U.S. Representative Charles B. Rangel paid tribute yesterday in Congress to the life of Jordi Reyes-Montblanc, former Manhattan Community Board 9 chairman, who passed away in December 2008:
"With profound sorrow, I ascend to celebrate the life of my dear friend, Jordi Reyes-Montblanc. For decades he was one of the area's most energetic activists who championed for affordable housing and homeownership for New Yorkers of modest means. He even led the conversion of his own building to a limited-equity co-op. This activism secured his appointment to Community Board 9 and then its chairmanship. His outspoken criticism of Columbia University's expansion in Manhattanville made him a fixture on the issue and in the city media.
"Jordi was fearless in speaking his mind, regardless of who he might offend. Instead of it earning him detractors, he was universally respected for his even-handedness and devotion to the community. He will long be remembered for his commitment and clear purpose which won the admiration of those who knew him. I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to observe and experience his example as a personal inspiration."
A Service in Thanksgiving for the Life of Mr. Reyes-Montblanc will be held this Saturday 2 p.m. at the historic Episcopal Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine on 112th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. The event is open to the public.
Congressman Charles Rangel released the following statement on the passing of Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the loved ones of my dear friend, the Honorable Chairwoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Cleveland, Ohio. I knew her as an excellent co-worker, a dedicated Congresswoman, but most of all as a passionate colleague who never lost her optimism in the promise of America or its people.
It was an honor to have served in Congress with this trailblazer. The first African-American woman Representative of Ohio, she was well respected on both sides of the political aisle. She was an invaluable member of the Ways and Means Committee, a hard-nosed legislator and activist who fought hard to secure economic and educational opportunities for all Americans, regardless of race, creed or gender. She believed that we owed it to the future of this nation to invest in the health of its people and that we in Washington had the responsibility to do all that we could to give all our constituents the resources they need to make a better life for their children and families.
We who knew and worked with her will surely be among many who will miss her smile, her tenacity, and her infectious love of life. She leaves us an inspirational legacy, a memorable record of pubic service and a charge keep fighting for what is right and just.
Congressman Charles Rangel released the following statement about the recent death of Army Sergeant Jose E. Ulloa. Ulloa, who was from the Washington Heights section of Northern Manhattan, was killed Friday, August 8, 2008 by a roadside bomb in Sadr City, Iraq:
My heart goes out to the family of 23-year old Army Sgt. Jose E. Ulloa including his wife Melanie and their six-month old son who are based abroad in Germany, those members that live in my congressional district, his sister Stephanie Marmol and his uncle Rafael Ulloa and his father and sisters who still reside in the Dominican Republic.
No words that I can provide can bring their 'Ricky' back. Yet what I do hope is that that they can draw strength from the fact that he was well-respected and admired. He died serving his country, helping to secure abroad the kind of freedom and liberties that so many of us take for granted here in this country.
Sgt. Ulloa is just one of thousands that wake up each morning on the frontlines in Iraq and Afghanistan, saluting the flag with pride, but not knowing whether they will get to see another sunrise. They serve not knowing whether their next trip home is will be of their own volition, in medical transport unit or even worse yet, in a body bag. They lay their lives on the line daily for a multitude of reasons for an immoral war that has gone on far too long. A war that has drawn away billions from important priorities at home. A war that has seen way too many families, and this nation, robbed of the young ones that they love.
The best thing that we can do to honor those men and women who have sacrificed so much is to ensure that they are back home as soon as possible. We owe it to them to use the freedom and liberties that their spilled blood helped provide to build a safer and more democratic world.
Soldier of Dominican Descent Becomes the Latest Washington Heights Resident Killed in Iraq.
Congressman Charles B. Rangel on Friday expressed his sorrow over the death of Washington Heights resident Cpl. Juan Alcántara, the 22-year old Army soldier who was killed this week while serving in Iraq.
"No amount of words can replace this young hero, no amount of time will completely heal the wound for his mother Maria, his sister Fredelinda, his fiancé Sayonara, and his one month old daughter Jayleni Marie," said Rangel. "I cannot help but wonder what a difference this young man would have made in the life of not only his family, but the community that he loved so much."
Rangel called Alcántara's death a tragedy because, like many soldiers who are fighting in Iraq, family members say that he enlisted not out of a desire to fight and kill, but instead for a chance to secure the military's lucrative post-service benefits. It was especially heart wrenching because Alcántara was assigned to 2nd Infantry Division out of Fort. Lewis, Washington -- the same infantry division that Rangel served during the Korean War.
"This neighborhood -- like many communities in this country -- have seen too many of their best and brightest come home in body bags," said Congressman Rangel. "'Why? Is there no other way to get a college education or decent health care or own a home? Do you have to stare into the barrel of a gun or dodge a roadside bomb in order to have your fair shot at the American Dream?"
According to Army officials, Cpl Alcántara died of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his dismounted patrol. Local elected officials, including Congressman's Rangel's office, have reached out to family members to provide assistance. No date has been set for the return of the serviceman's body to the states.
Congressman Charles B. Rangel released the following statement upon the death of former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson, who passed away at the age of 94 on July 11, 2007 at her home in Austin, Texas:
"The nation lost a beloved friend and one of its most dedicated environmentalists Wednesday when Lady Bird Johnson passed away at the age of 94.
Much has been written about how the classy woman from Austin was a calming influence on our 37th President, Lyndon B. Johnson. When President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, Lady Bird stepped in and provided comfort to the Kennedy family and a grieving nation. When civil rights legislation looked to be stalled in the Congress in 1964, the devoted mother of two took to the road on her own whistle-stop tour across the country, defending the Administration's policies and goals.
However, her most lasting legacy can be seen anytime you watch see the flowers bloom in the Capital or the colorful landscapes as you travel the nation's roads. In addition to leading clean-up efforts of parks and natural habitats in and around the D.C. area, her advocacy helped push through the $320 million dollar Highway Beautification Act in 1965. The federal legislation provided money and other incentives to reduce the number of billboards and other eye sores along federal highways and expanded local programs to plant wildflowers and other native plants.
Active well into her 90s, Lady Bird Johnson was a role model for future generations. She broke the mold of what a First Lady could do, both during and after the White House. Her achievements and efforts with the National Wildlife Research Center that she helped establish in 1982 expanded the nation's interest in the environment, providing a foundation for today's current green movement.
Her activism and graceful presence will be missed. Yet, her smile and charm will always be remembered any time anyone looks at the beautiful landscapes and wildflowers that she championed all across this great land."
Congressman Charles B. Rangel delivered the following words on the floor of the House of Representatives in tribute to former Michigan Rep. Guy Vander Jagt, who passed away on Friday, June 21 at the age of 75, after a courageous fight against pancreatic cancer:
"The tear that you hear in the voice of the gentleman from Michigan [Rep. Fred Upton] is felt by everybody that knew Guy Vander Jagt. I was with him on Tuesday morning with his beautiful wife Carol, and I would want everybody who knew this man to know that there was a big smile on his face, that wonderful voice of his was resonant, and even though he did not stay lucid for long periods of time, the only thing, the only thing that he talked about was his House of Representatives.
I really sincerely hope that those Members, Republican and Democrats, that had an opportunity to see a true Republican with the compassion and sensitivity and understanding that it takes all of us to make this Congress and this country work, that maybe those of us who knew Guy would make some kind of special effort to be tolerant with each other, which is what he was talking about, in hopes that new Members that never had the opportunity to enjoy that type of camaraderie will move in that direction.
We will miss him, but those who knew him, we have a constant reminder that when things get rough for us on this floor, there was a guy like Guy Vander Jagt, and as strong as a Republican as he was, that he cared enough about this House to care for all us.
Congressman Charles B. Rangel released the following statement on the death of Congressional colleague Rep. Juanita Millender McDonald, who passed away on Sunday, April 22 at the age of 68 at her Carson, California home:
I am sure that I join with thousands of Americans who are stunned and saddened by the death of Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald.
It has been well-documented that Juanita was a political trailblazer on all three levels of government. She went from being a veteran campaign volunteer to being the first African American to be elected to the Carson City Council and later to chair two committees in the California State Assembly. This past January, she became the first African American woman in history to chair a committee in Congress, serving as head of Committee on House Administration.
Juanita was a reformer, an empowering role model for not just African Americans and women but for all Americans. I cannot imagine the pain that she must have gone through the last months of her life, as she battled the cancer that would eventually take her life. Yet the courage and grace that she showed in the face of death though was not surprising. She showed that grace and strength daily. It was borne out of a tremendous amount of love for life and the belief that all of us -- no matter what race, class, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation -- should have an equal opportunity to make our dreams happen. That in this and any democracy, everyone should have a chance to have their voices heard and their votes counted.
Such a loss could not have come at a more crucial time in our nation's history. Yet, I am sure Juanita would not want us to mourn too long, knowing that the fight for social justice and against other ills like hunger and poverty is far from over. In fact, she would expect us to just pick up where she left off and use her life as a blueprint and inspiration to stand up for what is right and do more good.
Congressman Charles Rangel paid tribute to Harlem Boys Choir founder Walter Turnbull with the following statement in the Congressional Record:
Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise today to remember my dear friend, Walter Turnbull, who passed away from cancer last week at the age of 62.
When the world thinks of Harlem, they often think of physical structures, like the Apollo, Abyssinian Church or Sylvia's Restaurant. However, they also think about the people, those whose tireless efforts remind them of the brilliance of this diverse community.
For more than 30 years, the Boys Choir (and later the Girls Choir) of Harlem has personified that brilliance in both song and in service. Walter Turnbull was the principal force behind that vision, the choir's founder and up to the day he died, its artistic director.
Born in Greenville, Mississippi, he came to New York after college to pursue a music career that would soon feature solo concerts with the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Yet it was working on his doctorate at the Manhattan School of Music that he thought to establish a music program for local children. The after-school program that started in the basement of the Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1968 soon grew to be include more than 150 young men that regularly traveled the world, performing everywhere from the White House to the Vatican.
Walter himself was honored numerous times, both locally and nationally. Yet the awards were nothing compared to the satisfaction that he took from giving young people an education that went beyond the notes and bars of the song sheet. They were introduced to a rigorous curriculum that not only taught them an appreciation for everything from classical opera to contemporary jazz and R&B, but also science, math, history and English.
Despite the celebrity status that sometimes followed these young men and women, education always remained the priority. No matter how far from home they performed, Walter made sure to send along their schoolbooks, and when necessary, their academic tutors. That commitment did not disappoint, resulting in high school graduation rate of more than 95 percent and attendance at some of the nation's most prominent universities.
I am blessed to say that I saw Walter often, most recently this past January, directing the Boys Choir at the community celebration of my 19th Congressional term and appointment to the Chairmanship of the Ways and Means Committee. As always, the choir was flawless in its task of jazzing up the crowd. So was Walter, helping these young men rise to the challenge of doing their best for more than a thousand guests in the Great Hall of City College.
Walter's death is significant one, the loss of an artistic giant who was always there for me and the community. I am sure that my colleagues join me in extending our condolences and prayers to the Turnbull family. Words, of course, cannot replace the pain that his family and friends are feeling right now. However, they should take comfort that he left us all a wonderful musical legacy, one that we will always remember as long as the voices of Harlem sing strong.
Congressman Charles B. Rangel released the following statement about James Brown, who passed away at the age of 73 on December 25, 2006:
"There will never be another James Brown. He was a unique diamond, a musical genius who will forever be in our hearts as the Godfather of Soul because he stirred and inspired us not just to dance, but to feel proud and celebrate all that we are.
Harlem has always shared a special relationship with Brown. We adopted him as a son and provided him with his musical home, the Apollo. It was here in 1962, at the famous Apollo Theater, that he recorded his groundbreaking live album. It was on our stage that audiences gave him the love that took his career to another level. It was a love that he returned on more than one occasion, supporting it not just with his music, but also financially, when the Apollo hit troubled times.
Yet he was more than just the world's greatest entertainer. More than an innovator that inspired artists of all shades. He was a civil rights activist, lending both his name and his money to causes of social justice for more than four decades. He was a bridge between generations, lending credibility to the positive aspects, but not the negative messages, of hip-hop culture.
James Brown forever redefined how we listen, experience and appreciates music. He leaves a legacy that will never be forgotten, a soulful beat and rhythm for all to rock to for generations to come.
