December 17, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E3057 and Thomas Jefferson won permanent resi- tion’s Capital Committee, for their excellent HONORING BALBINA ‘‘BARBIE’’ dence for Congress on the Potomac in ex- work, schedule event and lectures and pre- HERNANDEZ change for the Federal Government’s assump- paring exhibits and online resources to bring tion of State debts from the Revolution—a pri- to life this fascinating yet fleeting moment in HON. CHARLES A. GONZALEZ ority of Alexander Hamilton. What followed American history. Trenton was then and is OF TEXAS was the Residence Act, which established today a town with great appeal. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES what we now know as the District of Colum- Wednesday, December 16, 2009 bia. f What is less understood is the capital’s jour- Mr. GONZALEZ. Madam Speaker, on De- cember 11, 2009, San Antonio lost a great ney through eight other towns, the abandoned IN RECOGNITION OF PATRICK W. proposals and the near-misses before Con- public servant when Balbina ‘‘Barbie’’ Her- HENNING’S OUTSTANDING CA- nandez passed away at the age of 62. I ask gress settled here on the Potomac. During the REER OF PUBLIC SERVICE Revolutionary War, Congress moved fre- my colleagues to join me in honoring Barbie quently to avoid British troops—meeting fa- Hernandez as we celebrate her life, which was mously in Philadelphia then in Baltimore, York, HON. GEORGE MILLER highlighted by decades of community service, and Lancaster. Upon ratification of the Articles philanthropy, and leadership. of Confederation, Congress returned to Inde- OF CALIFORNIA Balbina Hernandez was born on November 2 and was named after her paternal grand- pendence Hall only to be removed abruptly in IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES the summer of 1783. mother. She was nicknamed ‘‘Barbie’’ in high That June, approximately 500 mutinous Wednesday, December 16, 2009 school and was by known by this name the Pennsylvania militiamen demanding back pay rest of her life. She was an active member of her commu- from their service during the Revolution, encir- Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Madam nity, serving countless organizations and cled Independence Hall and refused to let Speaker, I rise to offer the following statement, served the City of San Antonio for 18 years, Members of Congress leave the building un- in recognition of Patrick W. Henning upon his which included being part of then Mayor Henry less their demands were met. Uncertain of retirement, on behalf of myself and the fol- Cisneros’ administration. As a single parent, their safety and the integrity of Congress, the lowing members of the California congres- Barbie passionately worked to be a role model delegates fled across the Delaware to Prince- sional delegation: Representatives PETE for young women and boldly carried a red ton, New Jersey. STARK, HOWARD BERMAN, SAM FARR, LYNN In Princeton, Congress redoubled its efforts purse to remind people of the disparity in pay WOOLSEY, ZOE LOFGREN, ANNA ESHOO, HENRY between men and women. Also, as a proud to select a permanent seat of government. To WAXMAN, DORIS MATSUI, JERRY MCNERNEY, settle regional animosity, Congress agreed on Vok, Barbie was dedicated to Lanier High JIM COSTA, BARBARA LEE, GRACE NAPOLITANO, two permanent capitals on the Delaware and School and worked to make a difference for LAURA RICHARDSON, BRAD SHERMAN, MIKE Potomac, while designating Annapolis and the students attending her alma mater. ´ After working tirelessly to earn her bach- Trenton as interim capitals. HONDA, LINDA SANCHEZ, JOE BACA, and other On November 1, 1784, Congress convened colleagues. elor’s degree from the University of the Incar- nate Word she set out to work for the Mexican in Trenton. Travel-weary legislators reluctantly We rise in honor of Patrick Henning, upon American & Hispanic Physicians Association, trickled into Trenton—then a town of roughly his retirement from public service as the direc- MAHPA, as Executive Director. At MAHPA, 500 people—and it began official business at tor of California’s Employment Development the French Arms Tavern on the corner of War- Barbie took great joy in working to make col- Department, EDD. With nearly 40 years of ex- lege and medical school a reality for so many ren and State Streets. perience in the field of labor, Mr. Henning When Congress finally reached a quorum kids. brought to his office a deep and unmatched The City of San Antonio and the State of on November 29 it considered matters of for- commitment to strengthening California’s Texas feel a little emptier now, but we have all eign affairs and finance, appointing ministers workforce. lived richer, better lives because of the life of to Britain and France and selecting commis- Balbina ‘‘Barbie’’ Hernandez. Her life may sioners to the Board of Treasury. Throughout his career, Mr. Henning has The highlight of Trenton’s time as the capital worked to improve the lives of California’s have ended, but her contributions will live on and generations shall enjoy the fruits of her was a visit by the Marquis de Lafayette. Dur- workers—from his early days as a union orga- labor. ing his visit he petitioned Congress to take of- nizer to his appointment to one of the state’s f ficial leave to France and addressed a joint largest Departments. session of the New Jersey State Legislature. Prior to joining the Employment Develop- STOP ANY TARP EXTENSION ACT In honor of Lafayette, one of George Washing- OF 2009 ton’s most trusted generals, Congress drafted ment Department, Mr. Henning served the a letter to the King of France praising Lafay- California Legislature for 17 years as a key labor policy consultant—first in the Assembly, HON. BRAD SHERMAN ette’s service and passed a resolution com- OF CALIFORNIA and then in the Senate’s Labor and Industrial mending Lafayette for his bravery during the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES siege of Yorktown. Relations Committee headed by now-Sec- As the session concluded before Christmas, retary of Labor Hilda Solis. In the early 1980s, Wednesday, December 16, 2009 Congress scrapped the plan for two capitals Mr. Henning served as California Labor Com- Mr. SHERMAN. Madam Speaker, I have co- and took up a resolution to establish a perma- missioner, and later as a member of the Agri- sponsored the Stop Any TARP Extension Act nent capital in Trenton. Unfortunately for Tren- cultural Labor Relations Board. As a union of 2009. The position of the Treasury Depart- ton, debate stalled, and on Christmas Eve representative in Southern California in the ment—that it is free to reuse any repaid TARP Congress agreed to meet in New York City 1970s, Mr. Henning helped hundreds of work- funds—is entirely contrary to the law. Due to the Department’s unwillingness to adhere to after the New Year. ers bargain for improved wages, benefits, and The rest as they say is history. The bustling, the statutory language of the Emergency Eco- working conditions. city life of New York was more appealing to nomic Stabilization Act of 2008, it is necessary Members of Congress than the calm of small- Other major achievements include his ten- to terminate that Act. town Trenton. They quickly forgot their plans ure as chair of the state Developmental Dis- My office has inquired with the Treasury De- and continued to meet in New York until 1790. abilities Area Board for Los Angeles County. partment as to whether it possesses any legal Still, Congress’s brief visit to Trenton offers He also served several years in the United opinion justifying the recycling of funds repaid a fascinating glimpse into the early history of States Marine Corps Reserve. by the banks. It should be noted that the De- the United States and should remind us that partment has hundreds of lawyers and rarely Without a doubt, California’s working fami- the remarkable Capitol building in which we does anything without a legal opinion, certainly conduct the people’s business should not be lies have benefited from Mr. Henning’s life- not anything involving hundreds of billions of taken for granted. long contributions to the labor field. We would dollars. The Treasury Department refused to I commend the Crossroads of the American like to thank Mr. Henning for everything he provide any legal opinion to Congress, imply- Revolution National Heritage Area, the Tren- has achieved for California’s workers, and we ing that this is a case where he cannot find ton Historical Society, and the other organiza- give him our very warmest wishes for many even one Department lawyer to reach the con- tions that make up Trenton 1784—The Na- happy years of retirement. clusion the Department would prefer.

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