[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 28 (Wednesday, February 13, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H1556-H1557]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 MOMENT OF SILENCE IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE LATE HONORABLE WALTER B. JONES

  (Mr. PRICE of North Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, along with my 
colleagues in the North Carolina delegation, to remember and honor the 
life of Representative Walter Jones, Jr., a treasured colleague, a 
conscientious public servant, and a personal friend to many across this 
Chamber.
  Walter died on February 10, his 76th birthday. He lived a life full 
of service: 4 years in the North Carolina National Guard, 10 years in 
the North Carolina General Assembly, and nearly a quarter century in 
the U.S. House of Representatives.
  Walter and I met long before either of us served in the House. We 
worked together on the North Carolina Presidential campaign of Jimmy 
Carter in 1976. I have a photo on my desk of a very youthful-looking 
campaign team to prove it.
  Walter went on to chart a different course politically, a course that 
was uniquely his own. In fact, he found himself frequently at odds with 
if not one party, then the other. But by the same token, he sometimes 
found possibilities for alliances and cooperation in unexpected places 
and did not hesitate to take those opportunities.
  This approach was rooted in Walter's strong conscience and his 
personal sincerity. He stood out in an age when sincerity is sometimes 
in short supply in our Nation's politics, earning him respect and 
admiration on both sides of the aisle. The outpouring of tributes and 
remembrances we have seen in recent days is a testament to that fact.
  Much has been said about the personal encounters Walter had with 
veterans of the Iraq war and the families of those who never returned, 
and how these encounters led him to reassess his past and present 
policy stances.
  Walter sent over 10,000 letters to families of fallen troops, and he 
memorialized those who died from North Carolina's Camp Lejeune with 
photos outside his office.
  Walter's determined and effective voice for our military--certainly, 
the Marines especially--and his deep love for his home State of North 
Carolina will be missed in these halls and in the coastal, farming, and 
military communities that make up the Third Congressional District.
  We extend heartfelt condolences to Walter's wife, Joe Anne; his 
daughter, Ashley; his loyal staff; and the countless friends, 
neighbors, and community members whose lives he touched along the way. 
Our State, our Nation, and the institution of Congress will be poorer 
without him.
  We will miss Walter's reliable and cordial presence right here in 
this center aisle.
  Mr. Speaker, before we observe a moment of silence in Walter's honor, 
I yield to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx), the senior 
Republican in the North Carolina delegation.
  Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Price for 
yielding and for his wonderful comments remembering Walter.
  On behalf of the Republican Members of the North Carolina 
delegation--indeed, all the Members of our Republican Conference--we 
remember our long-serving colleague, Walter B. Jones, already miss him, 
and express our prayers for him and his family.
  Walter asked to be memorialized on the floor by his dear friend    
Thomas Massie, and Mr. Price will yield to him in a moment for that 
purpose.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for 
those remarks.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Massie).
  Mr. MASSIE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Price for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, our colleague and my great friend, Walter Jones, was 
both courageous and kind.
  He frequently quoted a statement by Senator John Ashcroft's father: 
``Washington is the spirit of arrogance, and Christ is the spirit of 
humility.'' Walter had the spirit of Christ.
  It didn't matter if you were a waiter at his table, a summer intern 
in his office, or the chairman of his committee, Walter extended the 
same respect to everyone. In his heart, he never believed that he was 
any better than the most common person.
  Walter's chief, Josh, who has been with him for 16 years, reminded me 
that some people in Washington, DC, kiss up and punch down. Walter 
often did the opposite. Walter would kiss down and punch up.

[[Page H1557]]

  He was a statesman and a true southern gentleman who followed his 
heart while fighting for his constituents.
  Whether you agreed with him or not, Walter displayed the type of 
courage we could all hope to possess. He was willing to admit when he 
was wrong, like that time he devoted to Jimmy Carter. He would admit it 
in front of God, his colleagues, and his 750,000 constituents. That is 
true courage.
  Walter's conscience guided his every vote and action in the 6 years 
that I knew him.
  11,266: that is the final number of letters that Walter Jones 
personally wrote, offering his apologies and condolences to the 
families of soldiers who lost their lives in the wars in the Middle 
East. You see, Walter eagerly voted for the Iraq war, but then later 
came to believe that he had made a grave mistake.
  Did he write those letters to prepare him for his next reelection? 
No. He wrote those letters to prepare him for this day, when he would 
be judged at the gates of Heaven.
  What might seem like a small plight could become Walter's greatest 
cause, if honor and respect were in the balance. Whenever Walter gave 
the blessing before the meals that I shared with him, he would mention 
two marine pilots who had been unfairly implicated in a tragic crash. 
Clearing the names of Major Brooks Gruber and Lieutenant Colonel John 
Brow was one of his most important achievements. When I spoke with 
Walter 2 weeks ago, he said he looked forward to meeting them in 
Heaven. He was at peace.
  Walter told me something else in that hour that we shared a couple of 
weeks ago. He reminded me that his father had served 13 terms in 
Congress, and it had been Walter's goal, he said, to match his father's 
service. For those who don't know, this was Walter's 13th term.
  I told Walter, ``They never beat you, did they?'' Well, I used 
another word than that. He laughed. You see, all the money in the world 
was no match for Walter's sincerity, which always shone through to the 
people he served, even if they didn't always agree with him.
  Walter wanted to finish this term, but God called him back too soon. 
I told Walter he would finish this term because when I would vote, I 
would ask myself: What would Walter do? He seemed pleased at that.
  So please join me. The next time you are torn on what to do or say in 
this body, ask yourself: What would Walter do? Walter would follow his 
conscience. Just follow your conscience, and together, we can ensure 
that Walter's spirit finishes this 13th term.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I ask that we observe a 
moment of silence.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair asks all present to rise and 
observe a moment of silence.

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