[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 9, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S6465]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                       TRIBUTE TO ARLENE MITCHELL

 Mrs. BRITT. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize and 
celebrate Mrs. Arlene Mitchell, a tireless servant and philanthropist 
for the people of Alabama.
  Mrs. Mitchell, who grew up just over the Alabama border in Atlanta, 
GA, quickly made Mobile home with her husband Mr. Mayer ``Bubba'' 
Mitchell, a native Mobilian. The Mitchell family's decades of 
dedication have paid dividends and strengthened Mobile for generations 
to come.
  Notably, Mrs. Mitchell represented Mobile County on the Board of 
Trustees for the University of South Alabama--USA--a seat previously 
held by her beloved husband. In 2022, Mrs. Mitchell made history when 
she was elected as the first female chair pro tem of the board of the 
university. Her trailblazing commitment and heart for service proved 
critical to the university, increasing enrollment growth, spurring 
record fundraising, and advancing many crucial USA programs. Her 
oversight of the construction of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of 
Medicine Building, renovation and expansion of the USA Health 
Children's & Women's Hospital Pediatric Emergency Center, and the 
establishment of the Arlene Mitchell Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, 
among countless other initiatives, have been transformational to the 
university, its community, and the region.
  Equally important, Mrs. Mitchell and the entire Mitchell family were 
instrumental in establishing the USA Mitchell Cancer Institute, the 
region's only academic cancer treatment and research center. This 
visionary investment has brought world-class, groundbreaking research 
and hope to patients and families across Alabama and the entire gulf 
coast. Throughout the years, Mrs. Mitchell has generously donated to 
lifesaving initiatives at USA, including the Pediatric Emergency Center 
project, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit renovation, and the da Vinci 
surgical system acquisition at USA Health Children's & Women's 
Hospital. Mrs. Mitchell has not only generously given her resources, 
but her time and compassion, spending countless hours rocking precious 
babies in the NICU.
  Mrs. Mitchell's service to the Mobile community extends far beyond 
her work on the board. Her impact can be felt across the gulf coast 
region, whether through her support of the Boys and Girls Clubs of 
South Alabama, the Exploreum Science Center, or the Senior Citizens 
Services of Mobile. She has been recognized as Mobilian of the Year, 
the first woman to receive this honor, the Distinguished Friend of 
Education by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, and 
alongside her husband, has been honored by the United Way of Southwest 
Alabama for their lifetime of philanthropy.
  This year, Mrs. Mitchell was conferred the honorary title of chair 
pro tempore emerita of the University of South Alabama Board of 
Trustees. And while her biggest accomplishment of all, is her life with 
Mayer, her 4 children and their spouses, 8 grandchildren and their 
spouses, and 19 great-grandchildren, I couldn't be more honored to 
celebrate her legacy of leadership, selflessness, and generosity.
  I ask my esteemed colleagues in the U.S. Senate to please join me in 
extending our heartfelt appreciation to Mrs. Mitchell for her 
extraordinary contributions to higher education, healthcare, and the 
well-being of countless Alabamians. May her example be a guiding light 
to us all.

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