E196 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks January 29, 2007 and Terry has managed to successfully carry sional District, Kristin McCreary of St. [From the New York CaribNews] out his duties over an extraordinary period of Josaphat School and Lauren Costa at St. Pas- BROOKLYN CELEBRATES YVETTE CLARKE’S AS- time. cal School. I thank these outstanding edu- SUMPTION OF DUTIES AS REPRESENTATIVE Speaker Spence continues to serve as a cators, past winners, and all of the dedicated FOR 11TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT; HUN- dignified leader in the General Assembly and Catholic school teachers in my district for their DREDS ATTEND COMMUNITY EVENT AT BROOKLYN COLLEGE I wish him luck as he begins his work with the devotion to their students and for setting the 144th session of Delaware’s legislative body. I standard for teaching excellence. (By Tony Best) After one of New York City’s big political commend him for a life of service and thank Madam Speaker, I support H. Res. 51 and him for his tireless dedication to Delaware. flash points: a brutal election campaign to encourage Catholic schools in my district and fill a Congressional seat once held by the f across the United States to continue contrib- iconic figure Shirley Chisholm, it was time uting to the development of strong moral, intel- PERSONAL EXPLANATION for a community celebration. lectual and social values in America’s young And the emotional atmosphere that en- people. I thank the National Catholic Edu- cased the ceremonial swearing in of Con- HON. JULIA CARSON cational Association and the United States gresswoman Yvette Clarke was punctuated OF INDIANA Conference of Catholic Bishops for their spon- with music, dance, prayers, poetry, glowing tributes by prominent elected officials, tears IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES sorship of Catholic Schools Week. of joy and the obvious satisfaction of the Monday, January 29, 2007 Clarke family that one of their own had f Ms. CARSON. Madam Speaker, I was un- made it to the halls of the U.S. House of Rep- resentatives. able to record Rollcall votes nos. 56 and 57 HONORING MS. YVETTE CLARKE— ‘‘She got there the old fashioned way, she due to prior commitments in my District. Had NEWLY-ELECTED REPRESENTA- earned it,’’ asserted U.S. Senator Chuck I been present, I would have voted ‘‘yes’’ on TIVE OF THE 11TH CONGRES- Schumer, a Democrat of New York and one Rollcall votes nos. 56 and 57. SIONAL DISTRICT OF BROOKLYN, of his party’s major architects of the suc- f NEW YORK cessful mid-term election which resulted in the ousting of the Republicans from control HONORING THE CONTRIBUTIONS of Capitol Hill. OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL ‘‘We are proud of Yvette,’’ he told a cheer- ing crowd. ‘‘She worked hard to get elected. OF NEW YORK SPEECH OF She didn’t rest on her laurels. It’s a great IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES day for Brooklyn, a great day for the Clarke HON. RAHM EMANUEL family, and a great day for the United Monday, January 29, 2007 OF ILLINOIS States.’’ Actually, the ceremonial taking of the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today oath of office followed the official swearing- Monday, January 22, 2007 to honor YVETTE CLARKE, newly-elected Rep- in which had taken place in Washington a resentative of the 11th Congressional District Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in week earlier, and when Brooklyn Civil Court in Brooklyn, New York and to enter into the Judge Sylvia Ash asked the freshman mem- strong support of H. Res. 51, a resolution that RECORD an article in the New York Carib News ber of the House to pledge to carry out her honors the contributions of Catholic schools by Tony Best entitled ‘‘Brooklyn Celebrates duties in accordance with the country’s con- and supports the goals of Catholic Schools Yvette Clarke’s Assumption of Duties as Rep- stitution, members of the audience joined in Week. resentative for 11th Congressional District, responding in the affirmative as if they too The many accomplishments of Catholic were going to the nation’s capital. Hundreds Attend Community Event at Brook- Clarke won the 11th Congressional District schools and their positive impact on students lyn College.’’ and communities throughout the nation are election last September when she defeated YVETTE CLARKE was born and raised in three other candidates in the Democratic evident in the Fifth Congressional District of Il- Brooklyn, New York. She is the daughter of Primary. Among the competitors was the linois, where schools such as St. Pascal Ele- Leslie Clarke, father, and former Brooklyn well-financed Jewish City Council member mentary, St. Bartholomew Elementary, and councilwoman Una Clarke. The Clarkes mi- David Yassky who had moved into the Dis- Gordon Technical High School provide a qual- grated to the United States before Congress- trict just before launching his campaign ity education while instilling values that will with the clear and opportunistic goal of cap- woman CLARKE was born. CLARKE attended serve their students throughout their lives. turing the white votes while leaving the New York City public schools and received a These schools provide strong academic cur- Blacks to split their support from the His- scholarship to Oberlin College in Ohio. ricula and promote significant parental involve- panic, Asian and Black majority. Yassky had ment. They teach students the importance of YVETTE CLARKE was elected to the New raised almost $2 million for his campaign war chest, more than the combined funds academic achievement while also providing a York City council in November 2001 as the representative for the 40th District in Brooklyn. raised by the other three candidates. But it balanced perspective on life that promotes re- didn’t work. sponsibility, justice and social service. CLARKE was overwhelmingly re-elected to of- The seat had become vacant when Major Catholic schools also promote ethnic and fice in November 2003 and November 2005. Owens who had occupied it for at least two racial diversity. An increasing number of chil- She succeeded her pioneering mother, the decades after succeeding Chisholm in the dren in Catholic schools in my district come former city councilmember, Dr. Una Clarke, 1980’s decided to retire. He had hoped that from our minority communities. Students in making them the first mother-daughter succes- his son, Chris Owens, a community activist sion in the history of the council. would succeed him. But like Yassky’s plans, Catholic schools achieve exceptionally high that goal failed. In November 2006, CLARKE was elected to graduation rates, and an increasing number Clarke went on to win the November elec- are advancing to college and giving back to represent the 11th Congressional District in tion with about 90 percent of the vote. the community through volunteer service. Brooklyn, New York. CLARKE, a life-long ‘‘She worked hard,’’ said U.S. Representa- Catholic schools foster more than scholastic Flatbush resident, will continue to ably rep- tive Anthony Weiner, who shocked the polit- excellence alone. They provide spiritual guid- resent her mostly working-class constituents in ical establishment when he endorsed Clarke ance to students by encouraging fundamental her district the same way she did while sitting in the Primary campaign and campaigned ideals and an appreciation for family values, on the council, particularly as Congress takes with her, instead of backing Yassky. ‘‘She up immigration reform and long-deferred shares the values of the community and un- community service, and faith in their own lives. derstands its needs,’’ he told the audience. This, in turn, shapes Catholic school students issues of economic fairness. The Congressman was on a list of speakers, into leaders of tomorrow. YVETTE CLARKE has the reputation of being mainly members of the state legislature in I want to take this opportunity to applaud a good listener and a true leader. She distin- Albany and the City Council in Manhattan, the 2007 ‘‘Heart of the School’’ award winners. guished herself as a strong negotiator and has who joined Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn Bor- Each year, the Archdiocese of Chicago Catho- a record of getting things done to meet the ough President and others in extolling the lic Schools presents these awards to recog- needs of the residents of her district. I look qualities which catapulted Clarke from City Hall to Congress, a feat which eluded her nize outstanding and innovative accomplish- forward to working closely with YVETTE on the mother, Una Clarke, several years ago when ments of individual teachers at Archdiocese of issues facing the American people and I ask she sought to replace Major Owens in a hard Chicago schools. you to join me in welcoming Congresswoman fought race. Two 2007 ‘‘Heart of the School’’ award win- CLARKE into the 110th Congress of the United New York State Assemblyman Nick Perry ners teach at schools in the Fifth Congres- States of America. alluded to that election battle when he told VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:43 Jan 30, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A29JA8.004 E29JAPT1 bajohnson on PROD1PC61 with REMARKS.