[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 9848-9849]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  WELCOMING THE HONORABLE KAREN HANDEL TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

  The SPEAKER. Without objection, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. 
Lewis) is recognized for 1 minute.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to welcome the newest 
member of the Georgia congressional delegation, Representative Karen 
Handel, serving the Sixth Congressional District in our beautiful 
State.
  I want to congratulate Karen on becoming the first Republican woman 
ever elected to the House of Representatives from the State of Georgia. 
She was actually born in the District of Columbia, and was raised in 
Upper Marlboro, Maryland. So she is returning home.
  She was president and CEO of the Greater Fulton County Georgia 
Chamber of Commerce, Deputy Chief of Staff to then-Governor and now 
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, chairman of the Fulton County 
Board of Commissioners, and Secretary of State of Georgia.
  The Georgia delegation is Democrats and Republicans, but we are a 
family. We are trying to do our very best to serve the people in our 
district, in our State, and to work on behalf of the people of this 
great Nation.
  I welcome Karen and her husband, Steve.
  If you should need my help, please feel free to call on me.
  I wish her well, and I look forward to serving with her.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Graves), my 
friend and brother.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is my joy today to be able to 
introduce the newest voice of the Georgia delegation, Congresswoman 
Karen Handel.
  I have known Karen for many years. She is a self-made woman with a 
very humble start, but a successful story. She and her husband, Steve, 
have a track record of service that is above none other. She has fought 
hard for the things that she believes in, much like us: balanced 
budgets, better jobs, and defending innocent lives. I know she will 
bring those same qualities that have made her such a great servant and 
leader here to Congress today.
  Now, if I know anything about Karen, she is going to hit the ground 
running. So get ready.

[[Page 9849]]

  I am also glad to be able to join with Congressman Lewis and to share 
with you that Karen is making history tonight as being the first 
Republican Congresswoman to serve in either the House or the Senate 
from the State of Georgia. This is a proud moment for our State.
  So, Karen, you are an inspiration. You are an inspiration to all the 
young women throughout Georgia and throughout the country, including my 
two daughters.
  I am pleased to welcome and to introduce to you Georgia's newest 
voice, a fighter for the State of Georgia, Congresswoman Karen Handel.
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from 
Georgia (Mrs. Handel).
  Mrs. HANDEL. Mr. Speaker, Congressman Lewis, Congressman Graves, the 
entire Georgia delegation, to all of you, my new colleagues and soon-
to-be very good friends, and to my family and friends in the gallery, I 
thank you.
  Now, I am not sure you have heard enough about this particular race. 
No, you really have. I am going to be very brief.
  This is an extraordinary honor and the greatest privilege that I 
think I have ever had. I look forward to serving the people of the 
Sixth District, to serving the people of Georgia, and to being a good 
coworker and friend to each and every one of you.
  Thank you for this opportunity. Thank you for welcoming me so 
graciously. God bless you, God bless the great State of Georgia, and 
God bless the great United States of America.

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