Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Louisa Josefina Morris on the occasion of her 100th birthday.

Louisa Josefina Morris was born in Colon, Panama on January 17, 1911 to Elmina Cox and Charles Watts. She was raised by her grandparents Ella and Ernest Beury in Panama's Gatun, Cristobel Canal Zone. Her grandparents proved to be important role models; they provided a loving and caring home for her to develop and grow.

Louisa met and married Irving Benjamin Morris, and together, they had five children: Irene Walker, Davina Morris, Olivia Aikens, Leo Morris, and Elisa Morris.

In 1958, Louisa left Panama and relocated to the United States, where she got a job at a local hospital. She became a citizen five years later. Her children and husband all came to the United States shortly after Louisa.

All of her children grew up and had children of their own, giving Louisa and Irving many grandchildren. Louisa contributed to raising the first generation of her grandchildren. Now each of her grandchildren has children of their own.

Through the past 100 years, Louisa has lived a full life, through World War I and World War II, Vietnam, segregation, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and the election of President Barack Obama, and says now that she has seen it all, and has had the pleasure of doing what many have not been privileged to do.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the life of Louisa Josefina Morris.

Madam Speaker, as Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I rise in strong support of S. 372, the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2010.

I want to congratulate Senator Akaka and the other Senate sponsors of S. 372 for their efforts. I commend the persistence they have demonstrated in championing this good government bill.

I'm proud to be an original co-sponsor of H.R. 1507, the bipartisan companion bill to S. 372. H.R. 1507 was introduced by Representative Van Hollen last year. I want to thank Mr. Van Hollen and all the co- sponsors of H.R. 1507, including Mr. Platts of Pennsylvania. They have demonstrated exceptional leadership in support of government whistleblowers.

This legislation is long overdue. Different versions of this legislation have been introduced in every Congress for the last 12 years.

The Oversight Committee has long-recognized that enhancing whistleblower protections will help the Congress to fulfill its role in bringing about more honest, accountable, and effective government for the American people.

Federal employees are often the first to witness abuses or misconduct that presents a risk to the taxpayers. Providing strong protections for those who disclose misconduct helps to promote a more accountable and transparent federal bureaucracy. This legislation provides a means of securing justice to those individuals who are punished for doing the right thing.

During Committee hearings on this legislation, we heard from courageous government workers who risked their careers to promote the common good.

Mr. Franz Gayl, a civilian employee in the Marine Corps, testified about the retaliation he faced. Mr. Gayl blew the whistle on significant delays in the acquisition process--delays that were costing Marines their lives in Iraq. Defense Secretary Gates ultimately agreed with the proposals put forth by Mr. Gayl on troop protection. However, Mr. Gayl remains at risk of losing his job. This bill will help Mr. Gayl, and many others like him.

We have heard from dozens of whistleblowers who support this bill. I want to acknowledge one in particular. Mr. Robert Maclean is a former Federal Air Marshal who was fired after disclosing a threat to aviation safety. Mr. MacLean's case has been lingering for far too long under the current system. He has championed this bill because he knows first hand that the current system is broken. I thank him for his efforts on behalf of the country.

As many of you remember, the House of Representatives passed similar legislation by a 331-94 vote in the 110th Congress. The House also unanimously passed whistleblower protections as an amendment to the Recovery Act at the beginning of this Congress. Unfortunately, that amendment was stripped out in conference with the Senate.

After a long process in the Senate, this bill comes before the House for a third time. I am pleased the House-Senate compromise we are considering includes important provisions from the House bill. For the first time, the bill will allow Federal workers the right to a jury trial in Federal Court under some circumstances.

The legislation we're considering today is a good compromise. However, I'm disappointed that the Senate did not agree to extend similar

whistleblower protections to government contractors.

I am also disappointed that we could not come to an agreement with the Republican side on extending protections to employees in the Intelligence Community.

In spite of the bill's imperfections and limitations, I wholeheartedly endorse this agreement. This is a good government bill that will help to curb waste, fraud, and abuse in the Federal Government.

I encourage the Senate to act quickly on our modifications, and send the bill to President Obama without further delay.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2142, the Government Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Performance Improvement Act. I applaud Representative Cuellar for his Herculean efforts in getting this bill through the process.

This is a common sense bill that will improve the performance of the Federal Government. This bill was approved by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform by voice vote on May 20, 2010. The House passed the bill by voice vote on June 16, 2010. The Senate amended the bill and passed it by unanimous consent on December 16, 2010.

H.R. 2142 modernizes and strengthens the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993. This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget to develop governmentwide priority goals that cut across agency programs. This will help agencies work together to reduce duplication and improve efficiencies.

This bill requires each agency to identify performance goals and to perform frequent performance reviews. This will provide agencies and Congress with the information needed to make responsible decisions regarding priorities and resources. The Senate amendments to the bill will improve the transparency of the performance management process by establishing a single website that will allow Congress and members of the public to access the results of performance assessments.

This legislation provides greater accountability by requiring agencies to consider input from Congress and members of the public when developing priorities and by requiring the Government Accountability Office to report to Congress on agency implementation of this legislation.

The Senate amendments retain important provisions from the House- passed bill establishing performance improvement officers at each agency and establishing a performance improvement council. These are not new ideas as they were required by an Executive Order issued by President George W. Bush. Putting these provisions, as well as the rest of this bill in statute will provide a certain framework for both the current and future administrations.

A vote in favor of this bill is a vote in favor of an efficient, effective government. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Georgia for yielding time, and of course the ranking member as well. I rise to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of S. 841, the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act.

Today, environmentally friendly vehicles are quickly becoming a staple in the lives of Americans who are attempting to go green. I applaud the use of technology that decreases air pollution and fossil fuel consumption; however, we must address an unforeseen consequence of such innovation.

Over the years, we have heard tragic stories involving pedestrians and hybrid or electric vehicles. Not too long ago, news accounts were the story of a young child hit by a hybrid car. This accident was not caused by a driver's negligence or a car's manufacturing defect. It occurred because the child never heard the approaching car. The hybrids: engines were simply too quiet. Environmentally friendly vehicles such as hybrids often fail to produce audible sounds when driven.

The silent nature of these vehicles, coupled with the growing popularity, presents a dilemma: How do we protect individuals dependent on sounds for their safety, such as unsuspecting pedestrians and the blind? The solution lies in the Pedestrian Safety Act.

This act requires the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a study of the minimum level of sound required for environmentally friendly vehicles. Once this safety standard is determined, it will be applied to all new automobiles manufactured or sold in the United States beginning 2 years after the standard is issued. This is an effective way, not only to prevent avoidable injuries to pedestrians, but to do so without impeding innovation with stringent regulations.

It is clear that environmentally friendly vehicles are growing in popularity. While it is important to embrace technology that benefits our environment, we must do so with the safety of all citizens in mind.

This bill successfully passed the Senate last week and has been a long time coming here in the House. Our Chamber's companion bill, H.R. 734, has 238 bipartisan cosponsors. The bill coming to us from the Senate is even stronger. It is completely deficit neutral and supported by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the National Federation of the Blind, the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers, and the American Council of the Blind.

Before I conclude, Madam Speaker, let me take a moment to thank my colleague and friend, Representative Cliff Stearns, who has worked over the years with me on this bill. I want to thank staff members James Thomas and Nicole Alexander for their tremendous assistance in helping us move this important legislation forward. I would also like to thank Emily Khoury and Dana Grayson and all other staff that have made this moment a reality. This bill has been a model of bipartisanship and will benefit pedestrians across the country for years to come.

I urge all of my colleagues here in the House of Representatives to join me in supporting this very important legislation.

Madam Speaker, S. 3167 is an important, bipartisan measure that will help ensure stable, effective management at the Census Bureau for years to come. With preparations for the 2020 Census already underway, this body has the opportunity to make sure it is the most accurate and complete census in history.

The measure would protect the independence of the Census Bureau from political interference by giving its Director the independence to report directly to the Secretary of Commerce. The Department of Commerce oversees many agencies, and so giving the Census Bureau greater independence from Commerce will help keep it a priority throughout the 10-year cycle of the census. It will also help keep Congress informed on the status of the census throughout the decade, helping us to foresee and prevent problems.

The bill will also extend the term of the director of the Bureau to five years, with a limit of two terms. This will align the term of the Director more closely with the decennial census's planning and implementation phases. In addition, it will help free the director from the whims of presidential politics, keeping a new president from changing directors in the middle of a census. I think this is so important, especially since the 2020 Census will occur during a presidential election year. A fixed term sends a message that we consider the Census Bureau to be an agency with a scientific mission, like the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Center for Education Statistics. We must make sure that the professionals at these agencies, including the Census Bureau, are given the ability to do what they do best, insulated from politics.

We know the significance of the decennial census: an undertaking so important that the founding fathers enshrined it in the Constitution. However, GAO has deemed the last three decennial censuses ``at risk,'' which is something we in Congress cannot accept. S. 3167 will implement some of GAO's recommendations on the Census, and also has the support of leading statistical organizations and the seven living former directors of the Bureau, directors who served under Democratic and Republican presidents alike. The bill comes at no cost to taxpayers, and is the result of careful, bipartisan negotiations. I'd like to thank the gentlewoman from New York, Representative Maloney, as well as the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Representative

Dent, for their leadership on the bill, the gentleman from Missouri, Representative Clay, for his leadership on the Census with the Information Policy Subcommittee, and I'd also like to thank Senators Carper and Coburn for the hard work they put into passing the legislation unanimously in the Senate.

I encourage all my colleagues on both sides to join me in voting in favor of S. 3167.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Mrs. Adele V. Trapp.

For 53 years, Mrs. Trapp has served as Den Mother to Cub Pack 263 of the Greater New York Council of Boy Scouts of America, located at St. Philip's Episcopal Church. This dedication earned Mrs. Trapp a spot in the Guinness Word Book of Records.

Mrs. Trapp was born in Barbados, West Indies, and will be turning 97 on February 26th. She is a founding Board Member of St. Mark's Day School and recently retired from the New York City Department of Education, where she received a Quality of Work Life Program Award for 30 years of dedicated service. At the time of her retirement, she was the oldest employee in the Department of Education; this feat was acknowledged in a feature article published in the New York Daily News. Prior to her work with the Department of Education, Mrs. Trapp served as Secretary to the Comptroller in the New York City Transit Authority.

Mrs. Trapp has been honored for her community service by countless officials and organizations, including Brooklyn Borough President, Marty Markowitz and the Crown Heights Lions Club.

In addition to her honors and accolades, Mrs. Trapp is a proponent of the nation's labor movement. As a proud member of DC 37 and the Union shop steward, Mrs. Trapp provided key testimony in the Union's successful efforts to get the Department of Education to pay paraprofessionals on Brooklyn/Queens Day and to compensate them for previous unpaid work on those days.

Mrs. Trapp also has a strong commitment to her faith. She has been a member of St. Philip's Episcopal Church for 67 years and received two awards: the Service to Church and Community Award from St. Matthew's Deanery and the Bishop's Medal of Distinguished Parochial Service.

Besides enjoying the company of her large family and many friends, Mrs. Trapp has been a bowler for 50 years and is a member of the Women's International Bowling Congress. In 2009, she was recognized in El Paso, Texas, for her 30 years of participation in the natural tournaments.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the achievements of Mrs. Adele V. Trapp.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Ms. Elisha Ackie.

Elisha Ackie is one of those members of our society who has always been committed to our community's needs and dedicated to helping others; she is a songbird of religious verses and music, who celebrates that the Lord is her Shepherd.

Elisha Ackie was born on December 14, 1903 in Carriacou, Grenada, West Indies and migrated to New York in 1988. She is the proud mother of Jean Ackie, grandmother of two and great-grandmother of eight and great-great grandmother of two. Her long life is a testament to her legacy of family values and inter-generational family commitment. Even on the dawn of her 107th birthday, she continues to bring her family together for occasional dinners and gatherings.

Elisha Ackie is commended for adding joy and flavor to our 10th Congressional District in New York. She is also celebrated for the many stylish hats that adorn her beautiful face. This role model of work ethic, family life and sharing of daily bread will most certainly ensure that upcoming generations of her family, and those whose lives they touch, will continue to be fruitful members of our American society.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing Ms. Elisha Ackie.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to show my support for a piece of immigration reform that is long overdue: The American DREAM Act. In my district, as in the rest of the country, the children of immigrants are being denied the benefits of education and a future they once believed in.

Under our current laws, children of immigrants are able to attend American elementary and high schools, but hit a glass ceiling when faced with the prospect of higher education. This is because their immigration status precludes them from opportunities that make college education affordable, such as in-state tuition and federal loans. If an individual is placed into a circumstance without choice, I ask, is it right to force that person to spend the rest of his life paying the consequences?

The American DREAM Act offers a swift and appropriate means of reforming this flaw

in our nation's immigration laws. If enacted, individuals who were brought to the United States before they were 16 can become permanent residents when they are admitted to an institution of higher education or serve for 2 years in the military.

While several similar bills have been introduced in recent Congresses, this reform has not had the opportunity to succeed until now.

This nation was built by immigrants and we should encourage those who want to become Americans to pursue education. It is time to take initiative; let us help millions of young people take a step towards achieving the American dream. Let us pass the American DREAM Act.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Derek Phillips.

Derek Phillips received his Master's Degree in African American Studies from the State University at Albany, NY and later received another Master's Degree in School Building Leadership from Mercy College. He completed his undergraduate studies at the State University at New Paltz.

An Educator by profession, Derek taught History at Park West High School for one year. He went on to teach Math and History for eight years at the New York City Public School Repertory Company, a school for ``under-credited'' high school students. While at PSRC, he also served as the college advisor. Derek taught at the Eight Plus Learning Academy for region ten at Wadleigh High School in Harlem, NY for four years. The Eight Plus Program was a school for ``at-risk'' eighth graders who failed to fulfill the necessary requirements for promotion to high school. While at Eight Plus, he served as Math teacher, Dean and Site Coordinator. He also taught Social Studies and Global History at the Choir Academy in Harlem. Currently, he is an Assistant Principal at Queens Academy High School, a school for under-credited and over- aged young people.

In addition to being an educational leader, Derek is the Founder and Executive Director of the Real Dads Network--an organization that is committed to educating, supporting and empowering Black fathers. The Real Dads Network received national recognition in Ebony magazine, June 2010 as one of the top ten resources for dads. Additionally, Derek serves as a spokesperson for fatherhood in several ways: by appearing as a guest on radio such as 98.7 Kiss FM's Open Line and Al Sharpton's Hour of Power, as a guest on the BET Special, Black Men the Truth, and as a panelist at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference on Fatherhood. Derek was also featured in the New York Daily News' ``Spotlight on Great People,'' and created the Daddy Daughter Valentine's Dance, which has been adopted in other major cities. He contributed to the best-selling book I Got Your Back: A Father and Son Keep It Real About Love, Fatherhood, Family and Friendship, by Eddie Levert Sr. and Gerald Levert with Lyah Beth leFlore and co-directed and produced the award-winning documentary ``Black Men on Fatherhood'' with commentary by the late Ossie Davis.

Derek is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and through his works, words and actions, he is committed to educating, uplifting, and empowering our youth. His motto is ``if everyone does a part, then no one is left doing the whole thing.'' He resides in Peekskill, NY with Maria, his loving wife, and Jordyn and Maya, his two beautiful daughters.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the achievements of Derek Phillips.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Ms. Donna R. Dickerson.

Ms. Dickerson is the Education Director for the Genesis Academy, where she has worked since 1997. The Genesis Academy is one of the leading after-school programs in the Brownsville community of Brooklyn, New York. The institution's goal is to academically, socially and culturally enrich the community's youth. Over the years, Ms. Dickerson has emerged as a leader in youth development, implementing programs for children in the Genesis Academy and the community at large.

At the age of sixteen, Ms. Dickerson took an opportunity to work at a daycare center. Facing her own childhood adversity, at this job she realized her destiny: to work with children. The joy of the classroom inspired Ms. Dickerson to work at this daycare center for longer than she had initially intended.

In 1991, a fire devastated Ms. Dickerson and her family. Within a three month span, they were living in a shelter and dealing with the death of six family members. The situation became more than Ms. Dickerson could handle and she had no idea where to turn next; adapting to this new way of life taught Ms. Dickerson how to survive.

In the heart of East New York, there is a place called Genesis Homes. Here, new beginnings are possible, all you have to do is believe and go get it. A program was offered, called T.E.P.P., where a participant would get paid to work. Ms. Dickerson was offered a position as a recreation aide and accepted it. She worked with every age group over the years, leaving a positive mark on all the children she interacted with. During this time, Ms. Dickerson realized that she was a role model and needed to always act as such. She was no longer responsible for just her own children, but for thousands of children who, at times, appeared to depend on her more than their own family.

Ms. Dickerson is grateful for several important people in her life. Her parents, for teaching her and her siblings to love one another, respect all and treat people like they would want to be treated. Her sisters, for always being there, no matter the time of day she called on them. Most importantly, Ms. Dickerson is grateful for her children: Brandon, Corey and Charisma.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the achievements of Ms. Donna R. Dickerson.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Dr. Sallye Granberry.

Dr. Sallye Cranberry was born in 1958, the first child of Yvonne Walker, a single high school graduate from Nashville, Tennessee. She was raised in Harlem one block north of the Apollo Theater, and attended the Harriet Tubman School, a public elementary school on 127th Street. She was awarded a scholarship from the organization A Better Chance, to attend Walden, a private school on the upper west side. This school ignited a passion in Sallye for the sciences, and encouraged her to tutor fellow classmates in the anatomy lab. She graduated from Walden in 1976 and won a scholarship to attend Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. She entered Northwestern as a biology major ready to pursue teaching, but graduated in 1980 as a pre-med student, after volunteering at Planned Parenthood and realizing her deep interest in women's health. She attended Medical School at SUNY Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, NY, and graduated in 1984 to pursue a Radiology residency in Brooklyn, New York, at Maimonides Medical Center. She was Chief Resident at Maimonides in 1989, and completed a Body Imaging fellowship at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital in New York City in 1990. She achieved Board Certification in Diagnostic Radiology in 1990. She has worked at several hospitals here in Brooklyn, but has remained in the public hospital system at Woodhull Medical Center for almost 10 years. As a Diagnostic Radiologist, Sallye has pursued her interest in women's health through the subspecialties of Mammography and Ultrasound.

Dr. Granberry's dedication to community service started early in her life when she joined the Junior Elks Club in Harlem. She volunteered at Planned Parenthood while in high school and in college. There she learned that there was an urgent need to provide medical care to women, especially pregnant teens and women of color. While attending Northwestern she joined the sisterhood of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, a community service organization. She was one of the founding members of One Step Before, a minority student organization composed of premedical students. During her medical school training she was a member of UMPA, Upstate Medical and Paramedical Association; this minority student organization was a precursor of the SNMA, Student National Medical Association Chapter in Syracuse, NY.

Currently Sallye is Vice President of the Medical and Dental Staff at Woodhull Medical Center, where she has held office since 2005. She is section chief of Mammography and Ultrasound at Woodhull, a position that gives her an opportunity to provide excellent care to women of all ages, regardless of their ability to pay. She educates her patients to promote self-awareness and preventive care.

Dr. Granberry resides in Canarsie, Brooklyn with her husband Michael LaMont and their two teenage sons, Akil and Jawan. She is a member of the Radiologic Society of North America, the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine and the New York Breast Imaging Society. She attends church regularly at Church of the Rock in Canarsie and is a member of the Schomburg Society in Harlem. She enjoys traveling with her family, and attending educational seminars.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the achievements of Dr. Sallye Granberry.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Ms. Frankee Cooper.

Ms. Cooper was born on October 10, 1992, in Brooklyn, New York. She is the daughter of two proud parents, Mary and Steven Cooper; the granddaughter of Bertha and Charlie Johnson; and holds the loving support of her mother's fiance, and future stepfather, Wilbert Tee Lawton.

Ms. Cooper is a very dedicated student that excels at everything she puts her mind to. Ms. Cooper attended various private schools during her academic career in Brooklyn: Emanuel Baptist Church Christian School, Saukofa Academy, Saint Paul's Community Christian School and Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School. Ms. Cooper always strived toward academic excellence. Among her many accomplishments, Ms. Cooper maintained her honor roll status throughout high school and successfully graduated with an Advanced Regents Diploma. Ms. Cooper was also inducted into the National Society of High School Scholars.

Beyond Ms. Cooper's dedication to academics, she has a clear commitment to philanthropy. Throughout high school, she volunteered at food banks, nursing homes and hospitals. In total, she donated over 100 hours of her personal time for the benefit of others. Involvement in community service enabled Ms. Cooper to realize her leadership potential; she later became Vice President of her school's Leadership Council and a member of her school's student government. She single- handedly managed an annual school fundraiser for her high school's sister school, St. Mary's, in Kenya. At graduation, Ms. Cooper was surprised with an honor bestowed to only two seniors every year: a place on Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School's Wall of Who's Who, an honor also bestowed upon the Hon. Rudolph W. Giuliani, former Mayor of New York City.

Ms. Cooper has dreamed of becoming a doctor since she was two years old. In 2007, she was accepted into the Arthur Ashe Program at Downstate Medical School in Brooklyn, New York. This highly competitive program was designed to provide opportunity for inner-city students who exemplify outstanding academic success and show an interest in the medical field. From a pool of 5,000 applicants, Ms. Cooper was one of only twenty-five students accepted into this prestigious program. She graduated at the top of her class in 2010.

Today, Ms. Cooper is a freshman biology major at Howard University in Washington, D.C. She is already an active member of the Howard community; recently, Ms. Cooper was

elected President of her residence hall, the Bethune Annex Residence. When Ms. Cooper graduates, she plans to continue her education at Howard University Medical School. She hopes to live her dream of one day becoming a doctor.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the achievements of Ms. Frankee Cooper.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Jasmine Danielle Velazquez.

Jasmine Danielle Velazquez is a natural born leader. Growing up in Bushwick, Brooklyn in her grandmother's three-family house, she realized at an early age the effects of economic disparities. She saw her grandmother at her ripe age of 70 remain a staple in the community, making sure that the community was treated with dignity and respect by all its inhabitants and visitors. Jasmine noticed that families were simply doing what it took to survive and experienced the real meaning of ``it takes a village to raise a child.''

That village helped Jasmine stay on a focused track. She was accepted into a specialized middle school in East Harlem, Manhattan East Junior High School, where she developed her love of the arts and leadership, becoming Vice President of the Student Body in 8th grade. Jasmine went on to attend a prestigious Catholic school in the Bronx, Mt. St. Ursula. Catholic school was a very unique experience. Although Jasmine was not used to the structure of Catholic education, she blossomed academically.

At the age of 17, Jasmine had an unexpected life altering decision to make--she was pregnant. Jasmine decided that she would not become a statistic as another African American/Latina teen mother. She gave birth to her daughter, graduated from high school early, and enrolled into Fordham University.

During her tenure at Fordham, Jasmine was incredibly active. She became the President of the Black Student Union her junior year, where she advocated for students' rights. Jasmine was awarded the W.E.B. DuBois Award for Academic Excellence as well as the Senior Leadership Award for Outstanding Leadership. She received her Bachelor's of Arts at Fordham University, majoring in African and African American Studies as well as Communications and Media Studies in 2008.

Jasmine was accepted into the esteemed Teach for America program where she taught as a Special Education Teacher at P.S. 165 in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Jasmine currently teaches at Geoffrey Canada's Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy Upper Elementary/Middle School, where she is a Learning Specialist teaching students with special needs in small groups. Jasmine loves her job and wants to advocate for families on a larger scale.

This year, Jasmine ran for District Leader/State Committeewoman in Brooklyn's 50th Assembly District, which covers Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Fort Greene, and Clinton Hill. She ran against longtime incumbent Linda Minucci who has been serving as District Leader for over 26 years. Jasmine did not win the race, but she will continue advocating for people in her community and advance her political career.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the achievements of Jasmine Danielle Velazquez.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Ms. Maritza Rodriguez, for her dedication to the field of education.

Since 1971, Mrs. Rodriguez has nurtured her neighborhood, church and community. With over thirty years of her professional and personal life dedicated to public service, Mrs. Rodriguez represents the best qualities of excellence in education.

Mrs. Rodriguez is the Supervising School Aide at P.S. 950, The Eastwood School. She is tasked with overseeing school aides, a responsibility she has skillfully carried out for over ten years. In addition to this, Mrs. Rodriguez endlessly contributes to school initiatives. Whenever a stage needs to be designed for a school production, Mrs. Rodriguez is always ready and willing to assist. When the school building needs to be decorated for an event or holiday, she takes the lead until the task is complete. Mrs. Rodriguez's sense of commitment is strong; even when a task involves working above and beyond her work schedule, she undertakes it without reservation. Her discipline and work ethic have been honored by numerous awards and commendations.

In addition to her professionalism, Mrs. Rodriguez has outstanding interpersonal skills; she is known for her great sense of humor and positive attitude. According to Mrs. Rodriguez, ``the most important things in life aren't things.'' She embodies this motto by selflessly serving others and being a constant source of inspiration to those around her.

It should be noted that Mrs. Rodriguez was born in New York City, where she has spent most of her adult life, and is a product of the city's educational system. Mrs. Rodriguez has been married to Mr. Daniel Rodriguez for thirty-one years and is the proud mother of two children: Baron and Alexandra. She is also proud to be the grandmother of her first grandchild, Nikoleta Danielle Roussinos.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the achievements of Ms. Maritza Rodriguez.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Ms. Sharlene Brown.

Ms. Brown has over eight years of professional experience in leadership, strategic planning, budgeting, marketing, and fundraising. She also has a strong academic record. Ms. Brown received a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management, with distinction, and a Masters in Organizational Leadership from Nyack College; she is a graduate of the YMCA of Greater New York's Executive Leadership Institute and is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Management at the University of Phoenix.

As a leader, Ms. Brown constantly seeks innovative ways of promoting dynamic working environments, high quality service and organizational growth. Ms. Brown's accolades serve as a testament to her abilities. She holds several awards in Superior Performance from the YMCA of Greater New York, for her work at the Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA, is a recipient of the Black Achievers in Industry Award 2010 and received a Proclamation from myself, congratulating her in honor of Women's History Month.

Ms. Brown demonstrates strong commitment to her community in addition to her leadership and academic success. She served as Advisor to the Ella McQueen Detention Center, Director of Rush Temple African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church's Young Adult Christian Ministry; and is now the Executive Director of the Bronx YMCA. In her current position as Executive Director, she is developing and implementing employee guidance initiatives to enhance people's skills for the achievement of organizational goals.

Among all of her success, let it not be forgotten that Ms. Brown is the proud mother of Donald Broughton, Jr. and is excited to be a 2010 Honoree of the Concerned Women of Brooklyn, Inc.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the achievements of Ms. Sharlene Brown.