[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 177 (Wednesday, December 19, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H10429]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   WELCOMING THE HONORABLE JOE WILSON TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

  (Mr. SPRATT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure of presenting our newest 
Member to the House of Representatives: Addison Graves Wilson, better 
known to us in South Carolina as just ``Joe.''
  Joe Wilson will fill the seat held for 30 years by Floyd Spence and 
represent the Second District of South Carolina. In many ways he will 
also fill Floyd's shoes, because the people of that district have 
chosen a man closely akin to Floyd Spence in personality, in politics, 
and in dedication to public service. In fact, Floyd Spence was in many 
ways Joe Wilson's mentor. His first political experience, after college 
at Washington and Lee, was in working on Floyd's first campaign for 
Congress. He has worked on all of Floyd's campaigns since and served as 
manager or chairman of six.
  Joe Wilson was first elected to office in his own right in 1984 when 
he won a seat in the South Carolina Senate to serve Lexington County. 
His legislative experience is extensive. This past year he served as 
chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. He has also served on 
the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Education Committee, the Joint 
Committee on Aging, and the State House Committee.
  Before being elected to the South Carolina Senate, Joe Wilson served 
in the Army Reserves. He is now a colonel in the Army National Guard, 
staff judge advocate for the 218th Mechanized Infantry Brigade. He is a 
graduate of the Command and General Staff College, and two sons have 
followed his footsteps into the military. One is a first lieutenant in 
the Army National Guard, another is an ensign in the Navy, attending 
the Armed Forces medical school in Bethesda right now.
  Joe Wilson was born in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1947, to Hugh 
de Veaux Wilson and Wray Graves Wilson, both now deceased and unable to 
see their son attain, unfortunately, this high office. He is a lawyer, 
founder and senior partner in the law firm of Wilson, Moore, Taylor & 
Thomas in West Columbia.
  Joe Wilson is happily married to Roxanne Dusenbury McCrory; and he 
and Roxanne are the proud parents of four children, Michael Alan 
McCrory-Wilson; Addison Graves, Jr.; Julian Dusenbury; and Hunter 
Taylor.
  In addition to his legislative and military service, he has served as 
the deputy general counsel of the Department of Energy, and he has 
spent countless hours serving his community through a number of civic 
organizations.
  Mr. Speaker, as dean of the South Carolina delegation, it is my 
privilege and my honor to welcome Joe Wilson of South Carolina to the 
United States House of Representatives.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown) 
who served in the General Assembly with Joe Wilson and would like to 
say a word of introduction himself.
  Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to have 
the honor to help receive my great friend today. Joe Wilson and I 
started our careers in the legislature about the same time. We served 
16 years together, he in the Senate, I in the House. In fact, he was a 
good Senator to work with. I am proud to have him as my friend. Joe and 
his wife, Roxanne, became good friends of my family, and I have had the 
pleasure of watching his children grow up.
  It is a pleasure to be here today, Joe, to welcome you to this great 
body. It is a pleasure to have the opportunity to serve with you again. 
I welcome you to the U.S. Congress.

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