[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 13097-13098]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     IN RECOGNITION OF TOM JAWETZ AND HIS SERVICE TO THE HOUSE OF 
                            REPRESENTATIVES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 28, 2015

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I, along with Representative Zoe Lofgren of 
California, would like to thank Tom Jawetz for more than six years of 
service to the House of Representatives. Throughout this time, Torn has 
served as a dedicated counsel to the Judiciary Committee under three 
Chairmen, including myself, Representative Lamar Smith, and 
Representative Bob Goodlatte. For the past year, he has served as the 
Minority Chief Counsel to the Judiciary's Committee's Subcommittee on 
Immigration and Border Security.
  A native of New York City, Tom graduated summa cum laude from 
Dartmouth College with a bachelor's degree in Philosophy and 
Government. Tom developed a passion for working with low-income 
communities through an AmeriCorps fellowship in Charleston, South 
Carolina. As an AmeriCorps fellow, Tom worked with community members 
and witnessed the myriad challenges faced by those suffering from 
chronic poverty. Tom took his passion for working with the 
disadvantaged to Yale Law School where he served as a student clerk in 
the Complex Federal Litigation Clinic and a Student Director in the 
Immigration Legal Services Clinic.
  After graduating from Yale Law School, Tom clerked for the Honorable 
Kimba M. Wood in the United States District Court, Southern District of 
New York. He continued his immigration advocacy as an Arthur Liman 
Public Interest Fellow at the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil 
Rights and Urban Affairs where he represented asylum seekers and 
designed pro se programs for immigrants in removal proceedings.
  In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Tom began working with the 
National Prison Project of the American Civil Liberties Union. As a 
litigation fellow with the National Prison Project, Tom helped to 
produce a groundbreaking comprehensive report condemning the belated 
evacuation of the Orleans Parish Prison. Tom combined his experience 
investigating prison abuse in New Orleans with his immigration 
expertise when he was hired to be the Immigration Detention Staff 
Attorney for the National Prison Project. In that role, Tom raised 
attention and awareness to the deficient and abusive medical care 
practices in immigrant detention and assisted Francisco Castaneda in a 
landmark case of medical abuse in detention. Tom testified honorably 
before the Judiciary Committee on two occasions, once accompanied by 
two of his clients who shared their stories in an effort to improve 
conditions of confinement.
  As counsel for the Judiciary Committee, Tom worked tirelessly to 
provide assistance to members and staff. He was always available for 
legal analysis, advice and good conversation. Tom was known to many 
members and staff as a leader on all things relating to immigration. 
Tom developed a reputation for being dependable and easily 
approachable. His energetic disposition and positive attitude were 
always appreciated by Members and staff on both sides of the aisle.
  Tom played an important role in Comprehensive Immigration Reform 
negotiations, the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, 
issues concerning the surge of unaccompanied children and families at 
the Southern border and enactment of several private immigration bills. 
Tom's absence will be felt on matters pertaining to immigration law and 
policy, but we are pleased to know that he will continue his efforts as 
the Vice President of Immigration Policy for the Center of American 
Progress.
  Mr. Speaker, we applaud Tom's tireless, principled and loyal public 
service to the U.S. House of Representatives and the American people 
wish him every success in his future endeavors.

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