[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 11 (Thursday, January 15, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S253]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO RAYMOND NEIRINCKX

  Mr. REED. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the retirement of 
Raymond Neirinckx after an incredible 43-year career, including the 
past 26 years as coordinator of the Rhode Island Housing Resource 
Commission.
  I first met and began working with Ray when I was serving in the 
Rhode Island State Senate, and I was immediately struck by his 
compassion and intelligence. Indeed, for nearly five decades, Ray used 
his considerable talents not for personal gain, but to help others in 
great need.
  Throughout his housing advocacy career, he counseled over 1,000 Rhode 
Islanders facing mortgage foreclosure. He helped these families 
navigate complex financial documents and often communicated with 
lenders on their behalf. Ray's painstaking work combing through legal 
documents and financial regulations helped many, many Rhode Islanders 
keep their homes despite dire circumstances. He would often go above 
and beyond what was required under his role, helping Rhode Islanders 
who could not avoid foreclosure get back on their feet. When I 
connected struggling Rhode Islanders with Ray, I knew they were in the 
best hands possible.
  Just as my constituents have relied on Ray's advice, I have often 
depended on Ray's expertise here in Congress. As I have drafted, 
considered, and voted on complex housing finance legislation, I have 
always turned to Ray for an analysis of how these proposals would 
operate in the real world and to understand what their real impact 
would be on Rhode Islanders. His insights were invaluable.
  While I will miss Ray at the Rhode Island Housing Resource 
Commission, I know that he is still just a phone call away. And luckily 
for Rhode Island, retirement is not the end of Ray's public service 
story. He is leading the first community development course within the 
Rhode Island Department of Corrections, work that will help people 
trying to turn their lives around.
  Ray, thank you for decades of extraordinary work, for dedicating your 
career to caring for and supporting your fellow Rhode Islanders, and 
for being a trusted partner. I wish you luck as you begin this new 
chapter.

                          ____________________