[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 166 (Monday, October 21, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H8285-H8290]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            PAYING TRIBUTE TO CONGRESSMAN ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2019, the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Horsford) is recognized 
for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
  Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to anchor this Congressional 
Black Caucus Special Order hour, and I thank our CBC chair, 
Congresswoman Karen Bass, for her leadership in organizing this effort.
  For the next 60 minutes, we want to pay a special tribute to 
Congressman Elijah E. Cummings.
  The Congressional Black Caucus, the entire country, and this 
institution suffered a great loss. As a lifelong advocate for justice, 
equality, and the truth, Congressman Cummings was the true definition 
of a leader and public servant.
  To many, Chairman Cummings was a friend and a mentor, but to the 
members of the Congressional Black Caucus, Chairman Cummings was 
family.
  Last week, Congress lost a fierce leader, a tireless champion of the 
people, and my friend, Chairman Elijah Cummings. It is a sad time for 
Congress, for Maryland, and, in fact, for the entire country.

                              {time}  1945

  For the next 60 minutes we will hear from members of the 
Congressional Black Caucus and other colleagues as we pay tribute to a 
great man.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield, first and foremost, to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Bass), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.
  Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to 
Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, a man of great honor and a giant within 
the House of Representatives.
  Congressman Cummings was born in Baltimore on January 18, 1951. He 
was one of seven children of Robert and Ruth Cummings. Although his 
family struggled financially, they always found a way to help others in 
their community.
  Representative Cummings and his family, like thousands of other 
African Americans, had to face the brutal experience of the Jim Crow 
period. When Representative Cummings was a child, at 11, he was 
attacked while trying to swim in the neighborhood swimming pool. Racist 
adults threw rocks and bottles that resulted in injuries but left him 
with a determination to study law and to become the fighter for social 
justice that characterized his life.
  He would go on to receive his bachelor's degree in political science 
from Howard University, and, while at Howard, he served as student 
government president. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Howard 
University, he obtained his law degree from the University of Maryland 
School of Law.
  Congressman Cummings practiced law in Baltimore, and, at the age of 
31, he was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, where he served 
for 14 years and ascended to become the first African American speaker 
pro tempore.
  In 1996, Congressman Cummings won a special election to Congress. He 
immediately demonstrated his leadership talent and won the respect of 
his colleagues.
  In 2003, he was elected as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, 
where he served with distinction.
  In 2011, he was elected by the Democratic Caucus as the ranking 
member of the Committee on Oversight and Reform; and, in January of 
this year, he became the chair of the committee.
  At this difficult time in the history of our country, we were so 
fortunate to have had Representative Cummings in the leadership of such 
an important and contentious committee. He fought passionately for the 
rights of children separated from their families; he fought for 
everyone to have healthcare and medications that are affordable; and he 
fought for everyone to have access and the right to vote.
  Anyone who attended a committee hearing could feel his passion. Even 
if they disagreed with him, they knew his passion was based on his 
belief and a commitment to fight for justice. The respect he afforded 
his opponents demonstrated for everyone to see how to lead with 
integrity and humility.
  Chairman Cummings once said: ``I'm not trying to do anything 
extraordinary. I'm trying to do what the Constitution says I'm supposed 
to do.''
  Representative Cummings' passing is a loss to the entire Nation, 
especially at this moment in history where he provided for us all an 
example of true leadership--leadership for the people, not leadership 
for self-advancement. He provided an example for us all to emulate.
  His memory will forever be in our hearts and his legacy is secured in 
history because, in spite of his word, he was, in fact, extraordinary.
  Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair for her timely remarks 
and for her leadership and compassion for our entire Congressional 
Black Caucus membership during this very difficult time.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. 
Clyburn), the majority whip.
  Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for leading this 
Special Order.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman of our caucus for giving us 
somewhat of a resume of the life of Elijah Cummings.
  Most people know that Elijah Cummings' roots were deep in South 
Carolina soil. I happen to represent the county in which his parents 
were born. They came north to Baltimore, seeking a better life for 
their children. They were sharecroppers in the county that gave birth 
to Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas.
  The interesting thing about the people of that community who formed 
the movement that spurred a national and, I dare say, international 
movement was the simplicity of their lives and their aspirations. The 
Brown case was not about integrating schools; it was about getting a 
schoolbus for their children.
  The people who came together were people of modest means. The case 
got the name of Briggs v. Elliott. Harry Briggs was an ordinary man 
working at a filling station making $23 a week; his wife, Eliza, making 
$18 a week as a chambermaid in a motel. That is the community that 
Elijah Cummings' family left.
  He came back to that community often, and we would talk about it: the

[[Page H8286]]

dreams and aspirations of his parents and what they instilled in him. 
They were both evangelicals.
  Elijah took on the mantle of an evangelist. He didn't work to prepare 
people for the hereafter. He worked to prepare people for the here and 
now.
  I have been approached by various media sources with the question: 
What is the legacy of Elijah Cummings? It is a simple legacy that I 
hope all of us will remember.
  First of all, it matters not where you come from. What really matters 
is how far you go.
  He came to this body knowing full well that he was coming into a body 
where people stood on the shoulders of giants. He didn't set out to be 
a giant, but he became one. And we, today, are much better off because 
of Elijah Cummings.
  I often think about a long conversation Elijah and I had over near 
the wall. He told me, one day, about being placed in special education 
as a child. He told me what it was like when a teacher saw him and 
decided that the only thing special about Elijah Cummings was his 
inquisitiveness. He was inquisitive, a little bit too much for some 
people, and they thought, to get rid of him, they would put him in 
special education.

  This teacher took him out of that class, and Elijah Cummings went on 
to graduate college Phi Beta Kappa, to finish law school, to become the 
first African American to head a position in the House of Delegates of 
Maryland, and to come here to this body and to chair a committee, a 
committee that he chaired with distinction and reverence.
  We are going to miss Elijah Cummings. All of us in this body will 
stand upon his strong shoulders.
  Thank you, Elijah. Thank you.
  Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the majority whip for his 
heartfelt remarks and for sharing his personal reflections on his 
friendship and service with Chairman Cummings.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), a 
civil rights icon and a man whom I am very honored to serve with in 
this body each and every day.
  Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a close, dear, and 
beloved friend, almost like a brother, Congressman Elijah Cummings.
  This great man, this brother, spent 36 years in public service to his 
people, his home State, and to our country. He was a leader who loved 
this Nation, all of its people, and fought until his very last breath 
for those who had been left out and left behind.
  He dedicated every single moment of his life to strengthening and 
preserving our Union. He spent every waking moment thinking of those 
who were hurting and suffering. He focused all of his energy into this 
Congress and the people we represent.
  Mr. Speaker, it was an honor to know and to love him. It was an honor 
to serve with him. It was a great honor to consider him my brother and 
my friend.
  Sometimes people would confuse us and say: ``Hello, Elijah,'' or, 
``Hello, John Lewis'' to him, and we would joke about it. We would 
laugh about it.
  Mr. Speaker, I say to the people in Maryland and people around our 
Nation and people around the world: We have lost a warrior. I don't 
think we will be so lucky or so blessed to see the likeness of this man 
again.
  As a nation and as a people, we owe Chairman Cummings a debt of 
gratitude. There are no words to describe the loss of our brother, our 
friend, and our colleague who lived up to this great and powerful name. 
It hurts so deeply that all I can do is keep his wife, his family, and 
all who knew and loved him in my constant prayers.
  Elijah, we hope to see you again one day. Blessed be your name.
  Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, we as a body extend our sincerest 
condolences to Chairman Cummings' wife, Dr. Maya Rockeymoore; their 
children, grandchildren, friends, staff, and all those whom he 
positively impacted in his life and work.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia 
(Ms. Norton).

                              {time}  2000

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend for yielding.
  At times like these, my good friend who chaired the Oversight and 
Reform Committee, on which I also serve, was compelled to be a strong 
leader, but that is who Elijah was anyway.
  Elijah Cummings was known for calling out his Republican colleagues 
on countless issues, from the Census to the treatment of children 
coming across the border.
  Yet, Chairman Cummings always took a principled stand whenever he saw 
the strong against the weak. Elijah Cummings' strong sense of principle 
was reinforced by his commanding presence, booming voice, and 
convincing sense of rectitude.
  Yet, the presence of the passing of Chairman Cummings drew widespread 
sympathy and comment from the very Republicans in this House he most 
opposed. It is Republicans who give the best witness to Chairman 
Cummings' resolute fairness. Even as he held the gavel, he always let 
his adversaries have their say. Afterward, of course, he took them all 
to the cleaners.
  Tragically, we have lost Elijah Cummings when this House perhaps most 
needed his principled leadership.
  Our Committee on Oversight and Reform, which he chaired, is one of 
the committees deeply involved in the impeachment inquiry. Almost every 
day, Republicans and Democrats are sitting in to hear testimony and ask 
questions of witnesses during this investigation stage of the 
impeachment inquiry.
  Elijah Cummings' legendary evenhandedness will be most missed and 
sought after by all who are looking for a role model and for best 
practices for the rare impeachment inquiry and, for that matter, 
hereafter.
  Let us always remember our good friend, Elijah Cummings.
  Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for sharing her 
remarks and reflections on his leadership.
  He definitely had a presence as a dignified leader and chairman, and 
he personified what it really means to oversee his committee with 
civility and respect for each Member. I had the honor of serving on 
that committee during my first tenure in Congress, and I learned a lot 
and will continue to carry out that leadership.
  I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop).
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding.
  Truly, this is the day that the Lord has made. In spite of the fact 
that our hearts are heavy, we must rejoice and be glad in it because we 
have the opportunity to celebrate the life of our longtime friend and 
our colleague, Congressman Elijah Cummings.
  As you have heard, Elijah rose from modest beginnings to become one 
of the greatest public servants that our country has seen. Elijah 
always did what he believed was right, which earned him respect and 
friendship on both sides of the aisle. His courage, his passion, and 
his integrity were undeniable to anyone who crossed his path.
  Elijah inspired us regularly as one of the greatest orators in this 
House. He came to my district in Georgia as a guest speaker, and when 
he finished, everyone was in awe. Elijah's powerful voice made everyone 
take notice, listen intently, and then act.
  America has lost a fierce warrior who was committed to doing the 
right thing, regardless of politics. We will truly feel his absence in 
this House, where he spoke truth to power and passionately advocated 
for justice and equality for all.
  My wife, Vivian, and I send our prayers and our deepest condolences 
to his wife, Maya, his children, and his family as we mourn this great 
man.
  Winston Churchill once said: ``We make a living by what we get, but 
we make a life by what we give.''
  Elijah Cummings gave so much to so many for so long. He made his 
life, but even greater, he made a life for his constituents and for 
countless others all across this Nation.
  Truly, this world is a better place because of the life and legacy of 
Elijah Cummings.
  To God, be the glory for our friend, our colleague, and the legacy of 
Elijah E. Cummings.
  Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for again sharing 
his very heartfelt remarks.
  This body tonight, it is very humbling to be here with each of the 
Members who have joined us, each one great in their own way.

[[Page H8287]]

  As one of the new Members here in this body, it gives me great pride 
to be a part of the Congressional Black Caucus and to know that each 
and every Member has made such significant contributions, not just to 
their districts, but to the entire country.
  I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rush).
  Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  The Word of the Lord says in Psalm 116:15: ``Precious in the sight of 
the Lord is the death of his saints.''
  With that in mind, the people of the First Congressional District of 
Illinois have sent me here to extend their collective condolences to 
the family and friends of Elijah Eugene Cummings and to the citizens of 
the Seventh Congressional District of Maryland.
  Elijah loved the Lord because the Lord first loved Elijah. How do I 
know this? I know this from the many times that we had discussions. 
Rarely in those discussions did we talk about anything other than 
the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how good the Lord has been to both 
Elijah and myself. I just stopped by the well of the U.S. House of 
Representatives this evening to tell somebody, to tell everybody, that 
the Lord is good and his mercy endures forever.

  Our Nation shall surely miss the love, the compassion, the strength, 
the brilliance, the tireless dedication, and the amazing words of 
Elijah Eugene Cummings.
  The Lord proclaims now to all who would hear his praise for Elijah 
and Elijah's work: Well done, my good and faithful servant. Well done.
  Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Rush for his 
encouraging words, the Word that we know we needed, not just the day 
that we heard of the passing of Chairman Cummings, but the Word that 
continues to sustain us each and every day.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), 
chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, one of the big five, as 
we call them here in the Congressional Black Caucus.
  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the chorus of admirers of Elijah 
Cummings and to mourn the passing of our distinguished colleague.
  Congressman Cummings served with passion for the rule of law, and 
always governed in a respectful manner, even when dealing with some of 
the most critical and controversial issues facing Congress today.
  It is rightly noted that when Congressman Cummings spoke, he spoke 
with moral authority, frequently reminding us that ``we are better than 
that.''
  He was an invaluable leader for civil rights, justice, and 
fundamental fairness. He believed in the promise of America and served 
as an example of it every single day. We are better off because of his 
leadership in Congress and the tremendous contributions he made over 
his life of service.
  Mr. Speaker, I send my deepest condolences to Dr. Maya Rockeymoore 
Cummings, his three children, and all of his loved ones. I hope they 
will find comfort in knowing that so many people across the country are 
mourning their loss with them.
  Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman and chairman of the 
Education and Labor Committee.
  I yield to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), the 
chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, another great chairman who 
governs with a steady hand and another example of the wonderful 
leadership that we have in this body.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding. I am happy to join my colleagues in paying tribute to Elijah 
Cummings.
  We all have at least one Elijah Cummings story. Some of us have a lot 
more. But more importantly, it is how Elijah lived that we have to pay 
tribute to.
  Elijah demonstrated every day not only that he loved the people of 
Baltimore, but he loved this great country. If we can just pattern our 
lives after Elijah Cummings' past, we will be fine.
  To a great warrior, a great patriot, a great leader who, obviously, 
in a lot of our minds, was taken too short, we say God bless you. We 
understand that if we had anything to do with it, we would have kept 
you here. But it just wasn't in the plan.
  So, departing, I say to you, as well as my colleagues: Elijah, we 
appreciate you. Your job here in this Congress speaks volumes. God 
bless you.
  Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for coming to the 
floor and speaking on behalf of his experience and friendship with 
Chairman Cummings.
  As the gentleman said, he really demonstrated a life worth living and 
an example, an embodiment, definitely for young people and young 
leaders of what they should do to exemplify a good role model.
  I thank the gentleman for his remarks.
  I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, to Elijah's wonderful wife and my 
friend, and to his children and family, we have said over and over 
again how much we will miss him, but we realize how much you will miss 
him.
  Elijah Cummings was my classmate. He came in during a special 
election, but we always viewed each other as classmates coming in the 
mid-1990s.
  His spirit was so strong that he was able to provide his own internal 
strength and also to provide strength for others.
  I think we knew about Elijah's parents more than anyone else. He 
talked about Robert and Ruth Cummings not only as sharecroppers but as 
preachers, and he talked about how they poured into his life.
  Elijah was a successful man though he started with a designation that 
he was slow in school. He was a Phi Beta Kappa, becoming Maryland's 
first African American speaker pro temp.

                              {time}  2015

  But what I know most about him is that Elijah would not want us to 
talk about all of those successes. He probably wouldn't even want us to 
talk about his being the powerful chairman of the Oversight and Reform 
Committee or talk about his work in criminal justice and ban the box 
that we worked together on, or even when he took a whole group of 
Members over to Baltimore when he first got elected because of the 
scourge of HIV/AIDS. He wanted us to see it; he wanted us to stand with 
him; and he wanted to show his community that he was going to fight on 
their behalf.
  What I love most about Elijah was that he mentored people anywhere he 
could find them on the floor of the House. We joined each other in 
wanting to mentor to young interns, and every time the Congressional 
Black Caucus Foundation called him to speak to the interns--I remember 
a time when John, Elijah, and I spoke to the class, and Elijah lifted 
them beyond anyone's expression or belief.
  Elijah Cummings gave his maiden speech, and I want to give his words 
when he first came to the United States Congress. When I saw these, I 
said how powerful and potent.
  Elijah Cummings said:

     I only have a minute,
     60 seconds in it.
     Forced upon me, I did not choose it,
     But I know that I must use it.
     Give account if I abuse it,
     Suffer, if I lose it.
     Only a tiny little minute,
     But eternity is in it.

  So, as I close my remarks, being reminded that Elijah would not want 
us to give his whole litany of success, I began to think of the speech 
of Dr. Martin Luther King on the night before his death, when he 
reminded people that he wanted to be known as someone who tried to help 
someone. He said he feared no man.
  When Elijah spoke and worked, and when he worked with Republicans, he 
did not fear them, but he brought them to him. He made peace, while he 
also fought for justice.
  In the words of Dr. King in that last speech, he said: ``When people 
get caught up with that which is right and they are willing to 
sacrifice for it, there is no stopping point short of victory.''
  I believe in this life our dear friend secured real victory for his 
people and his constituents, a victory for those who believe in justice 
and equality, and a victory for the people of the United States of 
America.
  So, Elijah, the minute you had, the minute that was given to you, you 
did

[[Page H8288]]

not waste it, and you have gained eternity. As Dr. King said, you were 
the orchestrator of letting justice roll down like waters and 
righteousness like a mighty stream. You were part of that justice and 
part of that victory. You didn't stop short. You only had a minute, but 
boy what you did do with that.
  May God bless your soul, may you be in peace, may you R.I.P., and may 
we love you until we meet again.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Congressman Horsford of Nevada for 
anchoring this Special Order in remembrance of Chairman Elijah 
Cummings, the indefatigable champion of justice and equality, the 
Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight, the Member of Congress 
from the Seventh Congressional District of Maryland since April 16, 
1996, and above all, the devoted and beloved son of Baltimore.
  Chairman Elijah Cummings died Thursday, October 17, 2019 at Johns 
Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland; he was 68 years old.
  On behalf of my family and the constituents of the 18th Congressional 
District of Texas, I offer my deepest sympathy and prayers to his 
family and friends. Mr. Speaker, our friend Elijah Cummings was in 
every sense of the word a statesman and a gentleman who believed in 
bipartisanship and treated everyone equally and respectfully.
  Born January 18, 1951 in Baltimore, Maryland, to Robert and Ruth 
Cummings, South Carolina, sharecroppers who followed the Great 
Migration north to factory jobs in Baltimore, Elijah Eugene Cummings 
was the third of seven children.
  After graduating from Baltimore City College High School in 1969, 
Elijah Cummings attended Howard University in Washington, D.C., where 
he was elected President of the student government and graduated in 
1973 with a degree in political science, earning honors as Phi Beta 
Kappa.
  Mr. Speaker, you may be interested to know that Elijah Cummings went 
on to earn a law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law.
  Elijah Cummings' matriculation and graduation from the University of 
Maryland School of Law was poetic justice because a generation before 
it had denied admission to another son of Baltimore, the legendary 
Thurgood Marshall, who then went to the Howard University School of Law 
and later became the greatest social engineer and the architect and 
instrument of the strategy that defeated Jim Crow and toppled de jure 
segregation at the University of Maryland School of Law.
  Elijah Cummings practiced law for 14 years in Baltimore and in 1982 
he was elected to the House of Delegates of the Maryland General 
Assembly where he served for 14 years.
  In the Maryland General Assembly, he served as Chairman of the 
Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland and was the first African American 
in Maryland history to be named Speaker Pro Tempore, the second highest 
position in the House of Delegates, earning a reputation as a champion 
of progressive and liberal causes and constituencies and as a skilled 
census-builder.
  Mr. Speaker, in 1996 when Congressman Kweisi Mfume resigned to assume 
the presidency of the United Negro College Fund, Elijah Cummings ran in 
and easily won the special election created by the vacancy with 80 
percent of the popular vote.
  Elijah Cummings was re-elected to the 105th Congress and each of the 
succeeding Congresses until his untimely death, never winning with less 
than 70 percent of the vote.
  In Elijah Cummings' maiden address as a member of Congress he vowed 
that he would make use of his limited time in Congress:

     I only have a minute.
     Sixty seconds in it.
     Forced upon me, I did not choose it,
     But I know that I must use it.
     Give account if I abuse it.
     Suffer, if I lose it.
     Only a tiny little minute,
     But eternity is in it.

  Mr. Speaker, Elijah Cummings made good on that prophetic promise from 
the start.
  As a Member of Congress, Elijah Cummings served on the Committees on 
Transportation and Infrastructure and on Oversight and Government 
Reform.
  As a freshman member, Elijah Cummings championed and supported health 
care and labor legislation.
  In 2003, Elijah Cummings was elected as Chairman of the Congressional 
Black Caucus.
  In the 112th Congress, Elijah Cummings was elected by his colleagues 
to be Ranking Member of what is now known as the Committee on Oversight 
and Reform and in the 115th Congress was appointed by the Democratic 
Leader Nancy Pelosi to the Benghazi Committee.
  One of my proudest moments was working with Elijah Cummings to secure 
passage of H.R. 1076, the Fair Chance Act, which would ``ban the box'' 
in federal hiring by restricting federal employers and contractors from 
asking about the criminal histories of applicants until the conditional 
offer stage.
  The Fair Chance Act would give formerly incarcerated people a fair 
chance at a job and a piece of the American dream.
  I was proud to have been able to work with Chairman Elijah Cummings 
in support of this legislation and other legislative goals of mutual 
interest and concern like reducing gun violence and eliminating unfair 
policing in communities of color.
  Mr. Speaker, Elijah Cummings dedicated his life to serving and 
uplifting others and empowering the people he was sworn to represent; 
he was a man for and of the people, going to the streets and ensuring 
that their voices were heard.
  Elijah Cummings received national attention in 2015 when he walked 
the streets of Baltimore, his notable bullhorn in hand, and pleaded for 
calm after riots erupted in his neighborhood after the funeral of 
Freddie Gray, a young black man who died in police custody.
  Elijah Cummings took the issues of his constituents to heart; many of 
us recall how he fought for meaning in the death of young Deamonte 
Driver, a 12-year-old Maryland boy who died from an untreated tooth 
infection.
  Elijah Cummings often said that ``our children are the living 
messages that we send to a future we will never see'' and was committed 
to ensuring that the next generation had access to quality healthcare 
and education, clean air and water, and a strong economy defined by 
fiscal responsibility.
  Elijah Cummings had a servant's heart and was imbued with an ethic of 
service and inspired countless numbers of persons fight for their 
beliefs.
  Unsurpassed was this native of Baltimore's love for his hometown.
  That could also be seen by his response to the current President's 
belittling Baltimore and his congressional district as a ``disgusting, 
rat and rodent infested mess'' to which Elijah Cummings invited the 
President to join him in the important work of ensuring that all 
Americans had accessible, affordable, high quality health care.
  Elijah Cummings' passion was not reserved for his district and the 
city of Baltimore; he also deeply loved his country.
  As Ranking Member and the Chairman of the House Committee on 
Oversight and Reform, Elijah Cummings brought his intellect to what he 
called ``the fight for the soul of our democracy.''
  Elijah Cummings deeply believed in our democratic system and values 
and worked tirelessly to preserve them and exhorted everyone to the 
same:
  ``When we're dancing with the angels, the question will be asked, in 
2019, what did we do to make sure we kept our democracy intact? Did we 
stand on the sidelines and say nothing?''
  In the words of his widow, Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, Elijah 
Cummings ``worked until his last breath because he believed our 
democracy was the highest and best expression of our collective 
humanity and that our nation's diversity was our promise, not our 
problem.''
  Mr. Speaker, the life of Elijah Cummings is a testament to what a 
person of goodwill can accomplish with a servant's heart and the 
understanding that in the passion play of life you only have a minute, 
but all eternity is in it.
  Elijah Cummings did not waste his minute of eternity.
  Elijah Cummings will live forever in the hearts of the people of his 
hometown Baltimore, his state of Maryland, and the United States.
  To his widow Maya, his children, and family and friends he loved and 
who loved him so dearly, my deepest sympathies go out to and I hope you 
find consolation in the certain knowledge that our beloved Elijah is 
now dancing with the angels.
  Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her remarks.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), 
who is another great leader. She is one of the co-chairs of the 
Steering and Policy Committee for the House Democrats and a true 
champion on so many issues, particularly for women, children, and 
families.
  Ms. LEE of California. First, Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding.
  I also want to thank our chair, Congresswoman Karen Bass, and Stacey 
Plaskett for leading this beautiful tribute tonight.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight in honor of the life and legacy of 
Chairman Elijah Cummings, who was a great statesman and leader, but 
also a kind and gentle human being who led with both his head and his 
heart.
  My heart is heavy tonight as I offer my deepest condolences to my 
friends, Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, the

[[Page H8289]]

entire family, his staff, and the people of Baltimore, whom he loved 
and served with courage and boldness.
  Yes, he was a person of deep faith, which was that guiding light in 
everything that he did. Elijah was the son of two pastors, and he took 
care of his mother and his father in their last years on Earth.
  Elijah had been a friend and adviser to me since I first came to 
Congress. When I was first elected, he gave me much-needed 
encouragement, knowing that I had come in a special election, replacing 
my mentor and my friend, the late great Congressman Ron Dellums, who 
had some big shoes to fill.
  But Elijah told me early on, he said: Hey, you have got to step out 
there, carve out your own agenda, and get out there and do your job, 
what you need to do to serve the people of your district.
  He wanted to help me. We talked about how he could do that. He was 
the first Member of Congress--and he was so eager to do this--to visit 
my district early on in my tenure.
  We had a town meeting on gun safety, mass incarceration, and criminal 
justice reform. I have to tell you, Mr. Speaker, my constituents were 
in awe. They also send their condolences this evening.
  This was a defining moment for me as he lifted me up as a new Member 
of Congress in my district in a way that no one had, and he continued 
to support me and advise me on many important decisions.
  Also, like Congresswoman Jackson Lee, I had the privilege to be with 
Congressman Cummings in his district several times. The first time was 
when he invited CBC members to visit his HIV/AIDS clinics and other 
community organizations. It was so remarkable to see how people not 
only respected him as a great Member of Congress, but how they loved 
and connected with him as their brother who never lost touch with the 
people.
  So Elijah will be remembered as a man who pulled no punches, was 
authentic to the core, and a champion for our democracy. The greatest 
tribute to his work will be for all of us to continue to stand and 
defend our democracy with the same passion, vigor, and determination 
that he had.
  I will miss Elijah's wise counsel, his words of encouragement, his 
support, and his leadership.
  May his legacy live on, and may he rest in peace and power.
  I will miss you so much, Elijah. May God bless.
  Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her heartfelt 
remarks.
  Each one of us can tell our own story of our experiences and 
opportunities that we had to share with Chairman Cummings, and that is 
really the opportunity that we have tonight during this Special Order 
hour.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay), who 
is another person with a great legacy, who continues to serve his 
constituents with dignity.
  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Nevada for yielding.
  He was my chairman, my colleague, and my friend: the late great 
Elijah Cummings.
  I not only had the good fortune of serving with Chairman Cummings, I 
also was blessed to get to know him well over the years. He was a 
powerful and passionate advocate for the city of Baltimore, which he 
loved so dearly.
  I want to say that thousands of my constituents back in St. Louis 
have posted messages of condolence for Chairman Cummings' family. One 
of the most moving messages simply said this:
  One of the nicest things that can be said about a man is that we 
believed him.
  And that is the truth. Chairman Cummings fearlessly spoke truth to 
power, not to defeat an opponent, but to challenge us, to lift up this 
institution, and to give the American people a government that is as 
good and decent as they are.
  I think the true measure of what Elijah Cummings meant to us was 
that, early last Thursday, when word of his untimely death began to 
spread, there were as many Republican tears as Democratic tears 
mourning the passing of this very good man in the spirit of compassion 
and reconciliation the Lord has endowed within each of us if we have 
the wisdom to seek it.
  I want to extend my deepest sympathy to Chairman Cummings' family, 
and I want them to know that I share their grief. I have lost a 
brother, an American hero, and a true leader of this House.
  Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Congressman for coming to the 
floor to share his remarks.
  Many experiences have been shared from the Oversight and Reform 
Committee, from those who served on that committee, those who worked 
with Chairman Cummings on his staff. He was known to have one of the 
best staffs here in the House of Representatives, and it is partly 
because they got to work with such a great chairman.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. 
Butterfield), who is the former chairman of the Congressional Black 
Caucus.
  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, let me thank Congressman Horsford for 
yielding this evening, and I thank him for his extraordinary 
leadership.

  Elijah Cummings was my friend. Nearly every legislative day for the 
past 15 years, we talked about every subject you can imagine. Some of 
it consisted of small talk, but very often it consisted of serious 
conversations about our families and about our communities.
  So, on behalf of my family and on behalf of the 750,000 people of the 
First Congressional District of North Carolina, I extend condolences to 
the Cummings family and to the good people of Baltimore.
  Mr. Speaker, several years ago, I shared with Congressman Cummings a 
very sad situation in my district involving an African American 
attorney who had suffered a debilitating stroke and was having 
financial problems. Immediately--immediately--Mr. Cummings said: I have 
great affection for Black lawyers who have served their community, and 
I am going to send him some money. And he did.
  From time to time, I would see Mr. Cummings on national television on 
the talk shows. I would come back to the floor on Monday night or 
Tuesday night and I would sit next to him. I would compliment Mr. 
Cummings about his appearances on television and how he handled 
himself. I recall one day he told me that every minute that he is on 
television, he spent 1 hour preparing for that 1 minute. He was one for 
preparation.
  I sat next to Congressman Cummings as he cast his last floor vote 
several weeks ago. He didn't know it was his last, but it was. He was 
seated right over where Ms. Clarke is seated right now. As his staff 
assisted in getting him out of the chair, he looked at me that day and 
said: ``I'm so sick. I love you, man.''
  I say to you tonight, Congressman Cummings: I love you; we love you; 
and America loves you.
  Mr. Speaker, we celebrate a life well-lived. Elijah Eugene Cummings 
belongs to the ages.
  Rest in peace, my brother, rest in peace.
  Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Butterfield again for 
sharing his stories of friendship and how Chairman Cummings really 
touched his life as an example to so many here in this body.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Clarke), 
who is my good friend.
  Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank our colleague, 
Chairwoman Bass, and our coleaders for this evening's Special Order 
hour, for providing this moment for us to reflect.
  Let me start by saying, on behalf of myself, the Clarke family, and 
the people of the Ninth Congressional District of New York, I rise 
today to reflect upon the life and the legacy of the great chairman of 
the House Oversight and Reform Committee, Chairman Elijah Cummings, and 
express my heartfelt and deepest condolences to his wife, Maya 
Rockeymoore, his family, friends, constituents, and staff. Our great 
Nation is mourning and is in shock over the loss of a great man.
  As one of seven children born to parents who were sharecroppers and, 
just as important, or maybe more importantly, pastors of the Gospel, it 
is safe to say that Chairman Cummings embodied the epitome of our 
ancestors' wildest dreams and most fervent prayers.

[[Page H8290]]

  


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  Chairman Cummings represented Baltimore, Maryland, with devotion, 
pride, dignity, and integrity, and dedicated his career to ensuring 
that his beloved community was never marginalized.
  As chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Mr. 
Cummings used his voice to protect our democracy, to protect our civil 
liberties, and indeed, our humanity and our Constitution until his very 
last breath, and we will forever be indebted to his lifelong dedication 
to public service.
  He will be remembered as a steadfast, former chairman of the 
Congressional Black Caucus, an advocate of the Congressional Black 
Caucus and black communities across this Nation who used his voice to 
elevate our colleagues in leadership positions and to mentor black 
staffers.
  I recall when I was elected to the House of Representatives in the 
year 2006, I heard from all of the members of the New York 
Congressional Delegation, but I got a call from this gentleman from 
Baltimore, Maryland, with a thundering voice over the phone. That is 
when I knew I had made it, because I received a call from Elijah 
Cummings. And he offered his support, his mentoring, and his 
encouragement, and continued to do that every day that we served in 
this body together.
  Let us all take comfort in knowing that Chairman Cummings' legacy 
will be forever ingrained in the halls of Congress through the next 
generation of leaders that his work impacted and inspired, and all of 
us who are his legacy keepers.
  Chairman Cummings completed his mission. He is now, as he has said, 
dancing with the angels, and will go down in American history as a 
pillar in preserving our democracy and our core American values.
  Words cannot express the void and loss that our collective community 
feels during this time of bereavement, but we must lift our heads and 
continue to walk in the light of Chairman Cummings' legacy. We are 
standing on the shoulders of a giant, and we will live out his mission 
of creating a better America for all, one where we pass on to our 
children and grandchildren a nation far greater than the one that we 
inherited.
  May Chairman Elijah E. Cummings rest in peace and rise in glory. We 
will miss him dearly. I thank him.
  Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman. It has been my 
great honor to coanchor this Special Order hour with my esteemed 
colleague, Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett. And I want to, again, thank 
our chairwoman, Karen Bass, for her effort in bringing forward this 
opportunity for us to all share our reflections.
  And I just want to say, on my behalf, that Chairman Cummings stood up 
for, really, the most vulnerable in society, and supported policies to 
ensure that the next generation of Americans have access to a clean 
environment, affordable housing, quality healthcare and education, and 
financial empowerment.
  Congressman Cummings was a firm believer in the United States 
Constitution, who fought for equality for all Americans. It is certain 
that Chairman Cummings did everything in his power, and then some, to 
defend our country and its institutions, to keep our democracy alive 
and thriving, despite attacks from within. His legacy of leadership 
will continue to inspire us all, and his presence in Congress will 
surely be missed.
  I hope now that he is resting in power and dancing with the angels, 
happily, with the knowledge that he set an example of resistance and 
perseverance, and that we will continue in his footsteps, we will carry 
on his spirit, and we will carry on his legacy.
  I now turn this over to the coanchor for this Special Order, my 
colleague and good friend, Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett from the U.S. 
Virgin Islands, and I yield back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________