[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 164 (Thursday, October 17, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H8206]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1030
          MOURNING THE DEATH OF THE HONORABLE ELIJAH CUMMINGS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, there are many things that we come to 
this floor to do. In the midst of our duties, we stand in this well as 
armor and advocates for democracy. There are moments of joy, and there 
are moments of high debate, but I come this morning partly for a moment 
of sadness.
  I am looking at my iPhone at a picture of myself and the late 
Congressman Elijah Cummings so many years ago. It tells the story of 
the breadth and depth of his life, when he invited Members of Congress 
to come to his district to challenge the scourge of HIV and to stand 
against the proliferation of addiction.
  He was always standing in the gap for his constituents, his beloved 
Baltimore, and his beloved family. He always considered himself as 
someone who would find a cure for the ailments of society.
  That is why, this morning, we have heard some of his words: ``Come 
on, people, we are better than this.''
  The wonderment of his words that really came from his strong 
spiritual connection--I want everybody to know that he was able to say 
all of this and remain that steady figure in the eye of the storm 
because he was a man of faith who had no shame in his love of God and 
the teachings of his parents, who he reminded us all the time, as they 
rest in peace themselves, that they were sharecroppers.
  Look at him now. He ascended to greatness. As chairman of the 
Oversight and Reform Committee, his focus was not only on this recent 
impeachment inquiry. He looked at all aspects of wrongness that 
afflicted the American people, certainly one being the overuse of 
prescription drugs causing people to either lose their lives or not be 
able to take care of themselves.
  He was also a man of justice who wanted criminal justice reform and 
wanted to work to ensure that our police persons and law enforcement 
could have the kind of training and understanding of culturally diverse 
communities.
  He served us in many ways. He certainly was an icon amongst the 
Congressional Black Caucus, but he was not ours alone. He belonged to 
this Congress--Republicans and Democrats--and he belonged to the 
Nation.
  But, Baltimore, I cannot leave you out. He belonged to his beloved 
Baltimore and also the heritage of his parents.
  I stand here today to give comfort to those who are mourning, to try 
to ease the pain that I am experiencing, and to be able to call upon a 
Nation that has the beauty of allowing us to pray to any God that we 
worship in any faith that we may have, that we call upon that faith 
today to be reminded of a giant like Elijah Cummings.
  I conclude with just a moment to say that I pray for the families in 
Syria, the fleeing Kurds. I pray that this unmistakable disaster that 
has occurred, that we can put it right-side up with the Congress 
working to secure a no-fly zone and to have a cease-fire in northern 
Syria to be able to stop the bloodletting of women and children and the 
fleeing that is going on.
  As my good friend would want, we want to fix government. In fixing 
government, we want to protect the American people. This threat to 
national security that has now been unleashed with the escaping of ISIS 
supporters and family members along with ISIS persons, we must come 
together to find a way to bring about peace.
  In his name, I am grateful to have this opportunity to honor him and 
to also speak to peace. That is what I believe his life legacy will be, 
that he always wanted the best for America. He would always say to all 
of us, no matter what walk of life we were in, what background we came 
from, and what diverse part of America we represented, he would always 
say, ``We are better than this.''
  His faith in a higher power was without question, and that will be 
the strength that I have today, faith in a higher power.
  May God bless him. May he rest and have a soul that is rested. May 
God bless his family, may God bless all those who loved him and his 
constituents, and may God bless the United States of America.

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