[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 20 (Monday, February 5, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H411]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF SHEILA Y. OLIVER

  (Mr. PAYNE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the late Lieutenant 
Governor of the State of New Jersey, Sheila Y. Oliver.
  Ms. Oliver was a trailblazer in every sense of the word. She was the 
first Black woman to serve as Lieutenant Governor in the State's 
history. She was the first Black woman to be elected to statewide 
office in New Jersey. She was the first Black woman to serve as speaker 
of the general assembly. She was only the second Black woman to lead a 
legislative chamber in American history.
  I knew her before she made history. I knew her as my neighbor on Bock 
Avenue in Newark, New Jersey. She became my mentor, my friend, and 
someone I respected. Her oratory skills were second to none. You felt 
honored when she spoke on your behalf.
  It was her endorsement that helped propel me to my seat in the United 
States Congress. The Positive Community magazine will publish a tribute 
to Sheila Oliver this month, and it is well-deserved.

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