Recognizing Austin Livingston

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. NORMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Austin Livingston and his years of incredible service and exemplary work for the Fifth District of South Carolina.

Austin was born in Texas. He was adopted as an infant and spent most of his formative childhood years raised in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

I had the privilege of him living in our neighborhood, and I took him on backhoe rides, along with other children, to the store and other places. He was known for his physical power on the high school tennis team and also served in our Nation's Capitol as Senate page for Senator Strom Thurmond.

This early experience left on him a lasting impression, and he was delighted when fate brought him back nearly three decades later to serve as a staff member for the House of Representatives.

He was head of the committee for the Fifth District. In between two congressional jobs, he proudly graduated from Clemson University with a B.S. in computer information systems. He also worked as a commercial airline pilot, where he flew for Continental Airlines for over 11 years. He was a leader in the commencement photography industry and started his own information technology consulting company, specializing in cybersecurity.

He has taught Sunday school at his local Presbyterian church in Rock Hill for years and helps as chair of the board of Westminster Catawba Christian School in Rock Hill.

Most importantly, Austin is an outstanding father to his son, Pierce, and he is a loving husband to his wonderful wife, Camille.

As communications director and later deputy chief of staff for my office, Austin spearheaded numerous initiatives, including extensive office renovations and building a TV studio from scratch, which I didn't have to ask him to do. He did that on his own initiative. This was during COVID, when restrictions to facilitate virtual interviews were rampant.

It is not only Austin's accomplishments that set him apart but his character. Throughout the years, colleagues and associates have consistently noted his integrity, humility, work ethic, humor, and levelheadedness in a crisis.

I can tell you he is one of the few people I have ever met who has never said a bad word about anybody. He is a leader among leaders, and it has been a true honor to have him on my staff.

His impact on the Fifth District of South Carolina and its 725,000 people will be seen for many years to come.

Madam Speaker, please join me in expressing my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to Austin Livingston for his profound dedication and work. I wish him all the best in his new photography business, as he deserves the best of the best.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source