Expressing Sorrow of the House at the Death of the Honorable Juanita Millender-McDonald, Member of Congress from the State of California
Floor Speech
EXPRESSING SORROW OF THE HOUSE AT THE DEATH OF THE HONORABLE JUANITA MILLENDER-MCDONALD, MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
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Ms. LINDA T. SÁNCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, it is with sadness that I join my colleagues here on the floor this evening to pay tribute to a colleague who we lost far too soon.
I was saddened to hear the news yesterday of Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald's passing. Juanita was really a woman of many firsts, who broke down countless barriers for women and for African Americans.
While the history books no doubt will list the numerous accomplishments of her long career, I will remember her best as a champion for economic opportunity and empowerment for the people of Long Beach and Los Angeles. I was pleased to have had the opportunity to work with her on many issues important to the communities shared by our adjacent districts. When workers, for example, in our communities who assembled the C-17 aircraft, faced the prospect of their assembly plant shutting down and losing their jobs, Juanita led the fight to make sure that those jobs were not lost. And she succeeded, and hundreds of people's lives are better off today thanks to her hard work.
When I first joined Congress, Juanita took the time and made a special effort to introduce me to many of the local leaders in the African-American communities that straddle our districts. This was very thoughtful of her and I will always be in her debt for it.
We here in Congress will certainly miss her insight, her experience, and her energy. And I will most certainly miss her beautiful smile and her unforgettable style because she truly is an unforgettable woman.
I am sure that her constituents will miss her tireless advocacy on their behalf. They and we have lost a fine public servant, and we have lost a tremendously fine colleague. But most of all, my thoughts tonight are with her husband, their children and grandchildren, and their extended family. I wish them all the strength during this difficult time, and I want them to know that Juanita is truly an incredible woman who shall not be forgotten.
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