[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 118 (Friday, June 26, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H2580-H2581]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING THE LIFE OF MARNY XIONG

  (Ms. McCOLLUM asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Marny 
Xiong, the chairwoman of the Saint Paul Public Schools Board of 
Education, who passed away from COVID-19 on June 7 at the age of 31. We 
mourn the loss of this young woman, a rising star whose legacy was an 
inspiration to us all.
  Marny was a trailblazing activist and a proud member of Saint Paul's 
Hmong community. She was a dedicated advocate for young people, and she 
stood up for equality and racial justice. She understood the 
disparities that students of color face in our State, and she worked to 
make sure that every child had an opportunity to succeed.
  As chairwoman of the board, her leadership was critical to 
successfully resolving the district's first ever teachers' strike. When 
confronted with the COVID-19 pandemic, Marny helped to steer the 
district's unprecedented transition to distance learning for 37,000 
students.

[[Page H2581]]

  It is heartbreaking that this pandemic has taken one of our 
community's rising leaders.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in extending condolences to Marny's 
parents, her seven siblings, her extended family, and her friends at 
this time of great grief.

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