Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a dedicated husband and father, trailblazing Law Enforcement Officer and public servant, Sheriff Gregory D. Countryman. Sheriff Countryman was honored as the Community Service Person of the Year by the Controllers Civic and Social Club in Columbus, Georgia on December 3, 2022.

Born in Plains, Georgia, Countryman's family moved to Columbus, Georgia when his father was assigned to Fort Benning. He is a product of the Muscogee County School System, graduating from Baker High School in 1984. Although he struggled in his early life to overcome a learning disability, this challenge did not deter him from seeking higher education. He would go on to earn an impressive collection of degrees, including an Associate's Degree from Georgia Military College; a Bachelor of Science Degree from Troy State University; a Master of Public Administration Degree from Columbus State University; a Master of Arts in Practical Theology from Ohio Christian University and, finally, a Doctor of Philosophy in Christian Counseling from Saint Thomas Christian University.

Countryman has been a dedicated public servant who has consistently gone above and beyond for the people of the Chattahoochee Valley region. He has dutifully served his community for thirty years as a highly respected law enforcement professional. As a Deputy in the Muscogee County Sheriffs Department, he served in the bureaus of Field services, Court Services, and the Fugitives and Jail Divisions. In 2004, he was elected to serve as the Marshal of Muscogee County, and he would go on to serve three terms.

As Marshal, Countryman was a visionary leader for law enforcement officials in Muscogee County and the state of Georgia. Desiring to improve public safety services beyond his community, he founded the Georgia Marshal Training Network, a non-profit organization to provide education and training to Marshals across the state and served as president of the organization. He believes that education is the passport to the future, and the future belongs to those who prepare for it today. With that vision in mind, he created the Junior Marshal Program for Middle School students which mentored and instilled within them the essential values of citizenship, leadership, education, fun, and teamwork. Since 2005, the Junior Marshal Program worked with nearly 2,000 young people, building lasting relationships between law enforcement and future generations, and making Muscogee County a safer place to live.

In 2020, Marshal Gregory Countryman made history by becoming the first African American to be elected Sheriff of Muscogee County, Georgia. After serving his community faithfully and effectively for over two decades, the people of Muscogee elected him sheriff with nearly 75 percent of the vote, demonstrating great trust in his ability to fairly enforce the laws and make our community safer.

It has been said that ``Service is the rent that we pay for the space that we occupy here on this earth.'' Sheriff Countryman has paid his rent and he has paid it well. In addition to serving as the top law enforcement official for the second largest city in the state, he has given dedicated service to various organizations in his community to include Omega Psi Fraternity, Inc.; Electric City Masonic Lodge No. 322; the Georgia Marshal Training Network; American Legion 267 (SAL Member); the Fraternal Order of Police; the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives; the Police Benevolent Association and the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police.

Knowing that public safety is a crucial and everchanging field, Sheriff Countryman has not rested on his laurels and has always tried to stay on the cutting edge of Law Enforcement Training and initiatives. He is a graduate of the Georgia Regional Command College Class No. 26, attended the FBI's Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (L.E.E.D.S) training, and served as a former Assistant Adjunct Professor at Georgia Military College where he helped effectively train new prospective recruits in the field of law enforcement.

Sheriff Countryman has served and achieved so much in his life, but none of it would have been possible without the grace of God and love and support of his wife, Angela, and their three sons, Christopher, Gregory, Jr. (a Muscogee County Deputy Sheriff) and William.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join my wife, Vivian, and me, along with the more than 730,000 people of the Second Congressional District in recognizing, honoring, and commending Sheriff Gregory D. Countryman on receiving the Community Service Person of The Year Award from the Controllers Civic and Social Club in Columbus, Georgia. We commend and thank him for his selfless service to God, his community, and humankind.

Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart and solemn remembrance that I rise today to honor the life and legacy of a loving wife, dedicated mother, doting grandmother and a woman after God's own heart, First Lady Emeritus Barbara Tharpe Raines. Sadly, First Lady Raines passed from labor to reward after a long and fruitful journey of service to humankind. A service celebrating her remarkable life will be held on Saturday, December 3, 2022 in Macon, Georgia at 12:00 p.m. at the Macon Centreplex. She leaves a legacy of service that is worthy of emulation.

Barbara Tharpe Raines was born on January 30, 1951, in Macon, Georgia to the late James Bryant and Alma Jones Tharpe. She was the oldest of six children.

First Lady Raines was a lifelong learner and was a proud product of the Bibb County School System, graduating from Ballard Hudson High School in 1968. The next stop on her educational journey was Fort Valley State College (now University), graduating in 1972 with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Education. She also received a Master's Degree in Counseling from Georgia College and State University with more study at Georgia Southern University .

Equipped with great educational tools, she embarked on a thirty-year education career, serving in multiple roles, including First Grade Teacher, Second Grade Teacher and Guidance Counselor. She retired from the Bibb County School system with her final duty station at Burghurd Elementary School. Never one to rest on her laurels or one to stop trying to help those in need, she came out of retirement to do independent counseling for the school system, setting up independent counseling programs and serving as she did so often in her life as a mentor for new counselors. First Lady Raines was also an instructor with Hicks and Hicks Associates of Atlanta, Georgia, where she taught child development courses.

Central to her life and character was her commitment to God that she formed at an early age. An unbreakable bond was cemented with her beloved husband and life partner, the Reverend Curtis Raines as they were both founding members of the Mount Vernon Baptist Church. She and Rev. Raines were members of the church's Youth Department and played an integral role in the Church's spiritual and social development. First Lady Raines and Reverend Raines formed a true partnership as she became a deaconess and he became a deacon under the leadership of their pastor at Mount Vernon, the Reverend Dr. Henry Ficklin.

Applying the lessons that he learned at Mount Vernon, Reverend Raines began his own ministerial journey along with First Lady Raines who supported him at every turn, as a sterling example of what a First Lady should be. She served as the First Lady of New Pilgrim Baptist Church for 34 years and Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church Bolingbroke for 31 years. First Lady Raines was involved with many ministries that had as their goal the development of the whole person.

When Reverend Raines became President of the General Missionary Convention of Georgia, First Lady Raines was once again a full partner with her husband serving in numerous capacities with the Convention.

George Washington Carver once said, ``How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged sympathetic with the striving and tolerant with the weak and strong, because someday in your life you will have been all of these.''

First Lady Emeritus Barbara Raines used her life's work to help people from all walks of life. She was a member of many social and civic organizations to include the Macon Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Bibb Retired Education Association and Retired Counselors, Mentor at the Macon Youth Development Center, Rainbow Grief Counselor, Co-Team Captain of American Cancer Society, Former Member of the American Lung Association, and Cancer Relay for Life.

Because of her remarkable service to others, she has been recognized by local, state and national organizations.

Besides being one of God's Children, her greatest role in life was being a dedicated wife, loving mother and grandmother. As outlined already, she supported and served as the greatest cheerleader to her husband of almost 44 Years, Rev. Curtis Raines in various endeavors. Moreover, she always supported her children and grandchildren,

Madam Speaker, I am proud to have known a woman with the grace, class and dignity of First Lady Emeritus Barbara Tharpe Raines. I ask my colleagues to join my wife Vivian and me, along with the 730,000 people of the Second Congressional District in extending our deepest condolences to her family, friends and all who mourn her loss. May they be comforted by their faith, the grace of God and the Holy Spirit in the days, weeks and months ahead.

Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart and solemn remembrance that I rise today to honor the life and legacy of a loving husband, dedicated father, distinguished Army Veteran, determined Civil Rights Advocate, faithful public servant, a benevolent man of God and my friend of longstanding, Deacon Lucius Holloway, Sr. Sadly, Deacon Holloway transitioned from labor to reward on Thursday, November 24, 2022. His life will be celebrated on Saturday, December 3, 2022, at Cooper Carver Elementary School in Dawson, Georgia.

The remarkable journey of Deacon Lucius Holloway, Sr. began on April 1, 1932, as he was born to the union of Mr. Bobby Holloway, Sr. and Mrs. Mary Louise Thornton Holloway in Dawson, Georgia.

Deacon Holloway was educated in the Terrell County School System. He received his Auto Body and Frame Construction certification from the Albany Vocational Technical College in Albany, Georgia.

He was married to his beloved wife and life partner, the late Emma Kate Holloway, for 60 years and they built a life of service and advocacy for humankind.

Armed with a servant's heart, Deacon Holloway gave of himself to serve our country for three years of active duty in the United States Army during the Korean War. He retired as a Staff Sergeant after serving 22 years in the Army National Guard. His professional journey also took him to Delco Remy and Delphi, where he retired after 18 years of service.

Deacon Holloway was a committed freedom fighter for the cause of justice and equality. He truly believed in the words that Dr. King penned from the Birmingham Jail: ``Injustice anywhere is threat to justice everywhere.'' Deacon Holloway was one of Terrell County's most influential Civil Rights activists, always speaking up for the voiceless and the hopeless. He was always concerned about African Americans exercising their rights as American citizens through the ballot box. Deacon Holloway engaged in many voter registration drives and mass meetings during his lifetime.

His advocacy did not come without great cost to him and his family. Deacon Holloway had to endure many challenges during his Civil Rights advocacy, including having the gas line at his house cut during a cold day in the 1960s because he housed Freedom Riders and members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee at his home. He was also arrested; he and his family were threatened, and a cross was burned in his front yard. But through all these indignities, he never wavered in his support for the cause of Civil and Human Rights.

His relationship with the NAACP is long and storied. Deacon Holloway became the first Vice President of the Terrell County Branch in 1955. He served as Vice President for 65 years and President for one year. Deacon Holloway cemented his commitment by becoming a lifetime member of the organization that he had given so much to for so long.

Deacon Holloway was also a committed public servant. He served on the Terrell County Board of Commissioners for 27 years, retiring in January of this year. Deacon Holloway was a tireless advocate for his constituents, constantly pushing to do the right thing for those that he represented.

Most importantly, Deacon Holloway was a man of God who allowed Him to order his steps. He began his walk with Christ at an early age, first fellowshipping with the saints at County Line Missionary Baptist Church in Sasser, Georgia. In 1956, his Christian journey continued when he became a member of Sardis Missionary Baptist Church in Dawson, Georgia where he served faithfully in many capacities, including as Ordained Deacon, Chairman of the Deacon Board, Sunday School Superintendent, Youth Sunday School Teacher, Adult Sunday School Teacher and Vice Treasurer of Finance.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh once said that ``Only when a tree has fallen can you take the measure of it. It is the same with a man.'' A great tree has fallen, and we can all agree that we can take the measure of this great man for the great things he has done to uplift humanity.

Deacon Lucius Holloway, Sr. achieved countless successes in his life. But none would have been possible with the grace of God and love and support of his dearly departed wife of 60 years, Emma Kate Holloway, his five children, one of whom preceded him in death, and his eleven grandchildren.

On a personal note, Deacon Holloway was my friend. He always supported and encouraged me with his wise counsel and sage advice. He will be sorely missed, but the world is better because of him.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues in the House of Representatives join my wife, Vivian, and me, along with the more than 730,000 people of the 2nd District in honoring and celebrating the life and legacy of Deacon Lucius Holloway, Sr. for his service to God, his country and humanity and in extending our deepest condolences to his family, friends and all who mourn his loss. May they be consoled and comforted by their faith and the Holy Spirit in the days, weeks and months ahead.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a social science educator, prolific writer, political philosopher, and African American Civil Rights Activist, Dr. Preston King.

Dr. King was born in Albany, Georgia on March 3, 1936, to the union of Clennon Washington King, Sr., and Margaret Slater King.

Dr. King obtained his bachelor's degree from Fisk University in 1956. He went on to obtain his Master of Science in 1958 from the London School of Economics and his PhD in 1966. Dr. King was subjected to the draft board process and after the board refused to address him as Mr. King, he refused to respond. He was charged with draft evasion and went into exile in the United Kingdom because of the unjust charges that were levied against him.

His exile began his storied career in Academia as he has served at many institutions of higher learning in England and Africa to include Keele University, The University of Ghana, The University of Sheffield, the University of East Africa and as department Chair at the University of Nairobi.

Dr. King moved to Australia in 1976 where he served as Chair of the School of Economics until 1986, when he returned to the United Kingdom and Lancaster University, resuming his position as Chair.

During his extraordinary career, Dr. King has published many books. His first book was published in 1967, Fear of Power. Other dynamic publications included Politics and Experience, as well as multiple editions of The Ideology of Order in 1974 and 1999 and Toleration in 1978 and 1998. Other books include An African Winter, Socialism and the Common Good: New Fabian Essays and Friendship and Politics. Additionally, Dr. King has authored, narrated, and edited the Critical Review International Social and Political Philosophy.

Despite his numerous commitments in academia, Dr. King has found time to share his talents as a visiting professor at multiple institutions of higher learning to include McGill University in Canada, Auckland University in New Zealand, Australian National University in Australia, Macquarie University in Australia and Birkbeck College, a part of the University of London System.

Dr. King's philosophy in academia and activism has always been centered around social issues, especially as they relate to scientific matters. He has extensively studied the structure of societies and how they function and evolve, and he has played an integral role in tying questions of history and the philosophy of history to questions of tolerance and the ways societies may or may not be managed.

Dr. King was pardoned by President Bill Clinton in 2000. He has been active as a scholar-in residence at the leadership center of Morehouse College in Atlanta since 2006.

Shirley Chisholm once said that ``Service is the rent that we pay for the space that we occupy here on this earth.'' Through much adversity, Dr. Preston King has paid his rent and he has paid it well.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join my wife, Vivian; and me, along with the more than 730,000 people of the Second Congressional District in honoring Dr. Preston King for his many years of service to academia and humankind.

Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart and solemn remembrance that I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding man of God, iconic civil rights pioneer, dedicated leader and friend of longstanding, Rev. Charles Melvin Sherrod. Sadly, Rev. Sherrod transitioned from labor to reward on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, at the age of 85. He leaves in his wake many heavy hearts among his family, friends, community and across the nation. A homegoing service celebrating his life was held Saturday, October 15, 2022 at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia at 11:00 a.m.

Charles Sherrod was born on January 2, 1937 in rural Surry, Virginia to the late Mr. Raymond Sherrod and Ms. Martha Mae Gibson. After moving with his grandmother and siblings to nearby Petersburg, Charles would go on to become president of his student body at the all-black Peabody High School where he played sports, participated in theatre, and served as school chaplain (Quiros, 2022). Having heard the call to God's ministry at an early age, his strong Christian faith steeled his resolve to challenge the stain of racial segregation in the Jim Crow south and in 1954 at the age of 17, he participated in a kneel-in at a segregated white church.

Following graduation from high school, Charles attended Virginia Union University in Richmond where he earned a Bachelor's in Sociology and a Master's in Theology. In February 1960, he and 33 other student activists staged a sit-in at the lunch counter of Thalhimer's Department Store in downtown Richmond, were arrested and became known as the ``Richmond 34''. In April of that year, Sherrod and other students attended a meeting at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina where the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) was founded. Sherrod volunteered to be placed anywhere and was sent by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to Albany in Southwest Georgia as SNCC's first field secretary along with Cordell Reagon and Charles Jones.

Working with others in Albany, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he launched a full assault against racial violence and segregation through nonviolent demonstrations and the registration of thousands of disenfranchised Black Americans in the region. Unfortunately, Police Chief Laurie Prichett, ``unlike so many other Southern lawmen, avoided the spectacle of publicly attacking protesters'' and just jailed successive waves of them in separate remote locations in surrounding counties until there were no more protesters (Quiros, 2022). The ``Albany Movement,'' as it was called, ended and Dr. King left, but Sherrod persevered with successful Black voter registration. Ultimately, within months the Albany City Commission voted to repeal all segregation laws from its books. Charles Sherrod continued his work in Albany, Americus, Moultrie, and other cities, later changing the focus to school integration.

In 1964, Sherrod left Albany and went to Union Theological Seminary in New York to earn a Master's of Divinity. Meanwhile, he impacted the greater American Civil Rights Movement by recruiting for the 1963 March on Washington and marching for voting rights in Selma on Bloody Sunday. He returned to Albany and brought with him white seminarians to create a moral society where Black and white Americans could live and work together in unity and peace (Quiros, 2022). By 1966 SNCC became more militant, the Black Power Movement emerged and Sherrod broke with SNCC and worked with the Georgia Freedom Project (Quiros, 2022). Also in 1966, Charles Sherrod married Shirley Miller of Baker County and they founded a farming collective, New Communities, which was the largest Black-owned plot in the United States where they worked the land and helped people (Quiros, 2022).

Unfortunately, a severe drought occurred in 1980 and the Sherrods were repeatedly denied help from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the farm was taken by foreclosure (Quiros, 2022). Devastated by the loss of the farm, Charles and Shirley nevertheless continued their work in southwest Georgia. Charles was elected to the Albany City Commission serving 14 years, was a prison chaplain and a professor at Albany State University.

The Sherrod's sued USDA, alleging racial discrimination and were awarded a settlement for wrongful dispossession of New Communities; they used the money to purchase Cypress Pond Plantation, an antebellum plantation now managed by descendants of slaves, to help rural Black landowners profit from farming and to be a model for solving the nation's affordable housing shortage (Quiros, 2022). ``From marching in the Albany Movement, being beaten and jailed, registering rural folks to vote, serving in local politics, and founding New Communities,'' wrote Professor Ansley L. Quiros in a piece published by the Washington Post, ``Sherrod stayed with the course of freedom and the beloved community until his death'' (2022).

Rev. Charles M. Sherrod accomplished much in his life, but none would be possible without the grace of God and the love and support of his wife, Shirley; his two children, Russia and Kenyatta; his 5 grandchildren, and other family and loved ones who will miss him dearly.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues in the House of Representatives join my wife, Vivian and me, along with the 730,000 people of the 2nd Congressional District of Georgia in honoring the life and legacy of Rev. Charles Melvin Sherrod and in extending our deepest condolences to his family, friends and all who mourn his loss. May they be consoled and comforted by an abiding faith and the Holy Spirit in the days, weeks and months ahead.

[From the Washington Post, Oct. 13, 2022]

A Vital Civil Rights Activist you Never Heard of Has Died

(By Ansley L. Quiros)

Charles Melvin Sherrod died on Tuesday at the age of 85 in

Albany, Ga., a place he went to in 1961 and never left. If

you are not from southwest Georgia, his name might not be

familiar. But Charles Sherrod is the most important civil

rights figure you've never heard of. Recovering his story

offers us a chance not only to honor a civil rights hero, but

also to better understand the struggle for freedom to which

he committed himself for so long.

Sherrod was born on Jan. 2, 1937, in Surry, Va., a place he

described as a ``speck.'' He never knew his father and was

raised primarily by his grandmother within a broad community

of friends and cousins. Even as a young child, Sherrod

possessed a deep faith in God and a precocious theological

imagination. Probably inspired by the sermons he heard at

Mount Olive Baptist Church, he would often play church,

preaching to other children and soon sensing a real call to

the ministry. ``I was preaching when I was about 6 years

old,'' Sherrod told me, adding, ``I was born a preacher.'' He

would carry that preacher's zeal and deep moral vision with

him for the rest of his life.

Despite the racism and suffocating poverty he experienced

in childhood, Sherrod excelled in school. He attended the

all-Black Peabody High School where he played sports, acted

in plays and served as student body president and school

chaplain. Sherrod then attended Virginia Union University

where he earned his undergraduate degree in sociology, and

then an M.A. in theology, fulfilling his ambition to become a

minister.

During this time, Sherrod's Christian commitments first led

him to challenge the dehumanization of Jim Crow. He

participated in a ``kneel-in'' at a segregated church in 1954

and later joined a picket in front of Thalhimer's department

store. ``I saw the [lynching] rope in my mind,'' he

confessed, but he also felt a sense of responsibility since

people were ``coming to me, asking me for leadership.''

Shenod was a natural leader: smart and calm with a ready,

broad smile.

In April 1960, his civil rights activities took Sherrod to

a meeting at Shaw University, where the Student Nonviolent

Coordinating Committee (SNCC) was founded. SNCC's vision--

nonviolence, collective action and the pursuit of a beloved

community in which all people are afforded dignity, respect

and care--appealed to Sherrod's calling, both to Christianity

and racial justice. After the meeting, Sherrod told Ella

Baker, the veteran activist who was then the executive

secretary for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference

who convened the students, that ``I'd be willing to be placed

anywhere.'' She sent him to southwest Georgia, a place W.E.B.

Du Bois had once called the ``Egypt of the Confederacy,''

where he would spend the next six decades working for

freedom.

Sherrod arrived in Albany as SNCC's first field secretary,

``full of zeal and empty of almost everything else.'' But

soon, he and the men and women of Albany launched a full-

scale assault on Jim Crow unlike anything that had been seen

before. The Albany Movement, as it became known, was a

dramatic mobilization of people against racial violence and

segregation.

In traditional accounts of the civil rights movement,

Albany is depicted as a failure, a place where the Rev.

Martin Luther King Jr. was outmaneuvered by Police Chief

Laurie Pritchett, who unlike so many other Southern lawmen,

avoided the spectacle of publicly attacking protesters, and

simply locked them up. This is why Sherrod's story is

crucial. The Albany Movement was only a failure when

considered from the perspective of King. The movement

continued after King left, making important, if slow, gains.

``Nothing could stop the people,'' Sherrod said, ``certainly

not jail or the threat of jail, not [even] death.''

Sherrod stayed, organizing in the rural counties, though he

did take a ``Movement sabbatical'' in 1964, heading to Union

Theological Seminary in New York. He earned a Master's of

Divinity and then returned to southwest Georgia, bringing

White seminarians with him as part of an exchange program

called the Student Interracial Ministry. For Sherrod, this

was a continuation of his civil rights work. He insisted,

always, that the end was not simply political but moral: a

society where Black and White Americans, all created in the

image of God, could live and work together in unity and

peace.

In 1966, this philosophy led to a breach with SNCC, which

was moving away from interracialism and Christian nonviolence

and toward a more militant stance of Black Power. As Sherrod

put it: ``I didn't leave SNCC, SNCC left me.'' But he stayed

with the work of racial justice--voter registration and

community organizing--under the auspices of the Southwest

Georgia Freedom Project.

In the late 1960s, Sherrod, along with his wife, Shirley

Miller Sherrod, a Baker County native whom he married in

1966, helped found New Communities, a farming collective that

was, at one point, the largest Black-owned plot of land in

the United States. For decades, New Communities was the

fulfillment of a dream for the Sherrods, a place where they

could work the land and care for others.

But in the 1980s, when a devastating drought afflicted

southwest Georgia, they were repeatedly denied relief and the

farm was foreclosed on. In asking for a loan, Sherrod heard

from White loan officials the same message he'd heard from

segregationists decades earlier when trying to vote: ``Over

my dead body.''

Though devastated by the loss of New Communities, the

Sherrods kept working faithfully in southwest Georgia.

Charles Sherrod had been elected to the Albany City Council

in 1976, a post he held until 1990, and also served as a

prison chaplain, while Shirley worked for the Federation of

Southern Cooperatives before being named the U.S. Department

of Agriculture Georgia Director of Rural Development in 2009.

Shirley was fired after conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart

posted selectively edited, misleading video clips from a

speech she gave. The White House and Agriculture Secretary

Tom Vilsack apologized to Sherrod two days after her firing.

After seeing her name dragged through the mud, Shirley got

better news. She heard about a class-action lawsuit, Pigford

v. Glickman II, alleging systemic racial discrimination

toward Black farmers by the USDA. The Sherrods filed a claim

and were awarded a settlement for the wrongful dispossession

of New Communities. They used the money to purchase a new

farm. It was a bittersweet moment.

And one that reveals how long the Black freedom struggle

has been. Charles Sherrod embodied this enduring struggle

over the long haul, in all of its breadth and character. From

marching in the Albany Movement, being beaten and jailed in

Americus, Ga., registering rural folks to vote, founding New

Communities, to serving in local politics, Sherrod stayed

with the cause of freedom and beloved community until his

death.

His story reminds us that the work of racial justice is

ongoing, that it occurs in rural spaces as well as urban ones

and that it can look like political organizing, preaching,

farming or just the ordinary miracle of Black love in

America.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Historic Savannah, Americus, & Montgomery (SAM) Shortline Excursion Train on the 20th anniversary of its first public run on October 26, 2002.

While the current SAM Shortline Excursion Train had its maiden voyage only twenty years ago, its ancestor and namesake, the Savannah, Americus, & Montgomery (SAM) Railroad Company, was founded during the 1880s by Americus attorney and banker, Colonel Samuel Hugh Hawkins. The Americus region saw its first population and construction booms with the arrival of Southwestern Railroad in the early 1850s. Following the American Civil War, the people of southwest Georgia saw the railroad as a bright new opportunity for economic development and prosperity. But Southwestern and its lessee, the Central Railroad & Banking Company of Georgia, held a monopoly on the railroads and many in Americus began to feel the effects of exorbitant and discriminatory rates, thus contributing to a decline in local trade. When surrounding cities began proposing new rail lines to bypass Americus, Colonel Hawkins led the charge to construct new lines that would pass directly through the city, leading local investors to organize the Americus, Preston & Lumpkin Railroad (AP&L) in 1884 to ensure that Americus would continue to dominate the region's trade and continue to grow into the Twentieth Century. In 1888, Hawkins and his associates decided to extend the AP&L both east and west to create a direct route between Montgomery, Alabama, and Savannah. Later that year, the 265-mile project would be renamed as the Savannah, Americus, Montgomery Railway, known simply as ``The SAM.''

Before the SAM's mainline was constructed through the city, the lands surrounding Americus in Sumter County were largely undeveloped and sparsely populated. Following the boom in trade and wealth brought by the SAM, several new towns were founded throughout the region, including Richland, Cordele, Vidalia, and Lyons among others. The first new community, however, was created in Sumter County a few miles west of Americus near an older community called the Plains of Dura. Once SAM's main rail line approached the Plains of Dura community, residents of surrounding settlements began moving closer to the railroad and eventually chartered the town of Plains--the renowned home of famous Georgia peanut farmer and our 39th President, Jimmy Carter. Once fully developed, SAM Railway became the lifeblood of the city of Americus and spurred a second construction and population boom that would reshape the city as a powerful economic nexus in the region. During this period, the city saw the founding of several vital local businesses, such as the Americus Guano Company, the Americus Oil Company, the Americus Illuminating and Power Company, the Americus Construction Company, the Americus Grocery Company, as well as the town's crowning achievement--the Windsor Hotel.

Despite its transformational success, SAM was not immune from the economic struggles of the era, and in 1893, amid a financial panic, Colonel Hawkins and his associates were forced to sell their beloved SAM Railway Company to John Skelton of Richmond, Virginia who would reorganize the company as the Georgia and Alabama Railway in 1895. Samuel Hawkins went on to lose nearly $1 million of his own money in an unsuccessful attempt to keep the railroad under local control. Nevertheless, the railroad he initially founded proved vital to the southwest Georgia community as it provided jobs, trade, freight transportation, as well as an economic engine for the budding towns and cities across southwest Georgia and Alabama.

At the start of the Twenty-first Century, local residents of the southwest Georgia region developed plans to revive the former SAM Railway as a passenger excursion route. By 2002, the excursion founders had recovered and refurbished several state-owned vintage railcars to seat up to eighty people. They rebranded

the railway as the Historic SAM Shortline Railroad to honor the rich history that shaped the region. The reborn SAM Shortline Excursion Train follows the legendary route from Cordele to Plains and gives riders scenic views of cotton fields, pecan groves, and peanut farms while riding in climate-controlled, train cars to visit sites such as the Georgia Rural Telephone Museum, Historic Downtown Americus, President Jimmy Carter's hometown of Plains and his boyhood home and farm in Archery, Georgia.

Being Georgia's only rolling state park, the excursion train hosted an impressive passenger load in 2021, even despite the COVID-19 pandemic. That year alone, the SAM Shortline Excursion Train boarded 17,000 passengers who were able to experience the fascinating history of President Carter's several political campaigns and life, as well as a glimpse of rural life at the turn of the Twentieth Century. The SAM Shortline also offers special rides throughout the year, including Halloween trick-or-treat trains, Christmas trains, dinner trains, and fundraisers, marking it a community treasure to be enjoyed by all throughout the year. The success and immense popularity of the excursion train resulted in an impressive economic impact of $2,697,496.00 across Sumter and Crisp Counties in 2021.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join my wife, Vivian; and me, along with the more than 730,000 people of the Second Congressional District, in recognizing the Historic SAM Shortline Railroad for twenty wonderful years of bringing people closer to southwest Georgia's beautiful landscape and rich history.

Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart and solemn remembrance that I rise today to honor the life and legacy of a loving husband, dedicated father, distinguished Army Chaplain, humble pastor, veterans advocate, tireless community servant and my friend of longstanding, Colonel (Ret) Roy George Plummer. Sadly, Colonel Plummer transitioned from labor to reward on Sunday, October 23, 2022. A celebration of his life was held on Thursday, November 3, 2022 at the Columbus, Georgia Civic Center.

Roy George Plummer was born on February 6, 1938 in Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica in the West Indies to the late Wilfred Plummer and Lucille Annita Plummer. He was reared by his grandmother, ``Mama'', in May Pen, Jamaica, attended school there and became a lightweight boxer in his youth before traveling to England and then to the United States. He attended Azusa Pacific University in California where he studied pre-law, but during his undergraduate studies he heard the Lord's call to Christian ministry which took him to the Phillips School of Theology in Atlanta, Georgia where he earned a Master of Divinity in 1969.

On January 4, 1971 Roy joined the United States Army as a Chaplain where for 23 years he served the spiritual and pastoral needs of countless United States Army military and civilian personnel and their families, including at Atterberry Chapel in Frankfurt, Germany and Sightseeing Road Chapel at Fort Benning, Georgia. He attended and completed Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College. In 1994 he completed his active duty career as Chief of Chaplains and Post Command Chaplain at Fort Benning, retiring at the rank of Colonel.

Also in 1994, always ``pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus'', Colonel Plummer founded and became Senior Pastor and CEO of Faith Tabernacle Community Church, an active and growing congregation in Southeast Columbus.

Then, in 1998 while maintaining his pastoral ministry, he became Director of Army Instruction for the Muscogee County School District JROTC where he was responsible for 8 high school JROTC programs and 4 other County JROTC programs. He worked tirelessly to create a formidable program and under his leadership it grew from 400 to1200 cadets and the Muscogee County School District JROTC program earned GHSA State Rifle Championships, State level awards in Drill Team and Raider competitions and honorable recognition in the annual JROTC Academic Bowl.

Known for his eloquent golden baritone voice with a pronounced British accent, Colonel Plummer was prolific in his community service. He was Chaplain for Rotary International District 6900; served on the boards of St. Francis Hospital Foundation; Columbus Hospice; United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley; Boy Scouts of America and the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce. He served as Assistant Professor in the Department of Graduate Studies at Columbus State University, holding Masters degrees in Human Relations and Group Process; Guidance and Counseling; Pastoral Care and a Doctorate of Divinity.

Colonel Plummer's solid educational background, coupled with his compassion for ``the least of these'' inspired him to establish the Plummer Home for homeless and disenfranchised military veterans, providing support and resources to veterans who encountered severe challenges in their transition from military to civilian life. His legacy in the fight to eradicate homelessness among veterans and for expansion of veterans benefits will long be remembered.

Colonel Roy G. Plummer achieved countless successes in his life. But none would have been possible without the grace of God and the love and support of his Wife, Kenyetta, his 4 daughters and his 7 grandchildren.

On a personal note, Roy was my friend. He always supported and encouraged me with wise counsel and sage advice. His prayers were genuine. His friendship was golden. He will be sorely missed, but the world is better because of him.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues in the House of Representatives join my wife, Vivian and me, along with the more than 730,000 people of the 2nd District in honoring and celebrating the life and legacy of Colonel (Ret) Roy George Plummer for his service to God, his Country and humanity and in extending our deepest condolences to his family,

friends and all who mourn his loss. May they be consoled and comforted by their faith and the Holy Spirit in the days, weeks and months ahead.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a distinguished jurist who has served as the Chief Superior Court Judge of the South Georgia Judicial Circuit for the past fourteen years, The Honorable J. Kevin Chason. His retirement as Chief Judge for the South Georgia Judicial Circuit was celebrated on October 20, 2022, at five p.m. at the United National Bank in Cairo, Georgia.

The Honorable J. Kevin Chason was born on August 15, 1962, in Grady County, Georgia, to the union of the late Judge Willard H. Chason and Carolyn H. Chason. Judge Chason began his educational journey at Georgia Southwestern College (now university) earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1984. He interned with the Georgia Supreme Court in the summer of 1985. In 1987, he would follow in his father's footsteps by earning his Juris Doctorate from the Mercer University School of Law. He would be admitted to the Superior Courts of Georgia on July 3, 1987.

After being admitted to the Superior Courts of Georgia, Kevin continued to pursue servant leadership within the legal profession as a practicing attorney before serving as Solicitor General for the State Court of Grady County from 1997 through 2008. In 2008 he ran for and was elected to the Superior Court for the South Georgia Circuit. Throughout his lifetime, Judge Chason has been revered as a steadfast mentor and has had a positive impact on his community. His stellar career on the bench has always been modeled by the motto of our great state--``Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation.''

Because of his adherence to these principles, in 2017, he was appointed as Chief Judge of The South Georgia Judicial Circuit.

He also leads by example outside of the courtroom serving on the Board of Directors for the Grady Chapter of the American Heart Association, and a member of the Bainbridge College Foundation. Judge Chason also served as President and a member of the Board of Directors of Cairo Rotary Club, the Cairo and Grady County Chamber of Commerce and the American Heart Association. A man of faith, Judge Chason also serves as a member of the Administrative Board of the First United Methodist Church of Cairo.

It is because of Judge Chason's commitment to his craft and the betterment of his community that he has been recognized with numerous awards and distinctions to include the 1995 Grady County Young Professional of the Year and best judge in Grady County from 2018 through 2022 as selected by the readers of the Cairo Messenger. A Visionary leader, he was one of the founders of the United National Bank in Cairo, Georgia

Former Congresswoman Shirley Chisolm once said that ``Service is the rent that we pay for the space that we occupy here on this earth.'' Judge Chason has paid his rent many times over and continues to give back to the community that molded and shaped him.

Judge Chason has served countless people and accomplished many things throughout his

life, but none of these could have been possible without his faith, the love and support of his wife, Mary, and their two children--Sarah, a graduate of Mercer University Medical School and resident doctor in Savannah, Georgia and Jonathan, who received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Georgia and is a successful law clerk at the Georgia State-wide Business Court, following in his father's and grandfather's footsteps.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join my wife, Vivian; and me, along with the more than 730,000 people of the Second Congressional District, in extending our sincerest appreciation and best wishes to the Honorable J. Kevin Chason upon the occasion of his retirement from his over two decades of service to his community, state and nation. His distinguished judicial service has improved the lives of countless communities across Georgia by dispensing fairness in the pursuit of justice for all.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a devoted wife, dedicated mother, outstanding educator, and friend to humankind, Mrs. Annie ``Ann'' H. Flowers. An event celebrating her 80th birthday was held on Saturday, October 22, 2022, at 2 p.m. at the New Grady Baptist Association meeting in Cairo, Georgia.

Mrs. Flowers is a native of Decatur County, Georgia. She has used her life's work to uplift humanity through selfless service. She dedicated thirty-two years of her life to molding and shaping our most precious resources, our young people. Her career in education is indeed a storied one. During her career in education with the Grady County School system, she served in numerous capacities to include Classroom Teacher, Math Coordinator, Title V. Director, Assistant Principal, and Principal. Never one to rest on her laurels after retirement, she came back to serve as an Interim Principal for one year.

It has been said that ``Service is the rent that we pay for the space that we occupy here on this earth.'' Mrs. Flowers has paid her rent and she has paid it well. Her commitment to service is evident in all of the different professional causes that she has given her time and treasures. Those include: The Grady County Retired Educators, Georgia Association of Education Leaders, Georgia and National Associations of Education, National Middle School Association, National Executive Female Organization, Southwest Regional Director of Middle School Principals, Governor's School Leadership Institute, Georgia Council of School performance and Georgia Department of School Improvement Specialists.

The great Agricultural Chemist George Washington Carver once said that ``How far one goes in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the strong and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.'' Mrs. Flowers has used her life's work both professionally and socially to minister to people from all walks of life. She is the Founder of the Boys to Men Mentoring Programs, a member of the Board of Directors for Grady County United Way, Friends of Roddenberry Memorial Library, The Thomas Grady Service Center Board, Southwest Georgia Board of Easter Seals of Grady County, and Georgia Pines Community Service Board. She has also served on the Advisory Board for the Head Start of Grady County. Mrs. Flowers is also a life member of the Order of Eastern Star Chapter No. 36.

Mrs. Flowers has also received numerous awards and honors during her life, most notably the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major for Peace Award and has the distinction of being the First African American Principal in Grady County, Georgia after integration.

Mrs. Flowers is a woman after God's own heart. She is a member of the Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Cairo, Georgia, where she is a Deaconess, a member of the Minister's wives Ministry and Pastor's Aide Ministry. She truly embodies the words of Acts 9:36: ``She was abounding in good deeds and acts of charity.''

Mrs. Flowers has accomplished many things in her life, but none of these would have been possible without her faith, the love and support of her husband, The Reverend Henry C. Flowers, Jr. and their three children.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join my wife, Vivian and me along with the more than 730,000 people of the Second Congressional District in extending our sincerest appreciation and best wishes to Mrs. Annie ``Ann'' H. Flowers on the occasion of her 80th Birthday and her phenomenal service to God and Humankind. May God continue to bless her and her family.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.

This is a wonderful opportunity for me to come and to congratulate the chair, my colleague, Senator Warnock, and my colleague, Nikema Williams, for the naming of the VA Medical Center of Atlanta the Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Senator Cleland and I were friends. He was my friend, he was my mentor, and he was truly an inspiration.

I had the opportunity to know him. He served as secretary of state for the State of Georgia for 12 years. During that time, I was in the Georgia General Assembly. When he was elected to the United States Senate in 1996, I had the occasion to be a colleague with him as I was a Member of the House of Representatives.

He truly represented and embodied what it meant to be a veteran: service and sacrifice.

He was a triple amputee because of his wounds in Vietnam as a veteran and, of course, he was appointed by President Carter to head the VA. Of course, he served as the head of the American Battle Monuments Commission and I, as a member of the Military Construction/Veterans' Affairs Committee, had to work with him in making sure that these monuments were well-funded and well-maintained. He did a tremendous job.

Mr. Speaker, I had to come and speak because he was my friend, and he was my colleague and my inspiration. It is very, very fitting that this facility should be named for him because of his legacy.

Longfellow wrote:

``Lives of great men all remind us, we can make our lives

sublime, and, departing, leave behind us, footprints on

the sands of time.''

Senator Cleland lost both legs and an arm, but the footprints that he left and is leaving are his legacy for veterans that will be there forever. I am happy to urge my colleagues to support this legislation which appropriately names the facility in his honor.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I am honored to speak in support of S. 4359 to rename the VA's Atlantic regional office after a good and great man, the late Senator Johnny Isakson.

This is a companion bill to one that I introduced in the House with my colleague across the aisle, Congressman Rick Allen, and which the entire Georgia congressional delegation cosponsored.

A son of Georgia, Johnny Isakson was born in Atlanta and graduated from the University of Georgia. He was first a businessman and then a public servant.

I served with him in the Georgia General Assembly and then in the United States Congress where he served as a Congressman and as a U.S. Senator.

We stood side by side in support of Georgia's military bases, families, and veterans. Together we worked on many projects to improve the lives of Georgians and Americans.

During his many years as a public servant and as the chair of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, he worked tirelessly on behalf of the Nation's most deserving citizens: our military veterans.

It is fitting that we are taking up consideration of this bill just as we conclude commemorating Veterans Day. One of the fundamental ways Congress can demonstrate its thanks to our veterans is to provide the care they have earned and deserved.

Renaming the VA facility in Atlanta after Senator Isakson is a fitting recognition of his service to our country and his lifelong work ensuring Congress upholds America's commitment to its veterans. I am proud to call Johnny a friend, and I know he continues to look down on us. I hope that we are inspired by his example to always give our best to our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill and to honor Johnny Isakson's legacy of service.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Lundy Chapel Missionary Baptist Church of Macon, Georgia for its 154 blessed years of faithful service and ministry to the greater community. Lundy Chapel will celebrate their anniversary on Sunday, October 2, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. during their Sunday service in Macon.

Throughout its long history, Lundy Chapel has proven that patience, faith, and the hard work of dedicated leaders can lead to great accomplishments for the service of others. The story of Lundy Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, which began as a small group of people worshipping 154 years ago and has grown into an expansive and successful church, is truly an inspiring one of the perseverance of a faithful congregation who put all their love and trust in the Lord. Having humble beginnings, the first service of the Lundy Chapel Missionary Baptist Church was held under a bush arbor in 1868 on Old Lundy Road by Rev. Dan Parsons. Shortly thereafter, the congregation constructed a log cabin church which would eventually burn down. Judge R.S. Lundy was moved by the Lord to deed the church a plot of land on Forest Hill Road from the Lundy Estate on which the Lundy Chapel could construct a new house of worship, and in 1963 the congregation constructed its new home under the leadership of Rev. L.H. Hendrix. Over the years, it is here that the church continued to thrive through the dedicated service of several pastors, including Rev. O.R. Redding, Sr., Rev. H.C. Cain, Rev. Lewis E. Lockett, Rev. Wallace B. Herring, Sr., and Rev. James H. Hall.

On April 5, 1998, Rev. Anthony Q. Corbett, Sr. was called to pastor Lundy Chapel Missionary Baptist Church. Under Pastor Corbett's shepherding and the grace of God, the church bounded to new heights. In addition to its fast-growing membership, the Lord instilled within Pastor Corbett a vision to construct a new sanctuary for the faithful congregation. On October 28, 2001, a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony was held as the church marched into its new sanctuary for Sunday School, followed by the first worship service. After the construction was completed, the Lord turned Pastor Corbett's eye to the spiritual enrichment and upbringing of Lundy Chapel's young people. In March 2005, Pastor Corbett and church leadership implemented the Lundy Higher Heights Community Enrichment Corporation to provide special programs that would provide the church's youth with a sense of direction and motivation, a source of inspiration, and financial support through college scholarships. Additionally, the Enrichment Corporation seeks not only to uplift the church's youth, but also to extend support to that of the greater Middle Georgia community; the organization provides incredibly useful information and resources meant to assist community organizers to develop their own service programs. This mission of aiding and inspiring community youth to pursue an education and meaningful careers was exemplified by the creation of the Lundy Higher Heights Community Enrichment Corporation's Lundy Wonderland Summer Day Camp, where young campers can participate in academic studies, field trips, recreational activities, hear weekly career speakers, and more. Through this programming, campers have the opportunity to gain useful career skills so they can go on to lead fruitful lives rooted in God's greater plan. On March 3, 2013, Lundy Chapel Missionary Baptist Church continued to grow its ministry by building a Family Life Center which includes an administrative and educational building and a gymnasium. Lundy Chapel's facilities have proven very popular among the greater community as many groups often rent out its spaces to hold meetings, dinners, sports camps, weddings, funerals, and more.

In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus tells his followers, ``All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.'' Under Pastor Corbett's dedicated leadership, several ministers have been licensed and ordained to spread the word of God to other congregations, including Rev. Roosevelt Glover, Rev. Richard Vaughn, Rev. Tony Lowden, Rev. Anthony Stewart, Rev. Ernest Lawson, and Rev. Alexander Gibson. It is without a doubt that Lundy Chapel Missionary Baptist Church's ministry has touched so many lives in the Middle Georgia community and inspired so many to do what they may not have previously thought possible. Pastor Corbett has done great things for Lundy Chapel, but none of these accomplishments would have been possible without the grace of God and the love and support of his extraordinary wife, Juanita.

Madam Speaker, today I ask my colleagues to join my wife, Vivian, and me, along with the more than 730,000 people of Georgia's Second Congressional District in recognizing and honoring the Lundy Chapel Missionary Baptist Church on its 154th anniversary for its congregation's enduring commitment to each other and to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May their actions continue to inspire the community in courage, in dedication, and in faith.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church on the anniversary of its inception after 136 blessed years of contributing to and serving the surrounding community through ministry and service. Mt. Moriah celebrated their anniversary on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. during their Sunday service in Macon, Georgia.

The Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church was founded in 1886 by Rev. Harrison Hall and Rev. Henry A. Williams. Starting as a humble wooden structure on Powell Street, the church began to expand over the years to include a Sunday School and other additions that would become meeting spaces for community groups and clubs such as the Loyal Matrons, Richardson Literary, Cooperative Women, the Brotherhood, and a new Boy Scout Troop. After many fruitful years of ministry and expansion, the Lord provided Mt. Moriah with the means to relocate to its present-day home on Millerfield Road in 1967 where it was able to further expand and serve its members with even greater impact.

The Mt. Moriah Baptist Church has for a century played a vital role in the spiritual and overall development of several generations through its active involvement in the Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Brownies, and Vacation Bible Schools. The church has always prioritized educating its members, and especially its youth, in positive life skills and encourages all members to join Prayer Meetings and Bible Study. And truly, the congregation of Mt. Moriah has always demonstrated a genuine concern for uplifting the surrounding community. Mt. Moriah continued in this mission in the foundation of the Family Life Center. Built and dedicated in 1992, the Center houses a nursery, library, six classrooms, and a gymnasium to be used and enjoyed by the church's members and ministries such as the Single's Ministry, the Couple's Ministry, Mission Board, YDC Ministry, Keenagers (Senior Saints), the Men of Mt. Moriah, and Women of Mt. Moriah. In 2006, the church established the Travel Ministry and took on the worthy cause of spreading its mission of evangelism and altruism abroad. Over the years the Travel Ministry would spread its ministry wide, including travel to Barbados, Jamaica, Liberia, South Carolina, Florida, and many other places with people in need.

Over the decades, none of Mt. Moriah's accomplishments could have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the church's many dedicated members, deacons, ministers, and, most importantly, its pastors. Each pastor has contributed to the growth and excellence of the church through various initiatives; under Reverend Lonzy Edwards, Sr.'s leadership Mt. Moriah saw the establishment of a college scholarship fund, a new radio ministry, and a property expansion. Mt. Moriah's current lead pastor, Reverend Dr. Stanley Kimble, has not only continued to advance the church's long-held mission of uplifting the greater community; he has also brought forth a newfound passion for youth engagement and local charities. Dr. Kimble founded the ``Get Your Glory Youth Praise Dance Ministry'' and the Youth Cafe on every third Sunday, as well as the Feeding of the Homeless Ministry and the Red Cross Blood Drive. It is without a doubt that these pastors' contributions inspired so many to do what they may never have thought possible.

The story of Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church, which began as a small group of people worshipping 136 years ago and has grown into an expansive and successful church, is truly an inspiring one of the dedication and perseverance of a faithful congregation who put all of their love and trust in the Lord. Ephesians 4:4 tells us, ``There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.'' Mt. Moriah from its inception has served as one body and spirit in service to God and Jesus Christ.

Madam Speaker, today I ask my colleagues to join my wife, Vivian, and me, along with the more than 730,000 people of Georgia's Second Congressional District in recognizing and honoring the Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church on its 136th anniversary for its congregation's enduring commitment to each other and to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May their actions continue to inspire the community in courage, in dedication, and in faith.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a man who has served as a distinguished community leader from a young age and has continued to enrich future generations as a Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Scoutmaster for the past 37 years, Michael A. Johnson. Recently, Michael was awarded the Book of Golden Deeds Award by the Exchange Club of Albany in May 2022 for his exemplary record of community service and improvement, volunteering, and improving the lives of young people. His retirement as Scoutmaster for St. Teresa's Catholic Church Troop 3 will be celebrated on October 9, 2022 at three o'clock p.m. at the church's school cafeteria in Albany, Georgia.

Born into an Air Force family by the union of Michael and Marcia Johnson, Michael moved to Southwest Georgia when his father was transferred to Albany in 1971. He began his Scouting journey as a young boy in the Cub Scouts and in 1971 joined as a Boy Scout in St. Teresa's Catholic Church Troup 3 where he would earn several awards and distinctions. Additionally, Michael attended high school in Albany and went on to earn a degree in Architecture from Auburn University.

After achieving the rank of Eagle Scout in 1977, Michael continued his servant leadership within the Scouting community by serving as a Troop 3 Assistant Scoutmaster from 1985 to 1990, and then as Scoutmaster in 1990, a position he still holds today. Throughout his life in Scouting, he has been revered as a steadfast mentor and positive influence on the hundreds of young people who have passed through his troop. It was important to Michael that all Scouts had the opportunity to experience trips to BSA's National Jamborees, summer camps, and other high adventures activities, and he personally made sure that funding was never an issue for them to attend. And notably, of the 194 Eagle Scouts from Troop 3, 145 achieved the rank under Michael's leadership, affirming his record of dedication to each of these young people as they completed service projects to improve their neighborhoods and the greater community.

Michael demonstrates impeccable community leadership in so many ways. He currently serves as a Leader in Boy Scouts of America's South Georgia Council, which is comprised of 28 counties in the region. As the Vice President of Properties for the South Georgia Council, he spearheaded the efforts to restore the Council's 2 Scout camps following damage sustained by three tornadoes and a hurricane in 2017 and 2018. He also leads by example by participating in many community service projects, such as Flint River Cleanups with Keep Albany- Dougherty Beautiful; food drives to support St. Clare's Neighbors in Need; Christmas tree recycling with the YMCA and the City of Albany; parking cars for Phoebe events; and supporting the Exchange Club's car shows. But his dedication goes beyond community service and mentoring youth and young professionals; Michael's strong faith in God led him to contribute greatly to the spiritual development of countless young men and women. As Scoutmaster, he initiated a program that dedicates at least one weekly meeting each month for Scouts to work toward religious awards appropriate for their age and denominations.

It is because of Michael's commitment to his Scouts and the betterment of his community that he has been recognized with numerous awards and distinctions. As a Cub Scout, he earned the Arrow of Light rank--the only Cub Scout award that can be worn once a Scout enters Boy Scouts. While a Boy Scout, he achieved membership in the Immokalee Lodge, Order of the Arrow, and the Ad Altare Dei religious award, as well as earning the rank of Eagle Scout. As an adult, Michael received BSA's District Award of Merit; has been awarded the St. George Religious Emblem for his service to youth; was honored by the Blue Angels as one of their Hometown Heroes; the Silver Beaver; Outstanding Eagle recognition; and most recently, the Book of Golden Deeds Award, which is the most prestigious award presented by the Albany Exchange Club.

Former Congresswoman Shirley Chisolm once said that ``Service is the rent that we pay for the space that we occupy here on this earth.'' Michael has paid his rent many times over and continues to give back to the community that raised him. As a member of the American Cancer Society, he was a Captain on the American Cancer Relay for Life Team, a member of the Albany Clean Community Commission and American Institute of Architects. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus Lodge Number 3607 and attends St. Teresa's Catholic Church in Albany.

Michael has served countless people and accomplished many things throughout his life, but none of these could have been possible without his faith, the love and support of his wife of 36 years, Linda, and their four children--Patrick, Ivy, Hope, and Grant. Being a family rooted in community involvement, Linda Johnson was for many years an elementary school teacher and now serves as the Assistant Principal at St. Teresa's school, while both Patrick and Grant have earned the rank of Eagle Scout, following in their father's footsteps.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join my wife, Vivian, and me, along with the more than 730,000 people of the Second Congressional District, in extending our sincerest appreciation and best wishes to Michael A. Johnson upon the occasion of his retirement from his over three decades of service to the community through Scouting, youth mentoring, and servant leadership, all of which has improved the lives of so many.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a man of strong faith, a distinguished public servant and community leader, Reverend Carlton Mahone, Sr., for 50 years of preaching the Gospel in the Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church. Reverend Mahone's five decades of ministry was celebrated at a gathering at Holsey Chapel CME Church in Columbus, Georgia on August 20, 2022 at 3:30 p.m.

Carlton Mahone was born in Atlanta, Georgia to the union of retired CME minister Reverend E. L. Mahone and the late Fannie Mahone. He joined the St. Paul CME Church in Shiloh, Georgia at an early age and was educated at Ruth Carter High School in Talbotton, Georgia and, subsequently, Morris Brown College in Atlanta. After college, he relocated to Dayton, Ohio to attend the United Theological Seminary to receive training to be a minister of the Gospel. Today, Reverend Mahone is the pastor of the Holsey Monumental CME Church in Columbus, Georgia.

Pastor Mahone's faith called him to be a servant leader at many different churches across the United States, including pastorates in Georgia, Ohio, and Washington state, and Alaska where his ministries at the First CME Church in Anchorage from 1989 to 1994 earned him recognition from the NAACP and will always have a special place in his heart. In addition to his pastoral ministry, Reverend Mahone is a dedicated community leader and public servant, and his passion for mentoring and improving the lives of young people led him to run for, and win, a seat on the Talbot County, Georgia Board of Education in 2020.

Reverend Mahone has been recognized numerous times for his community leadership. He was named the 1983 Distinguished Pastor of the Year of the Georgia Conference for the Sixth Episcopal District by the Phillips School of Theology. He was recognized again in 2019 for his ministerial service, receiving Outstanding Pastor of the Year for the North Columbus-LaGrange District of the West Georgia Region of the Sixth Episcopal District. Additionally, he is a past president of the South Georgia Black Caucus and is currently the third Vice President of the Georgia Black Caucus.

1 Peter Chapter 4, Verse 10 tells us, ``As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.'' Reverend Mahone exemplifies this verse through his dedicated community service in volunteering with the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services, He also served as the Executive Director for Children and Youth Commission in Fitzgerald, Georgia, and as Chairman of Even Start, a federal program to increase literacy among our nation's children and their parents.

At the center of Pastor Mahone's accomplished life is the unwavering love and support of his family and his loving wife, Lisa Thomas Mahone. Pastor Mahone is the father of 5 children, grandfather of 7, and great- grandfather of 2.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join my wife, Vivian; and me, along with the more than 730,000 people of the Second Congressional District, The Holsey Monumental CME Church family and entire Chattahoochee Valley community, in extending our sincerest appreciation and best wishes to Pastor Carlton Mahone, Sr. upon the celebration of his 50th year of pastorship and his many years of humble service to humanity.