[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 129 (Wednesday, July 22, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H3683-H3686]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2019, the Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Jeffries) for 30 minutes.


                             General Leave

  Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
on the topic of tonight's Special Order hour.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as we honor the life and 
legacy of the Honorable John Robert Lewis. I am thankful for my 
colleagues on the other side of the aisle, Republican Conference Chair 
Liz Cheney and Republican Conference Vice Chair Mark Walker, for their 
dual participation here on the House floor today, which is a 
recognition that, yes, John Lewis was a Democratic hero; he was a 
progressive hero; he was a civil rights hero; but above all else, John 
Robert Lewis was an American hero.
  So we are here today on the House floor, not as Democrats or 
Republicans, not as progressives or conservatives, not as the left or 
the right, but as Americans because of what John Lewis meant to all of 
us: to our communities, to the country, to the Constitution, to the 
principle of liberty and justice for all, equal protection under the 
law, to the principle of the righteous cause of nonviolence as a 
pathway to the beloved community, as he would share with all of us.
  John Robert Lewis was the connective tissue between the civil rights 
movement and the Black Lives Matter movement.
  John Robert Lewis was the connective tissue between the dream of Dr. 
Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Presidency of Barack Obama.
  And John Robert Lewis was the connective tissue between the tragedy 
on the Edmund Pettus Bridge and the tragedy that occurred in 
Minneapolis, Minnesota.
  John Robert Lewis' life journey is the American journey, and he has 
guided the way as we have traveled and marched toward a more perfect 
Union; and through the sheer will of his morality, he has helped to 
bend the arc toward justice.
  And so we are all thankful for his life and his legacy, honored by 
the privilege to have been able to call him ``colleague.''
  We learned from John Lewis how to be a good American, a good patriot, 
a good neighbor, a good leader, a good human, a good activist, and how 
to get into ``good trouble.'' And so we are thankful for this 
opportunity just to humbly communicate what John Lewis meant to all of 
us.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentlewoman from the great 
State of Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz).
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, few of us will ever leave the mark on history and every 
human we encounter the way our dear friend Congressman John Lewis did. 
His profound generosity and goodness was so beautifully balanced by his 
courageous, unyielding demands for justice.
  I saw it as we sat-in on this House floor demanding gun safety 
reforms after the Pulse nightclub shooting.
  I saw it as young and old met him, sensed his moral bearing, and he 
patiently made each one the world's most important person in that 
moment.
  We saw it plain as day as he bravely crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge 
to confront America's racist sins, knowing that batons and beatings 
blocked the pathway to justice.
  I saw it when he traveled to my district, and the outpouring of joy 
and reverence overflowed for this truly good man.
  And I saw it when he took the time, 5 seconds of his time, in that 
room off the House floor, when he recorded a campaign video to help my 
then high school-age daughter win her student government campaign, 
which she did. That is a memory that she will treasure--and does 
treasure--throughout her life.
  His lifetime of ``good trouble'' is a model for us all, especially 
now as we must carry on his work of racial justice. The more perfect 
Union John Lewis lived in and risked his life for is what our Founders 
expressed but did not necessarily exemplify and one that future leaders 
must aspire to. His courage and generosity are strengths we must all 
draw upon now.
  Rest in power, my friend.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Takano), the distinguished chair of the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs.
  Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the passion 
of a dear friend, a colleague, a personal hero of mine, Congressman 
John Lewis.
  Mr. Lewis often spoke of building a beloved community, one that 
required us to get into ``good trouble'' to achieve. His vision for 
America and her world was one of justice, equality, and compassion for 
one another.
  During dark times, his strength and his optimism lit the way to a 
path forward that brought us closer to justice.
  During doubtful times, his words and his wisdom inspired confidence 
that progress was still in reach.
  And during this difficult time for our country, as we mourn his 
death, may the life and the legacy he left behind inspire us to keep 
building that beloved community.
  John Lewis, you taught me that optimism is a moral duty, and now that 
you are gone, sir, I will no longer have you around to remind me to 
keep the faith. I will have to do that all by myself.

                              {time}  2030

  Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois 
(Mrs. Bustos).
  Mrs. BUSTOS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to mourn and also to 
celebrate a historic life, a man I was honored to know, privileged to 
serve with, and to call my friend.
  Congressman John Lewis has been called home to God. I met Mr. Lewis 
right after I was elected to Congress, but over the years, I had the 
pleasure of getting to know him, a civil rights icon, a true American 
hero.
  Too rarely are the most powerful also the most humble, the most 
caring, and the most kind. But Mr. Lewis had that

[[Page H3684]]

rare combination and more. He was the best among us.
  In one moment, he would fearlessly stand in harm's way to stand up 
for what is right, and in the next, he wouldn't hesitate to take a 
minute to share his insights, his lessons, his personal stories with 
those lucky enough to cross his path or to walk into his office.
  In 2015, so many of our colleagues and I joined him for the 50th 
anniversary walk across the Edmond Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, to 
honor the moment that young John Lewis forever changed our Nation.
  As we all gathered to follow in his historic footsteps, the magic and 
the power of John Lewis' action on that fateful day in 1965 could be 
felt by all of us. Our country is better, our Congress is better, and I 
am better for having known him.
  I will miss you, Mr. Lewis, but I will forever celebrate and honor 
the impact you made on our Nation and on me.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Reed).
  Mr. REED. Madam Speaker, I rise today to join with my colleagues on 
the other side of the aisle to express my condolences and express the 
spirit that John Lewis represented to all of us.
  John Lewis was a humble man. I knew John serving on the Ways and 
Means Committee with him.
  I traveled with my colleague, Mrs. Bustos, from Illinois down to 
Selma, Alabama, on that 50th anniversary day. And I will tell you, one 
of the moments that inspired me the most in my tenure here in Congress 
was not just that day, when we walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge 
arm in arm in celebration of his victory over hatred, but it was the 
following day, when we sat at the doors of the Montgomery, Alabama, 
State Capitol, and I saw the daughter of Governor Wallace express to 
John an apology for the sins of yesterday. And John, in typical John 
Lewis fashion, stood up and embraced her when she said: ``I'm sorry.''
  John Lewis epitomizes the best of the human race. John Lewis was an 
inspiration to all of us.
  My predecessor, my mentor, Amo Houghton, who served in my seat for 18 
years, expressed to me early on in my tenure: ``Get to know John Lewis. 
Get to know and listen to his story.'' And I will tell you, that is 
some of the best advice I received from his friend, Amo Houghton.
  And so I come here tonight to express my grief, but most importantly, 
my hope that the spirit of John Lewis does not die with us tonight. The 
spirit of John Lewis, who is now resting with the glory of God, will 
shine down upon us and improve this institution, improve each of our 
souls, and inspire us, the way that he did, as that proud, quiet, 
humble giant of a human being that inspired me and will continue to 
inspire me to search for our better angels each and every day.
  So to my colleagues on the other side, I join you in your grief, but 
we are united in our love for the great John Lewis.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Maryland 
(Mr. Ruppersberger).
  Mr. RUPPERSBERGER. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the life and 
legacy of Congressman John Lewis.
  I first met John at a church event in Maryland 20 years ago in Anne 
Arundel County when I was a candidate running for Congress. And John 
was there to support me but also there to speak to a junior day event.
  At that time, I first saw John speak and talk about his relationship 
with Dr. Martin Luther King. He recounted many brutal beatings and 
arrests that he endured during the height of the civil rights movement. 
From that point on, I considered John a mentor.
  I am fortunate to have served with many inspiring people, but John 
stands out as one of the finest leaders I have ever known.
  John encouraged us to get into good trouble, to make a difference. 
Though not typically my style, I was proud to participate in a sit-in 
on the House floor, led by John, to protest gun violence in 2016. He 
told me that by sitting down, we were standing up for thousands of 
Americans who have lost their lives in mass shootings after mass 
shootings. And so I sat.
  The best way to honor John's life and legacy is by continuing the 
fight against gun violence, against police brutality, against veteran 
disenfranchisement, against systemic racism.
  We will carry the torch for you, John.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from 
Pennsylvania (Ms. Wild).
  Ms. WILD. Madam Speaker, shortly after I came to Congress, I learned 
through the grapevine that a couple of my staff members wanted nothing 
more than to meet the great John Lewis in person.
  So with some trepidation, and very cognizant of the demands on his 
time, I approached him as a freshman Member on the House floor to 
inquire whether I could make an appointment with his staff. And in his 
usual warm and gregarious manner, Mr. Lewis said: ``Of course. Of 
course.''
  A few weeks later, I took these staffers on a mystery field trip to 
the Cannon House Office Building. And the look on their faces when they 
realized we were about to enter John Lewis' office was priceless.
  I figured it would be a quick handshake and a photo op, and then we 
would be on our way back to our office. But no. Mr. Lewis greeted my 6-
foot-4-inch legislative counsel Zach and my speechwriter Yann with: 
``Hello, young brothers'' and took them into his office where 
he proceeded to give them a narrated history of the civil rights 
movement with the aid of large photographs that were stacked all over 
his office.

  Zach and Yann and Sara, another member of my team, asked many 
questions, and he answered them all. We took the obligatory photos for 
which I am thankful, because now they have the treasure of those 
memories forever.
  A full hour-and-a-half elapsed, and our meeting with him ended only 
because my team needed to get back to work, so we had to break away. I 
am convinced he would have gladly spent the rest of the afternoon 
speaking with them. That is just one example of the generosity of 
spirit of the great John Lewis.
  Rest in peace, Mr. Lewis. I hope you are starting a whole lot of good 
trouble wherever you are. It is the greatest honor of my life to have 
served with you.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is 
remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Axne). The gentleman from New York has 
14 minutes remaining.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Rhode 
Island (Mr. Cicilline).
  Mr. CICILLINE. Madam Speaker, John Robert Lewis, an American hero, a 
civil rights icon, a movement leader, a peacemaker, a teacher, a drum 
major for justice, a mentor, a colleague, and a friend.
  I want to begin by thanking John's family for sharing him with us and 
with our country.
  As I listened to my colleagues tonight speak about John, I realize 
that he made each one of us feel like a very special person to him. I 
also realize that words can't really capture John Lewis and what he 
meant to us, to our country, and to the world.
  I had the privilege, like so many of my colleagues, of walking across 
the Edmund Pettus Bridge with John and listening to him speak about his 
work in the civil rights movement; to be part of an effort to organize 
a sit-in here on the House floor to demand action on gun violence; to 
work with John when we played a really critical role in our right for 
passage of the Equality Act and made the case that LGBTQ Americans were 
entitled to full equality in this country; on his visit to Newport 
News, Rhode Island; or traveling to South Africa to celebrate Robert 
Kennedy's ``Ripple of Hope'' speech.
  John Lewis made America more just, he made us all more human, because 
he deeply believed in justice and equality. They weren't just things 
that he believed in; it is who he was.
  And most importantly, he reminded us always to be optimistic, because 
he believed in the fundamental decency of every human being. And even 
in the darkest moments, he would encourage us: ``Keep the faith, 
brother. Keep fighting.''
  And it is that belief in the fundamental goodness of everyone, that 
optimism, that John left with us.
  And so, John, knowing you, serving with you, has been the greatest 
honor

[[Page H3685]]

of my life. I thank you for all that you have done for me and for our 
country, and we promise you that we will keep the faith and keep up the 
fight.
  Rest in peace, my friend.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Chabot).
  Mr. CHABOT. Madam Speaker, the word ``hero'' is used a little too 
often these days. But make no mistake, John Lewis personified the word. 
He was, without question, a true American hero.
  The fearlessness he demonstrated throughout the civil rights 
movement, but especially on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma on March 
7, 1965, demonstrated to people across the globe how to stand up for 
equality, justice, and basic civil and human rights in the face of 
overwhelming odds. Quite simply, his heroic actions transformed our 
Nation and our world.
  Early on in my time in Congress, I had the pleasure of meeting 
Congressman Lewis for the first time. When he found out I was from 
Cincinnati, he immediately asked me a question that I would hear from 
him many times in the coming years, how was his friend and fellow civil 
rights leader, Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth, doing.
  The two men had worked together throughout the 1960s, along with Dr. 
Martin Luther King, organizing marches, sit-ins, and freedom rides. 
Like John Lewis, Reverend Shuttlesworth remained committed to civil 
rights throughout his life and worked diligently to improve conditions 
in Cincinnati.
  Not surprisingly, when I would see Reverend Shuttlesworth back home, 
he would ask how John Lewis was doing up here. As a result, I was kind 
of a messenger between these two-larger-than-life civil rights icons, 
and they will always be inextricably linked in my memory.
  Madam Speaker, the world needs more heroes like John Lewis and the 
Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth. Now, more than ever, their dedication to 
overcoming inequality and changing hearts and minds through nonviolent 
protests points the way forward as we continue to strive to come 
together and achieve a more perfect Union.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Virginia 
(Ms. Spanberger).
  Ms. SPANBERGER. Madam Speaker, I rise tonight to remember Congressman 
John Lewis.
  And for me, the best way to honor the memory of this beautiful man, 
this kind soul, our colleague, our friend, and for so many of us, our 
teacher, is to share his best lessons.
  And in his 2017 book, Congressman John Robert Lewis said the 
following: ``Freedom is not a state; it is an act.
  ``It is not some enchanted garden perched high on a distant plateau 
where we can finally sit down and rest.
  ``Freedom is a continuous action we must all take, and each 
generation must do its part to create an even more fair, more just 
society.''
  These are words to drive our work and our lives. And he spoke them to 
the world.
  But to us, on June 4, on a call with so many of our colleagues, he 
told us: ``Be brave. Don't get weary. Let's continue to work.''
  And I wrote those words down, because like everything John Lewis 
said, they struck me as powerful and important and worth remembering. 
And in his memory and in his honor, we should all do just that, 
continue to work.

                              {time}  2045

  Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentlewoman 
from Florida (Ms. Mucarsel-Powell).
  Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Madam Speaker, it is difficult to express the 
immense loss and pain that not just myself but that this body feels at 
the passing of our good friend, John Lewis.
  It has been one of my greatest honors and privileges to be able to 
serve alongside him in my short time here in this body and to get to 
know him. He brought to us courage. He inspired love and gave us 
optimism in some of the most difficult times.
  He worked with joy in his heart, with courage and faith, and without 
fear. He was a fighter against injustice to anyone. I remember him 
saying that he was inspired to see the young men and women of all 
backgrounds, creeds, and religious backgrounds rise up in nonviolent 
protest, demanding justice. I wonder if he knows that he started that 
back in 1965 in Selma, Alabama.
  My kids, Jude and Siena, every time they came to Washington, they 
always sought out John Lewis because they looked up to him, just like 
all of us did.
  It is silly that I am crying, Madam Speaker. I just met him a year 
ago. I think it is because, during some of the most difficult moments 
in our country, we can't afford to lose someone like him.
  But I am so inspired today to hear my colleagues stand together in 
unity, and I know, and I am filled with optimism, that we will be able 
to exemplify his work, continue his work, and carry his dream of a 
better America forward.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Washington 
(Mr. Kilmer).
  Mr. KILMER. Madam Speaker, when you meet your hero and they turn out 
even more amazing than you expected, it is really cool. That was my 
experience getting to work with John Lewis. In fact, sometimes when he 
spoke in Caucus, I would find myself texting a colleague, saying: You 
work with John Lewis.
  The last time many of us heard his voice was early this summer on a 
Caucus conference call. He spoke up and said that he was sad because he 
was reminded that we weren't as far on the path to justice as any of us 
want our country to be. But then he said he was hopeful because people, 
and particularly young people, were speaking up, standing up, and 
working for change.
  In 2019, I brought one young person, my daughter, Sophie, to Selma, 
Alabama. We crossed Edmund Pettus Bridge with him. We listened to his 
stories. He was so kind to her and so patient with her questions. At 
the end of the trip, Sophie approached him at the airport, and she 
thanked him.
  She said: I have one more question.
  He said: Go ahead.
  And she said: Were you ever scared?
  And he said to her: You know, I was scared. But I knew I was doing 
the right thing, and I knew there were others who were depending on me 
standing up for them, too.
  He stood up for so many for so long. One of the honors of my life was 
to get to serve with this extraordinary man, even watching him preside 
over the House as we passed a new Voting Rights Act.
  His legacy of peace and love, of fighting for justice, fighting for 
voting rights, and of causing good trouble will live on.
  Rest in peace and rest in power, Mr. Lewis.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Rhode 
Island (Mr. Langevin).
  Mr. LANGEVIN. Madam Speaker, from the moment I arrived in Congress, 
the aura of John Lewis loomed large. He will rightfully be remembered 
as a giant of the civil rights movement and the conscience of the 
Congress.
  To me, though, he will always be remembered as a man who I felt 
privileged and honored and humbled to call colleague and friend. He 
will always be remembered as the kind, humble, approachable gentleman 
from Georgia, a tireless fighter who rallied our Caucus at pivotal 
moments to make positive change, to stand for what is right, to give a 
voice to the powerless, to protect the rights of the disenfranchised. 
Of course, he was well-known for making noise and getting into good 
trouble, necessary trouble.
  It was one of the great privileges of my life to join John Lewis in 
making some good and necessary trouble when he organized a peaceful 
sit-in on the House floor to demand action on gun violence.
  John Lewis made a difference in the lives of millions, and his 
presence was always felt in Congress, but his absence will be felt even 
more.
  Rest in peace, my friend.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, how much time do we have remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New York has 1 minute 
remaining.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, let me simply close this portion of our 
special hour in honor of our friend, our colleague, our mentor, our 
hero, the legendary John Lewis, by simply recounting his words: Never 
give up. Never give in. Keep the faith. Keep your eyes on the prize. 
And make some good trouble.

[[Page H3686]]

  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________