[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 104 (Tuesday, June 15, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2749-H2750]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING THE LIFE OF COURTNEY ANN NEALE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Garcia) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life 
of Courtney Ann Neale, my office's press secretary and digital manager. 
Courtney passed away suddenly on May 23.
  It is still hard to fully express how much my staff and I feel 
Courtney's spirit, her energy, and her strength, and we miss her. She 
was an activist to the core and a dedicated public servant, an untiring 
advocate for women, for working-class people, immigrants, and 
communities of color.
  In the year before she joined our office, Courtney was diagnosed with 
several medical conditions that changed her daily life. Still, she 
continued her fight for a world where healthcare and education are 
guaranteed rights. Courtney stood strongly by her principles and--this 
I can tell you from personal experience--challenged those around her to 
do the same.
  As press secretary and digital manager, Courtney was a member of my 
office's communication team. Now, communications on the Hill can feel a 
bit like a one-way street, getting the message out fast before turning 
to the next thing. But Courtney took the meaning of communications 
seriously. Even under the greatest time crunch, she seemed to approach 
each tweet, each press statement, as a two-way dialogue.
  She not only got out our message; most mornings she would bring new 
messages in, raising attention to feedback on social media or local 
angles on national news. True to her title as a communicator, Courtney 
didn't just tell, she also learned and responded, ensuring that 
constituents were heard.
  And while she was known as our office's authority on all things 
social media, she gracefully filled many other

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roles in her personal life. She was an adventurous traveler; an avid 
reader; a doting dog mom; and beloved daughter, sister, and friend.
  Despite the hectic Hill schedule, she still prioritized time with 
colleagues, friends, and family. Principled work was a passion, but a 
principled life was the goal.
  So her memory is more than a legacy. It is a call to action, to take 
care of yourself, and take care of others as well, to give selflessly, 
and to savor what you have. Courtney dared to dream. She challenged us 
to act.
  Alongside the many joyful memories she leaves with us, it is those 
actions that we remember. On and off Capitol Hill, Courtney helped 
advance the progressive cause and, through it all, remained a kind and 
grounded person.
  As my staff and I mourn her passing, we also resolve ourselves to 
honor her legacy by continuing to fight for the better, fairer world 
that she so passionately believed in.
  My prayers are with Courtney's parents, Jill and Kevin; her sister, 
Marissa; and the incredible network of friends she made along the way 
in Milwaukee, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.
  Rest in peace, Courtney.

                          ____________________