[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 183 (Tuesday, November 29, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H8642-H8643]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                              {time}  1915
                  HONORING CONGRESSMAN DONALD McEACHIN

  (Mr. SCOTT of Virginia asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, as dean of the Virginia 
congressional delegation, I am joined by Members of the delegation from 
the House and Senate. It is with a heavy heart that I announce to the 
House the

[[Page H8643]]

passing of our colleague, Congressman A. Donald McEachin.
  Throughout his life of public service, Donald was a relentless 
champion for all Virginians, serving in the House of Delegates, the 
Senate of Virginia, and then here in the House of Representatives. He 
was the son of an Army veteran and a public schoolteacher. Donald 
graduated from American University, earned his law degree from the 
University of Virginia, and received his Master of Divinity from the 
Virginia Union University.
  As many in this Chamber know, Donald was a thoughtful and principled 
legislator respected by Members on both sides of the aisle. He was also 
a trailblazing figure in Virginia politics. He was the first African-
American nominee of a major party for Virginia Attorney General and 
only the third African American elected to Congress from the 
Commonwealth of Virginia.
  Donald was resolute in pushing Virginia to lead the way in climate 
policy. He recognized the climate crisis as a moral issue and was a 
champion for environmental justice, using his skills as a trial lawyer 
to fight to ensure that the voices of our most vulnerable communities 
were heard and heeded. May we all seek to honor Donald's life and 
legacy by working to build a future in which everyone has access to 
clean air, water, and soil.
  Madam Speaker, this body has lost one of its most dedicated public 
servants and fiercest advocates for justice and equality, and he will 
be deeply missed. I want to offer my deepest condolences to his wife, 
Colette, their three children, his beloved grandchildren, his friends, 
his staff, and the countless individuals positively impacted by his 
life of service.
  Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman).
  Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague Mr. Scott for yielding 
and join him in our condolences in the passing of Donald McEachin. I 
would like to thank our colleagues today for joining us in this 
remembrance.
  Donald was indeed an incredible leader. He was a dedicated father, a 
dedicated husband, and he loved serving others. He truly was passionate 
about his job. He was passionate about the people of the Fourth 
District.
  I got to know Donald actually from our years when we were young, when 
we were in high school. We were in rival high schools in Richmond. I 
met him in passing there and got to serve with him in the Virginia 
General Assembly.
  What an individual, a person of integrity, a person of passion, 
dedicated to the people that he served. He loved being a legislator. He 
loved solving problems for people. He loved interacting with people. He 
loved the whole idea of giving of himself and putting others first. 
That truly was what Donald was about. I know we all dealt with him 
through the years, and he was a person of the utmost integrity and the 
utmost passion. He really wanted to get things done.
  While there were political differences among the different members of 
our Virginia delegation, for Donald it was always about getting things 
done, and you could always depend that Donald would be very thoughtful 
and forthright with you. He was looking for solutions to problems. That 
is what legislating is about. Donald was indeed the quintessential 
public servant, the quintessential leader, an example for all of us in 
the Virginia delegation.
  It is with a heavy heart today that we mourn his passing, but let's 
all remember his legacy, his legacy of service, what he has done to 
uplift all of us, to make us all better as Members of this legislative 
body.

                          ____________________