Recognizing Kathy Manning, Wiley Nickel, and Jeff Jackson

Floor Speech

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Ms. ADAMS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the distinguished service of three of my colleagues who will not be returning to this Chamber in January: Congresswoman Kathy Manning, representing North Carolina's Sixth Congressional District; Congressman Wiley Nickel, representing North Carolina's 13th Congressional District; and Congressman Jeff Jackson, representing North Carolina's 14th Congressional District.

All three of these Members have served their respective districts with devotion, with courage, and with conviction.

To my colleagues, I want them to know that it is a cruel injustice and a stain on the fabric of our democracy that we have to say goodbye to you today, but it is my privilege to highlight the good work that you have done here.

To Representative Kathy Manning, who represents my hometown where I began my public service, I have appreciated our work together in the Greensboro community over the years and the most recent 4 years working on behalf of our community here in Congress. I was especially proud when she joined me to recognize the Greensboro Four earlier this year.

She has been a great partner on the Education and the Workforce Committee. Whether it has been about fighting for equal pay or protecting women's rights or improving our schools and universities, I have admired her courage and commitment, and I thank her.

To Representative Wiley Nickel, I have appreciated his knowledge and experience on the Financial Services Committee. He demonstrates why expertise in finance is necessary in the U.S. Congress. With Shaw University, an HBCU in his district, he has helped develop policy proposals that really dig deep into the root causes of inequity and addresses them at the source.

Through the Supporting Diverse Entrepreneurs Act that we worked together on, students will be provided initial financing and expertise so young entrepreneurs can get to work starting businesses and growing our economy. I thank him. Our schools and young people are better for his service.

To Representative, now attorney general-elect Jeff Jackson, it has been a joy to serve the people of Charlotte with him. We have delivered great community projects together, like Nourish Up's Hunger Hub to feed struggling families and The Umbrella Center, which will serve women and children who have experienced abuse. We can't forget the new main library for Mecklenburg County, which will provide a community center and access to books and critical services for years to come.

We have worked on housing issues together, like the American Neighborhoods Protection Act, and he has been a great model in my Mad Hatter's Annual Luncheon.

The people of North Carolina, Mr. Speaker, will be served well with our next attorney general, and we look forward to what he will accomplish.

North Carolina and our Nation have been well served by these three Members, and it has been my privilege to work alongside each of them.

Their seats were eliminated not by democracy but by the sinister forces of greed and corruption because of gerrymandering. There has been dangerous rhetoric in this Chamber about the sanctity and the validity of our elections, and I do want to acknowledge that while our elections are legitimate, that does not make them fair and it does not mean that our democracy is functioning as intended.

I say to my colleagues, Representatives Manning, Nickel, and Jackson, I won't forget their service, and I won't forgive the process by which each of them has to leave this Chamber either.

While they may have taken them out of this fight, I know the fight hasn't been taken out of each of them.

Shirley Chisholm reminded us that service is the rent we pay for living on God's Earth.

My thanks to each of them for keeping their rent fully paid up. God bless them as they move forward.

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