Thank you very much, President Patrick Swygert, Mrs. Swygert, Chairman Frank Savage, Reverend Dr. Richardson, members of the Board of Trustees of Howard University, and ladies and gentlemen.

President Swygert, I really have to tell you that, after today, it's going to be awfully difficult to go back to receiving plaques. You know what I mean, Jack?

Let me, at the outset, take a couple of moments to acknowledge a few members of my family who are present with me. As many of you know, I am fortunate to have been married now for 41 years to a very beautiful, wonderful woman. From the moment I met her 41 years ago and said to myself, "This is the prettiest woman I've ever met in my life," until now, I've tried to keep that pretty woman. But she's been a wonderful mother and an inspiration to me and our children. I'm going to ask my wife, Jay Stokes, if she will please stand.

Our children have had a very special relationship with Howard University. My oldest daughter, Shelley, is currently the Director of Development for the Founders Library at this university. Shelley has three boys, one of whom is up at Williams College in Massachusetts. Another, Eric, who is getting ready to go away to college, we hope, somewhere, next year. And little Grant, the youngest. Would you all please stand.

Our second daughter, Angela, is a graduate of the University of Maryland and the Law School at Howard University. She is a former assistant attorney general for the state of Ohio and is currently a judge of the Cleveland Municipal Court in the state of Ohio. Angela Stokes.

Our other daughter, Lori, as many of you may know, was a student here and went on from this university into the media business. Many of you remember when she was with Channel 7 as an anchorwoman for a period of time. She then went on to MSNBC as one of their correspondents and is currently the morning and noon anchor for WABC in New York City. They're in the middle of ratings. I told Lori that her job security was more important (to preserve), so that she doesn't have to come back to Dad at this point in her life. So, I can understand her not being able to come here today. But, anyway, we're very proud of Lori. I just wanted to acknowledge our daughter, Lori Stokes.

I'm very proud to have with us our son who is from Detroit, Michigan. He is the Director of Editorials and Public Affairs for WXYZ, the number one television station in Detroit. Chuckie is a graduate of Morehouse College and the School of Journalism at Columbia University. Chuck, where are you?

We're also fortunate to have with us a number of members of the family who have traveled from various parts of the country to be here with me today. We're just delighted to have all of them. I'm not going to try to call each one by name, but would all of you just hold up your hands, so that everyone will know that my family is here--both Jay's and my family.

I too want to take just a moment to acknowledge a gentleman who was recognized earlier today because he has been one of my best friends for a number of years. When Jack Kemp and I were in the House, we had a friendship that extended into his position as the Secretary of HUD. Jack came out to Cleveland, Ohio, and spent time with my late brother, Carl, and I. He visited with us where we grew up, and on top of it, he brought me great big check. My good friend, Jack Kemp.

Present with us today is Donna Christian-Christiansen. Donna represents the U.S. Virgin Islands. She is a graduate of Howard University. She is a practicing physician and is my successor to the Congressional Black Caucus Braintrust. Donna Christian-Christiansen. There she is right there.

There is another lady of whom I'm very proud. She has succeeded me in the Congress and has immediately gone to work and is going to be an outstanding member of the United States Congress. I'm very pleased to have her with me, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs-Jones. Stephanie, where are you? I think she had to get back to the House.

As many of you know, after leaving the Congress, Squire Sanders and Dempsey, was kind enough to acknowledge that I still might have some life and invited me to become a member of a world wide law firm. I'm very proud to be associated with this firm. I'm very pleased to have here with me today, John Lewis, who is the managing editor of the Cleveland Branch of Squire, Sanders and Dempsey, and also John Briggs, the managing partner of the Washington, D.C. office. And I think we have about 14 members of the firm present. Would all of the Squire, Sanders and Dempsey colleagues please raise your right hand so that we can acknowledge you? Thank you very much.

Mr. President, I do recall when I first met you on Capitol Hill. You were one of the bright young men who came to serve on Capitol Hill. Those of us who were in the Congressional Black Caucus took great pride in the fact that, while there were only 12 of us on Capitol Hill at that time, the young men and women whom we brought to work for us, were the best and the brightest. And you were one of that group, brought there by Congressman Charles Rangel.

Then I've watched you go on to become a success in your field and you've done so many outstanding things. And when Howard University recognized that great talent and brought you here, all of us have just sat with pride in recognizing the great talent and intellect that you've brought to this university. You're doing a marvelous job and we're so very proud of all you're doing.

I do remember very well that day you came to Cleveland at the invitation of Carol Hoover and surprised me with the announcement that Howard was planning to do this. You had said to me that Howard was going to do something very special for me. And I took it about like I do when so many people tell me they're going to do something special for me. That generally is right after I've done something special for them. But when you came to Cleveland that day and surprised me with that announcement, indeed, you had done something very special for me. This is a beautiful building. It is impossible to describe for all of you the immense gratitude I have to Howard University for naming this building in my honor.

I want to thank Dr. Hassan Minor, Vice President here, with whom I have worked so closely over many years in terms of the Howard appropriation.

He and his staff were indeed a pleasure to work with over the years. I want to thank him for all his hard work in terms of making this building a reality.

Also, Dr. Floyd Malveaux, the dean of the Medical School. I’d like to share with you one of the things that my wife and I have taken pride in. When Lori was at MSNBC, there were many mornings or afternoons or evenings when she was handling the show from New Jersey, when she would say, "And now, we go to the White House to Suzanne Malveaux." Lori would turn over to Dr. Malveaux's beautiful daughter who was a White House correspondent.

But Dr. Malveaux has done even more. He, more than anyone else has appeared on the Subcommittee upon which I served. Over the years we've had a great friendship. He is a loyal, hard-worker for this university and this Medical School. Dr. Floyd Malveaux.

There was a young fellow who came up to my wife and me at an even about a year ago. He introduced himself to me and said, "Congressman Stokes." I said, "Yes?" He explained, "I'm a medical student at Howard University. I just wanted to shake your hand. I've never met a man before who has his name on a building where I study. Then he added, "I just wanted to meet you."

It meant so much to me that this young man came up and expressed himself in that way.

And I guess what I think of today is that I probably will never be able to shake the hand or hands of all the students who will study in this building that bears my name. But I cannot tell you how proud I am to be associated with a university that has now trained African Americans for 131 years. Howard University is the flagship of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities in this country. It has led the pack of educating America's black physicians, dentists, pharmacists, allied health scientists, and nurses. And for me, it's been a great honor to have been associated with them over the years.

And, let me, before I close, take another moment to acknowledge the presence of one of the most dynamic ladies that I have even been privileged to work with during my tenure in the Congress. She, under President Clinton, was the Secretary of Energy. She was one of the most dynamic persons with whom I've ever worked. Hazel O'Leary, Secretary of Energy. Wonderful lady.

So, Mr. President and Mr. Chairman, you have, with this building, outdone yourselves. You have made all of America proud with the work of this university over the years. An indeed, I'm just honored to be a small part of the great work that this university does for this nation.

Thank you very much.