[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 14, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H1782-H1783]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING THE LIFE OF ALCEE HASTINGS

  (Mr. DIAZ-BALART asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Madam Speaker, it is my solemn duty to rise today on 
behalf of the Florida delegation as we continue to grieve the passing 
of our colleague and our friend, Alcee Hastings of Florida.
  Congressman Alcee Hastings was more than a colleague; he was a dear 
friend to me and to my family. Madam Speaker, my brother, Congressman 
Lincoln Diaz-Balart, served with Alcee Hastings on the Rules Committee; 
and, through him, I also developed a very special relationship.
  Along with Congresswomen Carrie Meek and Corrine Brown, Alcee 
Hastings was the first African American from Florida to serve in 
Congress after more than 100 years.
  Alcee Hastings dedicated his life to serving others and to fighting 
for human rights. You know, Alcee lived by Dr. Martin Luther King's 
phrase, ``An injustice anywhere is an affront to justice everywhere.''
  Alcee Hastings' brilliance, his perseverance, and his charisma, along 
with his ceaseless fight for human rights, built a lasting and 
meaningful legacy. And even during that last battle of his, the one 
that ultimately took his life, he continued to serve with passion, with 
great heart, and always with that special spark that he had, that smile 
of his that he always had.
  We are truly heartbroken by his passing, and we offer our deepest 
condolences and prayers to his family and all of those who knew and 
loved him.
  Florida and Congress really lost a trailblazer.
  Madam Speaker, I would also like to thank one very special person, 
Lale Morrison, Alcee's longtime chief of staff, for her service to the 
people of Florida and equally as important, her dedication and her 
friendship to Alcee Hastings.
  Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Castor).
  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend from 
Florida for yielding.
  It is with great sadness that I rise on behalf of the Florida 
delegation, and you can see we have many new Floridians in our 
delegation today because we had such great love, respect, and 
admiration for our colleague Congressman Hastings.
  Congressman Hastings was a towering figure who always stood up for 
the little guy. He fought for civil rights. He fought for voting 
rights. He fought for affordable healthcare. He was tireless.
  Now, Alcee did not suffer fools or malarky, and he was unafraid to 
point it out. And he did so with relish. And let that be a great 
example to all of us who have this tremendous responsibility to stand 
up every day for the people who send us here, especially the voiceless 
and the vulnerable.
  But Alcee served with great intellect, with passion, with flare. He 
loved the House of Representatives. He loved the State of Florida. He 
wanted it to be better, and he worked on that every single day. But I 
think we are all better for his service and his example.
  Madam Speaker, I think Alcee would have appreciated the fact that you 
are in bright orange today, the color of his beloved Florida A&M 
University. Go Rattlers.
  On behalf of the great State of Florida, we also send our love, 
prayers, and condolences to Lale, his chief of staff, his entire team, 
his family, his devoted friends, and I would respectfully ask that we 
recognize his life with a moment of silence, but ask and invite you

[[Page H1783]]

all to join us in a celebration of his life that we intend to hold next 
week.

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