[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 153 (Thursday, September 13, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1255]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       CELEBRATING CONGRESSMAN JACK EDWARDS ON HIS 90TH BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRADLEY BYRNE

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 13, 2018

  Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate my friend and 
predecessor, Congressman Jack Edwards. Congressman Edwards proudly and 
ably served Alabama's First Congressional District in the United States 
House of Representatives from 1965 to 1985.
  Congressman Edwards has served our country and Southwest Alabama in 
numerous ways over the course of his life, starting in our nation's 
military. After graduating from high school, Congressman Edwards 
enlisted in the Marine Corps and served during the Korean War.
  After graduating college and law school and a short time teaching at 
the University of Alabama, he moved his family to the Mobile area in 
1954 and opened his own law firm. Congressman Edwards quickly became an 
active member of the Mobile community. He served as general counsel for 
the Gulf, Mobile, and Ohio Railroad and was active on the Mobile City 
Planning Commission.
  He was elected to Congress in 1964 as a Republican. In Congress, he 
established himself as a very effective legislator, forming invaluable 
relationships with many of his colleagues thanks to his kind and 
friendly personality. Many of those relationships continue to this day.
  One of his most notable accomplishments in Congress was his steadfast 
support for our nation's military. He used his position on the 
Appropriations Committee to advocate for the rebuilding and 
strengthening of the U.S. military. He also made transportation a top 
priority, and he played a key role in advancing the Tennessee-Tombigbee 
Waterway project and other projects that benefited Southwest Alabama 
and our state as a whole.
  As a sign of his success and popularity as our Congressman, Jack 
Edwards was re-elected nine times, and he never faced any serious 
opposition. He established a proud tradition of having strong 
constituent services in his Congressional office, and helped countless 
residents navigate the federal bureaucracy.
  After leaving Congress, Congressman Edwards returned to Mobile and 
held various roles in the local community, including his work as 
Chairman of the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce and on the Mayor's 
Waterfront Advisory Committee. He deserves much of the credit for 
helping rebuild and revitalize Mobile, and it was his efforts that 
paved the way for the economic success we are experiencing today.
  He also served on the Board of Trustees for the University of Alabama 
System from 1988 to 1999. He eventually held the position of President 
Pro Tempore of the board before his retirement.
  Jack Edwards has long-served as a mentor to me, and I value our 
friendship. He was the one who first sparked my interest in public 
service and encouraged me to get involved in improving public education 
in Mobile County. As Congressman, I still am fortunate to benefit from 
his advice and guidance. My wife, Rebecca, and I consider him and his 
wife, Jolane, as dear friends.
  On behalf of Alabama's First Congressional District and the United 
States House of Representatives, I want to wish Congressman Edwards a 
very happy birthday. I look forward to celebrating many more in the 
years ahead.

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