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WELCOMING THE HONORABLE SHONTEL BROWN TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
The SPEAKER. Without objection, the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) is recognized for 1 minute.
There was no objection.
Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, today we welcome Representative Shontel Brown of Ohio's 11th Congressional District to the Halls of Congress, America's temple of democracy.
Representative Brown's Great Lakes, northern Ohio, Cleveland region has weathered enormous challenges over the years. Now more than ever her intelligent, innovative, personable, and collaborative leadership are needed.
Representative Brown has a remarkable record of such accomplishments. She follows in the footsteps of former Congresswoman and now HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge, Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones, and Representative Louis Stokes. Representative Brown will now become the 58th member of the Black Caucus, an historic high for our Nation.
First, as a Warrensville Heights City Council member, and then as a Cuyahoga County Council member, Representative Brown has driven progress through investments in infrastructure, health and human services, and education at every juncture to help incentivize good-
paying jobs.
Shontel knows well how important it is for Federal and local governments working with the private sector to partner together to improve quality of life and increase opportunity, equity, and justice for all.
Her relationships across northeast Ohio are very deep. Her commitment to serving greater Cleveland and Akron is dynamic and purposeful.
Ohio's Buckeye State congressional delegation is honored to welcome sparkling Representative Shontel Brown. We stand ready to work with her to deliver results for Ohio and for the American people.
I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio.
Ms. BROWN of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Kaptur for her kind introduction.
I rise as the newest Representative for Ohio's 11th Congressional District.
First, I thank my family, including my mom and dad; my siblings, Ray and Nick; my nieces and nephews; aunts; uncles; cousins; and a special birthday shout-out to my cousin, Stephanie. I am guessing this is the best birthday present she has ever received.
I also thank my friends Azuree, Lisa, and Kelly, and their parents; my team; and all of my incredible supporters who helped me along the way.
But most importantly, I thank the great people of my district for placing their trust in me.
I am humbled and honored to have the privilege of serving you, the people of Ohio's 11th Congressional District, in the House of Representatives. I take this responsibility seriously.
I ran for Congress because I believe in the resilience of the community I love and call home; because I believe that public service is always about putting the people first; because I believe that now, with the eyes of history upon us, it is time to build a more just and more equitable future. These are the values I promise to hold close every day as I make your voice heard in Congress.
I enter these hallowed Halls on the shoulders of my predecessors, leaders like Louis Stokes; Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones; and my mentor and my friend, HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge. I vow to do the same work that she did as I vow to work for the people and be a voice of the people.
As a proud Clevelander, I know that we are strong and that our work is to emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever. Our work is to rebuild an economy that puts the dignity of working people first, to protect the most vulnerable among us, to ensure every child has access to quality public education, to fight for a day when every person has a roof over their head and food on their plate, to protect the right to vote, and to tackle the other great challenges of our time.
I cannot wait to get to work with my colleagues in Congress to deliver results for the people of northeast Ohio and this great country.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 194
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
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