Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, this week Congress will vote on an emergency war spending conference report that fully funds the war and our troops, and yet the President is still threatening a veto. The President's problem with the bill is Congress' strong message that we are not going to allow the war to go on indefinitely.

In years past, the President has dealt with Republican-controlled Congresses, which simply rubber-stamped his requests, despite countless mistakes in Iraq. Last November, the American people demanded a change.

Last month the Congress acted and brought a serious change to our policy in Iraq. We demanded that the Iraqi Government meet the political and economic benchmarks that the President himself outlined earlier this year and set timelines for withdrawal if those benchmarks are not met.

Defense Secretary Gates himself, last week, said that the timelines we passed here in Congress and the pressure that our legislation exerts on the Iraqi Government is having a positive impact. Our legislation is already impacting the events in Iraq. The President should allow this to continue by reconsidering his threat to veto the legislation.

Madam Speaker, I too rise this evening to honor the life and work of my colleague and friend, Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald, who has passed from labor to reward.

Juanita was a warm and caring individual. She worked very hard in this body to improve quality of life for all Americans. As a faithful member of the Congressional Black Caucus she also spoke of the urgency of eradicating poverty and eliminating disparities in education and health care and wealth. She spoke for those who could not speak for themselves. My constituents, the 660,000 people of the First District of North Carolina, are grateful for the service of Congresswoman Millender-McDonald.

I join my colleagues this evening in saying to the family of this great woman, you had a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother. Her love of humanity and work on behalf of disadvantaged people everywhere ensures that she is in heaven and free of the suffering she had to endure. May God bless the soul of this great American.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to pay tribute to Mrs. Odelle Whitehead Barnes, a native and longtime resident of Wilson, North Carolina. This wonderful individual is a family friend and a former teacher at my alma mater, The Charles H. Darden High School. For many years, Mrs. Barnes dedicated her life to educating and serving the people of Wilson, North Carolina. She is being honored this week upon her designation as a Diamond Soror in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and for her years of service to the community.

Madam Speaker, Mrs. Barnes committed 39 years of her life as both a teacher and speech therapist, and many more as a beacon of positive light to the community. She should be lauded even greater for her success in overcoming the racial and gender prejudices of her time. Mrs. Odelle Barnes was born in Wilson, North Carolina, as one of 12 children to Henry and Victoria Whitehead. She faced numerous challenges growing up in the Jim Crow South during the Depression, but excelled nonetheless, graduating from high school at age 16. Mrs. Barnes attended North Carolina College at Durham, today North Carolina Central University, and graduated with high honors in both English and French. Although the college environment during the Depression was unfriendly, nevertheless she persevered with the help of her family, the determination of her own character and her faith in Almighty God.

Mrs. Barnes taught for many years at both Elm City Elementary and Darden High School, before earning her Masters in Speech Therapy with the University of Michigan. In a time when integration still ruled North Carolina, Mrs. Barnes provided an invaluable service to the African-American community of Wilson County with her work as a Speech Therapist in the school system. In 1977, Darden High School named her ``Alumna of the Year,'' and in 1981 she was honored by the Wilson Human Relations Commission with its ``Citizen Award.''

Madam Speaker, Odelle Whitehead Barnes is very proud of her distinction of being ``Charter Member'' of two chapters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Alpha Chi Chapter in 1932 and of the Gamma Beta Omega Chapter in 1940. She is now a Diamond Soror and has spent 75 years as an AKA member. Mrs. Barnes is a lifelong member of the Jackson Chapel First Missionary Baptist Church, where she has served as the president of the Missionary Circle and co-founder of the Fellowship Club, and has twice been named church ``Woman of the Year.'' Additionally, she served as board member for the Department of Social Services, the Wilson Historic Properties Commission, and Wilson County Mental Health Board. She volunteered at the Wilson Crisis Center, the Hospital Visitation Program and the Wilson County Board of Elections.

Mrs. Barnes, who was married to Edward Morrison Barnes for 65 years, presently resides in Detroit, Michigan, with her daughter, Carolyn, her two grandsons and five great-grandchildren. Madame Speaker, in honor and recognition of Mrs. Odelle Whitehead Barnes' diligent service as an educator, therapist, and leader, I ask my Colleagues to join me in paying tribute to this great woman.

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, there was great cause for celebration in eastern North Carolina over this past weekend, as Wilson, North Carolina's Barton College captured the NCAA Division II men's college basketball championship. What a game.

Barton College, Madam Speaker, is a small but proud college with a rich academic history. With a student body of about 1,000 students, it is located not only in my congressional district but located in my community. I am so proud of them.

Barton College captured the national championship Saturday afternoon, scoring an amazing come-from-behind 77-75 victory over previously undefeated and defending national champion Winona State University. Barton won the title game at the buzzer, with one-tenth of a second remaining. They won their semifinal game by one point on a last-second free throw. And it won its quarterfinal game on a three-pointer at the buzzer in overtime. This will be a game that will long be remembered.

Madam Speaker, it is a great honor for me to recognize the success, efforts and achievements of these outstanding young student athletes. It is my pleasure to recognize their head coach, Ron Lievense, and his staff. Their hard work and dedication to teamwork is something that we are all proud of in Wilson, North Carolina and throughout the First Congressional District.

I ask my colleagues today to rise and join me in paying tribute to Barton College's basketball team of 2007 and to recognize their extraordinary championship.

Mr. Speaker, let me first thank the gentleman from Tennessee for yielding the time to me to speak to this very important piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an outstanding jurist and community leader by seeking to name the Federal building in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, as the J. Herbert Small Federal Building and United States Courthouse.

I want to thank my good friend, Chairman Oberstar, and Ranking Member Mica for their outstanding leadership in quickly moving this legislation through their committee. I would also like to thank each member of the entire North Carolina delegation, Democrat and Republican, for their collective support of this important bill.

Mr. Speaker, J. Herbert Small is a lifelong resident of Elizabeth City, North Carolina. He has devoted 52 long years of his professional life to the practice of law and to the administration of justice in eastern North Carolina.

Herb Small began his law practice in Elizabeth City in 1949 after graduating from the School of Law at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He served as Special Counsel to the Congressional Committee on Intergovernmental Relations and later served 8 years as county attorney for the County of Pasquotank.

He was elected as district attorney for the First Judicial District of North Carolina for three consecutive terms. During his tenure, he served as chairman of the District Attorneys Advisory Committee, was President of the District Attorneys Association and was appointed by the Governor to the Jail Study Commission.

It was when Mr. Small was a district attorney that our paths first met. As a young lawyer, I opposed him in the courtroom on several occasions. He was a strong and effective district attorney.

In 1979, Herb Small was elected as Resident Superior Court Judge for the First Judicial District of North Carolina. He served in this capacity for 17 years. He was honored by his peers when he was elected President of the North Carolina Conference of Superior Court Judges. During this time, he represented the conference on the North Carolina Policy and Sentencing Commission.

In the early days of Judge Small's service as a trial judge, I appeared before him as a lawyer, representing both civil and criminal clients. He was a firm but fair judge, treating everyone who came before his court with respect.

And then Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege of being able to call Judge Small my judicial colleague. When I was elected as a Superior Court Judge in 1988, Judge Small had preceded me to the bench by several years. He welcomed me among the ranks of Superior Court Judges, and our friendship continued to evolve.

Mr. Speaker, Herb Small is a legal scholar; and our courts benefited in so many ways because of his intellect.

Now, I am very proud to call Judge Small a constituent. He is retired. He is happily retired, living in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, which is one of my 23 communities in my congressional district. Herb Small is a trusted friend and a good adviser.

Judge Small served as chairman of the Albemarle Hospital Board of Directors and as Chairman of the American Red Cross Chapter. He has been actively engaged in other civic and charitable and service organizations, including the Jaycees and the Boy Scouts and Volunteer Firemen, Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club and the Elks Club and the Red Men and so on. He was given the Distinguished Service Award by the Jaycees, the Volunteer of the Year Award by the Chamber of Commerce, and the Order of the Long Leaf Pine by the State of North Carolina for outstanding community involvement.

Very importantly, Mr. Speaker, during World War II, Judge Small served 3 years in the United States Navy; and our country is proud of and thanks him for his service.

Judge Small has been married to a wonderful individual, Mrs. Annette Ward Small, for many years. They have four children, Elizabeth, John Herbert, Fran and Carol; and they have nine grandchildren, Rachel, Matthew, John, Mary, Margaret, Ruth, Allison Katie, and Chris.

Mr. Speaker, I can think of no finer individual and no person who is more deserving of this high honor than Judge J. Herbert Small. I can assure you that Judge Small is humbled and honored by this recognition. The people of Elizabeth City and the First Congressional District of North Carolina are grateful for his community service, for his dedication, and his great and extraordinary leadership.

I thank the gentleman from Maryland for yielding me time, and I thank the gentleman from Ohio for his work on this matter.

I urge my colleagues today to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1138.

Madam Speaker, 2 years ago, China enacted an anti- secession law which ``gave'' China the right to overtake Taiwan by force. Since then both Taiwan and the United States have asked China to rescind the law. So far China has ignored all pleas. Instead, it has increased its number of guided missiles deployed along the coast of Taiwan, threatening war anytime. In addition, China has prevented Taiwan from participating in international organizations such as the World Health Organization and heightened its bellicose rhetoric against the democratically-elected Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian.

As a rising world power, China must assume the responsibility of a global leader. It must lessen the tensions in the Taiwan Strait by rescinding the bad anti-secession law which has deeply hurt the feelings of the Taiwanese people. China should also reduce its military presence along the coast of Taiwan and learn to respect the wishes of the Taiwanese people.

I urge my colleagues to give Taiwan our support. Taiwan is a democracy and an ally of the United States. Under the framework of the Taiwan Relations Act, we must make sure that peace and stability continue to prevail in the Taiwan Strait.

Madam Speaker, there was certainly cause for celebration in eastern North Carolina over the weekend as Elizabeth City State University overcame seemingly long odds as the seventh seeded Vikings won the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) men's basketball tournament and earned a trip to the NCAA Division II tournament. ECSU's 21-9 women's basketball team will also be heading to the NCAA Division II tournament as an at-large representative.

The CIAA consists of 11 historically black colleges and universities. It was established in 1912 and the CIAA is the nation's oldest black athletic conference. It is a conference rich in history and heritage.

The Vikings overcame perennial conference power and top-seed Virginia Union 63-60 after losing to them in double overtime a week before. It marked the first time that ECSU coach Shawn Waller, who was an all- conference player at ECSU, beat VU as a coach or player.

Led by third-year coach Tara Owns, the Lady Vikings enter the tournament after a strong regular season which ended with a tough loss in the conference finals.

It is a great honor for me to recognize the success and achievements of these outstanding young men and women student-athletes, their head coaches, and members of their staff. Their hard work and dedication to teamwork is something we are all proud of in northeastern North Carolina. I ask my colleagues to rise and join me in paying tribute to Elizabeth City State University's basketball teams.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor East Carolina University, a public, 4 year institution located in Greenville, North Carolina on this, their 100th Anniversary.

On March 7, 1907, the North Carolina legislature approved the charter for the East Carolina Teachers Training School. The school was established to increase the critical need for teachers in the eastern portion of the state. The East Carolina Teachers Training School produced thousands of highly qualified educators, improving the lives of countless North Carolinians.

Madam Speaker, when the North Carolina legislature approved the charter for the East Carolina Teachers Training School, a site for the facility had not yet been selected. Cities throughout Eastern North Carolina like Kinston, New Bern and Washington were among those vying to win the state Board of Education's favor, but it was Greenville that was ultimately selected. I have never been more proud than to represent Pitt County and East Carolina University in the Congress.

The deliberate evolution of the school--from East Carolina Teachers Training School to East Carolina Teachers College and later to East Carolina University--reflects the change and positive growth of the region.

While such landmark moments speckle the history of Greenville, none are greater than the day Greenville won the rights to the new school. It is difficult to think that just 100 years ago East Carolina University would become the heart of a community or grow to become the state's third largest public university.

I ask my colleagues to rise and join me in honoring East Carolina University for the diligent efforts that have led to this most historic occasion.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega) for yielding this time to me, and thank the Speaker for convening this very important debate this evening.

Madam Speaker, I come to the floor this evening to express my unconditional support for H. Con. Res. 63. I also come to the floor this evening to thank the leadership, to thank Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the majority leader, and Chairman Ike Skelton for their leadership on this issue, and thank them very much for scheduling this debate. I am confident that the American people are also appreciative of this debate.

Madam Speaker, 4 years ago, shortly before I was elected to this body, the President of the United States convinced this Congress that dictator Saddam Hussein had in his possession weapons of mass destruction, and that he was prepared to use those weapons against our country. The world now knows that he was wrong, and history will decide whether that intelligence was manipulated or whether it was an honest mistake.

But this evening, Madam Speaker, the invasion we all know, happened. We captured Baghdad, and we arrested Saddam Hussein, and he has now been convicted and executed. But the search for weapons of mass destruction revealed that there were no weapons whatsoever.

Our aim then turned to helping the Iraqi people create a democratic government with free and fair elections, a constitution was ratified, and elected representatives are now making decisions on what is best for their country. The Iraqi Government has a security force in place, and we are assisting in training them to defend their country.

In 4 years of fighting the brave men and women of our Armed Forces have accomplished every mission put before them. They have performed admirably and completed all that is possible militarily possible in Iraq. There is an intractable problem on the ground in Iraq. The tensions between the sectarian groups are centuries old. We all know that, and our continued presence is exacerbating those tensions. It is no longer a military problem, but a political problem best resolved through diplomacy.

It is clear, Madam Speaker, that a continued open-ended military action is not in the best interest of our country. It is not in the best interest of the Iraqi people or the citizens of the Persian Gulf region. We have reached the point where we need to turn Iraq over to the Iraqis. Iraqis know that, so that the Iraqis will know that the U.S. is not an occupying force.

Since the invasion we have lost 3,000 lives. We have heard that for the last 2 days. And so many of those injuries are permanent. The financial cost of this war exceeds $400 billion. The President is now seeking another $245 billion to finance the war over the next 18 months.

Madam Speaker, if those funds were invested in rural America, there is no question that we would improve thousands of lives in our own country.

Our military and their families are tremendously strained. Some troops are on their fourth and fifth deployments. Military personnel costs are skyrocketing. Further strains on our Armed Forces will leave this country unprepared for a wide range of threats that now exist. At a cost to the American taxpayer of nearly $2 billion a week, we simply will not have the resources needed to prepare for the wide variety of future threats that our country may have to face and for our domestic needs at home.

America has a problem and we must fix it. This debate this evening is the first step in a new direction. Our goals in Iraq have been accomplished, and it is now time to begin bringing our troops home. Now is not the time for escalation. Surges have not helped before, and they will not help now.

The time has come to redeploy and reset our force to begin addressing our other challenges around the world and give us an opportunity to repair our relationships with our allies and refocus on the war on terror.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, in just a few minutes, we will begin to debate House Concurrent Resolution 63. The American people are ready for this debate, and finally the time has now come, and we will decide and recommend whether or not the President should escalate our troop strength in Iraq. I look forward to this debate.

But this morning, Mr. Speaker, I want to use my time to talk about the fiscal crisis that we have in America. You know, Mr. Speaker, in my speeches to constituents throughout the First District of North Carolina, I always make a point to talk about the fiscal crisis that we are facing in this country, the fiscal crisis that the Republicans have created over the last 5 years. You know, Mr. Speaker, when I tell them that we have unprecedented deficits that have resulted in $8.6 trillion in debt, and when I tell them that we spend $2 billion a week in Iraq, $8 billion per month, and yes, $100 billion per year, but only spend $90 billion in funding education in this country, they are absolutely shocked.

And now, Mr. Speaker, the President's 2008 budget will raise our debt by more than $1 trillion over the next 5 years. This proposed budget that we received last week from President Bush would make tax cuts for the wealthy permanent while cutting vital programs that are important to middle-class families.

To help pay for the nearly $2 trillion in tax cuts over the next 10 years, the budget substantially cuts Medicare and Medicaid, creating uncertainty for millions of seniors and low-income families who get their health insurance through these programs. The President's budget also shortchanges veterans' programs, cutting veterans' health care by $3.5 billion over 5 years and providing less than veterans service organizations say is needed to meet the growing needs of our veterans, including those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr. Speaker, congressional Democrats have repeatedly, repeatedly expressed the desire to work constructively with the administration to restore fiscal responsibility to the Federal budget consistent with our Nation's priorities. However, this budget that we received last week is marked by a disappointing dedication to the failed policies of the past rather than a commitment to a new course. Fortunately for the American people, Democrats will now produce an alternative that will be fiscally responsible and meet the demands of our great Nation.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order against the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the point of order against the amendment. I am told by the proponent that he has, actually, two.

I will at this time reserve a point of order.

Mr. Chairman, based on the statements of my friend, I will withdraw my reservation.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order against the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, my friend is eloquent as usual, but he still has an amendment that is not germane, and I continue to pose my objection.

Furthermore, Mr. Chairman, the amendment concerns matters that are not within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Science and Technology.

Mr. Chairman, this matter is clearly in the jurisdiction of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and if the gentleman would be willing to withdraw his amendment, I would say to him on behalf of the committee, we will be glad to work with him in the future.

I reserve the right to object as well, Mr. Chairman. We have not seen a copy of the amendment.

Mr. Speaker, last month during his State of the Union message, President Bush said that it is possible to balance the budget without raising taxes, but that is not the case. The President's health care proposal would increase taxes on more than 30 million Americans.

You didn't hear that during the State of the Union address, but the President wants to tax Americans who have what he calls gold-plated health coverage. The overwhelming majority of these Americans are middle class workers who oftentimes accepted better health care coverage over pay increases during negotiations with their employers. Many of these workers either need the substantial coverage for themselves or a sick family member.

The President's tax increase proposal is the latest assault on employer-provided health care. Employers with older and sicker workers pay higher insurance premiums, not because they have gold-plated insurance, but because their insurance companies charge them for more coverage. At a time when 1 million more Americans are becoming uninsured every year, the administration should not provide employers another reason to drop their health care coverage for their workers.

Madam Speaker, just how many people need to tell the President that his troop escalation plan is a terrible idea before he actually begins to listen? The American people sent the President a strong message last November that they no longer want our troops involved in what has become a civil war in Iraq.

The President's own generals have told him that they didn't need more troops in Iraq; but rather than listening to his generals, as he has always suggested that he has done, he has now turned around and replaced them with generals who are more friendly to the idea of sending more troops.

The bipartisan Iraq Study Group told the President that more troops were not needed. Instead, they concluded that a strategic redeployment should be initiated in the coming months and that the administration should reach out to the neighbors in the region, ideas the administration has rejected. If this were not enough, an overwhelming number of Democrats, and Republicans I might say, here on Capitol Hill have expressed opposition to the plan.

Madam Speaker, how many people have to tell him ``no'' before he listens?

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a great woman in the African-American community and a visionary leader in North Carolina, The Honorable Carolyn Q. Coleman. Mrs. Coleman will receive the 2007 NAACP Humanitarian of the Year Award at the 23rd Annual NAACP Humanitarian of the Year Banquet on Saturday, January 27 in Durham, North Carolina. Her work over the last year is inspiring but what truly makes her remarkable is the scope of her deeds over a lifetime.

Carolyn Quilloin Coleman is a native of Savannah, Georgia, where as a young woman she became involved in civil rights and human rights issues with the local NAACP Youth Council. After a 9 year ban of the NAACP in Alabama, Coleman joined the late Althea Simmons in reorganizing units in that State. She currently serves as Secretary of the National Board and Assistant Secretary of the National Association. On the State level, Mrs. Coleman is the First Vice President of the North Carolina State Conference and is a member of the Greensboro Branch's Executive Committee.

Mrs. Coleman graduated from Savannah State College with a Bachelor of Science degree in History and minors in Economics and Sociology. She pursued her Masters Degree in Adult Education at North Carolina A&T and has also studied at the Memphis Theological Seminary in Tennessee.

Professionally, Mrs. Coleman served as the Special Assistant to Governor Jim Hunt for eight years, providing guidance on issues of the minority community. In her forty-year relationship with the NAACP, Mrs. Coleman has served with distinction as a Regional Youth Director, Alabama State Director, Southeast Voter Education Director and the North Carolina State Director.

Mrs. Coleman led the North Carolina State Conference in filing 13 lawsuits challenging the at-large elections of Judges, County Commissioners, City Council and School Board members. Her efforts led to redistricting in the State, which made possible the election of two African-American Members of Congress in the 1990s, the first since Reconstruction. In total, the results of those suits led to the election of ten African-American Superior Court Judges and over 100 new African-American officials.

In 2006, Mrs. Coleman won re-election to the Guilford County Board of Commissioners with 74 percent of the vote and was elected the first African-American woman to chair the Board. As a Commissioner, Mrs. Coleman is a liaison on several boards, including the Greensboro Sports Commission, the Greensboro Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation, the Piedmont Triad Council of Governments and the Work First Planning Board, in addition to her responsibilities on the Board's Budget Process Committee, Community Based Organizations Study Committee and School Budget Committee.

Despite her years of continued service, Mrs. Coleman still makes time for her friends--as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, her family--as the mother of one son, Carlton, and faith--as a communicant of the New Zion Baptist Church in Greensboro.

I have had the privilege of knowing Mrs. Coleman for more than twenty years as a family friend and a colleague in the struggle for racial justice. There is no question that her work has made a difference in the lives of many North Carolinians.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me and the delegates to the NAACP Conference in paying tribute to this courageous

and dedicated woman who has worked to foster and continue our Nation's founding principle--that all men and women are created equal.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a great woman in the African American community and a vocal leader in North Carolina, the Honorable Carolyn Q. Coleman. Mrs. Coleman will receive the 2007 NAACP Humanitarian of the Year Award at the 23rd Annual NAACP Humanitarian of the Year Banquet on Saturday, January 27 in Durham, North Carolina. Her work over the last year is inspiring but what truly makes her remarkable is the scope of her deeds over a lifetime.

Carolyn Quilloin Coleman is a native of Savannah, Georgia, where as a young woman she became involved in civil rights and human rights issues with the local NAACP Youth Council. After a 9-year ban of the NAACP in Alabama, Coleman joined the late Althea Simmons in reorganizing units in that State. She currently serves as Secretary of the National Board and Assistant Secretary of the National Association. On the State level, Mrs. Coleman is the First Vice President of the North Carolina State Conference and is a member of the Greensboro Branch's Executive Committee.

Coleman graduated from Savannah State College with a Bachelor of Science degree in History and minors in Economics and Sociology. Coleman pursued her Masters Degree in Adult Education at North Carolina A&T and has also studied at the Memphis Theological Seminary in Tennessee.

Professionally, Coleman served as the Special Assistant to Governor Jim Hunt for 8 years, providing guidance on issues of the minority community. In her 40-year relationship with the NAACP, Mrs. Coleman has served with distinction as a Regional Youth Director, Alabama State Director, Southeast Voter Education Director and the North Carolina State Director.

Mrs. Coleman led the North Carolina State Conference in filing 13 lawsuits challenging the at-large elections of Judges, County Commissioners, City Council and School Board members. Her efforts led to redistricting in the State, which made possible the election of two African-American Members of Congress in the 1990s, the first since Reconstruction. In total, the results of those suits led to the election of 10 African-American Superior Court Judges and over 100 new African-American officials.

In 2006, Mrs. Coleman won re-election to the Guilford County Board of Commissioners with 74 percent of the vote and was elected the first African-American woman to chair the Board. As a Commissioner, Coleman is a liaison on several boards including the Greensboro Sports Commission, the Greensboro Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation, the Piedmont Triad Council of Governments and the Work First Planning Board in addition to her responsibilities on the Board's Budget Process Committee, Community Based Organizations Study Committee and School Budget Committee.

Despite her years of continued service, Mrs. Coleman still makes time for her friends--as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, her family--as the mother of one son, Carlton, and faith--as a communicant of the New Zion Baptist Church in Greensboro.

Madam Speaker, I ask my Colleagues to join me and the delegates to the NAACP Conference in paying tribute to this courageous and dedicated woman who has worked to foster and continue our Nation's founding principle--that all men and women are created equal.