February 4, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S611 The resolution (S. Res. 441) was S. RES. 442 Whereas A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr,. sat on agreed to. Whereas the late A. Leon Higginbotham, the Court of Appeals for 16 years and served The preamble was agreed to. Jr., dedicated his life to eliminating racial as Chief Judge from 1989 until 1991 and as barriers in the society of the United States; Senior Judge through the completion of his The resolution, with its preamble, public career in 1993; reads as follows: Whereas, having grown up during the Great Depression and the era of Jim Crow laws, A. Whereas, through his rulings and subse- S. RES. 441 Leon Higginbotham, Jr., overcame a child- quent writing, A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., Whereas, on Sunday, February 3, 2008, the hood marked by economic hardship and seg- vigorously fought racial bias and prejudice; defeated the New England regation; Whereas, upon retirement from the bench, Patriots by a score of 17-14 to win Super Whereas, having personally experienced A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., became the Pub- Bowl XLII; the effects of racism, A. Leon Higginbotham, lic Service Jurisprudence Professor at Har- Whereas the Giants, who were double-digit Jr., sought an education and career in law vard University, dedicating the remainder of underdogs, overcame overwhelming odds to during which he fought institutionalized rac- his life to educating and empowering future defeat the Patriots; ism in the United States judicial system; generations to continue the pursuit of equal Whereas Giants owners John K. Mara and Whereas A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., began justice under the law; have built the Giants organiza- his legal career as a law clerk to Justice Cur- Whereas, A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., served as the chairman of an American Bar tion into a championship caliber team; tis Bok of the Superior Court of Pennsyl- Association panel that in 1993 issued the Whereas , having led a game- vania and soon became the youngest and landmark report ‘‘America’s Children at winning drive for 83 yards at the end of the first African-American Assistant District Risk: A National Agenda for Legal Action’’, fourth quarter, was named the game’s Most Attorney in the city of Philadelphia; studying the status of children in the society Valuable Player; Whereas, in 1954, when African Americans and legal system of the United States; Whereas ’s game-breaking were largely excluded from professional op- Whereas, in 1993, A. Leon Higginbotham, catch will forever go down in his- portunities, A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., be- Jr., served as counsel to the law firm of tory as one of the greatest plays ever; came a founding member of Norris, Schmidt, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton, & Garrison, Whereas the relentless onslaught of the Gi- Green, Harris, & Higginbotham, the first Af- ants defensive line, highlighted by spectac- where he litigated a host of pro bono mat- rican-American law firm in Philadelphia; ters, including voting rights in Louisiana, ular plays by , Osi Umenyiora, Whereas, while still in private practice, A. and advocated free elections in South Africa; and team Captain , sacked Leon Higginbotham, Jr., served as Special Whereas, A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., Patriots quarterback Tom Brady 5 times; Deputy Attorney General for the Common- brought his passion for equal justice into the Whereas the Giants capped off an amazing wealth of Pennsylvania, Special Hearing Of- international arena as a consultant to the playoff run by winning all 4 playoff games on ficer in the Department of Justice, President President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, the road as underdogs; of the Philadelphia chapter of the National on the formation of the Constitution of Whereas Giants head coach , Association for the Advancement of Colored South Africa, and as an advocate for grass in his first appearance in the Super Bowl, People, a member of the Executive Board of roots democracy education in South Africa; lead his team to victory from the wild card the Governor’s Committee of One Hundred Whereas, in 1995, A. Leon Higginbotham, spot; for Better Education, Commissioner of the Jr., continued his commitment to public Whereas this marks the third time in fran- Pennsylvania Fair Employment Practices service when appointed by President William chise history that the Giants have won the Commission, Commissioner of the Pennsyl- Jefferson Clinton to the United States Com- Super Bowl; vania Human Rights Commission, and a mission on Civil Rights; Whereas the Giants attract fans from New member of the board of directors for various Whereas, as an author and contributor to York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to their legal, political, and nonprofit organizations more than 100 publications and academic home games in East Rutherford, New Jersey, within Pennsylvania; works, A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., left a leg- and to away games across the country; and Whereas, having been appointed by Presi- acy as a renowned scholar of racial and so- Whereas Giants fans from across the tri- dent John Fitzgerald Kennedy to the Federal cial justice issues in the United States; state region have rallied together to cheer Trade Commission in 1962, A. Leon Whereas, A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr.’s the Giants for coming from behind to win in Higginbotham, Jr., became not only the first critically acclaimed historical works, includ- the biggest upset in Super Bowl history: African American to serve on a Federal regu- ing ‘‘In the Matter of Color: The Colonial Pe- Now, therefore, be it latory commission but also the youngest riod’’, published in 1978, and ‘‘Shades of Free- Resolved, That the Senate congratulates person to be named as a Commissioner of the dom: Racial Politics and Presumptions in the New York Giants on their victory in Federal Trade Commission; the American Legal Process’’, published in Super Bowl XLII. Whereas, having recognized A. Leon 1996, continue to provide invaluable insight f Higginbotham, Jr.’s gifts as both a lawyer into the history of race relations in the and a public servant, both President Ken- United States; COMMEMORATING THE LIFE OF A. nedy and President Lyndon Baines Johnson Whereas, as a sought-after public speaker, LEON HIGGINBOTHAM, JR. nominated A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., as a after his retirement A. Leon Higginbotham, Mr. SANDERS. Madam President, I Federal judge on the United States District Jr., delivered more than 100 speeches annu- ask unanimous consent that the Sen- Court for the Eastern District of Pennsyl- ally to motivate the next generation of peo- vania; ate proceed to the immediate consider- ple in the United States to continue the Whereas, upon confirmation as a Federal fight for racial justice; ation of S. Res. 442, which was sub- judge at the age of 35, A. Leon Whereas A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., re- mitted earlier today. Higginbotham, Jr., became the youngest per- ceived numerous honors and awards during The PRESIDING OFFICER. The son appointed to the United States District his lifetime, including the Presidential clerk will report the resolution by Court for the Eastern District of Pennsyl- Medal of Freedom, the Raoul Wallenberg Hu- title. vania and one of the youngest ever appointed manitarian Award, the National Association The legislative clerk read as follows: to a Federal bench; for the Advancement of Colored People Whereas, in his role as a Federal judge, A. Spingarn Medal, the American Civil Lib- A resolution (S. Res. 442) commemorating Leon Higginbotham, Jr., served as a mentor erties Union Medal, the Lifetime Achieve- the life of A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr. to numerous young attorneys, affording ment Award from the Philadelphia Bar Asso- There being no objection, the Senate them the opportunity to gain critical expo- ciation, the Silver Gavel Award from the proceeded to consider the resolution. sure to the legal profession; American Bar Association, America’s Ten Mr. SANDERS. Madam President, I Whereas A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., Outstanding Young Men of 1963 from the ask unanimous consent that the reso- played an extraordinary role in the civil United States Junior Chamber of Commerce, lution be agreed to, the preamble be rights movement as an advisor to President and honorary degrees from more than 60 uni- Johnson after the tragic assassination of Dr. agreed to, the motions to reconsider be versities; and Martin Luther King, Jr., and as a member of Whereas A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr.’s work laid upon the table, with no inter- the National Commission on Causes and Pre- as an esteemed jurist, scholar, and public vening action or debate, and that any vention of Violence; servant helped transform the Nation’s per- statements relating to this measure be Whereas, as the first African-American ception of race: Now, therefore, be it printed in the RECORD. member of the Yale University Board of Resolved, That the Senate— The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Trustees, A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., suc- (1) commemorates the life of the late A. objection, it is so ordered. cessfully fought to allow women to enroll as Leon Higginbotham, Jr.; The resolution (S. Res. 442) was undergraduates in Yale College; (2) salutes the lasting legacy of A. Leon Whereas, in 1977, President Jimmy Carter Higginbotham, Jr.’s achievements; and agreed to. acknowledged A. Leon Higginbotham Jr.’s (3) encourages the continued pursuit of A. The preamble was agreed to. work as both a judge and a scholar and ap- Leon Higginbotham, Jr.’s vision of elimi- The resolution, with its preamble, pointed him to the United States Court of nating racial prejudice from all aspects of reads as follows: Appeals for the Third Circuit; our society.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 03:49 Feb 05, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00051 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04FE6.075 S04FEPT1 smartinez on PRODPC61 with SENATE