CELEBRATING BILL GRAY

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia: Mr. Speaker, it was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of our Alpha Phi Alpha brother, the Honorable William Herbert Gray III, on July 1, 2013. My thoughts and prayers are with Reverend Gray's family during this difficult time.

Reverend Gray was a public servant in the truest sense of the word. He found many ways to effect change in the lives of the citizens of Philadelphia and, later, citizens across the country and the world. After his father stepped down as senior pastor of Bright Hope Baptist Church, he succeeded him and served as senior pastor for more than 35 years.

Well-known as a consensus-builder in the Philadelphia community, Reverend Gray leveraged those relationships into an opportunity to represent the Second Congressional District of Pennsylvania and the U.S. House of Representatives. During his tenure, he rose to the influential positions of chairman of the Budget Committee and majority whip of the House of Representatives. He was the first African American ever to assume the position of majority whip. He wielded these positions of power to advance an agenda of social justice for all Americans and social justice for those who suffered under the apartheid in South Africa.

After his departure from Congress, he found opportunities to further advocate for social equality through his service as president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund. During his tenure, he helped raise over $2.3 billion so students could continue their dream of affording and achieving a college education.

He will be missed by his former colleagues in the House of Representatives and the many people who were positively affected by his life's work. He will also be missed by his congregation at Bright Hope Baptist Church. His dedication to his congregation was always apparent, as evidenced by his continued preaching throughout his tenure in Congress and his tenure with the United Negro College Fund.

Reverend Gray was a shining example of what it means to be a public servant, and his strong, influential voice will be sorely missed.