Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to honor the memory of Representative Julian Dixon by strongly supporting the redesignation of the facility of the United States Postal Service located in Los Angeles, California, as the "Congressman Julian C. Dixon Post Office Building.''
Born in Washington, D.C., Dixon moved to Los Angeles where he attended California State University at Los Angeles and earned a law degree at Southwestern University. A bold, consistent voice for minority rights, Dixon devoted his life to serving Los Angeles, D.C., and the country as a whole.
Starting out as an attorney, he spent three years in the California State Legislature where he rose to the post of chairman of the Assembly's Democratic Caucus before running to represent the area of west Los Angeles in the U.S. Congress. Once there, he tirelessly served his district, which stretches from Koreatown to Culver City and from Cheviot Hills to Crenshaw, for eleven impressive terms.
Dixon served on the Ethics and Appropriations Committees, was the ranking Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and chaired the subcommittee overseeing the District of Columbia. Additionally, he served as a chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus.
He was a relentless, charismatic leader of civil rights, education, and urban development and loyally committed to his constituents. A perfect example of this is the effort he put forth in 1994 to introduce and spearhead the passage of a bill providing $8.6 billion in relief for Los Angeles earthquake victims. Because this bill specifically forbade discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, it set a precedent as the first language banning discrimination based on sexual orientation being included in federal law. However, this was not the only time he set precedent. While on the Appropriations Committee, he successfully lead the fight for federal funding of Los Angeles area public transportation measures--specifically its much-needed Metro Rail subway project. Additionally, he responded to constituents needs by making constant inroads on crime and gang prevention, by committing himself to improving Los Angeles schools, and by obtaining a ``dire emergency'' supplemental appropriations bill after the Los Angeles riots to meet emergency needs in his district and other affected areas.
Julian Dixon is a true example of the difference one person's passion can make upon the lives of the American people and the way government works. His life-long commitment to improving his city and country is truly commendable and will not be forgotten.