Bill Lee: “What we can accomplish, but also about the brilliance and the importance of the Caribbean-American community. Let me…”

“What we can accomplish, but also about the brilliance and the importance of the Caribbean-American community. Let me just mention Dr. Claire Nelson, who is the founder and president of the Institute of Caribbean Studies, because, for over a decade, just in terms of history, we worked closely together to recognize the many individual contributions of Caribbean Americans and to make Caribbean American Heritage Month a reality. So I must today salute her for her tremendous leadership. Our Nation has been so fortunate to benefit from countless individuals of Caribbean descent, including my personal mentor and friend, the late Honorable Shirley Chisholm, whose district now is so ably represented by our colleague of Jamaican descent, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke. Now, Shirley Chisholm was a woman of Bajan and Guyanese descent who never forgot her roots in the Caribbean. She was the first African- American woman elected to Congress, the first woman and the first African American to run for President. She was truly a trailblazer, and she convinced me that I needed to actually register to vote. Throughout her career, Shirley was an advocate and a fighter. She fought for working families, the poor, and our most vulnerable: children and seniors. She believed that everyone should have the basics: food, housing, a decent job, good wages, and healthcare--again, regardless of their background. And let me tell you, I know that she would have been appalled by this Senate health bill. Mr.…”