[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 82 (Tuesday, May 16, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E450]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 COMMENDING JOSEPH SELLERS, JR. ON HIS RETIREMENT AS GENERAL PRESIDENT 
    OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SHEET METAL, AIR, RAIL AND 
                         TRANSPORTATION WORKERS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DONALD NORCROSS

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 16, 2023

  Mr. NORCROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and commend General 
President of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail 
and Transportation Workers (SMART) Joseph Sellers, Jr., who is retiring 
after nearly 3 decades in SMART local and national leadership.
  The son of a SMART sheet metal worker and local union officer, 
Sellers followed in his father's footsteps and began an apprenticeship 
in 1980 at Local 19 in Philadelphia before becoming a journeyman four 
years later. In 1994, he was elected to the Local's executive board and 
become its president and business manager in 2002.
  After being elected to international leadership in 2009 and serving 
as the union's general secretary since 2011, Sellers became SMART's 
general president in 2015 and was re-elected in 2019.
  Under Sellers' leadership, SMART improved outreach and visibility to 
key stakeholders and policymakers on important issues to union members 
such as pensions, healthcare, and apprenticeships. His advocacy 
advanced diversity and inclusion in the union, and he established 
strong working relationships with members of Congress and the Biden 
Administration, where he helped champion the passage of the American 
Rescue Plan, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the Inflation Reduction 
Act among many others.
  The United States, SMART, and the working men and women of our 
country are better off because of the steadfast and visionary 
leadership of Joseph Sellers, Jr. He advanced the ideals of working 
people and fought to improve the quality of life for the American 
people. We are grateful for his decades of service to SMART, and his 
commitment to the working people and families of the United States.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in honoring and commending Joseph 
Sellers, Jr., of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, 
Rail and Transportation Workers as we celebrate his retirement and 
dedication to serving the organization and their many working families 
throughout his career.