E2418 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks November 18, 2005 HONORING DAVID KRAMER Berkeley, St. Vincent’s School, Irwin Memorial Work For’’ in Texas, as named by Texas Blood Bank, Sunny Hills, and Alameda County Monthly, the Texas Association of Business HON. chapters of SEIU, and was elected to the Ex- and the Society for Human Resource Manage- OF ecutive Committee of the Central Labor Coun- ment. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES cil of Alameda in 1975. In the following year, Founded in 1945, Ebby Halliday Realtors David underwent an intense and unforgettable began as a single office operation that now Friday, November 18, 2005 experience in which a 49-day strike involving consists of 28 branches and serves 12,000 Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor 5,000 members took place, the longest coun- square miles in North Texas. Today, Ebby the extraordinary life and achievements of ty-wide strike in California history. In October Halliday Realtors is the 20th largest inde- David P. Kramer of Oakland, California. 1976, he became the Executive Director of pendent residential real estate company in the Serving the working people of California for SEIU Local 616, where he served until May of nation and the single largest in Texas. In 34 years, David Kramer has been known 1980. He ultimately resigned from 616 in order 2004, their 1,500 sales associates and staff throughout his career for his dedication to civil to pursue a career as a self-employed car- assisted more than 18,000 families in finding rights as well as his unwavering commitment penter. new homes. to the labor movement. Today our community In 1982, David returned to the labor move- Ebby Halliday has also remained an active comes together to celebrate his career and ment and joined the Alameda County Tri-Local and important member of our community. Her achievements on the occasion of his retire- agency shop campaign to serve as an orga- civic and professional endeavors have earned ment from SEIU Local 535 in Berkeley, Cali- nizer, and in 1983 he once again became an her the highest recognition and awards. I am fornia. organizer for Local 535, albeit for only a short proud to honor Ebby Halliday and her valuable David Kramer was born in Pittsburgh, Penn- period of time. During this time, he aided in contributions to the real estate industry and sylvania in 1941. After graduating from Scott the largest union security election in the his- her community in the House of High School in North Braddock, Pennsylvania tory of the labor movement to date, involving Representatives. in 1959, he attended the Carnegie Institute of more than 80,000 State workers and four bar- f Technology, now known as Carnegie Mellon gaining units, of which 3 were won. University. Following his studies there, he was When David permanently returned to Local RECOGNIZING MAYOR MICHAEL hired by the Ford Motor Company, where he 535, he succeeded in organizing the North MILLER worked toward honing the skills he had ac- Bay Regional Center. He also made negotia- quired in school. However, in 1964 he quit his tions for the first contract for the Clinica de la HON. HILDA L. SOLIS job and immersed himself in the burgeoning Raza, and served the San Francisco chapter OF CALIFORNIA civil rights movement that was gaining of Local 535 for 2 years. In November 1988, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES strength throughout the United States. he became the northern regional director of As part of the Congress of Racial Equality Local 535, where he supervised 14 field staffs Friday, November 18, 2005 (CORE), David was involved in countless pick- in 535’s Sacramento, Oakland, Santa Clara, Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to rec- eting and protest efforts that were aimed at and Fresno offices. David Kramer was eventu- ognize Mr. Michael Miller of West Covina, achieving integration and equal employment. ally named Executive Director of Local 535 in California. Mr. Miller was first elected to serve He was part of a crew of 60 involved in testing the fall of 1996. Less than a year later in June the citizens of West Covina in March of 2001 and enforcing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 of 1997, he was elected to serve on the and is completing his service as Mayor to the through the integration of public facilities and SEIU’s International Executive Board, a posi- city this December. voter registration procedures in Monroe, West tion he will continue to hold until February Mr. Miller has a long history of service to his Monroe, New Rhodes, and Baton Rouge, 2006. community. Mr. Miller worked for the City of among other places in Louisiana. When he re- David also serves our community on the Garden Grove for 8 years and continued his turned to Detroit in the spring of 1965, he be- Oakland Board of Port Commissioners, a post service for the City of West Covina serving in came the first community organizer to work for to which he was nominated by former Oakland the planning and development of the commu- the West Central Organization, which rallied Mayor Elihu Harris. He has been reappointed nity. His distinguished service of 24 years in members of the African American and rural three times since, making his record fourth ap- the City of West Covina’s Office of Planning, Appalachian communities, together with neigh- pointment a first in the history of the Port of Public and Environmental Services was fol- borhood churches, union halls, block clubs, Oakland, and making David the Port’s longest lowed by an elected position to West Covina and social organizations. This coalition orga- serving commissioner. City Council for 4 years marked by merit. Mr. nized around issues such as school and police Today David Kramer’s family, friends and Miller also owns a small consulting business community relations, tenant rights, and urban colleagues come together to celebrate the im- which addresses environmental and municipal renewal. pact of his life and work not only on the innu- issues affecting cities, individuals and small In 1967, David enrolled in the University of merable lives, particularly the lives of working businesses. Michigan Graduate School of Social Work, people, he has touched here in Alameda Mr. Miller’s service extends beyond his du- where he graduated with a Masters of Social County, but the lasting effects his dedication ties as an elected official and city staff mem- Work degree in Community Organizing in and leadership have had and will continue to ber. He serves as Director and Board Member 1968. As part of his studies, he served in the have on our community. On behalf of the 9th of the California Waste Association; Director Wayne County Office of Equal Opportunity Congressional District of California, I salute and Board Member of Southern California and Detroit People Against Racism (PAR), an and thank David Kramer for his invaluable Waste Management Forum; and member of organization of which he eventually served as contributions to the people of Alameda Coun- the Southern California Council for Environ- the executive director. During this time he also ty, the 9th Congressional District, the State of ment and Economic Development. Mr. Miller is became deeply involved in the anti-Vietnam California and our entire country. a member of the Lyons Club, serving as Presi- War movement, participating in demonstra- f dent from 1977–1978; member of the Citrus tions across the country, including at the HONORING EBBY HALLIDAY ACERS Valley Health Foundation 2100 Club, serving Democratic Convention in 1968. as President from 1999–2000; Director and In 1969 he worked as a ‘‘lumper’’ on the Board Member of the West Covina Historical night shift in a warehouse in Detroit, where he HON. JEB HENSARLING Society; House Supervisor for the Heritage OF TEXAS began to get more involved with the labor House Restoration; Committee Member of the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES movement as a member of Teamsters Local West Covina Chamber of Commerce Eco- 299 and from which he still holds his honor- Friday, November 18, 2005 nomic Development and Government Affairs; able withdraw card. In 1971, David was ap- Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today Committee Member of the YWCA Women of pointed as a field representative of SEIU Local to recognize the exceptional leadership and Achievement; and Committee Member of the 535. His was first assigned to represent the outstandIng achievements of Ebby Halliday West Covina Rose Parade Float. Santa Clara County social workers and to or- Acers, founder of Ebby Halliday Realtors. I For his many contributions, Mr. Miller has ganize county eligibility workers for Local 535, would like to congratulate her on 60 years of been named West Covina Citizen of the Year and was instrumental in securing representa- extraordinary service to the North Texas com- (1998), West Covina Volunteer of the Year, tion rights for the workers. From 1971 to 1976, munity and to the real estate industry at large. Recreational Services (1999) and CovinaWest David worked with the Santa Clara County, Ebby Halliday Realtors was recently hon- Covina Coordinating Council Volunteer of the Sacramento County, Stanislaus County, ored as one of the ‘‘50 Best Companies to Year (1999).

VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:26 Nov 20, 2005 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A18NO8.060 E18NOPT1