[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 94 (Friday, May 28, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E593-E594]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING SHADAWN REDDICK-SMITH

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JERROLD NADLER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 28, 2021

  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I rise to thank and honor Shadawn Reddick-
Smith for her years of distinguished service to the House Judiciary 
Committee and to the United States Congress. Through her strategic 
insight and tireless dedication to advancing the Committee's 
priorities, Shadawn played a vital role in ensuring the work of the 
House Judiciary Committee was accessible and tangible to the American 
people.
  As we toiled together to reject then-President Trump's disgraceful 
efforts to undermine our democracy and erode key Judiciary priorities--
namely reforming our immigration system, preventing gun violence, and 
protecting access to the ballot box--I saw firsthand her passion and 
her skillful capacity to render our often-complex work understandable 
to the public.
  When Democrats took control of the House in January of 2019, the eyes 
of the country were fixed upon the Judiciary Committee I now chaired. I 
was deeply grateful that Shadawn stayed on my staff as my 
communications director as we entered this unprecedented time in 
American history. Before us lay problems existential in nature and 
scope: a lawless President intent on destroying democratic norms, an 
executive branch stubbornly fixed on stonewalling accountability, and a 
structure of government thrown into disarray by the Administration's 
ineptitude and cruelty.

[[Page E594]]

Despite the daunting task at hand, Shadawn's composure was unflagging 
and her capacity to maintain and nurture relations with members of the 
press--and the Democratic caucus--were invaluable.
  It would be easy to recognize Shadawn first and foremost for her work 
on the Judiciary Committee's oversight efforts, which included two 
presidential impeachments during her tenure. And, to be sure, Shadawn 
handled these incredibly demanding environments with poise, marshalling 
stakeholders, communicating effectively with the media, and shaping the 
public narrative to ensure our message of accountability under the law 
was heard loudly and clearly by the American people. But to focus only 
on these high-profile events would be to omit Shadawn's commitment to 
all the work of the Judiciary Committee.
  Shadawn sacrificed much of herself, without complaint, to provide 
access to the press and ensure the public understood what was 
transpiring in the Halls of Congress. She would regularly wake early, 
arriving at the Rayburn House Office Building often before the sun rose 
to ensure that television cameras and reporters were met with unlocked 
doors. She was also a kind presence to the junior staffers and interns 
who perform much of the unsung work of the Committee, offering guidance 
on how to communicate effectively and how to navigate a career on 
Capitol Hill. And Shadawn expanded and transformed the Judiciary 
Committee's digital program, ensuring that the work of the Committee 
could meet Americans where they are today: online and on social media. 
Her legacy is a Judiciary Committee with a social media reach 
unparalleled among other House Committees.
  In bringing the Judiciary Committee into the 21st century, Shadawn 
worked to ensure that the Committee was actively addressing issues that 
were top of mind to the American people. She was deeply passionate 
about overhauling America's broken, often brutal system of policing and 
helped shepherd the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act--bold 
legislation that reimagines policing in our communities--through the 
Judiciary Committee and the full House of Representatives. In doing so, 
Shadawn showcased her wide array of skills, demonstrating her ability 
to build consensus, deftly manage a surge of press requests, and craft 
a message that helped facilitate the bill's passage while rendering it 
visible to the public at large.
  Shadawn is moving on to tackle new challenges at the Department of 
Homeland Security, where she will serve as Director of Strategic 
Communications. She is one of a select few who stood tall and 
demonstrated exemplary grit during a most turbulent moment for our 
nation. I always felt proud to have her by my side.
  I wish Shadawn all the best in her future endeavors, and I thank her 
for her service to the Committee, to the Congress, and to the country.

                          ____________________