[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 15] [House] [Page 22901] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]HONORING RETIRING CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS MEMBERS The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes. Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus to pay tribute to our colleagues Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, Congresswoman Diane Watson, Congressman Kendrick Meek, members of the Congressional Black Caucus who are retiring at the end of the 111th Congress. I will say a bit about each of them in a moment, but I do want to recognize and first thank them all for their service to their constituents and to our country and really to the world. Each of them in their own way has contributed to the cause and the mission of the Congressional Black Caucus which was founded almost 40 years ago and continues as the ``conscience of the Congress.'' Since our founding in 1971, the Congressional Black Caucus has remained true to its mission to root out inequality and injustice. Our voice has been heard throughout the Halls of Congress and throughout the world. We have been advancing the role of government to empower and protect families and children with every legislative tool at our disposal. Congresswoman Kilpatrick is an immediate past chair of the Congressional Black Caucus who I served under as first vice chair during the 110th Congress. Congresswoman Kilpatrick is a brilliant and focused lawmaker who I have also had the pleasure of serving with a member of the House Appropriations Committee where she has been a forceful advocate for her constituents and the State of Michigan. While serving on Capitol Hill, Congresswoman Kilpatrick has worked to level the playing field for minority-owned media outlets and advertising firms that face discrimination from major advertisers. She has hosted forums on diversity in advertising and was a leading force in the successful effort to secure a Presidential executive order compelling all Federal agencies to increase their contractual opportunities with minority businesses. Prior to her coming to Washington, Congresswoman Kilpatrick taught business education in the Detroit public schools before being elected to the Michigan State House where she served for 18 years and was the first African-American woman to serve on the Michigan House Appropriations Committee. Congresswoman Kilpatrick has a deep commitment to our young people and the security of their future. She established the Sojourner Truth Project to inspire young African-American women to be leaders. Her spirit, her heart, and her intellect soar. The world is a better place because of this great woman. Congresswoman Diane Watson, my friend, our colleague, believe it or not is a former elementary school teacher. She continues to educate us all each and every day. She is also a school psychologist who has lectured at both California State Universities at Los Angeles and Long Beach. In 1975, she became the first African-American woman to be elected to the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, and she led efforts during some very tumultuous times to expand school integration and improve academic standards. For almost 20 years, Congresswoman Watson served in the California State Senate where I served later. She was the first African-American woman to serve in that body, and she became a statewide and national advocate for health care long before the rest of the country was talking about health care reform. She was an advocate for consumer protection, women and children. During her tenure in Sacramento, she served as the chair of the Health and Human Services Committee and as a member of the Judiciary Committee. Let me tell you, and I always say this about Congresswoman Watson, there were 40 members of the California Senate. I came to politics as a result of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm running for President. She was the first African-American woman elected to this body. Congresswoman Watson, I used to watch her as being the only African-American woman in California in the State senate, and how she was able to maintain her integrity, her principles, her intellect and who she was as a black woman and yet negotiate very important legislation on behalf of the whole State. I want to salute her. Congresswoman Watson also served as the ambassador to Micronesia. She represented our country in a magnificent way. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated her mastery of foreign policy. She is an international leader. She is Dr. Watson who served in that capacity as ambassador until 2001 when she returned to California to run for Congress in a special election after the untimely death of our beloved Congressman Julian Dixon. {time} 1730 She is an exceptional public servant, and she has demonstrated throughout her life a remarkable commitment to improving the human condition. And so we salute you, Congresswoman Watson, and we look forward to this next chapter of your life. And also, let me just take a moment to honor the extraordinary career of Congressman Kendrick Meek, a man who took up the torch from his mother, our former esteemed colleague, Congresswoman Carrie Meek, and he has carried it further than any of us would have ever imagined. Other Members will talk more about Congressman Meek, but we salute all of our retiring Members and wish them well and Godspeed. ____________________