[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 15754]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING MAYNARD JACKSON

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I am sad to join my colleagues, the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop), and the gentleman from Georgia 
(Mr. Scott), as well as the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) who was 
on the floor earlier, and I know the gentlewoman from Georgia (Ms. 
Majette), I do not know if she has been here yet, and many other 
Members, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) who was a very 
close friend of Maynard Jackson. I am saddened to add my personal 
thoughts and prayers to their wonderful comments about Maynard Jackson.
  America has lost a great statesman today, and our hearts are saddened 
for his family and thousands of his colleagues and friends who loved 
him and worked with him on so many issues.
  For his many friends at the United States Conference of Mayors where 
he served in key leadership roles, to those who worked with him in 
building the magnificent Atlanta airport in his tenure as mayor, to the 
many people that he touched as he worked tirelessly to bring the 
Olympics to Atlanta, the list goes on and on, Maynard Jackson, Jr., was 
larger than life, physically, politically and in every way.
  Maynard Jackson was the essence of a public person. Being first 
elected the mayor of Atlanta and then reelected and term-limited for 
another term, Maynard found other venues in which to serve his beloved 
Atlanta. He was an entrepreneur, one who mentored many young people who 
had expressed an interest in starting their own businesses. Maynard 
Jackson can be best described as a facilitator of the people. A 
facilitator so much so that when he chose to return to elected office, 
Mr. Speaker, for a third term as mayor of Atlanta, he was elected 
overwhelmingly with 80 percent of the vote. People loved and trusted 
Maynard Jackson.
  Maynard was a democrat with a small ``d'' and a capital D. He offered 
himself as the Chair of our party, as the gentlewoman from California 
(Ms. Waters) said earlier. Even though he was not successful, Mayor 
Jackson continued to work on voter education and outreach within the 
party in a very significant way.
  I was pleased to appoint Maynard Jackson to serve on the Election 
Assistance Commission Advisory Committee. I think it was an honor to 
all the Democratic members of the House that he accepted that position. 
This advisory committee would have had, and does have, the import of 
assisting 50 States to make sure that the American electoral system is 
accessible and fair. What greater American to oversee such a momentous 
task.
  Mr. Speaker, this was a result of legislation passed by the House of 
Representatives, by the entire Congress, signed by the President to 
make sure that every vote in America counts, that the public knows 
that, that we do the outreach, that we have the education of the 
public, that we have the technical assistance and the financial 
assistance to States and to communities, to have a voting system that, 
again, is fair, understandable, accessible and in which every vote is 
counted.
  Maynard Jackson devoted his life to the legitimacy of the process, to 
democracy in our country, to a commitment to enhance the voices of 
minorities in our country. We will miss him with his warm smile and his 
big heart. We all would say to Maynard, Well done. Well done.
  I hope it is a comfort to his family that so many people mourn their 
loss and are praying for them at this sad time.

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