Diana DeGette

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. I yield myself 3 minutes, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, to say that this amendment is a wolf in sheep's clothing would be the understatement of a lifetime. The proponents say it simply extends the Hyde amendment, just a clarification of current law. Nothing could be further from the truth. If enacted, this amendment will be the greatest restriction of a woman's right to choose to pass in our careers. Here is why: The Hyde amendment states that no Federal funds shall be used for abortions. This has been contained in our annual appropriations bills for many years. In the Energy and Commerce Committee, the pro-choice and some pro- life Democrats came together and compromised and we said no Federal funds in this bill will be used for abortions, the Capps amendment. This bill does not spend one Federal dollar on abortions. This Stupak-Pitts amendment goes much further. It says that as part of their basic coverage, the public option cannot offer abortions to anyone, even those purchasing the policies with 100 percent private money. The amendment further says that anyone who purchases insurance in the exchange and who receives premium assistance cannot get insurance coverage for a legal medical procedure even with the portion of their premium that is their own private money. Well, the proponents say women can just purchase supplemental insurance for abortions. This very notion is offensive to women. No one thinks that women will have an unplanned pregnancy or a planned pregnancy that goes terribly wrong. Would we expect to have people buy supplemental insurance for cancer treatment just in case maybe they might get sick? Like it or not, this is a legal medical procedure, and we should respect those who need to make this very personal decision. Once again, the base bill contains language that preserves the Hyde amendment. Let's keep our eyes on the goal here, providing safe medical treatment for 36 million Americans. Let's not sacrifice reproductive rights today in pursuance of that noble goal. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeGETTE. I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlelady from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield for a unanimous consent request to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis). (Mrs. DAVIS of California asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. DeGETTE. I inquire of the Speaker as to the time remaining.

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Pennsylvania said exactly what the intention is here. The intention is not simply to expand the Hyde amendment. The base bill does that. The base bill says that no Federal funds will be used in this bill for abortion. It is the intention of our opponents to effectively stop a legal medical procedure from all plans that are in the exchange, even plans that are paid for with private dollars. This is the first time it would expand the Hyde exceptions to the private sector market. Mr. Speaker, it would not only affect the poor. It would affect the middle class. Vote ``no'' on this ill-conceived amendment.

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield for a unanimous consent request to the distinguished gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney). (Mrs. MALONEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield for a unanimous consent request to the distinguished gentlewoman from Maryland (Ms. Edwards). (Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield for a unanimous consent request to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee). (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky).

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Quigley).

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the extraordinary life and remarkable achievements of Daniel S. Hoffman. Dan Hoffman was an icon in the legal community, an educator, and a public servant who spent his life working for justice. Dan Hoffman was a leader of Colorado's legal community. He served as president of both the Colorado Bar Association and the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association (the only person who has held both those posts) and state chair of the American College of Trial Lawyers. In recognition of his outstanding work, Dan was honored with the Colorado State Committee of the American College of Trial Lawyers Lifetime Achievement Award, the American Jewish Committee Judge Learned Hand Award, and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law Outstanding Alumni Award. Dan was an inspiring teacher at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where he also served as Dean from 1978 to 1984. The Hoffman Cup, Sturm's most prestigious trial advocacy award, is named for Dan. Students remember Dan as a legal giant who was nonetheless accessible to everyone, including first-year law students, and made them feel that he cared. He mentored many law students and lawyers early in their careers, including my husband, Lino Lipinsky. Dan was a stellar litigator and advocate. In the 1970s, Dan became part owner of the Denver Nuggets of the American Basketball Association and negotiated the merger of the ABA with the NBA. In one notable case, he represented Michael Jackson against a Denver woman who claimed she had written one of Jackson's hits. Dan's masterful direct examination of Jackson, which included having Jackson sing two songs a cappella, giving the jury a new view of Michael Jackson, is taught in law schools and at the National Institute of Trial Advocacy as a model of direct examination. Whether representing his corporate clients or the ``little guy,'' he was, in the words of Colorado Supreme Court Justice Michael Bender, ``the ultimate model of a wonderful lawyer.'' Dan Hoffman was born May 4, 1931, in New York City. He graduated from high school at 15 and enrolled in college at the University of Colorado at 16. He received his law degree magna cum laude from the University of Denver. At age 32, he became the City of Denver's youngest-ever public safety manager and led a successful campaign to clean up corruption in the Denver Police Department. Public service was always part of this life. Dan's commitment to justice and fairness was lifelong. In 1965, he joined Martin Luther King on his civil-rights protest march in Alabama from Selma to Montgomery. He was state director for Sen. Robert Kennedy's 1968 presidential campaign. He joined the protests later that year at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. As an activist and an advocate, he stood up for the injured and those without a voice. The Colorado legal community has seen many notable lawyers pass through its diverse community, but none like Dan Hoffman. A champion of justice, a crusader for civil rights, a community leader and a teacher and mentor to many, Dan Hoffman has left an indelible mark on all those privileged to have known him. Please join me in paying tribute to the life of Daniel Hoffman.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker. I would like to recognize the remarkable history and invaluable contributions of an extraordinary church and congregation in the 1st Congressional District of Colorado. It is fitting that we recognize this outstanding institution for its inspiring history as the City of Denver's ``First Church'' and for its enduring service to the people of our community and our nation. It is to commend this distinguished organization that I rise to honor the Trinity United Methodist Church on the occasion of its 150th Anniversary. In the spring of 1859, only months after the mining camps of Auraria and Denver City were precariously settled along the banks of Cherry Creek, the Kansas-Nebraska Conference of the United Methodist Church sent out members to set up churches in the already rowdy mining camps of the newly established Pikes Peak region. On August 2, 1859, frontier minister William H. Goode and 23-year-old Jacob Adriance established the Auraria and Denver City Methodist Episcopal Mission, known today as Trinity United Methodist Church. In 1864, a new Trinity United Methodist Church was built at 14th and Lawrence Streets to serve a burgeoning congregation. The ``Lawrence Street Church'' served the community well. However, after arrival of the railroads to Denver, the City expanded greatly spreading the church's congregation further out into the growing city. By 1888 a new church rose at 18th and Broadway in Denver to accommodate the congregation's growing members. For over a century Trinity United Methodist Church has remained at this location. The church was regarded by its architect, Robert S. Roeschlaub, as the crowning achievement of his extensive career. Built of local sandstone and materials the sanctuaries ornate and carefully considered carvings and architecture are a testament to the commitment of the church to its members and community. Its 184 foot spire was one of the tallest stone towers in 1888 and remains a distinctive feature. Inside reside soaring stain glass windows and solid brass pulpit along with a custom crafted 4,202 pipe organ which brings parishioners to prayer. Today under the banner of ``We're Here for Good!'' over 50,000 church members share in weekly worship. In honor of its 150th Anniversary and in continuation of the church's service to our community and fellow humankind, the congregation has laid out four ambitious missions; planting a new church for those on the margins of society; completing construction of the John Wesley School in Guatemala; partnering to reduce infant, child, and maternal mortality in Liberia; upgrading the interior to be greener, safer, and more welcoming. Please join me in commending Trinity United Methodist Church for its 150 years of invaluable service to our community and our nation. It is the commitment and dedication that Trinity United Methodist Church and members of its congregation exhibit on a daily basis which continually enhances our lives and builds a better future for all of our people.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, many of us have been talking about comprehensive food safety for years. Our Nation's business community is calling for it. Our constituents are begging for it. I am so pleased that today, at long last, we are considering this bill on the House floor on a bipartisan basis. The bill before us will strengthen our food supply in a number of areas. It will transform our system into one that focuses on prevention, rather than reaction. It will provide the FDA with the resources it has lacked; and by giving it mandatory recall authority and subpoena authority, it will give the FDA the tools it needs to deal with an emergency. Mr. Speaker, this bill also will give the FDA the ability to track our food products along the supply chain, enabling targeted and speedier recalls that will benefit business and consumers alike. This traceability provision of the legislation, we know we can't do it overnight, but it will require the FDA to write regulations undertaking a pilot project, cost-benefit analysis, feasibility studies and public meetings to make sure that we can track food from field to fork. This will improve consumer safety and we exempt the family farm. I urge adoption of this important bill.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, anybody who says that we don't need to reform our health care system is ignoring the fact that we have the most expensive health care system in the world, but we have some of the worst results among industrialized nations. We have one of the worst results in maternal and child safety. We have one of the worst results in infant mortality. Yet at the same time, our costs continue to go up. Health care premiums doubled in 9 years, growing faster than wages. Health care costs are the leading cause of bankruptcy in the United States right now; and in the next 10 years, $1 out of every $5 will be spent on health care. The bill that we are looking at in Energy and Commerce is a good bill. It allows people who like their health plans to keep them; but it also puts forward a public option that will compete with those plans, not government-run health care but it takes the insurance companies' profit margin out of it and makes them compete on behalf of the American people. We need to pass health care now.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this important energy and environmental legislation, probably the most important this body has ever considered. And I will say to my friends who say it's not enough, that we need to remember how important it is for us to put together a framework in place so that we can assure energy independence and create jobs. In Colorado, Madam Speaker, in 2004, our voters passed a renewable energy standard, the first time that it was done in any State by ballot initiative. Industry opposed it universally, but yet it passed 53-47 percent. That standard was 10 percent by 2015, and we exceeded that standard within 2 years. Two years later, we came back to the Colorado Legislature. We doubled that standard. It was bipartisan and industry supported it. When people see the wonderful framework we are putting in place today for energy independence, which will create jobs, they will embrace this concept. They will embrace the concept of becoming independent from foreign oil and making sure that we develop clean alternative sources of energy, which are going to benefit our children and our children's children. One last thing. According to the Congressional Budget Office, this bill will cost the typical family less than that of a postage stamp per day. And I will say, once we develop these clean alternative energy sources, we will benefit, because we will regain our place in the world as a leader in technology and as a leader in clean alternative sources of energy. I want to urge my colleagues to support this legislation, which relies on scientific evidence to set our Nation's policy.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, our society has too often, recently, devolved into violence to address controversy. The murder of a doctor, who was beloved by his family, trusted by his patients, and respected by his community, is never an acceptable form of expression. While virtually all established groups have condemned this act, some individuals are still threatening violence against the health care providers they disagree with. The message to those people needs to be unequivocal and it needs to be unanimous: We will not condone violence in any form, and those who perpetrate it will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Mr. Speaker, we must have a civil discourse in this society, and this is something we all have to strive for together. I know that we on our side of the aisle and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle all believe this. We need to put it into action. I will say that Dr. George Tiller is survived by his wife, Jeanne, their four children and their 10 grandchildren. I think the saddest thing about all this and the thing that personalizes it the most is that Jeanne called Dr. Tiller ``Buddy.'' And the reason she called him Buddy was because he was her best friend. Mr. Speaker, the mark of a civilized society must be civil discourse. We cannot lose one more of someone's best friend because of this lack of civility.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, during final consideration of H.R. 627, Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act of 2009, I inadvertently voted ``aye'' on roll call vote 277 when I had intended to vote ``nay". I would like the record to reflect that I am proud of my long support of sensible policies and regulations that promote the health and safety of children and families from gun violence, including within our parks.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the extraordinary life and accomplishments of Rodger McFarlane. A pioneer and legend in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights and HIV/AIDS movements, this remarkable man merits our recognition and our esteem for his unprecedented contributions to our nation and to the world. Sadly, Rodger was taken from us far too young, at age 54. Larry Kramer, Rodger's longtime partner and collaborator, has said that Rodger ``did more for the gay world than any person has ever done.'' Rodger was at the forefront of responding to the AIDS epidemic as it began to ravage our country in the early 1980's. Before HIV even had a name, in 1981, Rodger set up the first HIV/AIDS hotline anywhere; in fact, he used his home phone. Rodger, one of the original volunteers at Gay Men's Health Crisis, the nation's first and largest provider of AIDS client services and public education programs, became its first paid executive director. Until his death, Rodger was the president emeritus of Bailey House, the nation's first and largest provider of supportive housing for homeless people with HIV. Rodger was also a founding member of ACT UP-NY, the pioneering protest group responsible for sweeping changes to public policy as well as drug treatment and delivery processes. In 1989, Rodger became executive director of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, merging two small industry-based fundraising groups into one of America's most successful and influential AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. From 2004 to 2008, Rodger served as the executive director of the Denver-based Gill Foundation, one of the nation's largest funders of programs advocating for LGBT equality. Rodger was instrumental in the creation of the Gill Foundation's sister organization, Gill Action. Rodger took three organizations in their infancy and grew each into a powerhouse to tackle the international tragedy of HIV/AIDS. At Gay Men's Health Crisis, Rodger increased fundraising from a few thousand dollars to the $25 million agency it is today. During his tenure at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, he increased the organization's annual revenue from less than $1 million to more than $5 million, while also leveraging an additional $40 million annually through strategic alliances with other funders and corporate partnerships. He transformed the Gill Foundation by sharpening its strategic purpose, focusing its philanthropy in the states, aligning its investment with political imperatives, and forging alliances that furthered both the LGBT movement and the progressive movement as a whole. The breadth of Rodger's accomplishments is astounding. A proud U.S. Navy veteran, Rodger was a licensed nuclear engineer who conducted strategic missions in the North Atlantic and far Arctic regions aboard a fast attack submarine. A gifted athlete, he was a veteran of seven over-ice expeditions to the North Pole. He also competed internationally for many years as an elite tri-athlete. Although Rodger never completed college, he was an accomplished and best-selling author and producer of works for the stage. Rodger co- wrote several books, including The Complete Bedside Companion: No Nonsense Advice on Caring for the Seriously Ill (Simon & Schuster, 1998), and most recently, Larry Kramer's The Tragedy of Today's Gays (Penguin, 2005). In 1993, he co-produced the Pulitzer Prize-nominated production of Larry Kramers The Destiny of Me, the sequel to The Normal Heart. Rodger's many achievements led to well-deserved awards; he was recognized with honors such as the New York City Distinguished Service Award, the Presidential Voluntary Action Award, the Eleanor Roosevelt Award, the Emery Award from the Hetrick Martin Institute, and Tony and Drama Desk honors. Most recently, he received the Patient Advocacy Award from the American Psychiatric Association. Beyond his professional contributions, friends knew Rodger as a devoted caregiver who nursed countless friends and family members battling cancer and AIDS. He was the most compassionate and giving of friends, especially to those in physical or emotional distress. A hallmark of his personality, his humor made him stand out from the rest. Please join me in paying tribute to the life of Rodger McFarlane, a constituent of mine, who was a tireless activist, a brilliant strategist, a remarkable leader, and a treasured friend. A man who achieved so much in such a short time, Rodger will be missed by many. Denver is better for the time he spent there. Our world is better for the time he spent here.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the extraordinary life and exceptional accomplishments of Charles R. Cousins. Charles Cousins has been an important part of the Denver African-American business community. A remarkable citizen, he merits our recognition and esteem as his leadership, service and lifelong devotion to the city of Denver has done much to enrich our community. His license plate: ``IOU-00'' reflected this self-made success story. Charles Cousins was born in Denver on New Year's Day, 1918, delivered by Justina Ford, the first African-American doctor in Colorado. The first son in a family of four daughters, he came to be called ``Brother'' by family and friends, a name that stuck throughout his entire life. His parents, Charles L. and Alta raised a family of six children in the Five Points neighborhood of Denver. As a youngster, Charles started a lifetime of hard work making deliveries on his bicycle for drug stores and dry cleaners and catching worms in the summertime to sell to anglers at City Park. Charles Cousins began his business career while a student attending Manual High School in 1936. At Manual High, Charles found a way to provide music for the school dances of African American students that were segregated from those of white students. He did the same while a student at Colorado State University, beginning his long career in the jukebox industry. When white-owned jukebox businesses tried to take over the restaurants and bars where his machines were located, Cousins purchased the buildings, beginning his successful career in real estate. He was a major investor in Denver rental properties and ultimately became a community philanthropist. He owned properties throughout the metro area, including more than 30 buildings in the Five Points area. A lifetime jazz fan, Cousins is credited with being a key financial backer of the Five Points neighborhood's internationally-recognized jazz scene. Known as the ``Godfather of Jazz'' in Five Points, he made the famous Rossonian Hotel a must-stop venue for African American musicians who were barred from other hotels because of racial discrimination. Raised in the Five Points neighborhood of Denver, Cousins never had a desire to leave his beloved community. His many associations include the Five Points Media Center and the Five Points Business Association. Cousins willed the Simpson Hotel at 28th and Welton Street to the Five Points Business Association upon his death. The organization has plans to establish a work-development center and art gallery on the site. Appointed in 1979 by Denver Mayor Bill McNichols, Cousins served on the Denver city zoning board for 23 years and served for 20 years as a member of the U.S. Olympic Organizing Committee. Charles Cousins was also a great advocate of education. He was instrumental in the development of Cole Junior High School's extension program that provided alternative education to students who were not able to learn and achieve in a traditional school environment. He also funded many scholarships for college students. He was a fixture at Manual High School and was honored as the school's ``Student of the Century'' during their 100th anniversary celebration in 1994. Charles was most proud of his civic work in the community and received numerous awards from various non-profit groups. He was a charter member of the Beta Theta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. In 2003, Charles Cousins was honored with a plaza that bears his name at the new Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library in Five Points. He joined his longtime friends, former Tuskegee Airman and Denver Public Schools board member Omar Blair, and former Denver City Councilman Elvin Caldwell in the naming honors of the then newest branch of the Denver Public Library. Charles Cousins is survived by five siblings and his wife of 53 years, Dorothy. His daughter, Dr. Renee Cousins, is a Denver pediatrician.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, 10 years ago this week as I sat in my office in the Longworth Office Building, I watched the horrific events of the Columbine shooting occur. Sadly, that was not the first time we've had a high school shooting. And even more sadly, it was not the last time we've seen a shooting of this nature. Every time this happens, for those of us in Colorado the memory of the horrific events in April 10 years ago floods back to us. I am joined today with the entire Colorado delegation, as Mr. Coffman said, in mourning the loss of the teacher and the students at Columbine. Mr. Perlmutter had constituents who were killed in the shooting. I had constituents attending Columbine at that time, and we still do today. All of us share the hope that Principal Frank DeAngelis, who was the principal then and now, shared with the country Monday this week at a ceremony commemorating the 10th anniversary of Columbine. Principal DeAngelis said on Monday--and we all agree with this--``My hope is that school violence comes to an end, and that our Nation is not mourning the loss of more of our children and educators; and that the members of our society come together to stop the senseless deaths that are occurring. Our children are our future, and we must continue to pave the way for a safe and successful journey.'' Let's remember Columbine, and let's remember these words.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the extraordinary life of an eminent citizen, Mrs. Sarah Lee Foster. This remarkable woman merits both our recognition and esteem as her impressive record of leadership, volunteerism, activism and invaluable service has moved our community forward and thereby, improved the lives of our people. Sarah Lee Foster has lived a life of active involvement in neighborhood, community and city organization and activism that has focused on safety and quality of life issues. She was born in Holly Grove, Arkansas, graduated from Holly Grove Vocational High School and attended Shorter and Arkansas Baptist colleges. She is a recipient of the Arkansas Travelers Ambassador Award and the Arkansas Sesquicentennial Medallion. Sarah Lee Foster was the first woman and only four-term president of the Five Points Business Association in Denver. She coordinated the annual Denver Juneteenth Celebration from the late 1970's through the late 1990's; established the community outreach program to serve youth, homeless, and seniors in the area; and, actively promoted cooperative relations between the association, local residents and citizens, other community and neighborhood organizations, and city and state government offices. She has been honored many times by the organization throughout the years for her outstanding dedication, leadership, and service to the community. Sarah Lee Foster's accomplishments have also been recognized by many other appreciative persons and community groups, too numerous to name. Her current and past community service records speak for themselves. Her memberships disclose her belief in the universal community. The list of her awards, tributes, certificates, trophies, and honors runs to more than five single-spaced typed pages. Sarah Lee Foster is the owner of Sarah Lee's Isle of Beauty and Sarah Lee's Modeling Agency. A charter member of the Denver Cosmetology Guild No. 250, she served as the first African American president of the Colorado Cosmetology Association. She was the first African-American nominated to the National Cosmetology Association Board of Directors, and is currently serving her seventh term as Financial Secretary. Sarah Lee Foster's countless contributions to the Denver and Colorado communities have been recognized by many elected officials and government representatives. Most recently, she was honored by Mayor John W. Hickenlooper with an ``Unsung Hero'' Award on the occasion of the 150th birthday of the City of Denver in 2008. She has made an indelible impact on the Denver and Colorado communities and her service will be remembered and she deserves to be congratulated for her ``good and faithful service''. As she prepares to move to Texas to reside near her family, I know that she will take with her the spirit of community and community service she shared with all of us. Please join me in paying tribute to the life of Sarah Lee Foster, a prominent community leader, on the occasion of her eightieth birthday. Her service, accomplishments and leadership command our respect and serve to build a better future for all Americans.

Ms. DeGETTE

Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor two distinguished gentlemen and mark a historic occasion for the State of Colorado and our legislature. For the first time in United States history, two African-Americans will hold the top leadership position in both chambers of a State legislature. The election of Colorado State Representative Terrance Carroll as Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives and Colorado State Senator Peter Groff as President of the Colorado Senate puts our State's past injustices into perspective. It opens our eyes once again to a time only eighty years ago when a majority of the State House members were associated with the Ku Klux Klan members. It reminds us when the 1924 election ushered in numerous KKK-endorsed candidates, including the Governor of Colorado, Clarence Morley. These were the days when legislation was introduced without shame by people who sought to use the law to restrict the rights of African Americans and to remove them from boards and commissions. The struggle for harmony and freedom from inequity continues for all of us, but today Colorado makes progress toward that end. The story of House Speaker Terrance Carroll began several blocks away from this chamber, where Carroll grew up in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington, D.C. He was the only child of a single mother who was the daughter of a sharecropper. He attended Morehouse College in Atlanta. He eventually earned a master's degree from the University of Colorado and a law degree from the University of Denver, and he graduated from seminary to become an ordained minister. During his career, he has served as a police officer and a practicing lawyer. In his seven years in the Colorado state legislature, Speaker Carroll has championed issues ranging from educational reform, housing, homeland security, and civil and criminal justice issues. Senate President Peter Groff, the son of former Colorado lawmaker Regis Groff, is a graduate of Denver's East High School. He started his political career working for former Governor Roy Romer and former City of Denver Mayor Wellington Webb. He helped found the Center for New Politics and Policy at the University of Denver. He has served as the center's executive director since its founding, in addition to working as an attorney in private practice, college lecturer, and satellite radio talk show host. Peter Groff was first elected to the House in 2000 and later was appointed and reelected to the Colorado Senate. He is the highest-ranking African- American elected official in Colorado history and has been called the ``Conscience of the Senate.'' In a year when America inaugurated its first African-American President, the ascension of Speaker Carroll and President Groff is also a significant tribute to the innumerable individuals who have come before us who strived and sacrificed for civil rights, equal opportunity, and equality for all. It gives me great pleasure as the Senior Member of the Colorado Congressional Delegation to congratulate these two men and recognize their accomplishments, not only in the context of Colorado's history, but the nation's as a whole.