[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 194 (Wednesday, December 14, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H9734]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                REFLECTIONS ON FAMILY AND PUBLIC SERVICE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Mrs. Murphy) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. MURPHY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, for the final time, I rise to 
address this Chamber, and I am leaving here with a heart full of 
gratitude.
  When I reflect on the path I have traveled, I still can't believe it 
is real--a baby girl born in post-war Vietnam to parents facing 
persecution by the Communist government. We fled our homeland by boat 
and were rescued by American sailors. Our family was given refuge, 
granted citizenship, and provided opportunity in the United States.
  My mom and dad worked so hard to make ends meet. They struggled to 
overcome barriers of language and culture, all so that I could have a 
better life than they did.
  My happiest childhood memories are of fishing with my father. On the 
water, he told me stories of his old life in Vietnam. His new life in 
America wasn't easy, but I know he felt blessed to be an American.
  Those who have endured the absence of freedom and safety rarely take 
their presence for granted.
  As I grew up, I was encouraged and mentored by so many generous 
people who expected nothing in return. I remember hoping that, one day, 
I might be in a position to help people just as they helped me.
  Over time, I realized that government service was a good way for me 
to chisel away at the infinite debt of gratitude I owe this country. I 
also discovered that it infused my professional life with a sense of 
purpose.
  After the 9/11 attacks, I spent a few years at the Department of 
Defense, and it was a privilege to work alongside American patriots. I 
admired their singular focus on the mission: keeping our country safe 
from those who sought her harm. From them, I learned about courage and 
commitment.
  A decade later, I heard the siren song of public service once again. 
I had moved to central Florida. I was the mother of two young children 
and worked at jobs in the private sector I enjoyed, but I was worried 
about polarization in our political system.
  Although deep divisions in American politics have existed since the 
dawn of our Republic, there was something in the atmosphere that felt 
especially poisonous. Too many Democratic and Republican leaders failed 
to treat one another with civility and decency. They were unwilling to 
express policy differences without making personal attacks or using 
irresponsible rhetoric.
  Extreme partisanship led to legislative gridlock, and communities 
across the country paid the price, including my own.
  When a gunman shot 49 innocent people at the Pulse nightclub in 
Orlando, it seemed like yet another preventable tragedy that might have 
been avoided if common sense and political courage were on greater 
display in our Nation's Capitol.
  If you want to change Washington, you have to change the type of 
people you are sending there, I said to myself, and I thought I could 
do my part to make things just a little bit better. So, I launched a 
long-shot campaign for the people's House, inspired by Teddy 
Roosevelt's view that the credit belongs to the man, or the woman, in 
the arena.
  I was so excited when I became the first Vietnamese-American woman 
ever elected to Congress, and I thought about all the people who had 
lifted me up over the years. I confess I also thought about the people 
who underestimated me.
  I wish my dad were alive to see what his daughter had done so that he 
would know his sacrifices were worth it. I vowed to work every day to 
prove I was worthy of the faith my constituents had placed in me.
  As my congressional career draws to a close, I am proud of my 
service. I hope I earned the respect of those I represented, whether 
they were Democrats, Republicans, or neither, or whether they voted for 
me or would never dream of voting for me.

                              {time}  1030

  This job isn't easy, but nothing truly worth doing is. There are few 
places where you can make such a difference in people's lives as you 
can in the United States Congress.
  Ask the veteran who finally received the benefit they earned thanks 
to the congressional office who broke through the bureaucratic red 
tape.
  Ask the millions of Americans who got health and economic aid during 
the worst of the pandemic.
  Ask the billions of people who will live on a cooler, cleaner planet 
because of the green investments we have made.
  Ask the lion-hearted people of Ukraine who defend their land with 
weapons we gave them because their fight is our fight.
  And ask the police officers who risked their lives on January 6 and 
who, hopefully, find comfort in the fact that there is a bipartisan 
committee that seeks to honor their valor by telling the truth about 
that terrible day.
  I will miss this place, but, above all, I will miss the people. I 
have had wonderful colleagues, some of whom have become lifelong 
friends. My staff has been like a second family to me, loyal and 
devoted. We have had so much fun together and achieved so much for our 
constituents and our country. To honor them I will be entering their 
names in the Congressional Record. Thank you, Team Murphy.
  To my real family--Sean, Liem, Maya, and Kona: I love you. None of 
this would have been possible or meaningful without you. You are going 
to be seeing much more of me, as you requested, and as you may come to 
regret.
  I want to end with a word to young Americans, including young girls 
who look like me. I hope you consider government service. It requires 
many sacrifices, but the work is important and noble. Our Nation needs 
good people with steady hands to steer the ship of state: people with 
integrity; people with common sense who seek common ground; and 
patriots willing to put the public interest above their personal 
interests.
  Representing my community and my country in Congress has been the 
greatest honor of my life.
  I include in the Record the names of my staffers.

       Michael Abare, Lauren Allen, Lauren Calmet, Eduardo 
     Carrizosa, Jennifer Carton, Rosnelly Chavarria, David Cox, 
     Gabriel Cruz, Alli Everton, Erica Fuller, Carolyn Haggis, Ken 
     Heidegger, Javier Hernandez, Brad Howard, Justin Karlins, 
     Rachel Kline, MacKensie Kvalvik, John Laufer, James Loomis, 
     Lale Mamaux Morrison, Katherine Marrs, Natalie Martinez, 
     Tamel McKinney, Phoebe Miner, Bruce Moody, Dao Nguyen, David 
     Ogle, Stephanie Palacios, Zoe Prince, Juliana Puente, Jeff 
     Rapp, Nicole Reyes, Adam Safran, Thomas Steenekamp, Christie 
     Stephenson, Kyle Thorp, Emma Trittin, Mark Tucker, Jonathan 
     Uriarte, Christy Wagner, and Madelyn Wiseman.

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