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E482 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks March 30, 2006 Fine, blaming the media is a time-honored York and was hired as the City of New York onstrated great skill, determination and mental tactic. I just hope they’re being cynical Parks & Recreation’s Brooklyn Sports Coordi- toughness during the competition in Turin. about it. I hope they don’t really believe the nator, where he coordinated and supervised Scottish immigrants introduced the sport of nonsense they’re trying to sell. various citywide programs, including Reebok’s curling in North America, first to Canada in f Coup de Hoop and the Junior Knicks Basket- 1759 and then to America around 1832. CHARLES TAYLOR WILL NOW BE ball clinics and tournaments. Mr. Mercer vol- Today, there are approximately 16,000 curlers HELD ACCOUNTABLE unteered to recruit and coach the New York’s who belong to 135 clubs in 32 states. Curling National Youth Game Volleyball Team in At- debuted as a medal sport at the 1998 Winter lanta, GA. He implemented and supervised Olympics in Nagano, Japan. I know that the HON. FRANK R. WOLF the Pro-Am NAACP’s (3 on 3) and Midnight pursuit of excellence demonstrated by Team OF VIRGINIA Basketball tournaments in Brooklyn. He also USA at the 2006 Olympic Games will inspire IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES umpired softball games for the New York City many people across the country to take up the Thursday, March 30, 2006 Housing Authority. At the Brownsville Recre- sport. ation Center he was employed as the After- Through hard work and outstanding dedica- Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, yesterday was a school Director. After only three years as di- tion, the team succeeded on the sports world’s great day for peace and justice in West Africa. rector, his program was recommended for use most prestigious stage. Above all, the sports- Former president of Liberia, Charles Taylor, as the model program for all City of New York manship the team members demonstrated was arrested and sent to face trial at the Spe- Parks & Recreation After-school programs. Mr. during the competition embraced the true cial Court for Sierra Leone. Charles Taylor will Mercer’s program included extensive home- Olympic spirit. face 17 counts of war crimes, crimes against work: help and tutoring that helped students The curling team’s bronze medal victory humanity, and violations of international hu- sustain the academic standards set by the was truly a golden moment for the State of manitarian law for crimes committed against Board of Education. He also conducted work- Minnesota and the entire nation. I know my the people of Liberia and Sierra Leone. shops for SAT and ACT testing. He promoted colleagues in the House of Representatives Charles Taylor committed horrific crimes dur- local and overnight college and university join me in congratulating the U.S. Curling ing his presidency and his arrest will no doubt tours, including tours to Howard University and Team and in wishing them continued success. send shockwaves through Africa and a strong Johnson & Wales University. Mr. Mercer also f message that tyranny will not be accepted by conducted free workshops for over 500 adult the people and that you cannot escape justice. participants seeking postal employment. COMMEMORATING WOMEN’S I would like to commend Liberian President Mr. Mercer is now a manager at the Jackie HISTORY MONTH Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for her courage in calling Robinson Recreation Center located in Har- on Nigeria to hand over Charles Taylor. She lem, New York. He also served as Chairman HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS did this with no small risk to herself and her of the DC37, Local 299–2005 election com- OF MARYLAND fragile country. It is my hope that the inter- mittee. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES national community will come to Liberia’s aid As Worshipful Master of African 459 Lodge Thursday, March 30, 2006 and help her as she rebuilds her war torn #63 for the past 2 years, Mr. Mercer continues country. to see that his lodge serves its community by Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today This is a new dawn for West Africa. The sending 5 children to Camp Eureka in Upstate to commemorate Women’s History Month. United States and the international community N.Y., issuing 3 scholarships to students enroll- Since 1987, the month of March has been stand with the people of Liberia and Sierra ing in, or attending college, and continuing the designated to give special prominence to the Leone and honor them for their courage to lodge’s annual feeding program and Christmas women who have made lasting contributions seek justice. toy drive. to our society. f Mr. Mercer is a deacon at The Friendship Over the last two centuries, the achieve- Baptist Church. He also serves as the Presi- ments made by women have been nothing A TRIBUTE TO MR. ELLIS A. short of phenomenal. MERCER dent of the Brotherhood Men’s Committee at Friendship. During this month, we have an opportunity Mr. Mercer is married to Sandra Elaine Gib- to recognize Rosa Parks for revolutionizing a HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS son-Mercer and they are the proud parents of successful movement that forced racial inte- OF NEW YORK one daughter, Britney Elise Mercer. gration in America through her refusal to give IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent up her seat to a white man on a public bus. Additionally, we must acknowledge Coretta Thursday, March 30, 2006 on this body to recognize the accomplish- ments of Ellis A. Mercer, as he offers his tal- Scott King, the first Lady of the Civil Rights Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in ents for the betterment of our local and na- movement and widower of the incomparable recognition of Mr. Ellis A. Mercer and I hope tional communities. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who trans- my colleagues will join me in recognizing the formed her grief into an aspiration to eradicate f accomplishments of this outstanding member social injustice and achieve equality for all. of the Brooklyn community. TRIBUTE TO THE U.S. OLYMPIC We must also remember Hattie McDaniel, Ellis A. Mercer was born on March 8, 1960 CURLING TEAM whose dynamic career as an acclaimed singer in Brooklyn, New York. He is the son of Mr. and actress on film, television, and radio led Mercer and Mamie Mercer, and the oldest sib- HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR her to become the first African-American to ling of Eva Maria Mercer-Andrews. OF MINNESOTA win the Best Supporting Actress Academy He received his education in the New York IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Award in 1940. This great achievement also City public schools, graduating from Brooklyn resulted in her becoming the 29th image to Technical High School with a Regents Di- Thursday, March 30, 2006 appear on the Black Heritage commemorative ploma in Mathematics and Electronics. Mr. Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today stamp series in January 2006. Mercer then attended Johnson & Wales Uni- to commend the U.S. Olympic Curling Team Mr. Speaker, what makes these icons so versity in Providence, R.I., where he received for its outstanding success at the XX Winter extraordinary is that many of their actions, and an A.S. degree in Data Processing, A.S. de- Olympic Games in Turin, Italy. sacrifices have not only added to the richness gree in Accounting, and a B.S. degree in By defeating Great Britain 8–6, the men’s and depth of American history, but made the Computer Systems Management. team, which consists of Shawn Rojeski and present better for the world. After receiving his A.S. degree in Data Proc- John Shuster of Chisholm, Minnesota, Joe Yet, even as we remember the famous essing, Mr. Mercer was hired as the Univer- Polo of Cass Lake, as well as fellow Minneso- women who have made history by traveling in sity’s Assistant Athletic Director. As the Assist- tans Pete Fenson, Scott Baird and Coach Bob space, like Mae Jemison and Sally K. Ride, or ant Athletic Director, he managed the Univer- Fenson, won the first Olympic medal of any curing disease, like Marie Curie and Mary sity’s Sports Complex and oversaw the Uni- kind for a curling team from the United States. Eliza Mahoney or leading revolutions like So- versity’s Intramural Sports Program in which The women’s team members, Courtney journer Truth or Alice Paul, we should also be over 1,500 students participated. This is where George of Duluth, along with Cassie Johnson, mindful of those who have devoted their lives his passion for youth involvement in education Jamie Johnson, Jessica Schultz, Maureen to the people of their communities, never and sports began. In 1990 he returned to New Brunt, and Coach Neil Doese, also dem- seeking the spotlight of history. VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:05 Mar 31, 2006 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A30MR8.077 E30MRPT1 ycherry on PROD1PC64 with REMARKS.

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