[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 199 (Wednesday, December 21, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1325]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING LONNIE STEPHENSON FOR 47 YEARS WITH THE INTERNATIONAL 
                BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS (IBEW)

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CHERI BUSTOS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 21, 2022

  Mrs. BUSTOS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Lonnie 
Stephenson on 47 years of service and dedication to the International 
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).
  Mr. Stephenson joined the IBEW Local 145 in the Quad Cities in 1975 
as an apprentice. Mr. Stephenson's later took positions as the union's 
Business Manager, International Representative and International Vice 
President. He was elected President of the union in 2015 and was re-
elected twice. During his tenure as President, union membership 
steadily increased and currently stands at 775,000 members. He has 
worked as an advocate for accelerating IBEW's commitment to diversity, 
inclusion and equity through the IBEW Strong Program, which aims to 
recruit more people of color and women as union members. Mr. Stephenson 
advocated for trade unionism and worked tirelessly alongside other 
unions and associations throughout the pandemic to ensure America's 
labor workforce was rightly recognized as essential workers.
  Under the leadership of Mr. Stephenson, IBEW has supported the 
passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which included 
pro-union job creation provisions, and the Inflation Reduction Act, 
which will provide substantial funding for multiemployer pension 
programs. I am confident that IBEW will continue to grow and thrive for 
many years to come because of Mr. Stephenson's commitment and service 
to workers.
  It is because of Illinois' hardworking and dedicated leaders like 
Lonnie Stephenson that I am especially proud to serve in Congress. 
Madam Speaker, I would like to, again, formally congratulate Lonnie 
Stephenson for over four decades of service to Illinoisans.

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