Tribute to the Late Congresswoman Julia Carson

Floor Speech

TRIBUTE TO THE LATE CONGRESSWOMAN JULIA CARSON -- (House of Representatives - December 18, 2007)

Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I thank very much my colleague and thank you for calling us together so that we can express our sympathy to the family of JULIA CARSON, to her constituents whom she loved and worked so hard for, and to our colleagues from Indiana; Mr. Visclosky, Mr. Hill and Mr. Donnelly and Mr. Ellsworth, who are here, this great distinguished delegation from Indiana with the crown jewel, JULIA CARSON, as one of the senior members of the delegation.

Thank you so much. I know you are among those who were the last, certainly from Congress, to visit with Congresswoman CARSON and conveyed back to us her usual good cheer and dignity and demeanor, and that is how she was.

And so that it's very sad to convey to her grandson Andre CARSON on behalf of all of the Members of the House of Representatives the deep sadness that we have over their suffering.

Members have talked about her in Congress and the kind of person that she was, and I remember visiting her on a number of occasions in Indianapolis, and what was a joy to behold was the esteem in which she was held by all of the people there, whether we were walking down the street or talking to police officers there. Wherever it was we went to events that she had, relating to health care, relating to the issues that concerned America's working families, people just worshipped JULIA CARSON. I never saw anything like it. I never saw anything like it.

She came to Congress, as has been mentioned, after decades of distinguished service to the State of Indiana, and Members have talked about her, the positions that she has held. During her time in the House, she was a very powerful advocate for the people of Indianapolis and for working families across the Nation.

As the Indianapolis Star editorial board wrote, ``The city's history-making congresswoman never forgot her roots.''

I was listening as Members talked about the role that she had played most recently, the congresswoman from California talking about the role she played in getting the House to vote for a Congressional Gold Medal for Rosa Parks.

I talked about how it was to watch JULIA in Indianapolis and just how people responded to her as she was walking down the street, and I now talk about how it was the day that she got this idea and started the ball rolling on this and then the day that Rosa Parks came to the Congress. It was a thrilling, historic day for all of us, the bond between the two of them, the reverence in which we all held Rosa Parks, and the appreciation that she had for the work that JULIA CARSON had done to make that day possible, not only for Rosa Parks but for the country. She's a star. JULIA was a star.

It's a fitting cause for her, as JULIA and Rosa Parks shared a quiet determination, a fierce sense of purpose and a total commitment to an ideal of equality which is our Nation's heritage and our Nation's hope.

Sadly, as we all know, in recent months, JULIA CARSON faced illness, but she did so with her characteristic courage and dignity. When she was here, she was here, and when she wasn't here, she was directing us from home. You were very fortunate, and I'm not usually jealous, but I'm jealous of the fact that you had an opportunity to see her. We had all hoped, of course, that we would see her once again here on the floor of the House.

I know that we're reassured that JULIA is now at peace. This lovely, lovely woman, with an incredible sense of humor, she didn't miss anything that was going on on the floor. She would sit there quietly and then make the most incisive and insightful comments about the proceedings.

We're all sad to lose her as a congresswoman, of course, for our country. We're deeply saddened to lose her as a friend, and I hope it is a comfort to Andre CARSON and to her family and to her constituents that so many people throughout our country, and certainly in this Congress, share their grief and are praying for them at this sad time.

I thank again my colleague for affording us the opportunity to express our admiration for this great lady, JULIA CARSON.

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