Commending Joseph Sellers, Jr. on His Retirement As General President of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers
Floor Speech
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Mr. NORCROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and commend General President of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) Joseph Sellers, Jr., who is retiring after nearly 3 decades in SMART local and national leadership.
The son of a SMART sheet metal worker and local union officer, Sellers followed in his father's footsteps and began an apprenticeship in 1980 at Local 19 in Philadelphia before becoming a journeyman four years later. In 1994, he was elected to the Local's executive board and become its president and business manager in 2002.
After being elected to international leadership in 2009 and serving as the union's general secretary since 2011, Sellers became SMART's general president in 2015 and was re-elected in 2019.
Under Sellers' leadership, SMART improved outreach and visibility to key stakeholders and policymakers on important issues to union members such as pensions, healthcare, and apprenticeships. His advocacy advanced diversity and inclusion in the union, and he established strong working relationships with members of Congress and the Biden Administration, where he helped champion the passage of the American Rescue Plan, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the Inflation Reduction Act among many others.
The United States, SMART, and the working men and women of our country are better off because of the steadfast and visionary leadership of Joseph Sellers, Jr. He advanced the ideals of working people and fought to improve the quality of life for the American people. We are grateful for his decades of service to SMART, and his commitment to the working people and families of the United States.
Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in honoring and commending Joseph Sellers, Jr., of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers as we celebrate his retirement and dedication to serving the organization and their many working families throughout his career.
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