[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 79 (Tuesday, May 7, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H2880-H2881]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING CONGRESSMAN-ELECT LUKE LETLOW

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Van Duyne). The Chair recognizes the 
gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, today we are going to be 
voting on legislation to name a post office in Rayville, Louisiana, 
after Congressman-elect Luke Letlow.
  Madam Speaker, I had known Luke for many, many years and had the 
chance to work with him. I want to tell you a little bit about his 
background.
  Luke, his whole life, was a little guy. He grew up kind of small. I 
bet when he was growing up, he looked at that as a handicap, maybe, as 
being a shorter, smaller person in stature.
  As Luke got older and grew taller and got bigger, he never forgot 
about the lessons that he learned about being the little guy.
  All throughout his career when he was working for the Louisiana 
congressional delegation for Congressman Cooksey and for Congressman 
Ralph Abraham, when he worked for Governor Jindal of Louisiana, Luke 
always, always stood up and fought for the little guy.
  I am going to say it again. I bet that when he was growing up, he 
looked at it like a deficit, he looked at it like a handicap, but, wow, 
what he did later in life and how he took those experiences that he had 
and parlayed them, he used them, and he never forgot what it was like.
  Oftentimes in government, the people that are heard, the people that 
are listened to are the ones that have the lobbyists, have the money, 
have the power, have the influence.
  Luke made sure that that wasn't the case. It was the person who had 
an issue, the person who had a problem. No issue was too small. No 
community was too small.
  Luke was born and raised in the town of Start, Louisiana, and I have 
to make reference to this. His dad is a firefighter, and their shirts 
say Start Fire. I always got a kick out of that. These people are 
looking for job security. They are pyromaniacs.
  But seriously, he grew up in Start, Louisiana, in this very, very 
small community. Throughout his career in government, all he did was 
stand up for and fight for these small communities, to make sure that 
these communities were not left out, were not left behind.
  To tell you a little bit about Luke, I think he would probably make 
Jeff Foxworthy look sophisticated. Luke would say some of the funniest 
things, had these hilarious sayings, but he was one of the brightest, 
most clever people.
  I often thought of him as a scoundrel, but I don't mean that in a 
negative sense at all. Luke was a rascal, incredibly clever in what he 
did and always focused on outcomes. I can't even begin to express my 
sadness for Luke's early departure at just 41 years old. I can't even 
begin.
  If Luke were here, if he served in Congress, if he were able to 
continue his public service, I have no doubt that we wouldn't be naming 
post offices after Luke. We would be naming large buildings. We would 
be naming large boulevards and streets.
  Part of me is saddened by the fact that we are naming a post office--
I will say it again--because if he were here, I know he would 
accomplish nothing but greatness.
  I also think about Luke, where he is now in Heaven, and I am sure 
that he has his own little corner, and he has streets of gold named 
after him. I am sure that he has his gaggle of people, and he is 
holding court up there doing amazing things.
  One of the things that Luke was most excited about was when Start got 
a Dollar General. Start got a Dollar General. He could get--what was 
it, the Dr. Pepper and the Reese's or Kit Kat or whatever it was that 
he loved.

[[Page H2881]]

  He is an amazing man. It is an absolute honor that we are able to 
name something after him today. I miss him greatly.
  I know that he loves his wife, Julia, his son Jeremiah, and his 
daughter, Jacqueline. I know that when they look back at his history 
and the work that he has done, the legacy he has left, they are going 
to be incredibly proud. I love that we are here today able to vote for 
a post office for him.
  God bless you, my brother, and God bless your family.

                          ____________________