William J. Jefferson

Mr. Speaker, I first met Stephanie Tubbs-Jones through her legendary predecessor, Representative Louis Stokes, who described her simply as ``full of life.' Indeed, she was. And, to have heard her impassioned speech denoting the short-comings of a housing bill the Congress recently passed, a speech made just before the Congress went on its August break, it as impossible to see her death foreshadowed. Her zeal for public service, her love for the members of Congress, and particularly of the CBC members, and her commitment to people who needed a hand up from government, defined her life here.

In a larger sense she was a devoted family person. She lost both her parents during her service here, and, I having also lost my mother and father over my years here, gave us the opportunity for quiet reflection on what our parents had meant to us, and helped to deepen our friendship.

She was devoted to the memory of her husband, Mervyn, who died just a few years ago. When I chaired the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, I urged her to join the board, which she did. From that point, she launched the Mervyn Jones Golf Classic which has raised millions in scholarship funds for worthy and needy college students. She was awfully proud of her son Mervyn II, who often came to the gym to play basketball with us ``old jocks'' and often schooled us with his basketball skills.

Her service on the Ways and Means Committee with me over several years gave me insight into her caring heart for health care and human resource issues but also into her competence as an infighter in the legislative process. She made her points, stood her ground and quite often carried her position. She sought me out after Hurricane Katrina hit my district and my State, offering advice and real help. Stephanie identified with human suffering everywhere and wanted to do something about it.

I was stunned and saddened by her sudden and unexpected death as were we all. And it was the hardest thing not to take the plane ride to Cleveland to attend her funeral and memorial service. It was only after the sage and stern advice from my Chairwoman Carolyn Cheeks-Kilpatrick that I reluctantly canceled my trip to Cleveland to attend to the issues back at home with Hurricane Gustav bearing down on our people. I know I was well covered by the members who did attend and part of me will always regret not being there. But, looking at it from another vantage point--not having fully seen her in death--my memories of her will only be those of her in life--not just in life but ``full of life'' as Lou Stokes described her.

Offered By: Mr. Jefferson

Amendment No. 31: At the end of title II (page 51, after

line 11), insert the following:

Sec. 226. In making amounts available under ``General

operating expenses'' and ``Medical support and compliance''

to carry out the guaranteed transitional housing loan program

authorized by subchapter VI of chapter 20 of title 38, United

States Code, priority shall be given for funding to any area

in the Gulf Opportunity Zone.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank Mr. Payne and Chairman Berman for moving this resolution to the floor. And I urge my colleagues and others who have joined us in support of H. Res. 1090 to honor President Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday.

As an African proverb says, ``You cannot shave a man in his absence.'' Thus, it is better that we in the Congress honor President Mandela while he is still with us. That his life would have reached such a pinnacle of longevity would not have been foreseen, when one recalls the statement he made during his trial in 1964 in South Africa, the context in which it was made, and the ominous tone it struck. At the end of it he says, it's talking about the idea of equality for everyone in a nonracial society, he says ``it is an ideal which I hope to live for and achieve. But, if need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.''

Through the grace of God, however, he is still alive today. And because of that, South Africa and the world have become better places. As a great leader, activist and humanitarian, President Nelson Mandela brought social and political change to South Africa, and he continues to serve Africans and the disenfranchised around the world.

He was born in Transkei, South Africa, on July 18, 1918. Through his political life from 1944 to 1999, he showed courage and determination and became the symbol of resistance and freedom. But more importantly, perhaps, he championed forgiveness and redemption to the point where today he has become one of our planet's foremost moral authorities, persuading seats of power everywhere to simply do the right thing by even the simplest people.

After gaining his freedom after 27 years of imprisonment, his life sacrifices were crowned on May 10, 1994, when he was inaugurated as South Africa's first black president. I was privileged to be in South Africa on that date to witness this supremely inspirational event, as did thousands of people from around the world everywhere. I have been blessed to be in the company of Mr. Mandela on a number of other occasions, including as a member of President Clinton's delegation to South Africa in 1998 and on President Clinton's peacekeeping mission in 2000 when Mr. Mandela was seeking peace for African nations in conflict. And in June 2005, as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, I was honored to present Mr. Mandela with the foundation's Phoenix Award representing the decision of the Congressional Black Caucus to honor him as the most significant African-ancestored person of the 20th century. President Mandela's work to transition from South Africa's apartheid rule has been widely recognized and respected. He has received numerous South African and International awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize he shared with Frederik Willem de Klerk, the Order of Merit and the Order of St. John from Queen Elizabeth II, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush.

My own alma mater in Louisiana, Southern University, renamed its school of public policy the Nelson Mandela School of Public Policy when he came to visit our school showing a great connection between us and him.

President Mandela's dream, as was the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr., for human equality is still alive in our hearts and souls today and will never die. I hope that the Members of the House and our Nation will join us in unanimously wishing the happiest of birthdays and to do so while marking his accomplishments and altruism on this special day. Let us celebrate his life and work with the international community and the people of our country and extend our best wishes to him and to his family.