Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable parent and an outstanding public servant, Ms. Jessie Franklin Williams. Ms. Williams has devoted her entire life to education and service. She was born on January 4, 1944 to Mr. and Mrs. L.A. Franklin in Greenville, Mississippi. She is the eldest of ten children and the widow of the late Mr. Albert Joe Williams. She is also the proud mother of four daughters: Sharon, Kyshea, Albetha and Jessica and grandmother of seven beautiful grandchildren.

Ms. Williams attended Coleman High School in Greenville, Mississippi; Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena, Mississippi and Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. She is a student of history and dedicated her 38-year career to teaching the subject of Social Studies in the Shaw, Mississippi School District.

She has trained with the Office of Innovative and School Improvement and completed studies through the File Management for Educators program. Her additional instruction include: The Praxis Series Validation and Standard Setting Professional Assessments for Beginning Teachers, Strategies and Tools for Improving Student Learning and Achievement and Preps Subject Area Training.

She was appointed by former Governor of Mississippi and current Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Ray Mabus, to serve on the State Health and Human Services Board. Ms. Williams has also served on the Washington County (MS) Election Commission and evaluated high schools for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). She has served as a member of the Greenville Pride Committee and served on the Board for Project Weed and Seed of Greenville, Mississippi. She also sings with the Soulful Temps Gospel Group.

Ms. Williams has lived through major periods in American History. She journeyed with America through times of both segregation and integration, becoming the first African American teacher to integrate the public schools in the Mississippi Delta. She was chosen Star Teacher and Teacher of the Year several times in her School District.

She serves as church announcer and president of the New Mt. Bethel Choir. She has served as President of the Elegant Ebonetts' Social and Civic Club, and worked with the Excellence Groups; which is a group of teachers and students dedicated to improving proficiency in the classroom.

She is passionate about education and has a consecrated love for her students. She has sponsored mock trials, mock elections, oratorical contests, and pageants all with the intent of promoting academic excellence and diversity among her students. Her motto is: ``Good habits produce good conduct, long life and prosperity.''

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in recognizing Mrs. Jessie Franklin Williams for her dedication and commitment to education and empowering America's next generation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a longtime resident and devoted civil servant of Port Gibson, Mississippi, Ms. Ethel Lee Howard.

Ms. Howard has been an advocate of civil rights for more than 50 years. She joined the fight for civil rights in the early 1960s when the movement first came to Claiborne County, Mississippi. She began her efforts by frequenting meetings held at St. Peter's African Methodist Episcopal Church hosted by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People--an organization she soon after became a member.

During the civil rights era, Ms. Howard fought vigorously for equal rights; she was among the first to send her daughter, Jessie, to a predominantly white school in Mississippi during the 1960s and when First Baptist Church of Port Gibson was fired upon with gunshots by police and other law enforcement officials, Ms. Howard's voice reigned high among all those who stood firmly to echo the sounds against injustice.

To this day, Ms. Howard still serves as a faithful member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and actively attends many of its community functions and meetings. In 2007, she was honored as Mother of the Year for the NAACP during a ceremony at the First Baptist Church in Port Gibson, Mississippi.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in celebrating Ms. Ethel Lee Howard for her unwavering commitment to civil justice and equality.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a remarkable man and steward of the Cary, Mississippi community, Mr. Carl Watley. Mr. Watley is a lifelong resident of Cary, Mississippi, where he has devoted much of his time to serving as a positive male influence for the children of Cary. For years he has devoted himself to serving not only as guardian but as a role model for his niece and nephew, who were left without a parent after the untimely death of his sister. Mr. Watley is also admired and adored by the children of Sharkey and Issaquena Counties, many of which see him as a father figure and role model as well.

Mr. Watley has served his region for several years by providing community activities to the children of the area with his own personal resources. During the summer months, Mr. Watley sponsors activities for more than 140 children. He is currently working to secure funds to build a community house that will provide recreational alternatives for the children of Cary, Mississippi. He has organized a number of events for the children of Cary, including community clean-ups, field days and bible study for the young men of the community. Mr. Watley is also working with community leaders of Cary to establish a park in the Maiden Addition community.

Mr. Watley is an active member of the Parents for Public School Leadership and is certified under the National Certification in Fatherhood Leadership. He is a member of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church where he serves as the Youth Leader, a musician and a deacon.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in expressing my sincere gratitude to Mr. Carl Watley of Cary, Mississippi for being a champion of children and a pillar of the community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Dorothy Mae Jordan. Ms. Jordan is the loving mother of five children. She has devoted much of her life to improving the lives of others and is a true friend to her community.

Ms. Jordan is the epitome of selflessness. At the age of 50, she commits herself to the needs of others with little to no accolades. She silently sacrifices her time and resources to being a reliable, caring, and passionate friend for those in need. Ms. Jordan is a beacon of hope and inspiration to those she encounters.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in recognizing Ms. Dorothy Jordan for her steadfast devotion in serving and giving back to her community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Sharon Upshaw. Ms. Upshaw is the parent of four and grandparent of two. She has worked as a Vista volunteer, foster grandparent coordinator, and Vice President of the Parent-Teacher Organization in the Quitman County School District.

Ms. Upshaw has devoted much of her life to community service and youth engagement. She is currently working with the Carl Brown Learning Center of the Quitman County Development Organization as the Parent Advocacy Coordinator which ensures that parents and students, alike receive the necessary support and resources for education.

She has been instrumental in obtaining after-school assistance for students suffering from learning and behavioral concerns and has worked to form coalitions between parents and school personnel to increase parental involvement in student academic welfare. She has also worked to improve the communication hurdles between both the school officials and parents.

Mr. Speaker, Ms. Upshaw is not only a parent and grandparent but she represents a tower of strength and is advocate of education in her community. So Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask that you and my colleagues join me in recognizing Ms. Sharon Upshaw of Quitman County, Mississippi for her unwavering commitment to academia and her dedication to improving the lives of children in the Mississippi Delta.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor entrepreneur and faithful exponent of his community, Mr. John Jackson. Mr. Jackson has owned and operated his own farm in Leake County, Mississippi for the past twenty years.

Mr. Jackson comes from a long line of entrepreneurs and community servicemen. He is the son of a blacksmith and grandson and son-in-law of farmers. Even after years of witnessing his family undergo oppression, Mr. Jackson still rose to become one of Leake County's leading servicemen.

He served as president of the Thomastown Attendance Center Booster Club for four years; trustee on the Leake Memorial Hospital Board for two years; and is an active member of the Leake County Voters League. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in recognizing Mr. John Jackson for his dedication to serving the Leake County community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Eddie Charles Brown Jr., a consummate organizer, community activist and civil rights advocate. Mr. Eddie Brown Jr. began working in the areas of human and civil rights in the 1960s. Often working on behalf of others, Mr. Brown devoted his life to making a difference in society.

A native of Louisiana, Eddie Brown Jr. was born on August 19, 1941, in New Orleans and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Thelma Warren and Eddie Charles Brown, Sr. He is survived by his wife, Valinda, and three sons.

Mr. Brown's historical efforts to fight segregation and all forms of oppression as well as to empower Black people started in 1960 as a student at Louisiana's Southern University. He and 16 other classmates confronted the University and staged a sit-in to protest the prevalent racial segregation that existed in Louisiana. After he and the others were arrested, expelled and banned from enrolling in any university in Louisiana, Eddie Brown's life would be defined by his fight for justice, equality and human dignity on behalf of politically and socio- economically oppressed communities.

The expulsion from Southern University led Mr. Brown to Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1961, where he landed on the front line of the Civil Rights Movement. At Howard University, Mr. Brown became a leader and organizer for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He fought to win constitutional rights for Blacks and all disenfranchised people.

Mr. Brown never held a job that was not directly concerned with human advancement. Highly regarded in white political and philanthropic circles for a selfless incorruptibility, he helped bridge the gap between both communities and was able to direct very significant financial resources into poor black communities.

As a staffer at the Citizen's Crusade Against Poverty in Washington, D.C., in 1965, Mr. Brown developed information networks among community-based organizations to support anti-poverty legislation. In 1967, he organized efforts to improve the political and economic conditions of Blacks in the Mississippi Delta as the Executive Director and founder of the Mississippi Action for Community Education (MACE) and The Delta Foundation in Greenville, Mississippi. At MACE, he developed community-based enterprises producing Fine Vines blue jeans and establishing catfish farms in the Delta. In 1974, Mr. Brown raised funds and helped organize the Sixth Pan African Congress held at the University of Tanzania with delegates representing 52 independent states and/or liberation movements in Africa, the Caribbean, and other people of African descent.

As Executive Director of the New Orleans Area Development Project in 1976, he organized advocacy groups to work for reform by organizing communities to fight police brutality and creating parent-teacher committees for education reform. Mr. Brown went on to serve as President and CEO of the Southern Agriculture Corporation in the 1980s where he worked to organize and gain capital funding for small Black southern farmers. In the 1990s as Executive Director of the Voter Education Project in Atlanta, he continued his tireless efforts to register Blacks and poor people to vote and to fight legislation restricting poor and disenfranchised people of all color from voting.

From the 1990s through 2006, Mr. Brown shifted his focus to nations outside the United States. As a senior consultant to the National Democratic Institute, Mr. Brown designed and implemented civic and voter education programs to prepare for national elections in Ethiopia, Namibia, Zambia, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe. As an international election observer for The Jimmy Carter Center, Eddie worked in Ghana, Zambia and The Dominican Republic. As a human rights activist in corporate board rooms, Eddie served on the World Council of Churches and Emergency Fund for Southern Africa raising funds for humanitarian relief; at the Center for National Security Studies monitoring American defense policies and budgets; and with the American Friends Service Committee, United States Department of Agriculture Citizens Advisory Committee Equal Opportunity and Atlanta Council for International Cooperation.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring the life and legacy of Mr. Eddie Charles Brown Jr., a global citizen and activist who found his lifework in the work that he loved.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the commendable efforts of Clear Channel Communications Inc. in their support of diversity and small businesses within the radio broadcasting industry. For a long time, public broadcasting, especially in the area of radio, excluded or carried heavy restrictions on the voices coming from minorities and women of this country. These binding practices limited the freedom of expression for minorities and women in broadcasting and provided a frail platform upon which to deliver meaningful public affairs and news within these communities.

Radio broadcasting in past decades has experienced dramatic, positive change with the cultivation of environments which support minorities and women's matriculation from their traditional auxiliary support positions, such as disk jockeys or custodial workers, into more influential roles such as managers, engineers, and program directors. The change also removed barriers which once denied favorable circumstances for members of these populations to gain ownership and syndication. This shift has allowed for a broad array of broadcast opportunities to include more autonomy in the presentation of public affairs discussions, music, and information which more specifically reflects the culture and interest of the minority and female listening audiences.

Technological advancements and a growing social affinity for more digital interface have placed pressure on the radio industry to maintain its standing among other broadcasting mediums. This strain, coupled with the nation's financial tensions, has made staying up to speed with the changing times all the more difficult. However, impressively, the radio world continues to provide phenomenal listening programs to the masses. This tenacity has been seen in no place greater than within the minority and women sectors.

Clear Channel recognizes the impact minority and women broadcasters have had on broadcasting and has taken a laudable position to make investments to ensure their productive futures. Their plan to divest 448 radio stations in 88 markets, which lead to the donation of six stations to the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council, MMTC, shows that Clear Channel has a keen awareness of the value diversity plays in broadcasting and shows that they have a sound understanding of the needs of small, local radio stations. Clear Channel's efforts to enhance the infrastructure for these individuals and business owners will aid in their abilities to boost their hiring capabilities, expand their listening audiences, increase advertisement revenues and support their communities by delivering excellent content.

Mississippi was one of the states privileged to be a part of this gesture of good faith with the acquisition of WHJA (AM) in Laurel, Mississippi. James Hardman, a minority broadcaster from Tulsa, Oklahoma, with decades of experience, plans to put WHJA back on the air under a local marketing agreement (LMA) with MMTC. Hardman intends to produce high quality and innovative programs focused on the African- American community while encompassing the cultural differences across the State of Mississippi. Economic and political empowerment in the African-American community has been difficult to achieve without access and control of the mass media resources that impact our communities. Clear Channel's dedication to assist with gains in this area creates opportunities for success for African-Americans in Mississippi.

Mister Speaker, I ask you and my fellow colleagues to join me in recognizing the meritorious efforts put forth by Clear Channel Inc. towards ensuring the viability of the minority and women communities within the radio broadcasting industry.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

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

My amendment would allow Members of Congress to nominate qualified candidates for admission to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

Located in New London, Connecticut, the Coast Guard Academy is one of the five prestigious U.S. service academies. The others are the Military Academy in West Point, New York; the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland; the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York.

These service academies provide 4-year undergraduate educations on a tuition-free basis to help mold talented young people into the Nation's future leaders. Upon graduation, service academy cadets become commissioned officers in active or reserve components of the military, the Merchant Marines, or the U.S. Coast Guard.

Under current law, Members of Congress are authorized to nominate candidates to all U.S. service academies except the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. The Coast Guard Academy uses an admissions process similar to the processes used at traditional civilian colleges and universities.

On an average, the Coast Guard accepts almost 400 applicants each academic year. Of those 400 applicants, a disproportionate number hail from States that border the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The rest of the country is largely underrepresented. My amendment seeks to foster greater geographic diversity in the Coast Guard Academy's applicant pool by allowing each Member of Congress to nominate up to three qualified candidates. Similar language that I offered with the gentleman from Maryland, Representative Cummings, was accepted by voice vote during consideration of the 2012 Coast Guard authorization bill. I want to recognize Representative Cummings as a cosponsor of my amendment and a true partner in this effort.

Under my amendment, for academic year 2013, the Coast Guard would be required to allocate a quarter of the slots in the incoming class to qualified candidates submitted through the congressional nomination process. In subsequent academic years, half of the slots would be filled through the congressional nomination process.

My amendment does not require the Coast Guard to alter or lower its selection criteria. To the contrary, it anticipates that the Coast Guard will utilize its criteria to select the best candidates from the pool of Member-nominated candidates to fill half of the slots in the incoming class, just as it will do in filling the remaining slots in the other half of the class.

Additionally, my amendment does not require the Coast Guard to increase class sizes; that's a decision for the Coast Guard. At its essence, it seeks to ensure that the Coast Guard attracts the best candidates from all over the country by increasing the applicant pool.

Each of us has experienced the disappointment of having a talented young person that we nominated to one of the four other service academies rejected. We all understand that it's a very competitive process and slots are scarce. I, for one, would welcome the opportunity to bring that person to the attention of the Coast Guard Academy and help put him or her on a path to accomplishing much for themselves, their families, and the Nation.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings).

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give honor to the life and legacy of Evangelist Della Mae King Sutton of Nesbit, Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, Evangelist Sutton was an indomitable woman of God. She devoted her life to empowering those around her with the knowledge found both in traditional school settings as well as within the Christian church. Born July 20, 1941 in Desoto County, Mississippi, Ms. Della was the first born daughter to the late Turner King, Sr. and the late Remell Bridgeforth King.

Ms. Sutton began her educational training at Shiloh M.B. Church in Desoto County, Mississippi where her father was the instructor.

She later attended Hernando High School which culminated at 8th grade. Ms. Sutton graduated from Hernando High as class Valedictorian and went on to finish her secondary education at Eastern High School in Olive Branch, Mississippi. Finishing as Salutatorian of her Eastern High class, Ms. Sutton decided to further her education by enrolling in the Mississippi Industrial College in Holly Springs, Mississippi. It was during this time that she met her life companion and husband, Mr. Jesse Sutton, Jr. From their union came three beautiful children who were raised and reared by the same biblical principles and standards Ms. Sutton and her husband had walked their entire lives.

After completing studies at Mississippi Industrial Ms. Sutton continued on to receive her Master's of Science degree from Jackson State University.

Ms. Della Mae believed in supporting efforts which would produce nurturing environments which fostered quality learning conditions for children. She served as a dedicated educator for more than thirty years in several learning facilities throughout Mississippi. Some of them included East Side High School in Olive Branch, Mississippi; Oakley Training School in Learned, Mississippi; Mendenhall Junior High School in Mendenhall, Mississippi and Northside Elementary School in Pearl, Mississippi from which she retired.

Throughout the years, Ms. Sutton has been recognized on several occasions for her outstanding works. The most notable was when she was recognized by former Governor and First Lady Ronnie Musgrove as one of the Most Outstanding Women for the Each One-Reach One Mother of the Year contest. She served as Chairperson of the Elementary Language Arts and was recognized for a host of other social awareness and scholastic advancement achievements. Ms. Sutton was also recognized by Who's Who Among Teachers, Teacher of the Year and by the Jackson District Association's with their Living Legacy Award.

Ms. Sutton was a civically engaged woman. She was a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, a member of ``Keep Jackson Beautiful'', an instructor of the Jackson District Ministers' Wives/Widows group and passionate supporter of the Mississippi Baptist Seminary. She was an active member of the General Missionary Baptist Convention and a devote member of the New McRaven Hill Missionary Baptist Church where she served as Sunday School teacher, Mother's Ministry member, devotional leader for the Mission Society and Vacation Bible School teacher.

This spiritual steward for Christ lived a life of both passion and purpose. She was an advocate of education, a champion of civility and a true lover of the Lord.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my fellow colleagues to join me in celebrating the life and legacy of a true champion, Evangelist Della Mae King Sutton.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Roosevelt Lee, Sr. of Kosciusko, Mississippi; as a father, husband and agricultural entrepreneur in recognition of his 109th birthday. Born October 23, 1902 to Mr. Tom Lee and Mrs. Mary Young Lee, Roosevelt is the eldest and last surviving of nine siblings. Mr. Lee is the father of eighteen (18) children, grandfather to sixty (60) grandchildren and great-grandfather to more than fifty (50) great- grandchildren.

During a period when educational resources for African Americans were slim to none, Mr. Lee managed to receive up to a third grade education which was offered out of a local church in Kosciusko where he is a native. At a very young age Mr. Lee committed his time and talent to working to help support his family; he worked as a farmer, mechanic, and raiser of cattle and other livestock.

He is a devote Christian and passionate steward of the Lord. He was a member of the Mount Ollie Missionary Baptist Church in Kosciusko, Mississippi for 67 years where he actively served as Sunday school superintendent, treasurer, head deacon, and trustee for the church. Currently, he is a member of the Bell Grove Missionary Baptist Church of Clarksdale and has been for the past eight years.

Mr. Lee is a member of the Sir Knight Masons of Clarksdale, Mississippi. He has selflessly devoted his time to helping other local farmers maintain and repair their farming equipment and vehicles. Mr. Lee's work ethic and commitment to making provisions for his family has allowed his family to keep its farm for 81 years.

In October of 2007, Mayor Henry Epsy of Clarksdale, Mississippi, declared October 27th as Roosevelt Lee, Sr. Day. At the seasoned age of 109, Mr. Lee does not suffer from high blood pressure, cholesterol, heart issues or diabetes but has most recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer disease.

Boxing and wrestling are two of his favorite sports. He has a passion for checkers and loves to travel. He has frequented many of America's most popular destinations such as Chicago, St. Louis, California, Atlanta and a host of others.

Out of his more than a century of life, Mr. Lee confirms that his commitment to Christ has been what has sustained him. He believes that if you serve the Lord and do the right thing regardless of what the next person does, God will bless you. He is a true example of the wondrous works of the Lord and what it means to be a provider for your family.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in celebrating a true champion of the life, Mr. Roosevelt Lee, Sr. for his tenacious and zealous works as a farmer, father and one fine American.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2042 would require the Department of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Department of State, to establish a program to issue APEC Business Travel Cards to eligible United States business leaders and government officials.

Under this program, U.S. citizens actively engaged in APEC business would receive expedited screening in international travel within the 21 APEC member economies.

H.R. 2042 requires DHS to integrate application procedures for and issuance of APEC Business Travel Cards with other appropriate DHS international trusted traveler programs such as Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI.

I strongly support those three DHS trusted traveler programs, which facilitate international travel for pre-approved, low-risk passengers while allowing DHS to focus its resources on higher-risk and unknown passengers.

H.R. 2042 is supported by the Obama Administration, and I also support the bill.

However, I am dismayed that with just 19 days left in the First Session of the 112th Congress, H.R. 2042 is the first Committee on Homeland Security bill to reach the House floor.

I would note that the last time the Committee brought legislation to the House floor was when I was still Chairman--at the end of December 2010.

With respect to H.R. 2042, let the record reflect that the path to the floor involved bypassing Committee consideration. I did not object to this approach, given that the APEC conference is slated to commence in Hawaii next month.

The Democratic Members of the Committee are committed to ensuring that the full breadth and depth of homeland security issues facing our Nation are addressed.

To date, eighty homeland security bills have been introduced and referred to the Committee. The subject matter of these bills range from border security to aviation security to counterterrorism to preparedness and response.

Unfortunately, only a handful of homeland security bills have actually been considered in Committee and only one has been reported to the House. That bill is now pending before another Committee.

The failure of the Committee on Homeland Security to advance meaningful homeland security legislation that speaks to the oversight finding of the Committee in the 112th Congress is inexcusable.

Though I recognize that the hour is late on the congressional calendar, I sincerely hope that consideration of H.R 2042 today signals the commencement of a more active legislative period for the Committee.

Nevertheless, I urge the House to support H.R. 2042 today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Louis E. James, President and Chief Executive Officer of Solutions for Energy Efficient Logistics (SEEL), recipient of the 2011 Andromeda Star of Energy Efficiency Award. Louis James has done Mississippi and his Alma Mater, Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena, Mississippi, proud.

SEEL, a Detroit-based minority owned enterprise was recognized by the Washington, DC-based organization, Alliance to Save Energy, for advancing energy efficiency. SEEL was selected for the award based upon its unprecedented commitment to provide energy-efficiency services to residents in the city of Detroit, its surrounding communities and throughout the state of Michigan. Specifically, SEEL is responsible for transitioning Detroit jobs from ``blue'' collar to ``green'' collar and successfully implementing energy efficiency programs for DTE Energy Neighborhood Energy Savings Outreach (NESO) program. As the facilitator of these programs, SEEL has increased efficiency at more than 25,000 properties and helped to boost neighborhood morale in its service areas and customer satisfaction for its client, DTE Energy. More significant is that Louis James created job opportunities in his area--hiring more than 75 new employees to implement the programs for which SEEL received the award.

Again, I ask that my colleagues congratulate Mr. Louis E. James and SEEL for receiving the prestigious ``Star of Energy of Efficiency Awards'' and for its outstanding achievements in energy efficiency and savings.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. William Astor Kirk, Sr., educator, social activist and author. Dr. William Astor Kirk, Sr., was the eldest of six children born to Alex and Exella Kirk in Harleton, Texas. He briefly attended Wiley College in Marshall, Texas before enrolling in Howard University in Washington, DC where he received both a bachelor's and master's degree, respectively.

Dr. Kirk led a life devoted to family, faith and intellectual pursuits and fought to bring about social justice and equality for African Americans in public facilities and accommodations in educational institutions. Dr. Kirk and his wife of more than sixty years, Vivian Tramble married in 1946 and had two children. The Kirk's core values centered on faith and family and intellectual curiosity and social responsibility--beliefs Dr. Kirk graciously shared with family and friends.

Upon completing his Master's degree in Government from Howard University in 1974, Dr. Kirk and wife Vivian relocated to Austin, Texas where he assumed the position of professor of Government and Economics at Huston-Tillotson College. Dr. Kirk, active in Austin civic life was an organizer in the local chapter of the NAACP and arranged peaceful protests that led to desegregation of the Austin Public Library and many other public facilities. Dr. Kirk's work against discrimination also focused on the University of Texas where he applied and was admitted to a PhD Program. Dr. Kirk's refusal to study in segregated classes prompted a lawsuit by the Austin chapter of the NAACP. Subsequently, Kirk began his studies at the University after a United States Supreme Court ruling of Sweatt v. Painter, which ended segregation of the University's school was applied to its graduate program as well. In 1958, W. Astor Kirk, Sr. became the first African American to earn and receive a Doctorate in Political Science from the University of Texas.

Dr. Kirk was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship and studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science in London, England. Professionally, in addition to his teaching post at Huston-Tillotson, Dr. Kirk was adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Maryland and had teaching assignments at Rutgers University, Boston University School of Theology and Howard University.

Dr. Kirk also had a distinguished career as a federal government executive and management consultant. In 1968, Dr. Kirk was personally recruited by President Lyndon B. Johnson for the post of Deputy Regional Director (Southwest Region) of the United States Office of Economic Opportunity. He continued his government service under the Nixon, Ford, Carter and Reagan administrations. Following his retirement from the federal civil service, Dr. Kirk founded and was CEO of Organization Management Services Corporation, an organizational development firm.

Prior to his passing, Dr. Kirk initiated an anti-discrimination mass petition in an effort with the Church to end, in his words, ``the mandatory negative differential treatment of gays, lesbians and bisexuals United Methodists.''

Dr. Kirk's lifetime of contributions to education, racial and gender equality and broad civil rights issues inspires all, as he was not afraid to tackle the biggest, most looming issues of his day.

Again, I ask that my colleagues please join me in saluting the life and legacy of educator, humanitarian and social activist, Dr. William Astor Kirk, Sr.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of educator and community leader, William Sanders. Mr. Sanders was born March 27, 1928, in Monticello, Mississippi.

Upon graduation from McCullough High School in Lawrence County, Mr. Sanders continued his education at Alcorn College, where he played basketball. While attending Alcorn, Mr. Sanders was called to fulfill his military duties and later completed his degree in Agriculture Research. Mr. Sanders served in the Army in the 31st Artillery Brigade and was stationed in Alaska during his tour. Additionally, he was assigned to the Special Services. He was honorably discharged from the Army at the rank of Sergeant.

Mr. Sanders's first professional job was as an educator in the Jefferson County School District, where he also served as principal, assistant principal and football and basketball coach. He would go on to teach in the Hattiesburg and Brookhaven School District, and concluded his career in education with the Hinds County School District. Mr. Sanders worked towards a master's degree during the summers in Boston and Indiana Universities. Mr. Sanders was the Chief Financial Officer for the first Head Start Program in the state of Mississippi, the Child Development Group of Mississippi (CDGM).

Mr. Sanders did not limit his education to the classroom; he remained active in his community, socially and politically, as well as entrepreneurially. Upon leaving CDGM, Mr. Sanders successfully, owned and operated the Delta Drive Texaco service station in Jackson, Mississippi, where his greatest satisfaction was employing others in his community. He was an industry pioneer and received several awards in recognition of his shrewd business sense.

Mr. Sanders married Emma Dunbar Sanders and had six children. He and his family were actively involved in the Civil Rights movement and made enormous sacrifices in an effort to amplify the voice of oppressed blacks in the segregated south. His actions helped shape future civil rights policy in the segregated south and advance the rights and freedoms of African Americans.

Mr. Sanders, a loyal Democrat, was actively involved in local, state and national politics. He attended the Democratic National Conventions in New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and most recently the 2008 Democratic Convention in Denver where Senator Barack Obama received the Democratic Party's nomination. He took great pride in the election of the first African American president and viewed this as a logical result of the Civil Rights Movement.

Again, I ask that my colleagues please join me in saluting the life and legacy of educator, community leader and businessman Mr. William Sanders.