January 29, 2007 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 153, Pt. 2 2545 Spence has fought to protect the constituents resent her mostly working-class constituents in ‘‘She worked hard,’’ said U.S. Representa- of the 18th. her district the same way she did while sitting tive Anthony Weiner, who shocked the polit- Having worked with Terry during my years on the council, particularly as Congress takes ical establishment when he endorsed Clarke as lieutenant governor, governor, and now up immigration reform and long-deferred in the Primary campaign and campaigned with her, instead of backing Yassky. ‘‘She U.S. Representative, I can attest to his strong issues of economic fairness. shares the values of the community and un- leadership and his dedication to not only his YVETTE CLARKE has the reputation of being derstands its needs,’’ he told the audience. constituents, but to all Delawareans. Serving a good listener and a true leader. She distin- The Congressman was on a list of speakers, as Speaker of the House is a formidable task, guished herself as a strong negotiator and has mainly members of the state legislature in and Terry has managed to successfully carry a record of getting things done to meet the Albany and the City Council in Manhattan, out his duties over an extraordinary period of needs of the residents of her district. I look who joined Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn Bor- time. forward to working closely with YVETTE on the ough President and others in extolling the Speaker Spence continues to serve as a issues facing the American people and I ask qualities which catapulted Clarke from City you to join me in welcoming Congresswoman Hall to Congress, a feat which eluded her dignified leader in the General Assembly and mother, Una Clarke, several years ago when LARKE I wish him luck as he begins his work with the C into the 110th Congress of the United she sought to replace Major Owens in a hard 144th session of Delaware’s legislative body. I States of America. fought race. commend him for a life of service and thank [From the New York CaribNews] New York State Assemblyman Nick Perry him for his tireless dedication to Delaware. BROOKLYN CELEBRATES YVETTE CLARKE’S AS- alluded to that election battle when he told SUMPTION OF DUTIES AS REPRESENTATIVE f the crowd that while he had political dif- FOR 11TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT; HUN- ferences with the Congresswoman’s mother PERSONAL EXPLANATION DREDS ATTEND COMMUNITY EVENT AT it didn’t stop him from vigorously backing BROOKLYN COLLEGE ‘‘Yvette’’ and helping to raise money for her. (By Tony Best) ‘‘I feel like I won too,’’ said Perry who HON. JULIA CARSON After one of New York City’s big political dropped out of the Congressional race early OF INDIANA flash points: a brutal election campaign to last year and then threw his support behind IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES fill a Congressional seat once held by the Clarke. ‘‘She will do great things for Amer- ica. She is young and bright.’’ Monday, January 29, 2007 iconic figure Shirley Chisholm, it was time for a community celebration. State Senator John Sampson was another Ms. CARSON. Madam Speaker, I was un- And the emotional atmosphere that en- of the elected office holders, who at the urg- able to record Rollcall votes nos. 56 and 57 cased the ceremonial swearing in of Con- ing of both ‘‘Yvette’’ and her mother, not due to prior commitments in my District. Had gresswoman Yvette Clarke was punctuated only backed her drive for the House but con- with music, dance, prayers, poetry, glowing tributed campaign funds and material sup- I been present, I would have voted ‘‘yes’’ on tributes by prominent elected officials, tears port. He became philosophical when he in- Rollcall votes nos. 56 and 57. of joy and the obvious satisfaction of the voked the presence and role of the Almighty f Clarke family that one of their own had God in people’s lives and reminded the made it to the halls of the U.S. House of Rep- Congressperson that prosperity and success HONORING MS. YVETTE CLARKE— resentatives. breed many friends but ‘‘adversity proves NEWLY-ELECTED REPRESENTA- ‘‘She got there the old fashioned way, she them.’’ TIVE OF THE 11TH CONGRES- earned it,’’ asserted U.S. Senator Chuck State Senator Kevin Parker, who had de- SIONAL DISTRICT OF BROOKLYN, Schumer, a Democrat of New York and one clined to back Clarke during the Primary, NEW YORK of his party’s major architects of the suc- supporting Karl Andrews, at the time a cessful mid-term election which resulted in State Senator from Brooklyn instead, said the ousting of the Republicans from control that he too was confident ‘‘Yvette’’ would HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL of Capitol Hill. succeed in Washington. In his brief remarks, OF NEW YORK ‘‘We are proud of Yvette,’’ he told a cheer- the Borough President, who sat out the Con- ing crowd. ‘‘She worked hard to get elected. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES gressional race by opting not to endorse any She didn’t rest on her laurels. It’s a great of the four candidates, said the new House Monday, January 29, 2007 day for Brooklyn, a great day for the Clarke member was ‘‘committed to public service.’’ family, and a great day for the United Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today Dr. Kendal Stewart, a City Councilman, States.’’ joined in the chorus of praise, saying her vic- to honor YVETTE CLARKE, newly-elected Rep- Actually, the ceremonial taking of the tory was a reminder to immigrants and their oath of office followed the official swearing- resentative of the 11th Congressional District children, ‘‘those who came by plane or by in which had taken place in Washington a in Brooklyn, New York and to enter into the boat’’ that they too could succeed and per- week earlier, and when Brooklyn Civil Court RECORD an article in the New York Carib News haps follow in ‘‘Yvette’s’’ footsteps. Judge Sylvia Ash asked the freshman mem- by Tony Best entitled ‘‘Brooklyn Celebrates Dr. Edison Jackson, President of the high- ber of the House to pledge to carry out her ly successful Medgar Evers College, put it Yvette Clarke’s Assumption of Duties as Rep- duties in accordance with the country’s con- resentative for 11th Congressional District, stitution, members of the audience joined in differently, describing the lawmaker as a Hundreds Attend Community Event at Brook- responding in the affirmative as if they too worthy ‘‘advocate’’ of the community that lyn College.’’ were going to the nation’s capital. sent her to Capitol Hill. When the time came for Clarke to respond YVETTE CLARKE was born and raised in Clarke won the 11th Congressional District election last September when she defeated after wiping away tears, she spoke out Brooklyn, New York. She is the daughter of against the Iraq war and the Bush Adminis- Leslie Clarke, father, and former Brooklyn three other candidates in the Democratic Primary. Among the competitors was the tration’s misplaced priorities which had re- councilwoman Una Clarke. The Clarkes mi- well-financed Jewish City Council member sulted in $130 billion needed to fix schools in grated to the United States before Congress- David Yassky who had moved into the Dis- the 11th Congressional District and else- woman CLARKE was born. CLARKE attended trict just before launching his campaign where in the City, State and country being New York City public schools and received a with the clear and opportunistic goal of cap- diverted to the Persian Gulf to finance a con- scholarship to Oberlin College in Ohio. turing the white votes while leaving the flict ‘‘we don’t want.’’ She said that as a member of the House’s VETTE LARKE Blacks to split their support from the His- Y C was elected to the New Committee that monitors the work of the York City council in November 2001 as the panic, Asian and Black majority. Yassky had raised almost $2 million for his campaign Department of Homeland Security, she had representative for the 40th District in Brooklyn. war chest, more than the combined funds already backed a measure, which would CLARKE was overwhelmingly re-elected to of- raised by the other three candidates. But it bring more funds into the City for the Police fice in November 2003 and November 2005. didn’t work. and Fire Departments as well as the Emer- She succeeded her pioneering mother, the The seat had become vacant when Major gency Medical services. former city councilmember, Dr. Una Clarke, Owens who had occupied it for at least two Congresswoman Clarke insisted that the making them the first mother-daughter succes- decades after succeeding Chisholm in the City urgently needed funds, federal dollars, for its schools, drug treatment programs and sion in the history of the council. 1980’s decided to retire. He had hoped that his son, Chris Owens, a community activist other social services. She took time out to In November 2006, CLARKE was elected to would succeed him. But like Yassky’s plans, thank the community, the hard-working represent the 11th Congressional District in that goal failed. campaign volunteers, staff and others who Brooklyn, New York. CLARKE, a life-long Clarke went on to win the November elec- ‘‘came together’’ and worked to place her in Flatbush resident, will continue to ably rep- tion with about 90 percent of the vote. Congress. VerDate Sep 11 2014 11:16 Jun 06, 2017 Jkt 059102 PO 00000 Frm 00091 Fmt 0689 Sfmt 0634 E:\FDSYS\BOUNDRECORD\BOOK 2\LOC FILES\BR29JA07.DAT BR29JA07 ejoyner on DSK30MW082PROD with BOUND RECORD.