[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 215 (Friday, December 18, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7707-S7709]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO DOUG JONES

  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to someone 
who hasn't been in the Senate very long, but whose character, 
compassion, and dedication to justice will leave a mark here for years 
to come.
  Many of us are old enough to remember that awful day in 1963 when a 
peaceful Sunday morning was shattered by a bomb. This attack on the 
16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, carried out by members of the 
Ku Klux Klan, ended the lives of four young girls: Carole Robertson, 
Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, and Denise McNair.
  I was just a little younger than Carole, Addie, and Cynthia, who were 
all 14. Doug Jones was just a couple of years younger than 11-year-old 
Denise. When something so unspeakable happens to people you could have 
gone to school with, been friends with, and grown up with, it sticks 
with you.
  It certainly stuck with Doug. He got involved in organizing at the 
University of Alabama and volunteered on a campaign to modernize the 
State's courts. After graduating from Cumberland School of Law at 
Samford University in Birmingham, he served as staff counsel on the 
Judiciary Committee for Senator Howell Heflin, whose seat he currently 
holds.
  After time as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and in private practice, 
Doug was confirmed by the Senate as U.S. Attorney for the Northern 
District of Alabama in 1997. In that position, he successfully 
prosecuted two of the four men responsible for the devastation on that 
long-ago Sunday morning. He didn't just remember those four little 
girls. Instead, he fought to bring their families some measure of 
justice and closure--because that is just the type of person Doug is.
  Doug, your Future Act to permanently fund historically Black colleges 
and universities will help build a brighter future for students across 
our

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country. It has been such an honor to work with you to extend funding 
for community health centers and to expand access to care and resources 
to families living with Alzheimer's disease. And millions of Americans 
have you to thank for a timely vote to save the Affordable Care Act and 
their healthcare.
  Doug, you know what really matters: pursuing justice, expanding 
opportunity, and simply making life better for the people who sent us 
here.
  Three days after those beautiful young girls were killed, Dr. Martin 
Luther King, Jr., delivered their eulogy. In it, he said this: ``(Their 
deaths) say to each of us, black and white alike, that we must 
substitute courage for caution.
  ``They say to us that we must be concerned not merely about who 
murdered them, but about the system, the way of life, the philosophy 
which produced the murderers.
  ``Their death says to us that we must work passionately and 
unrelentingly for the realization of the American dream.''
  Doug, you might not know yet what your future holds, but you have 
been working passionately and unrelentingly for the realization of the 
American dream for your entire career. I have absolutely no doubt that 
in whatever you do next, Doug, you will continue to be a tireless 
advocate for justice and equality.
  Thank you for who you are. It has been such an honor serving with 
you.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, today I rise to honor my dear friend 
and colleague, Senator Doug Jones of Alabama.
  Doug Jones is fearless. He cuts against the grain, shrugging off 
critics to chart his own path rooted in deeply held principles of 
justice, virtue, and equality. After law enforcement had failed to 
prosecute civil rights cases for decades, Doug Jones successfully 
brought a measure of justice to the families of the four girls killed 
in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. When skeptics claimed there 
was no chance of him winning a Senate race in Alabama, Doug Jones 
stayed the course and clinched an upset victory. And despite having 
seen some of his own colleagues shy away from addressing controversial 
issues in this Chamber, Doug Jones stood up for what he knew was right, 
from his very first speech in the Senate when he delivered a moving 
address on the threat of gun violence.
  But despite his tenacity, Senator Jones has never stopped leading 
with compassion--compassion for his colleagues, compassion for the 
people of Alabama, and compassion for all Americans. Like his personal 
role model, Atticus Finch, Senator Jones abides by the principle that 
in order to know someone else truly and fully, you need to ``climb in 
his skin and walk around in it.'' And it is that empathy that has led 
Senator Jones to champion unity over division. My seat is near Doug's 
here on the Senate floor, and we sat together during the impeachment 
trial. Even during one of the darkest moments in our country's history, 
Doug maintained faith in our better angels. When the trial of the 
President came to a close, Senator Jones issued a call for unity, 
saying, ``We must find a way to come together, to set aside partisan 
differences, and to focus on what we have in common as Americans.'' He 
looked forward, past the tension consuming Washington and toward 
brighter days ahead. That is Doug. That is how he works.
  From the time I chaired the DSCC during then-Candidate Jones' run for 
Senate in Alabama, to our years together in this Chamber, I have always 
admired his desire to put country first, follow his conscience, and 
value principle over politics. He is a man of enormous integrity--
someone who never forgot who sent him to the Senate, someone who always 
worked to get results, and someone who achieved more in just a few 
years than many Senators do in multiple terms.
  I was proud to work with Senator Jones on the passage of the FUTURE 
Act, which provided permanent funding for historically Black colleges 
and universities. His commitment to that cause has directly benefitted 
the four proud HBCUs in my State of Maryland, and the bill is a step 
forward in the fight for equity in higher education. I am also grateful 
for Senator Jones's work to end the military widow's tax, which 
prevented military spouses from receiving the full benefits they 
deserved. Senator Jones was a champion for the widows who had lived for 
too long with broken promises. He was principled, persistent, and got 
the job done.
  Doug Jones is a model public servant, someone the American people can 
look up to and admire. His absence will be deeply felt in the U.S. 
Senate, but I know that just because he will depart the Nation's 
Capital on January 3 doesn't mean his role in this fight is over. 
Service is in his bones, plain and simple. It has been a profound honor 
and privilege to serve alongside him. Thank you, Doug--thank you for 
all you have done for our country, and I want to extend my warmest 
thoughts and wishes to you, your wife Louise, your three children, and 
your grandchildren on behalf of a deeply grateful nation.
  Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I want to take a moment to recognize 
and thank Senator Doug Jones for his service in the U.S. Senate and to 
the people of Alabama. In just 2 years, Senator Jones has become a 
respected voice in the Senate and built a reputation as someone who 
puts the interests of his constituents before partisanship or ideology. 
It has been a privilege working alongside him during the 116th 
Congress.
  Senator Jones's achievements are remarkable for a first-term Senator. 
I was proud to work with him on his Military Widow's Tax Elimination 
Act, which helps ensure that nearly 70,000 surviving military spouses 
receive their full benefits, as he shepherded this important 
legislation through Congress. He has also passed legislation to expand 
insurance coverage for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, helped his 
rural constituents navigate the healthcare system, and promoted justice 
for victims in unsolved criminal civil rights cases. I am proud to have 
worked with him on my legislation to expand workforce development 
programs and hands-on learning in high schools.
  These incredible accomplishments demonstrate the hard work and 
dedication that Senator Jones brought to the Senate. He is a man with 
unwavering principles but a strong drive to find common ground and 
bring tangible benefits to the people of Alabama.
  Senator Jones's legacy in the Senate is one I hope we can all 
remember as we look to work together for the betterment of our States 
and the Nation. It has been a privilege to work alongside him for the 
last 2 years, and I know he will continue to inspire us all as he 
begins the next chapter in his distinguished life.
  Ms. SMITH. Mr. President, Doug Jones and I came to the Senate at the 
same time--a class of just the two of us arriving in an off-year to 
fill partial terms. We were sworn in together on January 3, 2018, with 
each of us accompanied by a former Vice President--Walter Mondale in my 
case, Joe Biden in Doug's. We shared the unique experience of arriving 
during an unprecedented period in the Senate's history, and I am 
fortunate to have spent the first 3 years of my Senate journey with a 
partner like Doug by my side.
  Doug and I both joined the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
Committee, and we quickly found common cause in rural healthcare. 
Within months, Doug had introduced the Rural Health Liaison Act, which 
helped to unify Federal resources to better support the health of rural 
communities. This act, which became law through our collaboration on 
the 2018 farm bill, put the government in a better position to respond 
to crises like the one we are experiencing today. The foresight and 
compassion Doug displayed in leading this initiative were hallmarks of 
his time in the Senate. Whether he was working to lower the costs of 
higher education, helping me bring high-speed internet to rural areas, 
or passing legislation to support military spouses, I could always 
count on Doug to be a voice for rural communities on the HELP 
Committee.
  Doug and I also sat next to each other on the Banking Committee, 
where I have appreciated his thoughtful focus on rectifying racial 
disparities in income and wealth, particularly those caused by Federal 
policies of the past. In addition, Doug played a key role in leading a 
bipartisan effort to

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update Federal anti-money laundering laws, which I am hopeful will 
become law as part of the NDAA later this month. Thanks to his work, we 
are on the verge of finally putting a stop to the use of anonymous 
shell companies by traffickers, terrorists, and tax dodgers, and making 
numerous other reforms that will cut off funding for criminal actors 
and make Americans safer.
  I have been proud to call Doug a colleague and friend. I know that 
Americans in Alabama, Minnesota, and everywhere in between join me in 
thanking him for his service and wishing him a fond farewell.
  Ms. ROSEN. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and thank my dear 
friend and colleague, Senator Doug Jones, for the hard and noble work 
he has done in the United States Senate. I greatly admire his passion 
and all that he accomplished for the people of Alabama and all 
Americans.
  For his entire life, Senator Jones has stood tall as a pillar of 
justice and equality. After graduating law school, Senator Jones became 
counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee for then-Senator Howell 
Heflin and served as an Assistant United States Attorney shortly after. 
Senator Jones then became the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District 
of Alabama, where he fought for civil liberties and against racial 
injustice. As U.S. Attorney, he successfully was able to prosecute two 
of the four men who were responsible for the 1963 bombing of the 16th 
Street Baptist Church, and later indicted domestic terrorist Eric 
Rudolph. By pursuing these cases, Senator Jones encouraged us all to 
continue to reject bigotry and hate in all its forms.
  In 2017, Senator Jones became the first Democrat to represent the 
state of Alabama since 1997. He made it his duty to represent the 
people of Alabama in every vote he made on the Senate floor. He always 
voted in the best interests of his constituents, even when it wasn't 
politically expedient or convenient. His service stands as a reminder 
that bipartisanship is vital in addressing the issues that our nation 
currently faces.
  Senator Jones is a man of bravery and strength. His heart and passion 
are not only moving, but admirable as well. I am very proud to have had 
Senator Jones as a friend and colleague as we served alongside each 
other on the HELP Committee these past two years, and I am eager to 
continue watching his fierce fight against injustice, joining with him 
in this struggle until hate is rejected in every corner of this nation.
  Doug, you have been a great friend and colleague of mine in the 
Senate. It has been an honor serving alongside you, and I am so sorry 
to see you go. We have shared so much, both on and off the Senate 
floor, and I look forward to continuing our friendship. During your 
time here, you've shown bravery and strength, you followed your 
conscious, and you have always done what was right. The lives of the 
people of Alabama have been made better with you as their Senator. You 
will be dearly missed.

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