Welcoming the Honorable Kweisi Mfume to the House of Representatives

Floor Speech

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Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, all of us, of course, were deeply saddened by the passing of our friend, Elijah Cummings, last year. He was a giant of moral strength and unquestioned integrity.

In his 24 years in office, Elijah built a reputation for legislative skill, excellence in constituent service, an unyielding energy for rooting out corruption in government, and fighting tirelessly for justice, equality, and opportunity. He served his constituents in Maryland's Seventh Congressional District well. And today, Madam Speaker, they are sending someone to take his place whom I believe is an excellent choice.

As the dean of the Maryland Congressional delegation, it is my honor today to welcome the House's newest Member, Representative Kweisi Mfume.

However, he is not new to the House. He is a veteran of this body, a skilled and experienced legislator, who represented Maryland's Seventh District from 1987 to 1996. When he left to become the national president of the NAACP, Elijah Cummings was chosen to succeed him.

Now, as we continue to mourn Elijah's passing, we welcome Representative Mfume back to his old seat to carry on the work that he and Elijah have both been engaged in for many, many years.

The voters of the Seventh District, to their credit, replaced great intellect with great intellect, a passion for justice, equality, and opportunity, with a successor who mirrors and shares that passion and history of commitment.

Their shared work has been to ensure that the promise of America is kept for all Americans equally, regardless of race or faith or gender or sexual orientation or national origin; to break down disparities in justice and access to opportunity; to address the tragic and unacceptable disparities in access to quality, affordable healthcare, which the COVID-19 tragedy has made so starkly evident; to make certain that every child in this country can go to a good, safe public school and receive a quality education that leads to a rewarding career.

That is what Representative Mfume fought for as a member of the Baltimore City Council and as a Member of this House. It is what he worked hard to achieve as a former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus and as the NAACP national president.

I speak on behalf of our delegation, but all who served with him here in the Congress of the United States, we are pleased that he is back with us. And I know that those who were not Members when he last served will find him to be a wonderful colleague, a man of wisdom, thoughtfulness, depth, and whose experience can help guide this House and our majority as we navigate challenges both longstanding and new.

I hope that all of my colleagues will join me in congratulating Representative Mfume on his election to represent Maryland's Seventh Congressional District once more and in welcoming him back to the House.

I am now honored, Madam Speaker, to yield to my friend of longstanding, my colleague, and my fellow Marylander, Kweisi Mfume.

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