February 26, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E463 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS HONORING LABOR LEADER to her well-being and bright future. Her birth is PERSONAL EXPLANATION MATTIE JACKSON a blessing. I want to congratulate Margaret’s grand- HON. RUSH D. HOLT HON. NANCY PELOSI parents Joe and Vickie Chandler of Ninety Six, OF NEW JERSEY OF CALIFORNIA South Carolina, and Bill and Charlene Albon IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES of Newton, North Carolina. On behalf of my Thursday, February 26, 2009 wife Roxanne, and our entire family, we want Thursday, February 26, 2009 Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, on Monday to wish Brian, Susan, Joshua, and Margaret Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay February 23, 2009 I did not return to Wash- all the best. tribute to a longtime labor and community ington in time and missed three votes. leader, Mattie Jackson, who died February 7 Had I been present I would have voted in San Francisco. Mrs. Jackson devoted her f ‘‘yes’’ on H.R. 911—Stop Child Abuse in Resi- life to fighting for equal rights in the workplace STATEMENT ON THE 60TH ANNI- dential Programs for Teens Act of 2009 (roll- and social justice for all San Franciscans. Dur- VERSARY OF ELGIN COMMUNITY call 72), ‘‘yes’’ on H.R. 44—Guam World War ing her tenure the rights of women and people COLLEGE II Loyalty Recognition Act (rollcall 73), and of color were protected and preserved. She ‘‘yes’’ on H.R. 601—Box Elder Utah Land educated and mobilized union members to Conveyance Act (rollcall 74). correct the unjust and unfair practices that ex- HON. BILL FOSTER f isted in the workplace. She was an inspiration to all who knew her. OF ILLINOIS COMMEMORATING THE 17TH ANNI- VERSARY OF THE MASSACRE AT Mrs. Jackson was born October 3, 1921 in IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Livingston, Texas and moved to San Fran- KHOJALY cisco with her husband in 1943. Mrs. Jackson Thursday, February 26, 2009 began her distinguished career in the labor HON. ED WHITFIELD movement when she took a job at Koret of Mr. FOSTER. Madam Speaker, I rise today OF KENTUCKY California as a blind stitch operator in 1947 to congratulate Elgin Community College on IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES the occasion of its 60th anniversary and to join and worked for the next 20 years as shop Thursday, February 26, 2009 steward. In 1967 she joined the staff of the in recognizing May 22, 2009 as Elgin Commu- Pacific Northwest District Council of the Inter- nity College Day. Mr. WHITFIELD. Madam Speaker, I rise national Ladies Garment Workers Union Elgin Community College opened its doors today to solemnly recognize the 17th anniver- sary of the massacre at Khojaly, and to honor (ILGWU) and the National Board of the in the fall of 1949 with only 97 students, 1 ad- the lives of those lost in this great tragedy. ILGWU. As Manager over the next 20 years ministrator, 1 full-time faculty member and 17 On February 26, 1992, the small town of she earned the reputation of an unrelenting part-time staff members. For its first 10 years, advocate for garment workers and a tough ne- Khojaly, Azerbaijan was violently shaken by the school worked out of a wing of the old invading Armenian troops during the Arme- gotiator. She was chief negotiator of contracts High School on Elgin’s East Side. for the Pacific Northwest Division from 1970– nian-Azerbaijan war. Armenian forces sur- 1989. As a union leader her endorsement was Throughout the 1950s, ECC was run by rounded the town and opened fire on the inno- sought by all those seeking elected office in Public School District U–46. After 16 years of cent inhabitants. During this bloody incursion, the San Francisco area. existence, Elgin became an independent com- nearly 2,000 civilians—mostly women, children Upon her retirement in January 1990, the munity college in 1965. and the elderly—were brutally killed, wounded International President of the ILGWU, said, Throughout the 1970s, Elgin Community or taken hostage by the Armenian military ‘Mattie Jackson is an institution not only College expanded curricula, faculty, staff, and forces as they seized the town. This resulted in the largest massacre of modern times in the throughout our union, but throughout the entire services that included on-campus child care, Caucasus and Caspian Basin. labor movement.’ financial aid, job placement, student activities, According to Human Rights Watch and To her beloved daughter, Gail Jackson, her and tutoring. In 1974, the current boundaries other international observers, the massacre grandsons, Toriano Gordon, Marco Boccara, of the Community College District were estab- was committed by the ethnic Armenian armed and granddaughter Angelique Boccara, I ex- lished. This district encompasses 360 square forces, reportedly with the help of the Russian tend my deepest sympathy. Mattie Jackson miles and serves students from 5 counties. was a beloved friend of San Francisco and will 366th Motor Rifle Regiment. This crime led to not be forgotten. During the 1980s, Elgin Community Col- the death of 613 civilians; including 106 f lege’s enrollment increased significantly, so women, 63 children and 70 elderly men; 1275 the college adapted by opening new facilities persons were taken hostage, and the fate of TRIBUTE ON THE BIRTH OF off-site and exploring alternate ways to reach more than 150 remains unknown. MARGARET ELLISON ALBON its students. ECC first offered telecourses in At the time, Newsweek Magazine reported, 1980, and eventually opened a community ‘‘Azerbaijan was a charnel house again last HON. JOE WILSON education center in Carpentersville. week: a place of mourning refugees and doz- OF SOUTH CAROLINA From the 1990s up to today, the college has ens of mangled corpses dragged to a make- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES continued to grow and now serves a diverse shift morgue behind the mosque. They were ordinary Azerbaijani men, women and children student population. Currently one out of every Thursday, February 26, 2009 of Khojaly, a small village in war-tom Nagorno- twelve adults in the Elgin Community College Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Karabakh overrun by Armenian forces on 25– District takes at least one class a year at the Speaker, today I am happy to congratulate 26 February. Many were killed at close range school, and three out of every ten high school Major and Mrs. Brian and Susan Albon, while trying to flee; some had their faces muti- seniors choose ECC to continue their edu- USMC, of Kailua, Hawaii, on the birth of their lated, others were scalped.’’ new baby daughter. Margaret Ellison Albon cation. Tragically, during this war, Khojaly was sim- was born on February 23, 2009, at 11:03 p.m., I congratulate the class of 2009 and the en- ply the first example of this savage cruelty. In weighing 5 pounds and 14 ounces. Margaret tire Elgin Community College Family. I thank fact, the level of brutality and the unprece- joins an older brother Joshua William Albon. them for their service to the community, and I dented atrocities committed at Khojaly set a She has been born into a loving home, where look forward to watching the College grow in pattern of destruction and ethnic cleansing she will be raised by parents who are devoted the future. that Armenian troops would adhere to for the ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. VerDate Nov 24 2008 04:24 Feb 27, 2009 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A26FE8.001 E26FEPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with REMARKS E464 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks February 26, 2009 remainder of the war. On November 29, 1993, lege and Crafton Hills College. We also were United States Marines. It is time we deal with Newsweek quoted a senior U.S. Government instrumental in securing funding from public the lawlessness on the U.S.-Mexico Border. official as saying, ‘‘what we see now is a sys- and private partnership in order to reinstitute tematic destruction of every village in their (the the wrestling program at San Bernardino Val- f Armenians) way. It’s vandalism.’’ ley College. Altogether, the occupied areas represent Survived by his wife, Janice, his memory PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION roughly 20 percent of the territory of Azer- will also be carried on by his children Chris- OF H.R. 1105, OMNIBUS APPRO- baijan. And, altogether roughly one million topher Beeman, Beth Beeman Dorado, Roland PRIATIONS ACT, 2009 Azerbaijanis were evicted from their homes ‘‘Scott’’ Beeman and Gary Beeman; his broth- over the course of the Armenian-Azerbaijan er; Jerry Beeman; his sister, Lois Waugh; and SPEECH OF war. Chuck’s loving twelve grandchildren. HON. BARBARA LEE Armenia’s then-defense minister Serge As a longtime colleague and friend of OF CALIFORNIA Sarkisian in an interview with British journalist Chuck’s, I’ll always remember his love for Tomas de Waal openly admitted that ‘‘before model car racing and though new to the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Khojaly the Azerbaijanis thought that . the game, a great golfer as well. At the last San Wednesday, February 25, 2009 Armenians were people who could not raise Bernardino Community College meeting in De- their hands against the civilian population. We cember where we were celebrating his con- Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in were able to break that [stereotype].’’ tribution to the District, I appreciated the men- support of H.R.