[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 83 (Tuesday, May 20, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H4188-H4189]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




WELCOMING THE HONORABLE TRAVIS CHILDERS TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

  The SPEAKER. Without objection, the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. 
Taylor) is recognized for 1 minute.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TAYLOR. Madam Speaker, as dean of the Mississippi congressional 
delegation, I am very, very happy to introduce to the House today the 
House's newest Member, Travis Childers.
  Travis went to work when he was 16 years old following the death of 
his father. He worked in a local convenience store to help put himself 
through school and take care of his family. He attended Northeast 
Mississippi Junior College and graduated from the University of 
Mississippi. He is a successful realtor, and has served as the Chancery 
Clerk of Prentiss County for 16 years. He is married to the former Tami 
Gibson, and the couple has two children, Dustin, a first-year law 
student at Mississippi College, and Lauren, a freshman at Ole Miss. 
Travis has been elected four times in the span of 63 days.
  He follows in the footsteps of the longest serving Member of 
Congress, Mr. Jamie Whitten, who used to sit right there, and, most 
recently, Mississippi's newest Senator, Roger Wicker.
  On behalf of the people of Mississippi, on behalf of this Congress, 
we welcome Mississippi's newest Representative, Travis Childers.

                              {time}  1315

  Mr. CHILDERS. Madam Speaker, my fellow colleagues, thank you for your 
warm welcome today. It has seemed like a long time in 63 days.
  I want to especially thank Congressman Taylor, Congressman Thompson 
for your great help in my campaign. Congressman Pickering, I'm sad that 
you're leaving us. You all have been so, so very kind to me.
  First I want to thank God today that I'm standing here. I thank my 
community in North Mississippi and the people of the First 
Congressional District of Mississippi who are some of the finest people 
in the world. I am humbled by the trust that they've placed in me. I am 
grateful for their support, and I am forever committed to working for 
the people of North Mississippi every single day.
  I thank my wife of 27 years for standing beside me and again, being a 
great part of the reason that we are standing in this wonderful place 
today. And then our two fine children, Dustin and Lauren, for standing 
by me and their mother.
  I want to thank my mother, who's in the gallery today, who always 
believed in me.
  I want to thank every person who had a part of my life, and there 
have been so many and I wish I could introduce you to them, but that's 
not possible.
  I wish my wonderful grandparents and my father and my sister could be 
here.
  I want to let everyone here know that I'm ready to roll up my sleeves 
and get to work. The campaign is one

[[Page H4189]]

thing, but I'm ready to work, Congressmen.
  As a local official, I worked hard and I worked with both parties. I 
focused on balancing budgets and creating jobs. This will still be my 
approach, and these will be my priorities in Congress.
  I pledge to work as hard as I can to mend our failing economy and 
help bring down the skyrocketing cost of gas, groceries and health 
care.
  I look forward to meeting and working with every single one of you. I 
look forward to standing up for the values of the people who I have the 
honor of serving. And I pledge to work every day for the people of the 
First District of the great State of Mississippi.

                          ____________________