Recognizing the Life of Congressman Ed Roybal
RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF CONGRESSMAN ED ROYBAL -- (House of Representatives - November 15, 2005)
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Davis of Kentucky). Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 4, 2005, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize the life and work of Congressman Edward Roybal. As Chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation, I am proud to recognize the accomplishments of the pioneer of California Hispanic politics.
In his more than 30 years in Congress, from 1963 to 1993, Congressman Roybal opened many doors for immigrants and the less fortunate in this country, but more importantly he also opened many minds. As the first Hispanic to serve in Congress from California since 1879, his leadership was proof that our Nation's greatness rests in its diversity. He gave future generations the power to be involved in the democratic process by sponsoring legislation which funded bilingual education and inspired thousands to follow his noble example and enter into public service.
Californians are proud to call the visionary Congressman Roybal one of our own. But his contribution was not limited to Hispanics or Californians. Congressman Roybal's vision and passion for social justice issues transcended color lines, age groups and district and State boundaries. He worked tirelessly to extend the civil rights and push the Democratic Party to become more attuned to the needs of immigrants and minorities.
In addition to all the legislation he fought for and all the programs he sponsored, Congressman Roybal will also be remembered because of the legion of public servants he inspired. One of those, a man who fought for equal rights for farm workers of California, was a young man in San Jose named Cesar Chavez.
In 1947, Mr. Roybal first ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Los Angeles City Council. Reacting to his defeat he founded the Los Angeles Community Services Organization, CSO, with a goal of mobilizing L.A.'s Mexican Americans against discrimination in housing, employment and education. The CSO was founded on the idea that people would learn from each other and would craft solutions to mutual problems, and the model caught on and chapters formed throughout California. In San Jose, Cesar Chavez's first experience in politics was registering voters for the San Jose CSO, and the rest is history.
Today, Congressman Roybal's legacy lives on in Congress and in cities across this country. More than 6,000 Hispanic elected officials have followed him into public service. His daughter and our colleague, the distinguished Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, now represents part of her father's old district in East L.A. Lucille carries on her father's work of fighting for compassion and diversity in our government.
Although he has passed from this earth, Congressman Roybal's passion for the poor and his vision for a more inclusive America will live on in the law books of this country and in the hearts and minds of those who have been touched by his service to our country.
On behalf of the my California Democratic colleagues and my constituents in San Jose, I am honored to be here this evening to pay tribute to former Congressman Ed Roybal.
We thank his family for supporting his work over many years and for being the source of tremendous pride for him, his wife, Lucille, his three children, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, Lillian and Edward. Our thoughts are with you during your grief, and we are honored to be in this institution that was graced by Congressman Roybal.
This evening, we are going to co-manage the time. We have the Chairperson of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, my wonderful colleague, Mrs. Napolitano, who will speak now for 4 minutes; and then we will yield back to the many colleagues who are here this evening who want to remember Ed.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, we have heard many things today about Congressman Edward Roybal, what a giant he was, what a leader he was, how he stood up for people who had too little, how he changed our world. I am mindful all of us who lost a dad know how very hard it is in a very personal way. Leader or no, it is still your dad. I also know that the best way maybe to know a person, to know someone like Congressman Roybal, is to look at his daughter, who is the same kind of tenacious, dignified person who will stand up for those who have nothing and make a difference, as she is making a difference, just as her father did in the Congress for those in need.
I would like to yield to our beloved colleague, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Roybal-Allard).
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart at the loss but pride for the service of Congressman Ed Roybal that we yield back the balance of our time.
http://thomas.loc.gov