Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Levin for this opportunity to speak.

There has been some talk as to whether or not the Democrats have finally recognized the importance of the deficit and the debt and that since we are going to pass these bills anyway, because there is a negative feeling that we are not going to have tax reform, I assume, that we might as well give some confidence to our small business people that they will have this tax incentive.

Well, that is a way of thinking, but it would appear to me that if we can forgo going through the regular procedure in order to give, at this stage of

our political calendar, the incentive now, I have heard no reason--and I hope I will--as to why we cannot close the loopholes that exist in the Tax Code now.

It seems to me that it goes without dispute that we have trillions of dollars--certainly hundreds of billions of dollars--in the Tax Code that Republicans and Democrats believe shouldn't be there. While we are anxious to reduce the corporate tax so that we are not embarrassingly the highest in the entire world, we also know that there are so many corporations that don't pay any taxes at all. How can we ignore that?

If we can say that we are going to go into debt for a trillion dollars by extensions, why can't we say we are going to pay for it by closing the loopholes? It is clear to me, if we want to make certain steps in advance of a comprehensive tax reform, that we just can't pick that part that business wants as an incentive and at the same time not look at the part that business really is taking advantage of loopholes that the Congress has provided.

So we cannot charge the corporations with being un-American because they are not paying taxes. It is our responsibility to have a Tax Code, as FOX would say, that is fair and balanced.

But this whole idea of not extending the things that people need, such as education, the homeless, the infrastructure, all of the things that can make America greater, to select out the low-hanging fruit for tax reform and leave the hard work as to how we are going to raise the money to pay for it for later does not make any legislative sense. So that if we are being charged with being too fiscally responsible because we are concerned as to what this is doing to our national debt, then help us to raise the funds that are there that are not difficult to recognize.

We do recognize that we have to close these loopholes.

And I might say that it appears as though the corporations and the businesses that receive these obscene tax benefits are the ones that actually contribute the most to the parties that legislate. I am not saying there is a connection, but there is a perception that those people that give high congressional campaign funds are the ones that receive high tax benefits. Certainly it goes without saying that those who are not doing well as relates to fairness and equity in the tax system are those people who don't hire the accountants and the lobbyists.

So let's be fair and balanced and say that if you are going to extend our government to this liability fiscally, then we can raise some money at the same time by closing the tax loopholes.

Mr. Speaker, in February, our nation commemorates the significant milestones in Black History as we pay homage to the individuals who shaped America's history. I am proud that many of the great Black leaders and movements in our history came from Harlem. As the epicenter of the Black cultural movement of the 1920s known as the Harlem Renaissance, the historic neighborhood was home to luminaries such as James Baldwin, Madame C.J. Walker, and Duke Ellington. Recently, many great political leaders have called Harlem home, including David Dinkins, Basil Paterson, and Percy Sutton. Our congressional district continues to be a bastion of Black social, political, and artistic development.

I am fortunate to have many excellent organizations in the District that promote Black culture, history, and advancement. Our rich heritage is preserved through the efforts of The Link's Incorporated, 100 Black Men of New York, Coalition of 100 Black Women, Harlem Mothers SAVE, New York Urban League, NAACP New York State Conference, NAACP Mid-Manhattan Branch, Jazzmobile, Inc., Masjid Malcolm Shabazz Mosque, Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement, United Clergy Caucus, Mobilizing Preachers and Community (MPAC), Clergy With a Purpose and Community, United Baptist Missionary Association, Baptist Ministers' Conference of New York & Vicinity, Faison Firehouse Theatre, New Heritage Theater Group, Impact Reparatory Theatre, Manna House, The Falu Foundation, The Caribbean Cultural Center, The Pan-Hellenic Council of New York, The Mama Foundation, and Gospel for Teens.

Throughout Black History Month, we celebrate the contributions of Blacks in every facet of our society: Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers and Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics redefined sports and helped propel the civil rights movement; Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and Rep. Shirley Chisholm left an indelible mark in government, Louis Armstrong and Langston Hughes influenced generations of musicians and poets. And civil rights leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and my dear friend Rep. John Lewis forever changed the course of our nation.

As we mark the 50th Anniversary of the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, we pay tribute to our leaders who fought tirelessly for our rights and the artists who communicated the feelings of generations of Black Americans. Today, the rallying call of Black Lives Matter has regenerated a new movement of young social activists such as The Justice League NYC as the struggle continues to raise awareness for justice and equality throughout urban America. Let us honor the memory of the great men and women who paved the path of Black culture and achievement and commit to preserving our history by striving to build on their legacy.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to celebrate Founder's Day (February 12) and recognize the 106th Anniversary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the largest and the oldest, the baddest and the boldest, and the only premier civil rights organization in the world dedicated to fighting for the social justice and equality of Blacks in America, and for people of color everywhere. Over the years, the NAACP has played pivotal roles in efforts ranging from universal suffrage to wrongful death investigations. Their continued contributions to the pursuit of equality are a testament to the organization's leadership and its hardworking members.

I commend the New York State Conference and our leader, Dr. Hazel N. Dukes, and the

Mid-Manhattan branch of the NAACP for its unwavering commitment to our community. This branch provides vital mentoring and youth development programs and actively encourages activism in our community. Dedicating themselves to the five game changers--civic engagement, education, health, economic development and sustainability, and public safety and criminal justice, the Mid-Manhattan Branch continues to forge new victories ahead. I am proud of their many accomplishments and steadfast defense of the rights of all the people of New York City, because they are ``All in for Justice and Equality!''

During Black History Month, it is essential that we recognize the significant contributions the NAACP has made to the Civil Rights movement. Recently, I cosponsored legislation honoring and praising the NAACP on the occasion of its 106th anniversary. America is stronger and more diverse today because of the NAACP's commitment to fighting for the rights of Black Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life and legacy of Garland Lee Thompson, Sr., a New York theatre producer, writer, director, actor, and co-founder and Executive Director of the Frank Silvera Writers' Workshop. Garland Lee Thompson, Sr. will be memorialized and honored in a Three Act Performance Tribute on Saturday, February 14, 2015, which would have been his 77th Birthday. Garland was recently honored at the ``Harlem is . . . Theater'' Exhibition at The Interchurch Center in New York, that was on view through January 6, 2015.

Act 1: At 11:00 a.m., New York's theatre and film elite will gather at St. James Presbyterian Church at 409 West 141st Street on St. Nicholas Avenue in Harlem, New York for a memorial tribute in remembrance of Garland Lee Thompson, Sr.

Act 2: At 3:00 p.m., Garland Thompson, Jr. and Sean C. Turner will host an afternoon of readings, poetry, and performances, concluding with a birthday celebration and reception in Garland's honor at the Johnson Theater for the New City, located at 155 First Avenue, between 9th and 10th Streets.

Act 3: The Final Act will take place on Thursday, August 6, 2015 at Harlem's historic National Black Theatre, located at 2031 5th Avenue and Dr. Barbara Ann Teer Way, where Garland created the Readers Theatre Series at the prestigious National Black Theatre Festival.

Born on February 14, 1938 in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Garland Lee Thompson, Sr., passed on November 18, 2014. He was 76 years old. He is survived by his two children, Alexandria Dionne and Garland Lee Thompson, Jr.; his two grandchildren, Colson Oliver and Hazel Duncan; his sisters Shirley Thompson and Addie Jean Haynes; his brother, Jim Thompson; his nephews, Dr. Bryan Haynes and Oscar Haynes Jr.; his niece Karen Haynes; and a host of other cousins and relatives.

Garland is best known to television audiences as Transporter Technician Ensign Wilson on the classic original series, ``Star Trek.'' He also appeared in several other popular television series, including ``Bewitched'' and ``Perry Mason.''

Garland co-founded the Frank Silvera Writers' Workshop in 1973, along with famed actor/director Morgan Freeman, director/actress Billie Allen Henderson, and journalist Clayton Riley, as a living memorial to the life, and work of his mentor, the late actor, director, teacher and producer, Frank Silvera. Under Garland's reputation, for the past 41 years, the Writers' Workshop built a prestigious reputation as a nationally and internationally renowned playwright's development theater for emerging, featured and established writers and artists of color from all over the world. With the workshop, Garland passed on decades of wisdom to rising and established artists of all walks of life. Members of the

workshop included the late Ruby Dee, poet Mari Evans, scholar Larry Neal, and playwright Ntozake Shange.

Mr. Speaker, Garland Lee Thompson, Sr. was also a founding member of the Harlem Arts Alliance, Incorporated and served on the Board of Directors. It should also be noted that while Garland did not land many large roles, his greatest impact may have been behind the scenes, where he worked to pass on his gifts to other budding playwrights. Garland's genius and generosity will be greatly missed by all of us. The theater community has lost a colleague, friend, and dedicated actor and producer. I ask you and my colleagues to join me in honoring the theatrical life and legacy of Mr. Garland Lee Thompson, Sr.

Let me thank my friend and colleague for giving me an opportunity to thank an organization that, unfortunately, so many Americans, Black and White, have taken for granted.

Earlier today, I was sitting on the floor next to one of my Republican friends from the South, and we were talking about Selma. He had recently seen the motion picture, and he was shocked that something like this could have happened.

Me being an oldtimer, I was surprised that he did not know that those things had gone on, but it was the graphics in the motion picture and the change in attitude that people have.

And it reminded me that this happened in my lifetime, to see somebody from the same culture, the same background, now seeing things obscene that should never happen in our great country.

Now, if people could have stood up 60 years ago and subjected themselves as some people did in Selma and put their life on the line in the early sixties, as John Lewis and so many others did--because I would like to remind everybody I did the march too, but it was after Bloody Sunday. I was not thinking about putting my life on the line. And putting my feet on the line for 54

miles was an ordeal for me, because I didn't fully understand the concept and the threat to human life that was taking place in the sixties.

Imagine what it was when the NAACP was formed. Imagine the threat that Blacks and Whites had formed this organization to bring us together during the time that slavery had just been over and this organization has continued. I cannot begin to tell you, Congressman, at my age, the number of civil rights organizations and political organizations and religious organizations that I have worked through in my lifetime.

But no matter what the internal debate is, no matter what state our Nation is in, the NAACP has managed, during very rough economic times and hard political times, to keep going step by step and never falling back. And when the whole country and parts of the world were rejoicing over the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act--and we see what recently happened to the Supreme Court. Why was nobody surprised that, once again, in front of the Supreme Court, organizing the entire Nation to do the right thing was the National Association of Colored People?

And so I just wish that, without solicitation, we can find some way to thank those faceless people who never get their names and pictures in the newspaper, go out to the meeting, active in voter registration, and whenever anybody in any community wants to go there for a rally, the first thing they do is call the local branch of the NAACP to make certain that someone would show up. Because the NAACP doesn't do these things for press conferences. They don't do it because they want their names in the newspaper. They have too much credibility and have done too much work and have suffered too much to risk their reputation for something like that.

So I am so grateful and appreciative that you would focus in the well of the Congress, and certainly we all admit that notwithstanding what Dr. Martin Luther King and so many others that we don't know their names have done to bring some sense of equality in our great Nation, that the NAACP was there 100 years ago doing the same thing and then hoping and praying that they can improve the quality of life for all of us. And guess what? They are still doing it.

Thank you for your commitment.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor the rich culture and heritage of Dominicans, during the month of Carnival, the most important period of religious celebration in the Dominican Republic. Dominicans are dedicated members of our communities and have contributed so much to our country. This month, we take the opportunity to acknowledge and applaud their service to our nation and their many great achievements.

Dominicans in our nation have been motivated by the value of hard work and the bonds of family--the same pillars that have formed the foundation of our society for over 230 years. From Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez, the first Dominican-American to serve in the Cabinet, to Pedro Martinez, a former pitcher for the New York Mets who was recently elected to the Hall of Fame, Dominicans are trailblazers who strengthen America's diverse cultural heritage.

Dominicans are one of the fastest growing Hispanic groups in America. 1.5 million people of Dominican descent currently live in the United States. With over 700,000 people, Dominicans are the largest Hispanic group in New York City. I am honored to serve a congressional district with a significant Dominican population. They bring vibrant and rich cultural and economic contributions to every neighborhood in my district, from Washington Heights to Inwood.

I am fortunate to have many excellent organizations, in my district, that promote Dominican culture and empower Dominicans living in Manhattan and the Bronx. The Dominican Women's Development Center, New York Dominican Officers' Organization, Dominican Medical Association, National Dominican Women's Caucus, Community Association of Progressive Dominicans, Alianza Dominicana, Dominican Bar Association, Association of Dominican Classical Artists, Dominican Cultural Civic Center, Mirabal Sisters Cultural and Community Center all help strengthen their communities and improve the lives of Dominicans in New York.

Like so many generations of immigrants, Dominicans have fought tirelessly to achieve the American Dream. They come to this great nation seeking a home, a place to raise their families, and a community that will nurture their dreams. From the initial wave of Dominican migration in the 1960s to the most recent arrivals of today, Dominicans have graced our nation with their culture and traditions. Their contributions are integral to the success of our great nation and to strengthening the American fabric.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed from H.R. 279, to amend the Communications Act of 1934.

A million and one.

Thank you for this opportunity to try to figure out what is going on on the floor today. Normally, Republicans are rational, intelligent people, and that is the reason why they keep talking about ObamaCare.

It is clear to me that we are not voting on ObamaCare. I haven't seen ObamaCare in any of the papers we have today, so they must be saying that they want to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. That makes it easier to understand what they want to do.

They want to repeal health care, and they want to replace it with, well, they want to--I don't know what they want to do, quite frankly, but I know they want to get rid of this.

I think we have reached the point that we have exhausted the legislative process. I have figured it out. This Senate is prepared to join with them in this insanity. The only thing missing is the President of the United States.

Now, they must have a plan how they are going to pick up two-thirds of this House and two-thirds of the Senate to tell the world: We don't want Americans to have health care.

Now is the time for the spiritual leaders to come in, because I have been reviewing the Bible, and Christians, Jews, everybody says that we have a moral obligation, far beyond our legislative responsibility, to give the sick an opportunity to get well, to allow children the opportunity to breathe.

And I know the concerns for the unborn that we all have. But what about the born, the aged, the disabled?

So collectively, we all have to--in God we have to trust. This means we have given up on the process--55, 56 times. It is time to trust in God.

So I am calling upon all of those solid voices there that were waiting to see whether sanity could ever come to the well of this House, and I think we have proven today, don't count on us, God. We need your help. And only God can get us out of this rut.

Thank you for the opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, I wish I had a prepared statement, but I was so moved after listening and being a part of this great congressional group in this great country to be able to celebrate 50 years since the Voting Rights Act.

As a kid who grew up on the streets of Lenox Avenue and dropped out of high school, I didn't have the benefit of having anything to attach a dream to that would allow me to believe that one day I could be sitting in the United States House of Representatives.

But after returning from the war in Korea and after being the beneficiary of the GI bill, and after graduating from law school, I was able to see and hear atrocities that have been committed on Black folks in this country the likes of which I had not seen except during wartime. And even though my mother's family came from Virginia, in the city of New York even today I don't ever remember meeting any White people from the South. I don't know what that is. Perhaps Congressman Butterfield may be able to do some historical research about why they stayed in the South and didn't come to New York City, where racism had a sugar coating to it. They didn't use dogs and bombs and things of that nature. But I recall so vividly seeing people like Andy Young and especially our dear friend and colleague, John Lewis, be prepared to put their lives on the line for our country, not for themselves.

In Korea and in most wars, people fight to stay alive and they don't voluntarily put their life on the line, as John Lewis and others have done. But what happened was, when they had the first Selma march, what we refer to as Bloody Sunday, years before our beloved Congresswoman was born, I saw something that really pained me as an American rather than as a human being. And then they had the second march from Selma to Montgomery and Dr. King pulled that back, and then we had the plea for people from all over the country to come down for the third march. I recalled before, I had bad feet and wasn't thinking about going to Selma to do 54 miles, but the inspiration to see people that had been prepared to put their life on the line for me and others like me could not allow me to return to New York.

It is very interesting that I have to admit publicly that when I heard the voice of Lyndon Johnson coming across on radio and television saying, ``We shall overcome,'' I kind of thought, Terri, that those were our words. And if a White person was to say it, I never expected to find that accent of the very people that sounded as though they were part of a conspiracy to keep children of slaves from assimilating into the constitutional beliefs that we had since learned to live by and enjoy and hope for.

What an historic moment that was. What a revolutionary period that was, because as we review that and look at the picture ``Selma,'' we wonder where did all of the people that represented this hatred go, the people who stood in the way of people registering voters; the people who took advantage of the idea that just because of their complexion they were superior; the people that belonged to the Ku Klux Klan; the people who used religion as a sword instead of a shield? Did they disappear? What happened to the so-called Dixiecrats?

But then I am reminded that as a result of the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act that they didn't go very far, that they threw down their party label but they stayed in the same places, and many of them are doing the same thing--trying to continue to prevent people of color from enjoying their full constitutional voting rights.

Then when I was honored enough to come down here in 1971 with half a dozen Congressional Black Caucus members, nine, who joined with four of us who had decided to form the Congressional Black Caucus, you could not believe, Congressman Payne, how it was never our dream that that small group would go from 13 to 26 to 40 to 46 to 47, and reach the historic impact on our policy and on our Nation, a group that had no intention of doing anything except to introduce, create, and support policies that could make this great country even stronger for all of us. And true, we have a lot of obstacles to overcome, but I don't think any group of people have been as successful as we have in coming from the pits of slavery in such a short period of time as we are now, and to see how much more work we have to do so that one day our children and our grandchildren will say: Why did they have to have a Congressional Black Caucus? Why wasn't it just a Democratic caucus? Why did we need it?

Well, because of the intellect, the commitment of individual members of the Black Caucus, like the rest of the Congress, that come from all walks of life and they got here to make this a better country, a more effective Congress, soon and very soon, we may hear those words: Why were we needed?

Until we accomplish these lofty goals, thank God that we have had it.

I think that the Democrats appreciate the work that we are trying to do, and one day, as so many people who got rid of their sheets, their children and their grandchildren would see that we only were trying to eliminate the pain for all people, regardless of color, to make the red, white, and blue, rather than just whether you are Black or White, become the theme that the fathers of this Constitution should have been striving for.

There is no question in my mind that the things we stand for really and what the country is committed to do, and I am so proud of these last couple of years, that there is not a group of people I would rather spend my time with than with my friends and my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I join the nation in celebrating the 113th Anniversary of Korean American Day this January 13, 2015. The Korean American community has been an integral part of our American fabric, and I am honored to recognize their vital role in shaping communities throughout our great Nation.

Since the first Koreans arrived on the shores of Honolulu, Hawaii, on this date in 1903, they have excelled and shown that the American Dream is alive. Whether in military, education, science, business, sports or the arts, Korean Americans proved that with hard work, dedication and zeal for education, they can thrive and help make America even greater.

My time fighting in the Korean War gave me an enduring personal connection to Korea and its people. Since returning home from my service over six decades ago, I have witnessed South Korea's rise from a war-torn nation to becoming the world's 13th-largest economy, a transformation which has been largely driven by the resilience and industriousness of the Korean people. Here in America, Koreans have inspired us with the same entrepreneurialism and perseverance toward building success and wealth for their communities.

As a native and longtime Congressman of New York City, I am proud of its Korean American community and the greatness they contribute to our City and State. I applaud the services provided by many Korean American organizations to the Greater New York region, including free legal and medical help, immigration workshops, scholarship opportunities, and various cultural events. Koreans raise strong families and build successful businesses, active civic associations, churches, and charities that enhance our local economy and culture.

I am proud to serve as Honorary Chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Korea, and join my Colleagues and Korean American friends in celebrating their many milestones and triumphs. The Korean people will always have a very special place in my heart. I look forward to the continued friendship I cherish so much.

Mr. Speaker, I was in Havana, Cuba, when the President of the United States declared that he was going to relax the restrictions that we have on the embargo in Cuba, and I tell you that the people in Havana rejoiced. In the streets of Havana, they said there were two basic things they liked about America: one was American movies, and the second was everything else.

When I got to come back home through Miami, at the airport, people with Cuban backgrounds--Americans--were so excited about the opportunity for America to rejoin the family of nations and to recognize the contributions that Cuba can make. We thought that, today, we would be hearing a rejoicing for those people who should have never been in jail in Cuba who were released. Obviously, there are some people who have a different opinion.

I am here today to say that, with all due respect to those Americans and to those Cubans who suffer under the dictatorship in Cuba, we feel their pain, but now, American policy should override the pain that a few feel for what is in the best national interest of our great Nation.

Mr. Speaker, as the senior member of the New York delegation, it affords me a great honor to come from the Empire State of New York, where we have so many people we are proud of, but because Mario Cuomo represented the true nature of the American Dream, we from the State of New York would just like to laud the contributions that he has made, not just to Queens, where he was raised, not just to the great State of New York, but to those democratic principles that all of us believe in, and no one could articulate it the way our great Governor has.

So many people have come to this country from faraway places, and somehow, when they succeed, some change their names, some change their attitudes, and some just absolutely forget how they got here and how they were perceived; but Mario Cuomo was different.

Mario was so proud of the fact that his parents were immigrants. He was proud of the fact that they came here with nothing but a hope and a dream that their son would succeed. He succeeded in everything that he touched, from neighborhood arbitration, to secretary of state, to Lieutenant Governor; and, of course, the Nation remembers him as Governor and as one who articulated the principles not of the Democratic Party, but of the entire country at a Democratic Convention.

Of course, he leaves behind a son who, for those of us who attended his funeral would have to say not only did he talk about his father in terms that made us all feel proud, but in that voice that he had, if you closed your eyes for one moment, you would see that Mario Cuomo did not die. He left his son to continue in describing the great opportunity that we have in this great country.

I am so glad that so many New Yorkers are here. Because we are here for such a short period of time--we are in committees and reorganizing--the delegation has asked me to reduce my remarks to 2 minutes, and I share that concern with the rest of our great delegation.

It is my great pleasure to yield back the balance of my time so that the gentleman from New York, Joseph Crowley, may control the remainder of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend a warm goodbye to the Dean of the House, John Dingell, who I am honored to call my dear friend of over forty years. The people of Michigan's 12th congressional district as well as the people across the nation are truly grateful for the devotion and leadership that he has provided over the last half century in Congress.

John has certainly demonstrated what it means to be a true American patriot and hero. A fellow veteran, he is currently one of two World War II veterans still serving in Congress leaving Texas Republican Ralph Hall as the sole member who served in World War II.

John has made it his life's work to fight to protect the health and well-being of both our people and our planet, and we have all benefited from his hard work and many accomplishments during his tenure. John acted as the driving force behind imperative legislative initiatives like the Clean Water Act of 1972, the Clean Air Act of 1990, and the Endangered Species Act.

Through dedication and an everlasting thirst for public service John has made an indelible impact in this institution. His charismatic candor will be missed. I will always be thankful that John fought alongside me in Congress in times of both good and bad. I know John will remain a voice of reason in our nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with grief to honor the passing of Herman Badillo, a great New Yorker, a great friend and a man that worked honorably for this country. I fondly remember walking down 116th street, the borderline of Harlem and East Harlem, as we

shared the great plans we had for our districts and this great nation. Herman and I were part of the 1970 Congressional freshman class. Herman was also the man who gave Percy Sutton, David Dinkins, Basil Paterson, and me the special label: the Gang of Four. He was always driven and persistent, called himself ``the first Puerto Rican everything,'' and won the respect for being a fighter. Congressman Herman Badillo will be truly missed.

My friend, Herman Badillo, will always be remembered as America's first Puerto Rican-born Congressman and a fixture in New York City politics for four decades, championing civil rights, jobs, housing and educational reforms. Born in Caguas, P.R., on Aug. 21, 1929, Herman was the only child of Francisco and Carmen Rivera Badillo. Upon moving to the continental United States, he learned English and was an excellent student at Haaren High School in Manhattan. Being a hard worker since a young age, he labored as a dishwasher, bowling pinsetter, and accountant and graduated with high honors from City College in 1951. Herman went on to graduate from Brooklyn Law School as valedictorian in 1954, then settled into law practice in New York. Badillo served his community as a public servant on many fronts. Besides his election to four terms in Congress, he was a city commissioner, the Bronx borough president, a deputy to Mayor Edward I. Koch, a counsel to Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, a candidate for state and city comptroller, and for many years a trustee and then board chairman of the City University of New York.

I was honored to serve with Herman during his seven years in Congress in the 1970s, when he pushed urban renewal, antipoverty programs, voting rights and bilingual education. Herman has been a treasure to the people of our community as well as a true testament to the American Dream. Herman Badillo will forever remain in our hearts.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to congratulate Congresswoman Marcia Fudge on her extraordinary leadership as the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.

With conviction and passion, she defended the change we have all worked so diligently to achieve since the CBC was founded in 1971.

Throughout her career in Congress, Marcia's passion for the advancement of the least among us, regardless of race, color or creed, has served her constituents in Cleveland well. This tireless advocacy made her an excellent choice for the CBC chair.

During her tenure, she was fearless in promoting the goals of the CBC and advancing our fight to confront critical issues that are confronted by the communities we represent.

Her staff certainly impressed us with their unparalleled work ethic, enthusiasm, responsibility and flexibility to meet the needs of so many Members. They demonstrated great aptitude in communicating urgent matters to us in a timely and effective manner.

The Chairwoman was unwavering in her strength as she gracefully tackled the harsh political battles we were confronted during this Congress.

She has left a huge imprint in the CBC and will be missed by all of us who have come to

respect and appreciate her very much as our leader.

I look forward to working with Marcia and the rest of my Colleagues on the CBC in the 114th Congress as we continue our efforts to put America back to work, cut our deficit responsibly, tackle tax reform, and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to pursue the American Dream.