In Honor of Rep. Greg Walden
Floor Speech
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Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the people of our home state of Oregon to honor my friend, colleague, and fellow Oregon Duck, Greg Walden, for his twenty-two years of service in the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressman Walden's call to service did not start in this chamber--and it will not end here. Greg Walden and I share similar paths. We both attended the University of Oregon School of Journalism, and we both began our careers in elected office in the Oregon State Legislature. We both started in the Oregon House, we were both appointed to the Oregon Senate, and we both served in leadership there before joining Congress.
Congressman Walden was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1999, and his ascent in Congress, in both leadership positions in his party and on some of our most powerful committees, brought central, eastern, and southern Oregon to the table during the most pressing policy debates of the past two decades. Although Congressman Walden and I didn't agree on every vote, we worked together to find areas of common ground that helped Oregonians by advancing good policies. I am grateful for his most recent work to bring more resources to those with opioid addiction, and for our work together on wildfire relief. In this time of great division, I greatly admire Congressman Walden's lifelong commitment to serving with integrity, honesty, and humility. He puts pen to paper and does the hard work that's needed to serve his constituents and move our country forward. When I first joined the Oregon delegation, he welcomed me with kind words on the House floor and then invited me to the House dining room for lunch, a gesture that meant a lot to me as a new member of Congress. I will miss our chance to catch up on long flights to and from Oregon, and I'II certainly miss having a fellow Duck in the delegation.
I offer my congratulations to Congressman Walden, as he closes this chapter of his career dedicated to helping others, and I know he will continue serving his community and Oregonians in new ways in the years ahead. Best wishes to him and his family.
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