WASHINGTON, DC — Rules Committee Chairman James P. McGovern (D-MA) today released the following statement on the passing of Congressman Alcee Hastings (FL-20). Hastings served as Vice Chair of the Rules Committee and was Chairman of its Subcommittee on Legislative and Budget Process:
“There was no one else like Alcee Hastings. He was the proud product of public schools who used his life experience to fight tirelessly for those who needed a voice, including minorities, children, and immigrants. Congressman Hastings’ election to Congress broke barriers, marking the first time an African American was elected from Florida since the Civil War era. He went on to become the first Black Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, the Dean of Florida’s congressional delegation, and a respected leader on the world stage. If you had Congressman Hastings on your side, you had one of the most effective advocates in Congress in your corner. We sat side by side in the committee for many years and I watched him take down phony arguments and lift up the truth with a turn of a phrase that only he could deliver. I have lost a friend, this Congress has lost a giant, and those who all too often go unseen in America have lost a champion. All of us in the Rules Committee are devastated by this loss and we send our prayers and condolences to Alcee’s family, staff, and constituents.”
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