[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 73 (Monday, April 29, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H2688]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   MOMENT OF SILENCE IN REMEMBRANCE OF CONGRESSMAN DONALD PAYNE, JR.

  (Mr. SMITH of New Jersey asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise, along with my 
colleagues, to convey our deepest sorrow on the passing of our good 
friend, six-term, New Jersey Congressman,   Donald Payne, Jr. of the 
10th Congressional District.
  We are grateful for his public service, and offer our prayers and 
condolences to his wife, Beatrice, and their children, Donald III, 
Jack, and Yvonne.
  Like his father before him--Congressman Donald Payne, Sr., who I 
served with and who was also a great man--Donald Jr. was a dedicated 
public servant who tirelessly and tenaciously worked to improve the 
lives of New Jersey families, especially the poor.
  He was a kind and compassionate lawmaker who cared deeply for the 
people of his district, our State, the country, those in need, and 
especially the sick.
  As a diabetic, he fought to lower the cost of insulin. He wrote the 
House-passed Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act and 
the Amputation Reduction and Compassion Act to provide full coverage 
for PAD to help reduce amputations.
  His TEST for Lead Act was designed to protect children from lead-
contaminated drinking water in schools, and he wrote the DHS 
Interoperable Communications Act that became law in July 2015.
  As chairman and then ranking member of the House Railroads, 
Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee, Donald helped lead the 
charge to improve America's transportation infrastructure, played a key 
role in securing the Gateway project, and was a powerful ally of 
Amtrak.
    Donald Payne served two terms on the Newark City Council, including 
as president, and beginning in 2005, three terms as an Essex County 
freeholder, which we now call county commissioner.   Donald Payne, Jr. 
will be deeply missed.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) 
for any comments he may have.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Smith really laid out all the great 
accomplishments of  Don Payne in terms of what he accomplished here, 
which was so much as a Member of Congress, but I just want to talk a 
little bit about the man.
  I think that many of us know Don for his trademark bow tie, his big 
smile, and his friendly demeanor. More than a Member of New Jersey's 
congressional delegation, he was part of our family, and he 
affectionately called me ``Uncle Frank.''
  He used his time here to improve the lives and health of New 
Jerseyans and Americans with so many things that Chris Smith mentioned, 
but Don was always struggling with health issues from the day that he 
came here. I am not sure that many of you knew that, but it never 
stopped him from his work, from voting.
  So many times in the past year we had very close votes and he would 
always show up if there was any way possible. I remember him doing 
Special Orders. He had the record for the most Special Orders for 
several years.
  If you look over there in seat number one where Democrats would sit 
if they wanted to line up for Special Orders, you see the flowers and 
the mourning cloak. He was always the first one to come down.
  I think a lot of you maybe didn't realize how uncomfortable he was 
when he was sick, but he always took the time to ask how you were 
doing. If I would go up to him and say, Donald, how are you feeling 
today? He would say, fine and just move on. Then he would say, how are 
you doing, Frank? How do you feel? How is the family?
  He just made you feel like he was your friend, and it didn't matter 
whether you were Democrat or Republican or where you were from.
  I will join Mr. Smith in mentioning his wife, Beatrice, and his 
children. He had triplets. I think many of you know Donald III, Jack, 
and Yvonne. We want to honor his legacy and his service to our State 
and our country. I will say in closing to Don, Uncle Frank says good-
bye, but he certainly will not be forgotten by any of us.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I ask everyone to join us in a 
moment of silent prayer for our deceased colleague.

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