Ms. Filler-Corn (www.EileenForDelegate.com), who worked as a liaison to Capitol Hill for former governors Mark R. Warner and Timothy M. Kaine, would be the more effective delegate. She has a much more fluent grasp of Virginia issues.

Ms. Evans (www.Evans4SB.org) has more experience and better ideas … a consistent track record of work on school issues … spent years scrutinizing the school budget [and] is specific in where she would cut and how much she would save.

• Mr. Moran of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of Marwan Burgan, community activist, human rights leader, Democratic Party stalwart and dear personal friend. Marwan’s long struggle with cancer has ended, but the contributions he made to Northern Virginia, particularly within the Arab American community, will continue as a lasting tribute to his life.

• By his own example of civic engagement and leadership, Marwan served as a remarkable model for other first-generation Palestinian Americans. In 2008, he founded PACE (Project for American Civic Engagement), to facilitate placement of underrepresented young people into Congress as interns and staff. His devotion to public service and efforts to politically empower young people, especially in the Arab American community, has charted a course for a next generation of engaged, enlightened and energetic leaders.

• A lifelong civil servant, Marwan worked in Congress for eight years, first as a Foreign Affairs Legislative Assistant, then Legislative Director, and finally as Chief of Staff for former Congressman Mervyn Dymally. Later in his career, he dived into local government, serving as Chief Aide to Penny Gross, a member of the Board of Supervisors of Fairfax County.

• Ever since moving to Northern Virginia in the late 1980′s, Marwan was heavily involved in local politics and the Democratic Party in Virginia. In his home county of Fairfax, he served as Vice-Chair of Fairfax County Democratic Committee (FCDC) for Voter Registration, chaired the Local Affairs Committee for FCDC and until his death, served on the Steering Committee for the Democratic Party of Virginia.

• On the night he passed away, Marwan was planning to attend a dinner with Speaker PELOSI and Northern Virginia leaders at my home. He was feeling especially weak that day and had to decline. I wish he had been able to come. Despite his pain, it would have brought a smile to his lips to hear the Speaker explain how close we are to achieving universal healthcare and economic opportunity for all Americans and the renewed hope for peace throughout the world–issues he had spent his life fighting for.

• Madam Speaker, when someone dies so young, it’s important that we bear in mind the real tragedy of life is not at death but what dies inside of us while we live. In that sense Marwan lived a long and fruitful life. He never lost his passion, courage or commitment for justice and human rights. Without Marwan its now up to us to stand up and speak out all the louder for what he cared about: dignity of all human beings, the end of the violence and oppression which in many parts of the world is taken for granted, and the love of each other as precious instruments of our God.

Notice of Public Hearing and Call for Resolutions
by the Eighth Congressional District Temporary Resolutions Committee

Saturday, April 12, 2008, 3-5 PM,
Art Room, Falls Church Community Center,
223 Little Falls Street, Falls Church, VA 22046 (703) 248-5027

Democrats from Fairfax County and Falls Church are invited by the Eighth Congressional District Temporary Resolutions Committee to bring, for deliberation at this public hearing, resolutions on issues you believe should be examined by the Eighth District and the State Conventions.

The responsibility of the Eighth Congressional District Temporary Resolutions Committee is to review and propose resolutions; to be considered by the Eighth District Convention convening 10:00 a.m., Saturday, May 17, 2008, at Francis C. Hammond Middle School, 4646 Seminary Road, Alexandria, Virginia, 22304; and if adopted by the Convention, to be forwarded to the State Temporary Resolutions Committee.

the Honorable Richard R.G. Hobson, Chair
rhobson@mcguirewoods.com
(o) 703-712-5437, (h) 703-370-1858

Sandra J. Klassen, Fairfax County Member
sjkintl@aol.com
(703) 620-9723

Rosaura Aguerrebere, Falls Church Member
Ag485@aol.com
(703) 536-8683

Further RESOLUTIONS Rules
A. In order for a resolution to be considered by the Eighth Congressional District Convention the draft resolution must be received by the District Temporary Resolutions Committee by Friday, May 2, 2008, at 5:00 P.M. Resolutions should be mailed to the convener of the Temporary Resolutions Committee, the Honorable Richard R.G. Hobson, at 99 North Quaker Lane, Alexandria, Virginia 22304 ((o) 703-712-5437; (h) 703-370-1858) Email: rhobson@mcguirewoods.com. Mailed resolutions must be received before the deadline, not merely postmarked by the deadline date. Resolutions may also be submitted before the deadline to the Chair of the Eighth Congressional District Democratic Committee or to any member of the Temporary Resolutions Committee.

B. No resolutions or amendments to resolutions may be proposed from the floor of the convention.

C. Public hearings on resolutions prior to the Convention may be held at the discretion of the Resolutions Committee.

D. Debate on resolutions shall be limited to no more than one hour of the District Convention, the time to be divided equally among the resolutions.

E. All resolutions adopted by the District Convention shall be forwarded promptly to the State Temporary Resolutions Committee.