[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 195 (Friday, December 6, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1555-E1556]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            TRIBUTE HONORING COMMISSIONER RAYMOND BUXTON, II

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES E. CLYBURN

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, December 6, 2019

  Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an outstanding 
leader Raymond Buxton, II, who is retiring after 40 years of service to 
the State of South Carolina. Mr. Buxton is a personal friend and his 
many contributions have not gone unnoticed.
  Mr. Buxton received his Bachelor of Science degree from Savannah 
State University in Savannah, Georgia. He went on to serve his country 
as a dental technician in the United States Army with the 87th Medical 
Detachment in Nuremberg, Germany and at Moncrief Army Hospital in Fort 
Jackson, South Carolina. He furthered his education by taking graduate 
courses at the University of South Carolina and graduating from the 
South Carolina Executive Institute.
  In 1979, when I was South Carolina Human Affairs Commissioner, I 
hired Ray as a community relations consultant. While in this position, 
he consulted with community leaders around the state to build 
relationships among a diverse group of citizens to promote unity. He 
went on to work as an employment investigator, senior analyst for 
employment discrimination, division director of the private sector/
employment, and executive assistant for internal affairs before being 
tapped to run the agency in July 2012.
  As the agency director, Mr. Buxton has worked diligently to make 
positive changes within the agency. He was responsible for fully 
restoring the once underfunded budget for the agency and increased 
staff from 20 to 46 employees. Also, Mr. Buxton instituted a new 
initiative, the ``Quality of Life'' dialogue, within the Community 
Relations Department to promote better human relations among diverse

[[Page E1556]]

populations in South Carolina. Professionally, he serves as vice 
president of the South Carolina Fair Housing Council, Inc. and as a 
South Carolina Human Affairs Representative for the International 
Association of Official Human Rights Agencies.
  Mr. Buxton is also committed to serving the community. He is a member 
of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He has served as the Fraternity's 
Chapter President and has been honored as its Man of the Year. He also 
volunteers at the Meals on Wheels Senior Resource Center and is an 
active board member on several committees including the Budget and 
Finance Committee and Board of Trustees at Saint John Baptist Church, 
the Columbia Housing Authority Development Board, and the Israel Brooks 
Foundation Board.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in offering 
congratulations and well wishes to Raymond Buxton, II, for his 40 years 
of service at the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission. His 
extraordinary work has made a great impact in the lives of South 
Carolinians. I wish him all the best as he transitions into retirement, 
but I know he will continue to be an active pa1ticipant in the 
community always striving to improve the quality of life for everyone.

                          ____________________