Joseph Woodrow Hatchett United States Courthouse and Federal Building

Floor Speech

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Mr. HUFFMAN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, and I thank my colleagues for their kind remarks about our friend and my predecessor, former Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey.

Lynn was a one-of-a-kind, barrier-breaking trailblazer and a lifelong advocate for women and working families. In her 20 years of service in this body, she was a passionate voice for progressive values, unflinching in her convictions and ahead of her time in so many ways. Speaker Pelosi often called Lynn the conscience of the Congress.

People who speak truth to power are often met with opposition and misunderstanding. Clearly, there are some Members of this body who don't share Lynn Woolsey's progressive values, and they tried to block efforts to recognize her work a few weeks ago. Today, we have a chance to right that wrong.

When this bill was first on the floor, my colleagues and I thoroughly covered Congresswoman Woolsey's extensive public service career and her many personal obstacles that she overcame to get to Congress where she became one of the leading progressive voices in either Chamber. She was co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, was chair of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee, wrote historic legislation to expand paid family leave, and fought tirelessly to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Lynn's work in Congress was all about fighting for children and families, and nothing made her prouder than her own children and family. Anyone who knows Lynn knows that she considers them her greatest achievement of all: her son Joe Critchett and his wife Kim; her son Ed, his wife Lisa and their children Teddy and Julia; her daughter Amy Critchett, Amy's husband Mark Pauline and their son Jake Eddie; and her son Michael Woolsey, his wife Sarah Grossi and their children Carlo and Luka.

My bill had widespread bipartisan support, including every Republican Member from California. Let's move past partisan pettiness tonight. I would ask my colleagues to please join me in honoring Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey's unique and exemplary career in public service by voting ``yes'' on this bill.

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