August 3, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1443 they will assume the responsibility of leader- to thank Ben for his exemplary work, gen- son, in the , ‘‘’’ who be- ship. erosity, sense of humor, and loyalty. He will came one of the most enduring, beloved char- Mr. Speaker, if these young men and be sorely missed as a colleague, advisor, and acters in television history. women are a representation of the future, I friend. We wish him the best of luck and ex- Much of that credit belongs to Mr. Hemsley, know our country will remain a nation of fair- tend to him our deepest gratitude. the gifted character actor who gave life to the ness, equality and greatness for generations f blustering black businessman on ‘‘The to come. Jeffersons’’, one of the longest-running sit- STATEMENT OF INTRODUCTION, f coms with a primarily black cast in television RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE history. GRATITUDE FOR THE SERVICE OF CENSUS BENJAMIN STAUB With the gospel-style theme song of ‘‘Movin’ On Up,’’ the hit show depicted the wealthy HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY former neighbors of Archie and HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR. OF NEW YORK in Queens as they made their way on New OF MICHIGAN IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES York’s Upper East Side. The show often dealt IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES with contemporary issues of racism, but more Thursday, August 2, 2012 Thursday, August 2, 2012 frequently reveled in the sitcom archetype of a Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, today I am short-tempered, opinionated patriarch trying, Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to proud to be introducing a resolution supporting often unsuccessfully, to control his family. take this opportunity to thank one of the most the importance of census surveys and the dedicated and productive members of the Ju- Despite the character’s many faults data they produce. Special thanks to Senator diciary Committee staff for his service to the Hemsley managed to make the character en- JOHN ROCKEFELLER for his leadership on the House, Benjamin Staub. For six years Ben dearing, part of the reason it stayed on the air issue and for introducing the Senate com- has worked ably and diligently for the Judici- for so long. Hemsley’s Jefferson loved his panion, and to the House original cosponsors, ary Committee, and I would like to commend family, his friends (even the ones he relent- Reps. MICHAEL HONDA, JUDY CHU, KEITH ELLI- him on his achievements. lessly teased) and had a good heart. His per- SON, JOHN OLVER, BETTY MCCOLLUM, JOSE´ After growing up in Greeley and formance was Emmy and Golden Globe nomi- SERRANO, LAURA RICHARDSON, EARL BLU- Silverthorne, Colorado, and being named a nated. The show’s producer said MENAUER, FORTNEY STARK, JOHN LEWIS, and Boettcher Scholar, Ben graduated cum laude that when Hemsley read for the part ‘‘the BARNEY FRANK, for their strong support of cen- from Yale University. During his time at Yale, minute he opened his mouth he was George sus surveys. Ben worked for the Undergraduate Admissions Jefferson.’’ Since our founding, Congress has recog- Office, taught health in New Haven high This man, the son of a printing press-work- nized the value of census surveys to inform schools with the Community Health Educators, ing father and a factory-working mother, policymaking and measure our country’s worked at the Blake Street Head Start and served in the Air Force and worked for eight progress. By including this modern invention in Calvin Hill Day Care, volunteered in the wel- years as a clerk for the Postal Service. our Constitution, the founders turned a survey fare-to-work early childhood educator program into a tool of political empowerment. The de- Having studied acting as a teen at the Phila- at All Our Kin, and served as a Freshman cennial census is the basis for fair representa- delphia Academy of Dramatic Arts, he began Counselor for Davenport College. He served tion and fair distribution of hundreds of billions acting in New York workshops and theater as the Executive Co-Coordinator and on the of dollars in federal aid. In recent times, the in- companies, including the Negro Ensemble Board of Directors of Dwight Hall at Yale—the formation is used by the public and private Company. For years, he kept his job at the student-run nonprofit for community service sectors for planning purposes and to better post office while acting at night, before and social justice with more than 3,000 annual understand the needs of communities. transitioning to acting full-time. Sherman em- undergraduate volunteers. He interned at the The statistics gathered through the Census bodied the American dream, to ‘‘move on up’’. Paris branch office of the UN Office of the Bureau give politicians, researchers, urban He had many other production credits other High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) planners, educators, and other interested than playing . He made his and wrote and recorded a year-long radio col- Americans, a regular and measurable snap- Broadway debut in 1970’s ‘‘Purlie,’’ a musical umn for Colorado Public Radio about his sen- shot of the growth and the socio-economic adaptation of Ossie Davis’ Jim Crow-era play ior year in college. He earned Yale’s John C. status of our Nation. Census programs like the ‘‘Purlie Victorious.’’ (He would later star in a Schroeder Prize for social service and the American Community Survey and the Eco- 1981 made-for-TV version of ‘‘Purlie,’’ as well.) Davenport College Prize for Citizenship. nomic Census provide vital data to federal, It was while touring the show that he was ap- Ben came to Washington following gradua- state, and local governments, to all sectors proached by Lear about playing a character tion to work for the political television adver- and industries, and to all geographic areas on the sitcom that would become ‘‘All in the tising firm of Murphy Putnam Shorr and Part- across the country—from rural to urban to Family.’’ ners, and following the 2006 election, came to suburban neighborhoods. work for the House Judiciary Committee. In an interview Hemsley said his show busi- During his time with the Committee, Ben These surveys are a fundamental building ness career actually began in childhood. has worked on a host of issues of national sig- block for how our country measures itself; the ‘‘Making people laugh was automatic,’’ he nificance—principally in intellectual property value of these statistics cannot be underesti- said. ‘‘I was in a play in elementary school policy, antitrust law, and civil liberties. He dis- mated. They let us know how we are doing as and had to jump up and run away. I was nerv- tinguished himself as an excellent writer and a nation, identifying areas where we could ous and tripped and fell down and everyone was instrumental in the Committee’s work on grow, where we could be more economically laughed. Their laughter made me relax, so I performance rights legislation and protecting efficient, and how best to compete globally. I pretended it was part of the show.’’ intellectual property from digital theft. He au- urge my colleagues to support this resolution. When we visited with each other, I was truly thored large portions and supervised the edit- f impressed with his good-spirited personality ing and publishing of the Committee staff’s re- and optimism that could brighten the mood of IN MEMORY OF SHERMAN port Reigning in the Imperial Presidency: Les- any room he entered. He was a fun man with HEMSLEY sons and Recommendations Relating to the a good heart. He once said, ‘‘I always told my Presidency of George W. Bush, and always mother I wanted a job where I could have a stood ready to work on a host of issues at a HON. CORRINE BROWN lot of fun and have a lot of time off. She asked moment’s notice, including voting rights, health OF FLORIDA me where I was going to find that, and I said, ’I don’t know, but it’s out there.’ ’’ care, civil rights, immigration policies, and Ex- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ecutive Branch oversight. will forever be remem- Thursday, August 2, 2012 Finally, Ben is well known among his peers bered as the loud and boisterous yet good- as a dedicated athlete and began a trend in Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise hearted family man whom he played for al- our office to use stability balls as desk chairs. today in honor and memory of my friend, actor most 10 years. The world is a little less funny On behalf of the Judiciary Committee, its Sherman Hemsley. This man was best known today, and we should all celebrate the mem- staff, and this distinguished body, I would like as the iconic and central figure, George Jeffer- ory of Sherman Hemsley.

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