[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 196 (Thursday, November 20, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H4821-H4822]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING DR. T. ANTHONY BRONNER

  (Mr. Kennedy of New York was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Mr. KENNEDY of New York. Mr. Speaker, to God be all the glory. I rise 
today with a profoundly heavy heart to honor the life of Reverend Dr. 
T. Anthony Bronner, known to Buffalo's faith community as Bishop 
Bronner, who tragically passed away on Sunday, November 16.
  Western New York, our State, and our Nation have lost a spiritual 
giant with Bishop Bronner's passing.
  Personally, I have lost a dear friend, supporter, and mentor. He was 
a shepherd of souls and a North Star for our community, a man whose 
faith was matched by his integrity and whose integrity was matched by 
his love for all of God's children.
  Bishop Bronner built a congregation deeply rooted in faith, 
compassion, and the unwavering belief that every single person is 
worthy of dignity, hope, and redemption.
  When he founded Elim Christian Fellowship in 1999, Bishop Bronner did 
not just establish a house of worship. He created a place of refuge, a 
place of renewal, and a place for those searching for a spiritual home.
  From the very first service at the old Buffalo Christian Center, 
where more than 700 community members stepped forward to join a vision 
rooted in Christ, Bishop Bronner understood that God was doing 
extraordinary work in western New York. He poured every ounce of 
himself into being a faithful servant to God.
  Under Bishop Bronner's leadership, Elim's congregation grew each 
year, spreading the Gospel across our community. He oversaw the 
construction of new worship centers and affordable housing across our 
region and helped thousands of souls find Christ, purpose, and 
community.
  He embodied fidelity to justice and walked the path of righteousness 
with conviction. Every morning, long before most were awake, Bishop 
Bronner led the Regional Morning Prayer Movement, a tradition that 
began decades ago and never stopped.
  Through blizzards, a pandemic, and times of both tragedy and triumph, 
Bishop Bronner prayed. He prayed for Buffalo, for our Nation, for our 
leaders, and for our most vulnerable, whether they were in the pews or 
miles away. He prayed for people he knew and people he would never 
meet. He prayed because he knew that God hears us. He prayed because he 
knew that prayer works, and his prayers and faith through action 
changed our community forever.
  Bishop Bronner embodied service and selflessness. He showed up for 
his family, his congregation, and our community with humble strength 
and ceaseless joy. He challenged all of us to be better, to lead with 
compassion, to stand firm in our values, and to root our service in 
moral clarity and love.
  Bishop Bronner's passing leaves a tremendous void, but his legacy 
will serve as a foundation for our future, a foundation built on faith 
and community that will continue to uplift Buffalo and beyond for 
generations.
  As we mourn Bishop Bronner's passing, we reaffirm our need to live by 
his example. In moments like this, we are reminded of the comfort and 
strength found in the words he often turned to in Psalm 23: ``The Lord 
is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green 
pastures: He leadeth me beside still waters. He restoreth my soul: He 
leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, 
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no 
evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Thou 
preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou 
anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and 
mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the 
house of the Lord forever.''
  Bishop Bronner lived these words every day, leading our community 
toward righteousness with courage, humility, and unwavering faith. 
Surely, he will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
  To his beloved wife, Lady Linda King-Bronner; their daughters, Jordan 
and Nia Bronner and Tami Brown; their granddaughter, Taylor Lucas; his 
loving parents, Reverend Sylvia and Charles B. Walker, Sr.; and his 
siblings,

[[Page H4822]]

Dale Walker, Charles B. Walker, Jr., and Chanda Jones, our Nation 
mourns with you.
  May Bishop Bronner's work live on in each of us.
  On behalf of a grateful community and nation, may Dr. T. Anthony 
Bronner rest in eternal peace.

                          ____________________