[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 166 (Monday, October 21, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H8290-H8293]
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 Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the Virgin 
Islands (Ms. Plaskett) for 30 minutes.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. 
Horsford), my colleague, for his support of the Congressional Black 
Caucus, and working with me in ensuring that the voices of Black 
America are heard here in the Congress.
  At this time, I yield to the great gentleman from Georgia (Mr. 
Johnson) for his reflections of our colleague, Elijah Cummings.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the 
Virgin Islands (Ms. Plaskett) and the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. 
Horsford) for coanchoring this hour.
  Elijah Cummings epitomized the virtues of honesty, dignity, decency, 
grace, and responsibility. He was committed to his family, to whom I 
offer my deepest condolences, and he was committed to his community. 
And Elijah was committed to being true to the oath that he took to 
preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution against all enemies, 
foreign and domestic.

  He did so as chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform 
where he carried out the responsibilities of that office with great 
ability. Elijah Cummings wielded the gavel with the ability of a giant, 
but he was a quiet, unassuming, and a kindhearted man, and unafraid to 
sometimes walk alone.
  Walking alone, Elijah saw more than many will ever see. That is why 
Elijah will continue to be our North Star. His light shines on in the 
dark night of his passing; his spirit and his example will live on in 
our hearts, to guide us as we live, true to the oath we endeavor to 
uphold.
  Shine on, Elijah Cummings, shine on.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for his 
reflections on our colleague, Elijah Cummings.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Richmond), 
former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, a good friend and 
colleague.
  Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the delegate from the 
Virgin Islands for cohosting this Special Order in honor of Elijah 
Cummings.
  We all ask that question to the Lord: ``What is required of thee?''
  And the answer is simple: Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with 
thy God.
  That is exactly what Chairman Elijah Cummings did. He fought for 
justice every day, not just in the halls of Congress, not just in 
courtrooms, sometimes it was on the streets of Baltimore. When the 
community was protesting, he was out there fighting for justice.
  He loved mercy. He fought for criminal justice reform every ounce and 
minute of his life, because he knew that we have to give people a 
second chance and that, but for the grace of God, who knows where 
anybody would be.
  And then last, it was to walk humbly. Many people don't know this, 
but Elijah Cummings was one of the first Members of Congress to endorse 
me, because he was about lifting up the next generation. He knew that 
you don't have to blow out somebody else's candle for yours to shine 
brighter. And what he did all the time was light candles in the next 
generation so that they would assume the mantle of leadership and so 
that they would find their purpose in life.
  So I would just end with this: Elijah Cummings was a man of purpose. 
It wasn't about politics. It wasn't about partisanship. It certainly 
wasn't about profits. It was about purpose. And the one thing that 
comforts me, and I am sure the entire Black Caucus, is that we know in 
our hearts that last Thursday, at 2:30 a.m., we know that Elijah 
Cummings heard these words: Well done, my good and faithful servant.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for those words.
  Mr. Richmond, that happens to be my life scripture--Micah 6:8. That, 
I believe, was the scripture that the Lord gave me when I was in law 
school. I recognize that I had the honor of being a member of the 
committee in which Elijah Cummings sat, was the chair, and I was on 
that committee for 5 years now.
  Mr. Cummings was a mentor to me. And to those who had a chance to 
interact with him and knew him more than just as a Member of Congress, 
he was a man of God. He lived and worked in Congress on Christian 
values. I think that scripture, Micah 6:8 exemplifies how he lived his 
life. It really exemplifies his Christian walk.

[[Page H8291]]

  He was a man of great wisdom. And although he needed little 
protection, when I was on that committee, I viewed my role as not only 
being a consummate prosecutor and counselor but being on the front 
line. I remember I called and told him, I was almost gleeful, that I 
was going to be sitting in front of him, not because I thought that the 
camera would be there, but that I could watch his back from many of 
those coming at him from the front.
  He always shook his head at my colorful language. Although, mind you, 
he did chuckle quietly at a lot of the things that I had to say. And he 
always counseled me to take care of my children first before any of 
this. ``Take care of your family,'' he always said, ``because at the 
end of the day, that is who you are going to have, even when you leave 
this job.'' But he also counseled me to go slow and steady, to ``walk 
humbly,'' as Micah 6:8 says.
  Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey 
(Mr. Payne), who sits with me on the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure. He represents his home of Newark, New Jersey, and I 
would ask him to reflect on the life and his times with Congressman 
Elijah Cummings.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, let me first thank the gentlewoman from the 
Virgin Islands (Ms. Plaskett), my friend, for once again being here for 
this Special Order hour.
  I first want to offer my condolences to Mrs. Maya Rockeymoore 
Cummings and her family on this immense loss.
  I rise to honor a true American hero, Congressman Elijah Eugene 
Cummings, a strong man, a serious man, a man that was about the 
business of this Nation. Irrespective of whether it was on the streets 
of Baltimore or in the halls of Congress, he never wavered in his 
plight to make sure that the American people had the opportunities that 
everyone--everyone--should be afforded in this great Nation.
  It is difficult to state just how immense this loss is to the people 
of his district, the State of Maryland, and the entire Nation. 
Congressman Cummings was a dedicated public servant who represented 
Maryland's Seventh District with honor and distinction for 23 years. 
But he was so much more than that. He was an icon, a leader, a 
statesman, a patriot, and the embodiment of the American Dream.
  Yet, the real legacy of Congressman Cummings was his connection to 
the people of his district. It was quite common to find him at the 
corner grocery store, neighborhood church, and any other number of 
community functions. It gave him a level of respect that made him 
beloved in his district.
  The esteemed congressman, John Lewis, once said of Mr. Cummings: 
``There was no greater friend to the poor, to the lost, to the left out 
and the left behind than Representative Cummings.'' Never have truer 
words been spoken about anyone. He was a great man, congressman, and 
most of all, a great American.
  We had some of the same medical issues, so we spent many evenings on 
the phone talking him through what the next step would be in the 
process. And he said to me one day, he said, ``Payne, I am scared.'' 
But he wasn't just scared about his health issues, he was scared about 
the direction that this Nation was going in. And to his very last 
existence, he was concerned about the people in his district and this 
country.
  Mr. Speaker, I will miss him dearly. This Nation will miss him.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Payne).
  Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time I have remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman has 20 minutes remaining.

                              {time}  2045

  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. 
Beatty).
  Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I have met many people in my life, but 
Elijah Cummings was steadfast and unmovable in his quest to protect our 
democracy.
  He was my friend from day one. I was a lost freshman, trying to find 
my way to the Rayburn Building from Cannon. Not only did Elijah teach 
me how to read the numbers, but he walked me all the way to the Rayburn 
Building. Then he recommended a chief of staff to me, Kimberly Ross, 
who is with me today.
  He was a mentor to me and so many. We texted often and talked about 
healthcare challenges and the challenges of our communities and this 
great Nation.
  He cosponsored and saluted me for my work putting Harriet Tubman on 
the $20 bill.
  Elijah would often say his life was based on pain, passion, and 
purpose, which propelled him forward.
  A few months ago, he keynoted an event in my district for his good 
friend, the Reverend Dr. Charles Booth's program, Bridges to the 
Future, for its 25th anniversary, although he was not feeling well 
himself. But Elijah was a friend to the end.
  His unmatched ability to tap into the heart of the matter and find 
consensus that mattered was Elijah.
  So, Elijah, my brother, my friend, my mentor, my colleague, I assure 
you, when times get tough, I will borrow your fighting spirit and 
harness the power to stand firm in the face of injustice.
  My heart and prayers are with his wife and my friend, Maya; his 
children; his family; his constituents; and his staff.
  Elijah, my friend, my colleague, rest in peace. Rest in power, my 
friend. I know you are dancing with the angels. God bless you.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her words.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. 
Adams), who, like Elijah Cummings, came to Congress first in a special 
election. I am happy to call her my classmate.
  Ms. ADAMS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the Virgin 
Islands and also the gentlewoman from Nevada, Chairwoman Bass, and all 
who participated in organizing this event.
  I rise to join other Members tonight to honor the life and career of 
one of this body's most effective lawmakers, one of the most tireless 
champions of the underprivileged, and a close and dear friend to us 
all, representative Elijah Cummings.
  The 12th District of North Carolina extends condolences to his wife, 
his family, his extended family, and to the members of his district.
  Elijah was one of our best examples of what it means to be a public 
servant. In Baltimore, he was not only his community's Member of 
Congress, but he was its voice, a recognizable and fervent product of 
the community that he represented.
  When West Baltimore was hurting after the death of Freddie Gray, it 
was Representative Cummings who spoke the words of a grieving 
community.
  When the President of the United States insulted his city, it was 
Representative Cummings who stood up and offered to show the President 
what Baltimore is really about.
  This was the type of man and Member that Elijah Cummings was, an 
advocate for what was right.
  He was an advocate for our youth, and he took a sincere interest in 
their success. I remain personally grateful to him for the support that 
he gave to my youngest grandson as he explored entrance and application 
to Howard University.
  Elijah Cummings was always an advocate for what was right, or, as Dr. 
King would call it, he was indeed a drum major for justice. He earned 
the respect of men, women, and little children, and he made this world 
much better than he found it.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Michigan 
(Mrs. Lawrence), my very close classmate from the State of Michigan who 
is herself a tireless fighter for the rights of not only the people of 
Michigan but of women and people who are oppressed and who also sat and 
sit on the Committee on Oversight and Reform under the tutelage of 
Elijah Cummings.
  Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, who has been a very 
close colleague as we have sat under the guidance and leadership of 
Elijah Cummings.
  I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to honor my chairman, Elijah Cummings.
  This is an extremely difficult time for me because Chairman Cummings 
was more than a colleague; he was my mentor.
  As a freshman, while serving on the House Committee on Oversight and 
Reform with Chairman Cummings, I came

[[Page H8292]]

to him with a litany of questions. He never turned me away. He was 
always receptive and always considerate. He would eventually explain to 
me how much he appreciated that I had put thought into the policies 
that I wanted to implement while serving in Congress.
  It was then that this great man actually saw that I really cared for 
people, and he instructed me to continue doing the work because, when 
you really care, your constituents will see it and will appreciate it.
  When I came to him during the Flint water crisis and told him we 
needed to look into this because people were being hurt, and children 
were being physically damaged, he was so determined to get to the 
truth.
  I watched him serve in the majority and in the minority, and there 
were many times when this chairman, my Chairman Cummings, became the 
voice of reason within the Caucus and at the helm of the Committee on 
Oversight and Reform.
  He was a consensus builder. He cut to the chase. And he was the 
person who worked across the aisle, never, ever putting anyone before 
the American people.
  I will miss his bigger-than-life presence in our meetings. I will 
miss that booming voice, heaving incredible words of wisdom during our 
committee hearings. I will miss the intelligent and passionate 
questions and the astute observations that he would hurl at any of the 
combative witnesses.

  I will miss the man who believed in the American experience, and he 
fought for this democracy with his last breath.
  Most of all, I will miss the considerate, giant gentleman who was my 
mentor, Elijah Cummings.
  This week, as we bid farewell to Baltimore's native son, I know he 
will be dancing with the angels, smiling down on us, saying to continue 
the fight and keep the faith because our democracy is worth the fight.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for those words.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Evans), 
representing Philadelphia.
  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I thank our colleagues and members of the 
Congressional Black Caucus, under the leadership of Karen Bass and both 
coleaders here tonight, Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett and  Steve 
Horsford, for their leadership.
  Last week, I lost a friend and a colleague, and Baltimore, Maryland, 
and the United States lost a civil rights activist, a tireless activist 
and leader.
  I had the privilege of knowing the chairman for many years, since we 
both served our State legislatures before coming to Congress. We 
represented districts. I represented a district in Philadelphia, and he 
represented a district in Baltimore. He got elected about 1982. I got 
elected in 1981. We both had similar challenges. He did in Baltimore. I 
did in Philadelphia.
  A few months ago, I saw the chairman here on the House floor, and I 
complimented him for being relentless in his commitment to civic 
participation.
  I had the pleasure of sitting with him on my very first State of the 
Union Address. That day, we had the chance to talk about discussions 
and challenges that we both faced in major urban cities.
  Today, I am glad I said something when I had the chance. I told him 
that I loved him. I told him that I loved him for all the things he had 
been doing and all the relentlessness he has shown.
  Now, it is all up to us who are still in this fight to carry on, to 
make a difference.
  So, Mr. Chairman, rest in power. We have to continue this fight.
  Ms. PLASKETT. I thank Mr. Evans, as one gentleman from a great 
American city paying tribute to another man from a great American city, 
as native sons. I thank him for those kind words and for the fight that 
we are all continuing to undertake on behalf of the people whom we 
represent in this great Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Demings), 
who had the honor of being on the Oversight and Reform Committee with 
Mr. Cummings, for her remarks about that great American.
  Mrs. DEMINGS. Dr. King once said the true measure of a man is not how 
he behaves in moments of comfort and convenience, but how he stands in 
times of challenge and controversy.
  Last Congress, I had the honor of serving with Chairman Cummings on 
the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and he did not look for the easy 
way out. He never ran from controversy or challenge.
  You see, Mr. Cummings was a true leader. Life is all about choices, 
Mr. Speaker, and true leaders have to make a lot of them.
  We can live in fear of what man will say or do to us, or we can stand 
up and speak out for what we know in our hearts is right.
  Elijah Cummings never failed to stand up and speak out. You see, he 
was a true leader.
  We can follow the crowd no matter how wrong the crowd may be, or we 
can choose to be a drum major for justice. Elijah Cummings chose to be 
a drum major for justice.
  Mr. Speaker, we can close our minds and our hearts, mentor no one, 
and share nothing with anyone. We can make life's journey all about us, 
or we can mentor, impart knowledge and wisdom, and look out for someone 
else and have their back.
  Elijah Cummings was a mentor, a role model. He cared about us. And 
every day, we knew it.
  Elijah Cummings had the Nation's back. For that, we are forever 
grateful to Chairman Elijah Cummings for a life well lived.
  Ms. PLASKETT. I thank the gentlewoman for those powerful words.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath) 
for her tribute and words about Congressman Elijah Cummings.
  Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  I would like to begin by offering my deepest prayers to Congressman 
Cummings' wife and family and the Baltimore community. He was a solid 
voice of conscience and always offered a steady hand and sound wisdom.
  He was one of the giants among us here in Congress.
  Congressman Cummings was born the son of sharecroppers from Clarendon 
County, South Carolina, a county where children were forced to walk 
miles to attend segregated schools. The refusal of Clarendon County to 
provide buses for the Black children in that district became the court 
case Briggs v. Elliott, one of the five cases that would be decided 
under the shared designation of Brown v. Board of Education.
  Remarkably, Congressman Cummings never forgot his roots. He spent his 
entire life as a fierce champion for justice and humanity. He boldly 
fought for civil and human rights with the strength given him by God.
  His humility, his compassion, and his commitment were nothing short 
of inspiring.

                              {time}  2100

  I remember the times I would come in here on the floor and I would 
sit down next to him and he'd say: How are you doing today, kid?
  And I would say: Well, you know, it is kind of rough being a 
freshman.
  And he said: That is okay. Take care of your family. Stay focused. 
Stay clean. Do your work. Stay in the district, and you will be just 
fine.
  Representative Cummings once said: When we are dancing with the 
angels, the question will be asked, what did we do to make sure that we 
kept our democracy intact?
  Well, Representative Cummings, you moved mountains for democracy.
  And so, now, as he dances with the angels in Heaven, we honor his 
lifelong fight for our democracy, his towering legacy, and his 
unwavering dedication to the United States of America and to the world. 
He will truly be missed.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from 
Massachusetts (Ms. Pressley), who also sat on the Oversight and Reform 
Committee under Mr. Cummings.
  Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the Virgin 
Islands and the gentleman from Nevada and our chair, Karen Bass, for 
organizing this Special Order.
  What an honor and a privilege to spend my early months as a freshman 
Member of Congress in close proximity to a titan for justice and a 
force for good, someone who spent several decades as a truth-teller and 
a justice-

[[Page H8293]]

seeker, who, in his role as chair of the Committee on Oversight and 
Reform, knew that the best disinfectant is sunlight, and he shone a 
light on every injustice.
  He was a patriot, tireless in his efforts to preserve our democracy, 
and a statesman of unwavering conviction. He challenged each of us to 
appeal to our better angels, to be decent, to be fair, to comport 
ourselves with the reverence and dignity this institution demands and 
our country deserves.
  He was consistent and did that even in the face of great physical 
fatigue and, some days, perhaps, even a weary spirit, in the face of 
injustice and indignities. He often reminded us that it was our charge 
on the Committee on Oversight and Reform to be an efficient and 
effective pursuit of the truth.
  His body has transitioned, but his instructive words ring 
resoundingly and true. He was a selfless servant and leader until the 
end.
  One of the final pursuits of justice we took on together was to 
maintain access to lifesaving healthcare for our immigrant neighbors in 
the medical deferred action program. His staffer, Anthony, drove 
through the night to Baltimore so the chairman could sign subpoenas, 
advancing our fight together.
  Truly, in life, all you have is your name and your word, and when it 
comes to Elijah Cummings, both were good.
  Until the very end, the chairman would stop my staff and me in the 
hallways, and he would say: Are you keeping up the fight?
  He knew the fight was greater than one man or one mission or one 
legislative act. The pursuit of justice is not a box you simply check. 
So we continue in that pursuit, following in the footsteps of a giant.
  No one can fill your shoes, but we will pick up the torch and press 
forward with your moral clarity as our roadmap and your vision as our 
charge. We will keep up the fight.
  To my forever chairman, Elijah Cummings, rest in power.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I just want to close my portion of this by 
stating that, when it came to a notion of democracy, Chairman Cummings, 
in his speeches, insistently invoked it, and not in the inert way that 
elected officials tend to do.
  He spoke of democracy as something vital and fragile and valuable, an 
inheritance that had to be safeguarded for future generations. He said 
that to all of us who sat under him in his chairmanship and ensured 
that we brought that passion and that desire to do the best for this 
democracy that our bodies could do.
  So I thank him for that. I thank him for everything that he has been 
to all of us.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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