[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 50 (Thursday, March 19, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H2609]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING KAMRAN KHAN
(Mr. JACKSON of Illinois asked and was given permission to address
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to
a remarkable American, Mr. Kamran Khan.
Kamran Khan came to this country at the age of 18 with faith,
determination, and a belief in the promise of America. He built a
beautiful life with his lovely wife, Dr. Hamida Khan, and they raised
six children. He devoted himself not only to his family's success but
to the cause of dignity, equality, and inclusion for others.
Mr. Kamran Khan understood something fundamental: that America is
strengthened when every faith is respected and every community is seen.
At a time when Muslim Americans had never seen Eid recognized at the
White House, he helped change that. Kamran Khan, alongside other
American-Muslim leaders, helped push forward a simple but powerful
idea: Eid should be recognized in the White House just as faiths have
had their holidays recognized and celebrated.
On February 20, 1996, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton welcomed
guests to what she called ``the first Eid celebration ever at the White
House.'' In those same remarks, she thanked Mr. Kamran Khan personally
by name, ``for all [his] help in creating this occasion.''
This historic achievement is an affirmation that Muslim Americans,
too, belong fully in the civic and spiritual life of this Nation. It
helped establish a tradition of recognition that would continue for the
years that followed.
During this Ramadan, Kamran Khan deserves our gratitude, our
admiration, and our praise. His life reminds us that history is often
shaped not only by those in higher offices but by citizens of
conviction who quietly insist that America live up to its ideals.
I honor Kamran Khan today for his vision, his leadership, and his
enduring contribution to our country.
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