[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 193 (Tuesday, December 13, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H9691-H9692]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          FAREWELL TO CONGRESS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Mrs. Bustos) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to reflect upon a decade of service 
in Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, 10 years ago, when I was first elected, I jotted down a 
list of goals that I hoped I would accomplish while serving the 17th 
Congressional District of Illinois.
  As I was cleaning my office recently, I ran across that list again. A 
window into what I was thinking before I was even first sworn into 
office.
  On that list: to build an exceptional constituent service program; to 
secure generous Federal funding and support local projects; and to 
develop innovative and practical solutions to the real problems that 
people face every day.
  Reading it, I realized I never lost sight of what I came to 
Washington to do.
  Goal number one: to serve the people in central, northern, and 
northwestern Illinois. That is why I was so proud when my team was 
honored as the top Democratic office for constituent services in 
Congress.
  Goal number two: to deliver funding to help our communities.
  Well, in 2021, I was the top House Democrat in bringing home Federal 
community project funding.
  And goal number three: to listen to the people I serve and focus on 
solutions, such as when I helped pass two farm bills and prepare for a 
third; helped pass two surface transportation packages; wrote, passed, 
and saw enacted groundbreaking legislation to restore the rights of 
sexual assault and harassment survivors; and worked across the aisle to 
secure the largest investment in the Mississippi River since the Great 
Depression.
  Each of these accomplishments speaks to who I have always looked out 
for: our family farmers, and the nearly 10,000 family farms that I 
represent. They are why I served on the House Agriculture Committee 
every year since I have been in Congress;
  Our 90,000 labor households: That is why I fought to make sure that 
we pass bipartisan, once-in-a-generational investment in rebuilding our 
infrastructure;
  And our working men and women: the people I met at every supermarket 
Saturday who took a moment to chat in the grocery store aisles;
  And during 120 Cheri on shifts, which is what we call our own version 
of job shadowing. During my Cheri on shifts, I was a baker, a cattle 
auctioneer, a tow boat operator, and I even drove a Zamboni.
  Every Cheri on shift gave me a firsthand view of how hard people 
worked to support their families and what they need from us here in 
Washington.
  Like when Sarah Miller in Galesburg, Illinois, reached out to me. The 
mother of two young children, Sarah's drinking water had lead in it, 
but in order for her to afford to fix it, she would have had to drop 
out of nursing school. So I helped the city secure $4 million in 
grants, and Sarah became one of several hundred families to have their 
solid lead water pipes replaced.
  This is a picture of me working on replacing water pipes.
  Listening to the stories of the people I serve has helped guide the 
work that I have done in Congress, but no one succeeds alone. 
Everything I have accomplished has been with the help and support of 
others, so I would like to say thanks.
  Thanks to those who taught me what it means to lead. To Majority 
Leader Steny Hoyer who has always been a true friend; to Speaker Nancy 
Pelosi, who proved that even while navigating treacherous waters, we 
never have to lose our way; and to my mentor, Senator Dick Durbin, 
without whom I would not be standing here today.
  When I was first elected, I was told it wasn't possible to make 
friends in Washington, but I was lucky enough to find a group of truly 
best friends here. Thank you to the pink ladies: Congresswomen Lois 
Frankel, Grace Meng, Ann Kuster, Julia Brownley, and our whip-elect, 
Katherine Clark, who are truly outstanding leaders for our Nation.
  Thank you to everyone who has been part of Team Bustos over the 
years; and to the most important part of my team, my family: My sister, 
Lynn; our three sons, Tony, Nick, and Joey; our daughters-in-law; and 
grandchildren.

[[Page H9692]]

  Our families don't sign up for the long hours and missed birthdays, 
but I have had their support every step of the way.
  And thank you most to my husband, Gerry. Gerry and I first met when 
he was a rookie police officer and I was a rookie police reporter.
  Two weeks ago, he retired after almost 40 years in law enforcement as 
the sheriff of Rock Island County. He has stood by me all of these 
years.
  Finally, I say thank you to the people of the 17th Congressional 
District of Illinois. I am humbled that for a decade you put your faith 
in me. Thank you.
  I have been honored to be your voice here in Washington.

                          ____________________