pleased now to yield 1 minute to my colleague, the gentlewoman from Wisconsin, Gwen Moore.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, the distinguished gentlelady from Oakland, California, Barbara Lee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina, Judge Butterfield.

Madam Speaker, I am delighted to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands, Dr. Donna Christensen.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, the recitations of many of the Members in memory of Dorothy Height have been marked by the personal knowledge and their own intimate relationship with her. I am no different from the rest.

I knew and worked with her on a regular basis. She was attending all of the functions. Up until recently, I could see her anywhere in Washington if there was a civil rights event or women's event, a national event, and so it was good to see her. Sure, she was slowing down, but most of us are anyway, so I appreciated that she was as stylish as has been referred to as always. She always had that spirit, and

it is with great pleasure that I remember through the many occasions, starting from our first public meeting at the March on Washington in 1963. She, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Rosa Parks were very important figures as I participated in the struggle that would lead to the culmination of the great civil rights movement in American history. It is with fond memory that I remember her activity, her friendship, her helpfulness. I think that there may be some kind of national commemoration for her that might be appropriate now that we've reviewed all of the medals, commendations, and awards that she has received thus far.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I am pleased now to yield 1 minute to the majority leader of the House, the gentleman from Maryland, the great Steny Hoyer.

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I would like to close by thanking all the presenters, particularly singling out my dear friend on the Judiciary Committee, Judge Poe, who has done a very good job here.

It occurred to me that Dorothy Height has already received so many awards, commendations, citations during her lifetime that if the distinguished President of the United States were to ask us what further could be done, I would recommend that there be

some kind of event, bipartisan obviously, but one that draws in Americans who may not have participated in the struggles and the experiences that distinguished Dorothy Height's long career, and that might be a wonderful way for her to be remembered, as she no doubt will in the course of history as more and more historical books are written about her contribution going all the way back to the 1930s.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I want to thank the gentleman from Michigan for yielding and for his leadership, Congressman John Conyers, one of the great civil rights leaders.

Madam Speaker, I also want to say, as we think about and honor and mourn, yes, and celebrate her life, Dr. Height was one of our greatest civil rights leaders, a woman, who oftentimes, with the great men of the civil rights movement, had to make sure that a woman's voice, an African American woman's voice, was heard.

Dr. Height wore many hats literally and figuratively. I am going to miss her so much.

A couple of months ago, she insisted that I participate in the National Council of Negro Women's annual conference in Maryland. Dr. Height, of course, knows the schedule here on the Hill, and said, Well, just come out for the breakfast.

I said, Okay, Dr. Height.

I got there at, maybe, 7 o'clock in the morning. She was there to greet me at 7 a.m.

You knew you were in the presence of greatness when you were with Dr. Height.

Whenever we called on Dr. Height, she was there to support our efforts. Just recently, for example, she joined the Congressional Black Caucus in our efforts here on the Hill to support the 2010 census. Her passion was an inspiration to all of us here in Congress. It is hard to imagine that, in the thirties, she provided a resistance movement in her efforts to desegregate the YWCA.

We are going to deeply miss her. We love her. We celebrate her life and mourn her death.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support and as an original co-sponsor of this resolution honoring the life and legacy of a true American treasure--Dr. Dorothy Irene Height. I want to thank my colleagues Marcia Fudge and her staff and our leadership for working so quickly to get this resolution to the House floor. Today, I join with my House colleagues, the Congressional Black Caucus and people around the world as we celebrate the life of Dr. Height.

A Matriarch of the Civil Right Movement, staunch advocate for women's rights and all-around Grand Dame, Dr. Height was a bold and brilliant African American Woman, who blazed many trails and opened many doors so that we all may lead freer and more prosperous lives.

Throughout her life, Dr. Height wore many hats-both literally and figuratively--with elegance and dignity, excellence and determination. From her legendary stewardship as the National President and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., to her unprecedented 41-year tenure at the helm of the National Council of Negro Women, Dr. Height was a woman of courage and strength.

Dr. Height's commitment to equality was reflected in so many of her pursuits. In the 1930s, Dr. Height traveled across the United States to encourage YWCA chapters to implemet interracial charters. After dedicating more than 60 years of her life to the YWCA, Dr. Height remained proudest of her efforts to direct YWCA's attention to issues of civil rights and racial justice. She was so committed to this work in fact, that the YWCA named Dr. Height the first director of its new Center for Racial Justice in 1965.

As a leader of the United Christian Youth Movement of North America, Dr. Height worked to desegregate the armed forces, prevent lynching, reform the criminal justice system, and establish free access to public accommodations. At a time when racial segregation was the standard and resistance to integration was often fierce, Dr. Height forever remained true to her convictions, even when it was not the comfortable thing to do.

A life-time advocate for peace, equality, and justice, Dr. Height was especially committed to empowering women and girls. She stood toe-to- toe with male civil rights leaders, steadfast in her dedication to ensure that black women's needs were addressed. She was forever dedicated to helping women achieve full and equal employment, pay, and education.

As the National President of the National Council of Negro Women, Dr. Height led the NCNW in helping women and families combat hunger. She also established the Women's Center for Education and Career Advancement in New York City to prepare women for entry level jobs. During her tenure as President of the NCNW, they were able to buy a beautiful building just a few blocks away from here at 633 Pennsylvania Avenue--a site where slave traders legally operated what was known as the ``Center Slave Market''. To this day it is the only African American-owned building on Pennsylvania Avenue, proving that she was not only a great leader, but an astute business woman as well.

Dr. Height remained a fighter until her last breath. During my time here in Congress and particularly as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. I always knew that I could call on Dr. Height and she would be there to support our efforts.

Last year, she attended President Barack Obama's first signing of a bill into law at the White House--the Lilly Ledbetter Act. She was present for the unveiling of the Shirley Chisholm portrait and the bust of Sojourner Truth here in the Capitol. She worked diligently on various issues with the Black Women's Roundtable and the Black Leadership Forum and often participated in panels here on Capitol Hill. Just recently, she joined us in our efforts to support the 2010 Census.

Her passion was an inspiration to all of us here in Congress, and I was honored and privileged to call her a mentor and friend.

With the passing of Dr. Height, our Nation mourns the loss of a true national treasure. Dr. Height's leadership in the struggle for equality and human rights serves as an inspiration to all Americans. Her undying commitment to a just society and her vision for a better would undergirds the work of the Congressional Black Caucus, and the CBC is deeply grateful for her mentorship, wisdom, and guidance.

Today we mourn the loss, but celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Height--a visionary and great humanitarian who gave us all so much. We love you Dr. Height and we promise to continue your legacy of service to all human kind.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the chairman for yielding and for giving us this opportunity to honor the life, legacy, and contributions of the godmother of the civil rights movement and a champion of social justice, Dr. Dorothy Height. Her loss is felt by all of us who knew her, respected her, and followed in her footsteps; but it is also felt by people who may never know her name, but for whom she worked, for whom she led, and for whom she made a difference. The Nation mourns the passing of this giant of American history; and our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, and the loved ones of this extraordinary woman.

Men and women of every race and faith are heirs to the work, passion, and legacy of Dorothy Height. From her earliest days as an activist, she fought for equality under the law for every American, recognizing that the battle for civil rights extended to African American women and anyone denied the chance to succeed because of who they are.

For four decades, she stood at the helm of the National Council of Negro Women, continuing the struggle for an America that lived up to the ideals of liberty and opportunity for all. In every fight, Dorothy Height turned the tides of history toward progress. Because of what she achieved, schools are no longer separate and unequal, and

the voting booth is open to all striving to participate in our democracy. Because of what she did, a steady job and a decent home are not limited to a person based on their background, color of their skin, or means.

Today, we live in an America Dorothy Height helped to build, a Nation defined by equality, shaped by civil rights, and driven by the pursuit of justice for all. The pledge we take every day, ``liberty and justice for all,'' that is what Dorothy Height was about.

I was very proud to join President Bush and the House and Senate, Democrats and Republicans, in 2004 when we presented the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor Congress can bestow, on Dr. Dorothy Height. At that time, President George W. Bush said, ``In the presence of Dorothy Height, you realize you're in the presence of grace. But you've got to realize that behind that grace there is a will of steel and absolute determination.'' The President later quoted from her book, but then he went on to say how Dorothy Height ``always stressed the importance of institutions closest to us: our families, our churches and our neighborhoods.'' He said: ``She understands that those institutions are important in shaping the character of an individual, and therefore the character of the Nation.''

President Bush--President of the United States, imagine--even quoted Dorothy Height's memoir where she wrote: ``It is in the neighborhood and communities where the world begins. That is where children grow and families are developed, where people exercise the power to change their lives,'' President of the United States quoting Dorothy Height as we presented her with a Congressional Gold Medal.

It is important to note that with all of those honors, it was also a pleasure for us to hear from Dr. Alexis Herman; she was the Secretary of Labor. Secretary Herman was very, very close personally and professionally, in every way, to Dorothy Height. And at that time she sang her praises and talked about what she did in the civil rights movement and what she did to advance women and young girls and the rest, but she also talked about how she made the best sweet potato pie. So personally, professionally, patriotically, Dorothy Height was all systems go.

I have been passed a note because I was asking about a film that I recently saw on TV that I hope can be available now again. It is called, ``The Life and Surprising Times of Dorothy Height.'' It is an inspirational presentation of the life of a person, a person who was instilled by her own mother with the idea that she could do whatever she set out to do and had a responsibility to do so.

Over Dorothy Height's lifetime in the trenches for social justice, human rights, and equality, Dorothy Height advocated on behalf of our neighborhoods and our communities. She stood tall for our children and families. She truly exercised her power to change lives.

As we state in our resolution today: ``Dr. Height was a tenacious and zealous civil rights activist, social worker, advocate, educator, and organizer in the quest for equality.'' And I join my colleague, Congresswoman Edwards, in focusing on that equality for women as well.

I last saw Dorothy Height about a month ago at the 70th birthday party for John Lewis, our colleague. As others regaled us about stories of the civil rights movement, there she sat, as dignified as a queen reigning over the proceedings, one who had seen it all, seen the struggle, seen the change, and now recognized then by the Congress of the United States and now in her passing by the entire Nation.

Our country is better off because of Dorothy Height's commitment, compassion, grace and patriotism. We will miss her tenacity and zeal for the fight for equality--our Nation's heritage and our hope. We will each take inspiration from the story of progress and her countless victories for the American people.

I thank the chairman for yielding.

I want to thank Chairman Conyers for his extraordinary leadership on behalf of the rights of all peoples. His role in the civil rights movement has been extraordinary, and it continues to this date.

Madam Speaker, I rise on behalf of this resolution and in memory of an extraordinary woman.

I had the privilege of knowing Dorothy Height for some four decades. That does not mean that I saw her regularly during those four decades, but I saw her frequently during those four decades. She also exuded the positive, constructive approach that she took to solving problems, to bringing people together. The historian Taylor Branch rightly called Dr. Height's brothers and sisters in the civil rights movement the ``modern founders of democracy.''

Today, we honor the legacy that she leaves behind. What a wonderful, long, productive, constructive, important life we honor in Dorothy Height.

Dorothy Height was an extraordinarily gracious human being. When meeting with her, I never failed to leave her side and not feel better. I would feel better about the relationship that I had with her and that she had with others as I saw her interface with others in the room, in the crowd, in the meeting. Dorothy Height was and is a giant. The Washington Post had on its front page today a very large picture of Dorothy Height. It was appropriate that, in the Nation's capital, Dorothy Height would be given such prominence, not for her death but for the life that she lived, for the contributions she made.

We are all better for Dorothy Height's life. We are all freer for Dorothy Height's life. We were lifted as a society by Dorothy Height and by those with whom she worked from a segregated society where the perception was that some Americans were not equal to other Americans. That was contrary to the premise articulated by Thomas Jefferson but not lived out by Thomas Jefferson and our Founding Fathers. Their premise was accurate, but their practice was not. Martin Luther King, Jr.; Dorothy Height; John Conyers; John Lewis, who serves with us; Jim Clyburn, our whip; and so many others called America's attention to the fact that it was not living out the reality of its promise, not just to African Americans but to all Americans.

Dorothy Height showed extraordinary courage and conviction in the face of bigotry and discrimination. Like so many in this body who faced bigotry and discrimination, they did not allow that to poison their souls. They did not allow that to diminish their relationships even with those whom they saw as oppressors. To that extent, they rose above the conduct directed at them in order to change that conduct through love and positive engagement. Dorothy Height is a perfect example to all of us, young and old, who are participating in this society which, unfortunately, too often we see today falls into anger and confrontation rather than civility and discussion.

I am worried about the anger that I see in the society today. In some respects I think not justified at the level that we find it. Yes, there is room for disagreement, but Dorothy Height shows us that notwithstanding the fact that there may be disagreement, notwithstanding the fact that there may be people who do not treat us as we would want to be treated, that the way to solve that is to do so constructively and civilly with debate that states the facts and the truth but does not devolve into hate and division.

So I am pleased to join my friend John Conyers. I came to Congress some 30 years ago, and we were talking about making Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday a national holiday, not a holiday to play but a holiday to recognize the contribution that was made then and the work that still remains to be done. John Conyers had me out in front of the Capitol on January 15 or close to that time every year, and I was so proud to stand with him and say to America let us recognize those who, as Taylor Branch has said, are the modern founders of democracy.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your leadership. Thank you for bringing this resolution to the floor to recognize an extraordinary, wonderful, lovely person whose spirit enriched us all and enriched our country.