July 14, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H8043 would hope we’ll take such actions Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the soon. I urge all of the Members to support opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize each the passage of H. Res. 469. in the affirmative, the ayes have it. of the nine individuals who perished in the I rise in support of H.R. 469 honoring the Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, June 22 Metrorail crash on the Red Line and life of basketball star and jazz musician on that I demand the yeas and nays. I pray that we will never have to experience Wayman Tisdale and expressing condolences The yeas and nays were ordered. such a tragedy again. to his family on his death. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- However, I want to single out the life and Today, we honor Wayman Tisdale, for his ant to clause 8 of rule XX and the service of my Northern Virginia constituent, life accomplishments and for his demonstra- Chair’s prior announcement, further Jeanice McMillan of Springfield, who was the tion of positive thinking, particularly in the last proceedings on this motion will be operator of one of the trains involved in the couple of years of his life as he battled can- postponed. crash. cer. f In the moments before she lost her life in Mr. Tisdale’s inspirational and enthusiastic CELEBRATING BLACK MUSIC the line of duty, Ms. McMillan’s prompt and way in which he lived his life serves as an ex- professional actions undoubtedly saved the MONTH ample for us all. He was a star basketball Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to lives of many passengers riding in the front player, showing a profound gift for the sport cars of the train. suspend the rules and agree to the reso- during his time at Oklahoma University in the Investigators have determined that Ms. Mc- lution (H. Res. 476) celebrating the 30th Millan successfully activated the manual emer- mid-1980s. He is considered an OU basketball anniversary of June as ‘‘Black Music gency brakes in an attempt to slow down the legend, having been a three-time All-American Month,’’ as amended. train as it hurtled toward the Fort Totten sta- during his time at the university and was OU’s The Clerk read the title of the resolu- tion after the train’s automatic controls failed all-time leader in scoring and field goal per- tion. to react to the presence of another train on centage. Mr. Tisdale was a member of the The text of the resolution is as fol- the tracks ahead of it. men’s basketball team in the 1984 Olympics lows: Unfortunately, Ms. McMillan and eight pas- and assisted in their gold medal win. H. Res. 476 sengers died when the front car of her train He went on to be the second overall pick in Whereas in 1979, the month of June was telescoped in the horrific crash. the 1985 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers, proclaimed ‘‘Black Music Month’’ and all Ms. McMillan began her career at Metro in and played for a total of 12 NBA seasons for people in the United States were encouraged 2007, after a decade of service in the United the Pacers, the Sacramento Kings, and the to learn more about the important role that States Postal Service. By all accounts, she Phoenix Suns until his retirement from the African-American artists have played in was an exemplary and conscientious public NBA in 1997. shaping history and culture; Though his professional basketball career Whereas America’s rich heritage is influ- employee who put the welfare of others ahead enced by the diversity of its people and the of her own in her private and professional came to an end at that point, Mr. Tisdale did important contributions of Black culture; lives. not, in any sense, slow down. He continued to Whereas America’s cultural story is heav- Ms. McMillan made sacrifices at home to participate in basketball camps for youngsters. ily influenced by the celebration and strug- help fund her son Jordan’s college education He also became known as a talented jazz mu- gle of Black people through their musical ex- just as she made the ultimate sacrifice at work sician, releasing his first CD in 1995, which pression; to save the lives of others in the moments be- achieved the Number four spot on Billboard’s Whereas many genres of music, such as fore the two Metro trails collided on that fateful Contemporary Jazz chart and also gained a gospel, jazz, blues, rock and roll, rhythm and day. spot on the R&B charts. His subsequent al- blues, and soul that were an integral part of As I have done privately, I express my American culture, trace their roots back to bums were also successful, with many earning the banks of the Mississippi River in cities deepest condolences to the McMillan family, spots on Billboard’s Top 10. particularly Vernard and Jordan, and I wish like Memphis, St. Louis, New Orleans, and Mr. Tisdale’s accomplishments in his life are other cities like Kansas City and Chicago; them all the best. a reflection of his motivational frame of mind. Whereas the amount of musical talent and Since the wreck, there has been renewed He was noted and admired for his positive skill that came from the Mississippi Delta interest in the relatively poor safety record of thinking, even after he was diagnosed with and the myriad of towns in this region is un- the aging 1000–series cars, like the one that bone cancer in 2007. The diagnosis led to sur- deniable; telescoped so dramatically in the wreck. geries and eventually the amputation of his Whereas these genres of music illustrate Today, 290 of these 1000–series cars are in the complexities of the African-American ex- right leg, but Mr. Tisdale never lost his positive Metrorail’s fleet of 1,126 cars. If Congress and perience and they give a voice to many so- outlook. the President approve funding the Federal cial movements and inspiration to countless Sadly, Mr. Tisdale passed away suddenly Government’s $150 million matching share of generations of people in the United States; on May 15, 2009. Though he has left this dedicated funding, there will be sufficient rev- Whereas as early as the 1860s, the ragtime world, he will forever be remembered for the artist Scott Joplin broadened the operatic enue to replace these with much safer cars optimistic and confident manner in which he and classical worlds and Black traveling that are less prone to telescoping. led his life and, by example, encouraged us to brass bands trekked to Beale Street in Mem- The regional delegation has been working phis, ‘‘Home of the Blues and Birthplace of tirelessly to ensure that the Federal govern- do the same. In a press interview in June of 2008, he said Rock and Roll’’, to perform; ment matches the $150 million that Virginia, Whereas gospel music and its artists like Maryland, and Washington, D.C., have already ‘‘You go through things. You don’t change be- Thomas Dorsey, Lucy Campbell, Dr. Herbert identified to ensure that the Washington Met- cause things come in your life. You get better Brewster, Mahalia Jackson, Aretha Frank- ropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) can con- because things come in your life.’’ lin, Shirley Caesar, and Kirk Franklin are a duct the necessary maintenance to prevent Many people can attest that they are better special part of the American tradition that disasters like this in the future. for having had Mr. Tisdale as a role model spawned future musical genres; I appreciate the leadership of Chairman and a part of their lives. I rise today and ask Whereas the mid-20th Century saw the emergence of groundbreaking jazz and blues JOHN OLVER from the Appropriations Transpor- my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. Tis- dale and expressing our condolences to his artists such as W.C. Handy, Bessie Smith, tation Subcommittee for including this request Lena Horne, Charlie Parker, Lionel Hamp- in his mark up this week, and I thank my col- family in his passing by supporting H. Res. ton, Max Roach, Billie Holiday, Count Basie, leagues-from the National Capital Region for 469. Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Miles Davis, their commitment to ensuring that WMATA I yield back the balance of my time. Etta James, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, has the resources it needs to provide the Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I strong- Thelonious Monk, Wynton Marsalis, Louis safest possible transit service. ly urge my colleagues to join me in Armstrong, Professor Longhair, James I ask my colleagues to join us in honoring supporting H. Res. 469, and I yield back Booker, the Neville Brothers, Muddy Waters, the lives of those lost by supporting the nec- the balance of my time. Albert King and B.B. King; The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Whereas conductor and producer Quincy essary investments to help ensure such trage- Jones was heavily influenced by the dies are prevented in the future. question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from the District of improvisational nature of jazz performed in Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, Harlem by Sarah Vaughn, Duke Ellington, I reserve the balance of my time. Columbia (Ms. NORTON) that the House and Dizzy Gillespie; Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no suspend the rules and agree to the reso- Whereas multifaceted Harry Belafonte ex- further speakers so I am prepared to lution, H.