Honoring Outgoing Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge

Floor Speech

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Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand with my
colleagues today to honor the Chairwoman of the Congressional Black
Caucus (CBC), Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, my sorority sister and friend
as she nears the completion of her term as the 23rd Chair of the CBC.
Congresswoman Fudge is only the seventh woman to serve as the Chair of
our Caucus and she has led the way in our fight to tackle difficult
issues during her two-year term as Chairwoman.

She is an attorney, a businesswoman, former president of Delta Sigma
Theta Sorority, Inc., a former mayor and has been an outstanding leader
of the conscience of the Congress.

Chairwoman Fudge has an exceptional record of achievements as the
Chairwoman of the CBC. Under her leadership, the CBC has continued to
be the voice of people of color and the underrepresented throughout our
great nation and the world. Whether it was civil rights, voting rights,
job creation, comprehensive immigration reform, health care, fighting
poverty, or education, Chairwoman Fudge reached across the aisle to
build coalitions to work on behalf of all people.

I want to personally thank Marcia Fudge for being not only a friend
but also my mentor. She has been an invaluable resource to me and I
truly appreciate her.

I agree with our former colleague, the great Shirley Chisholm who
once said, ``You don't make progress by standing on the sidelines,
whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas.''
Chairwoman Fudge embodies this sentiment as the leader of the CBC.

I look forward to working with Congresswoman Fudge in the future and
the rest of my Colleagues in the CBC during the 114th Congress as we
continue to be the conscience of the Congress.

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