Congressman Donald M. Payne (D-NJ-10)

Biography is below Press Release…

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Our condolences and prays to the family and friends of the late Congressman Payne.

March 6, 2012 9:52 AM

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Donald M. Payne (NJ-10) passed away at the Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey of complications from colon cancer. His office released the following statement:

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Rep. Donald M. Payne. A native of Newark, New Jersey, Rep. Payne dedicated his life to serving the men, women and children of the 10th Congressional District. In addition to his service as a public school teacher in Newark and Passaic, Rep. Payne served as the first African-American President of the National YMCA. For 24 years, Rep. Payne traveled throughout the world serving as a calm and rational voice on issues impacting the social conditions of the global community.

Rep. Payne used his senior position on the U.S. House of Representatives Education and the Workforce Committee to advocate on behalf of children, working families and senior citizens. His top-priorities remained closing the achievement gap, providing equitable funding for public schools and making college and healthcare more affordable. As the highest ranked Democrat on the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights, Rep. Payne worked tirelessly to protect human rights and provide humanitarian aid to developing countries, particularly in Africa. He also served as a former Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus and most recent Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc.

New Jersey has lost a noble public servant, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Rep. Payne have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Rep. Payne once stated, ‘There is a lot of dignity in being able to achieve things without having to create rapture.’ In accordance with his civil approach and global humanitarian efforts, Rep. Payne would want us to carry on by defending against injustice and protecting human rights so that all mankind can pursue the excellence of the human potential.”

Biography of Congressman Payne

payne.house.gov

Donald M. Payne, a native of Newark, New Jersey, became New Jersey’s first African American to be elected to the U.S. Congress in 1988. In 2010, he was elected to serve his twelfth term to represent the 10th District in the 112th Congress.

Rep. Payne serves as Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, whose mission is to advance the global black community by developing leaders through internship and fellowship programs, informing policy and educating the public. He also served as a past Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. He is a member of the Democratic Whip Organization and has served as a member of the House Democratic Leadership Advisory Group.

Rep. Payne is a senior member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, where he serves on two subcommittees – the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education and the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections. Throughout his tenure in Congress, he has been a leading advocate of education and instrumental in making K-12 public schools more successful and college more affordable. He was a key player in the passage of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, which cuts interest rates on Stafford loans in half, increases Pell Grants and provides loan forgiveness to public service employees with student loan debt. He also introduced legislation designed to close the achievement gap, including the Expanded Learning Time Act, the Prescribe a Book Act, and the Youth Financial Education Act.

A true champion of workforce protections for America’s working families, Rep. Payne was vocal in the passage of minimum wage increase legislation, Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, Worker Health and Safety legislation and the historic America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009. Through his public policy efforts, billions of dollars for economic development and other key programs have been allocated to Essex, Hudson and Union counties in his district.

Rep. Payne is a senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, where he serves as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights and as a member of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. Rep. Payne has been at the forefront of efforts to restore democracy and human rights in nations throughout the globe. He joined with his colleagues to introduce a measure which was subsequently approved by Congress to strengthen the Microenterprise Act, providing small business loans to people in developing nations. Rep. Payne was recognized as having the most supportive record in Congress on issues involving the Northern Ireland peace process. He was successful in winning passage of a resolution declaring genocide in Darfur, Sudan. In fact, he authored the Sudan Peace Act, a measure to facilitate famine relief efforts and a comprehensive solution to the war in Sudan, which was approved by Congress.

On the global health front, he co-founded the Malaria Caucus which was launched at an event with former First Lady Laura Bush. He successfully secured $50 million for prevention, control and treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis. Rep. Payne also helped secure passage of a bill authorizing $50 billion for HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria under the historic PEPFAR program, which assists individuals primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Before being elected to serve as New Jersey’s first African-American Congressman, Rep. Payne’s career included service on the Newark Municipal Council; Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders; Essex County Democratic Chairman; executive of the Prudential Insurance Company; Vice-President of Urban Data Systems, Inc. and an educator in the Newark and Passaic Public School Districts. A former National President of the YMCA, he also served as Chairman of the World Refugee and Rehabilitation Committee. Rep. Payne has served on the board of directors of the National Endowment for Democracy, TransAfrica, Discovery Channel Global Education Fund, Congressional Award Foundation, Boys and Girls Clubs of Newark, Newark Day Center and the Newark YMCA. He has received numerous awards and honors from national, international and community-based organizations.

A graduate of Seton Hall University, Rep. Payne pursued graduate studies at Springfield College in Massachusetts. He holds honorary doctorates from Drew University, Essex County College, William Paterson University, Chicago State University, Bloomfield College and Berkeley College. Congressman Payne, a widower, is the father of 3, grandfather of 4 and the great grandfather of 1.

The following was the Congressman’s Biography from his campaign website

payneforuscongress.com

Donald M. Payne, a native of Newark, New Jersey, was elected to represent the 10th Congressional District of New Jersey in 1988 as New Jersey’s first African American Congressman by an overwhelming majority and has been returned by a wide margin of the vote in each subsequent election. In 2006, he won election to his tenth term to represent the 10th District in the historic 110th Congress.

A past Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, he is a member of the Democratic Whip Organization and has served as a member of the House Democratic Leadership Advisory Group. He formerly served on the powerful Democratic Steering Committee, whose membership determines each individual committee assignment for Democratic members and plays an active role in shaping the legislative agenda.

He is a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor, where he serves on two subcommittees – the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections and the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, which has jurisdiction over the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act. As a leading advocate of education, he has been instrumental in the passage of key legislation, including the Goals 2000 initiative to improve elementary and secondary schools; the School-to-Work Opportunities Act; the National Service Act, establishment of the National Literacy Institute; and increased funding for Head Start, Pell Grants, summer jobs and student loans. In addition, he has been strong supporter of measures to assist working men and women, including an increase in the minimum wage, strong workplace safety protections, the right to collective bargaining, promotion of financial literacy, and the Family and Medical Leave Act.

He is also a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee where, in addition to his membership on the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere and the Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight, he serves as Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health. In 2003, President Bush appointed Payne as one of two members of Congress to serve as a Congressional delegate to the United Nations and reappointed him in 2005 to an unprecedented second term.

Before being elected to serve as New Jersey’s first African American Congressman, his career included service on the Newark Municipal Council; the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders; as an executive of the Prudential Insurance Company; Vice President of Urban Data Systems, Inc. and an educator in the Newark public school system He has served on the board of directors of the National Endowment for Democracy, TransAfrica, Discovery Channel Global Education Fund, the Congressional Award Foundation, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Newark, the Newark Day Center, the Fighting Back Initiative and the Newark YMCA.

A graduate of Seton Hall University, he pursued graduate studies at Springfield College in Massachusetts. He holds honorary doctorates from Chicago State University, Drew University, Essex County College and William Paterson University. Congressman Payne, a widower, is the father of 3 and grandfather of 4.