Congresswoman Corrine Brown Will Deliver Keynote Address for the Fall Commencement

Congresswoman Corrine Brown, a Florida A&M University (FAMU) alumna, will serve as the keynote speaker for the 2009 fall commencement. The ceremony is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday, December 11, in the Alfred Lawson, Jr. Multipurpose Center Teaching Gymnasium. Doors will open for the general public at 5 p.m., and the line of march will begin at 5:40 p.m. from Gaither Gymnasium.

A native of Jacksonville, Fla., Congresswoman Brown served in the Florida House of Representatives for 10 years before going to Washington, D.C. Congresswoman Brown was elected to Congress from the Third District of Florida in 1992.

As a result of Brown’s commitment to bringing the services of Washington back to Florida, communities throughout the Third District have been able to access resources previously unavailable to them. Brown was reelected to the U.S. House of Representatives for a ninth term in November 2008 and in the 111th Congress. Congresswoman Brown remains the chair of the Transportation Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials. In this capacity, in the 111th Congress, Brown will concentrate on ensuring that both the Amtrak Reauthorization and RailRoad Safety legislation enacted at the end of the 110th Congress are fully and appropriately implemented. The subcommittee will concentrate on the oversight of pipeline and hazardous material programs and agencies, including reauthorizing the Hazardous Materials Transportation Safety program. The subcommittee will also focus on reauthorizing the Surface Transportation Board, funding rail infrastructure improvements throughout the nation’s transportation system and developing a domestic High Speed Rail.

Her constituents and colleagues know Brown as a fighter. Her campaign slogan, Corrine Delivers, is one of the most apt descriptions of Brown’s style of service. By focusing on issues that are key to economic development, Congresswoman Brown has helped bring jobs and opportunities to towns and cities throughout the Third District. One of her first accomplishments as a Member of Congress was winning funding for the much needed Fuller Warren Bridge in Jacksonville.

Brown has been a member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure since going to Congress. Early in the 110th Congress, Brown was picked to chair the Transportation Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials. This subcommittee is very important to Florida and the Third District because of its jurisdiction over the passenger and freight rail industry, which plays a vital role in Florida’s economy.

During her tenure in Congress, Brown has been a member of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. She has championed the rights of veterans and called for better funding for veterans health care programs. In the 111th Congress, Brown will serve on the Health Subcommittee. As the former ranking member on Oversight and Investigation, Brown presided for more than 20 hearings on issues relating to veterans services, health care and the Veterans Affairs readiness for the new millennium.

Brown has also fought to protect environmental resources in her district and across the country. Because of her advocacy, Brown has received accolades by the National Parks and Conservation Association, the Sierra Club, the League of Conservation Voters and Florida Public Interest Research Group. One of the most important environmental successes for Brown was securing the American Heritage River designation for the St. Johns River, which spans
the length of the Third District.

Congresswoman Brown attended FAMU where she earned a bachelor of science degree. She also received a master’s degree and an education specialist degree from the University of Florida. She received an honorary Doctor of Law degree from Edward Waters College. She has been a faculty member at Florida Community College of Jacksonville, the University of Florida and Edward Waters College. Her daughter, Shantrel Brown, is a lawyer in Washington, D.C.