Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Post Office

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise as the sponsor of H.R. 9600, legislation to designate the United States Postal facility in Plains, Georgia, as the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Post Office.

President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter dedicated their lives in service to their community, their country, and the world. Together they rose to the greatest heights, supporting and cherishing one another along the way as they helped people across Georgia, America, and across the globe.

Yet, no matter where they went, they remained grounded and humble, and Plains always remained home in their hearts.

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter both grew up in Plains and attended Plains High School. They married in 1946 and would go on to spend 77 cherished years together until Mrs. Carter's passing in November of 2023.

President Carter graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1946 and was an Active-Duty servicemember for 7 years. Following the death of his father, Jimmy took over the family's struggling peanut farm, quickly turning its fortunes around with Rosalynn's help and support every step of the way.

Wanting to be more involved in the local Plains community, Jimmy began advocating for racial integration at his church. He ran and won a seat on the Sumter County School Board and served as its chairman for 2 years.

In 1962, Jimmy Carter decided to run for the Georgia State Senate where he would go on to serve two terms.

In 1970, Senator Jimmy Carter launched his campaign for Governor, and Rosalynn took a leading role on the campaign trail.

Following Jimmy Carter's election as Governor, Mrs. Carter served as Georgia's first lady from 1971 to 1975, where she would take on the role of her husband's most trusted adviser and confidante.

In his inaugural address as Governor, he famously declared that the time for racial discrimination is over.

Mrs. Carter made her own mark in public policy, serving on the Governor's Commission to Improve Services for the Mentally and Emotionally Handicapped.

Governor Jimmy Carter completed his term in January of 1975. Prior to moving back to Plains from Atlanta, Governor Carter had already announced his intention to make what would become his successful run for the Presidency of the United States in the 1976 election.

As President, Jimmy Carter showed great success in international affairs, delivering the Camp David Accords, Panama Canal Treaties, SALT II Treaty, and the establishment of diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China.

He also delivered on his domestic agenda, signing legislation to establish the United States Department of Education, expanding the Head Start program, successfully making America less dependent on foreign energy, and protecting millions of acres of public lands for future generations.

As an equal partner to her husband, Rosalynn Carter attended many Cabinet meetings and attended weekly business meetings with President Carter where she could draw his attention to the policy issues of the day.

In 1977, President Carter appointed Rosalynn the honorary chair of the President's Commission on Mental Health. Thanks to her advocacy and testimony before the United States Senate, the Congress passed the Mental Health Systems Act when it was signed into law by President Carter on October 7, 1980.

Following the Carters' loss in the 1980 Presidential election, Jimmy and Rosalynn continued their ministry of service after their time in the White House with the same vigor and urgency, becoming heavily involved in Habitat for Humanity.

In 1982, they founded The Carter Center, a nonprofit human rights organization, which has since become famous for its work eradicating disease, strengthening democracies, and alleviating human suffering all around the world.

In 1999, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter were jointly awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation's highest civilian honor, by President Bill Clinton, and in 2002, President Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize for decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflict, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.

On a personal note, it has been a privilege to call Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter my friends and fellow southwest Georgians for over five decades. I will always cherish their friendship, as well as their sage counsel and advice which has been invaluable to me as I have served in Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to support H.R. 9600, legislation to designate the U.S. Postal facility in Plains, Georgia, as the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Post Office. This is a small but meaningful gesture we can make to honor two dedicated servant leaders who spent their lives working on behalf of others.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source