Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is honoring the life of the Reverend Jesse Jackson who passed away Tuesday at the age of 84.
“The Reverend Jackson was an influential civil rights icon, who marched with and worked for the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was a trailblazing presidential candidate in 1984 and again in 1988, when he won 11 states in the Democratic primaries. An ordained Baptist minister, his historic campaigns helped set the stage for politicians to follow, and he was an enduring part of our nation’s story and public policy discussions for the past generation.
“I was able to talk with him and shake his hand a few years ago at a funeral for a colleague in Congress. He will be missed.
“His many legacies include the voter registrations of millions of Americans, and efforts against poverty. He was a passionate advocate for his progressive beliefs, always helping clarify the national political debates of his time. In 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded the Rev. Jackson the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“He is the father of my current House colleague, Rep. Jonathan Luther Jackson, and we serve together on the Foreign Affairs Committee.
“My condolences to the entire Jackson family and the millions of Americans who have held him in high esteem for decades. May God be with and bless them in this time, and may God bless the United States.”
