Wilson family extend deepest sympathy and appreciation of his dedicated
service.''
  The three generations of the Wilson family begin with my wife,
Roxanne, and myself. I am really grateful our son, Attorney General
Alan Wilson, who we have really been so appreciative, was to be on the
Lindsey Graham Republican ticket as the nominee for Governor of
South Carolina in November. The Wilson family is so happy to work with
persons and now with Darline Graham, what a wonderful person.

  Then our third generation actually, Houston Wilson of SMU served as a
Graham U.S. Senate floor page. Over and over again, our family
appreciates personally and the people of South Carolina are so grateful
for the service of Senator Lindsey Graham.
  I am very happy that we have been joined by Congressman Russell Fry
of Surfside Beach, and I now yield to him.
  Mr. FRY. Mr. Speaker, I thank   Joe Wilson for organizing this
fitting tribute to a statesman who we will surely miss. I join my
colleagues here both from South Carolina but really around the country,
and indeed around the world, in mourning the passing of our senior
Senator, statesman Lindsey Graham.
  Lindsey was more than just a Senator. He was a dedicated public
servant, a fierce advocate for South Carolina, and an even better
person and a great friend. His life, his legacy are the people and the
lives that he touched, the energy that he brought to public service,
the dedication to issues, the enjoyment of a good argument, even when
you disagreed with him, and the humor that he always had really in
almost every situation. It really was kind of a hallmark of who he was.
  He was from central South Carolina, born to working-class parents who
died very early. He was placed in an incredible predicament, at 21
years of age, to take care of his 13-year-old sister. What an insane
thing to think about in our country right now, that somebody would do
that and that they would not just try to do it--a lot of people would
try to care for their siblings--but that they would be successful in
that endeavor and really stop and take a moment and make sure that your
number one mission was the success of your family and your young
sister.

                              {time}  1920

  Lindsey's entire world was turned upside down when he lost his
parents, but he did a remarkable job. I think that shows who he is as a
person.
  He has had a lot of titles, Mr. Speaker. He was in the State
legislature; he was a Congressman; and he was our Senator for 30 years.
In South Carolina, we have Senators for a long time. Thirty years is a
long time in this body, and what a mark it is that he left.
  Some people come up to Washington, D.C., and hit ``yes,'' hit ``no,''
and think that they have done something impactful, but Lindsey Graham
was a mover and a shaker. He really understood how to maneuver and how
to work with people to accomplish something.
  I think it was said by Mr. Wilson earlier that even when you
disagreed with him, he found something that we could work on together.
That is a hallmark of who he was.
  I first saw Lindsey when I was 18 years old, and he was campaigning
for the first time for the United States Senate. It was after 9/11. He
was in Congress at the time but was campaigning. Our President then,
George W. Bush, was campaigning with him in Columbia, South Carolina. I
just remember at such a young age, just the moment after 9/11, how
impacted the country was and the feeling of unity. Certainly, the
President captured that at the time. He captured that, and it really
helped land him in the United States Senate.
  I, fortunately, interned for him. It was an interesting summer
because Lindsey always liked to tackle tough issues. He didn't come up
here to not be in the middle of the fray.
  President Teddy Roosevelt talks about the man in the arena, that even
if he fails, he does so striving valiantly. That particular summer, Mr.
Speaker, was the summer that he tried to tackle comprehensive
immigration reform, which landed him in a lot of hot water from both
sides of the political aisle.
  I just remember that summer. Of course, I loved it. I had never been
to D.C., but I loved the experience of fielding phone calls and seeing
how our government works. That was who he was.
  Later, Mr. Speaker, when I got elected to Congress, the Senator
jokingly asked if I wanted my desk back from when I was an intern and
my old headset back, but the scars from that summer were still fresh. I
did not take him up on that offer.
  The great thing about the Senator that I would say, just as a person
who grew up watching his career and then being part of Team South
Carolina and fighting for the State, was that he really invested in
people. He would work with Congressman Wilson's office and Congressman
Clyburn, the whole delegation. He would work with our new addition, our
fantastic addition, Mrs. Biggs, to try to find ways to advance issues
that she was working on.
  He worked on things that mattered to South Carolina, whether it was
an appropriation for a firehouse in Cheraw, South Carolina, whether it
was a piece of legislation that he and I worked on, the Logan Federico
act, it would be a phenomenally good change in the way that we track
violent criminals in this State.
  He always had his finger on the pulse of what was going on. He was
always thinking about how to make the lives of South Carolinians and
the American people a little bit better.
  Everyone knows how impactful he was not just in the Senate but with
the White House. He was the unofficial whisperer to President Trump,
how to navigate and have success in this body and in this town, making
sure that you are delivering an agenda that the American people elected
you to do.
  That takes real courage, that takes guts, and that takes a lot of
long days and evenings navigating that endless array of traps that you
could fall into, Mr. Speaker, but that was who he was. He didn't sit
around and wait for things to happen. He was always in the middle,
trying to make sure that we were delivering on the things that we said
we would.
  It was always an honor, Mr. Speaker, to work with him and Mr. Wilson,
of course, and this whole delegation. It matters greatly. His loss is
going to be tough to deal with just on a personal level but also on the
way that he helped deliver for South Carolina.
  In 2 Timothy, the Apostle Paul writes: ``I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in
store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all
who have longed for His appearing.''
  My friend, Lindsey Graham, has fought the good fight. He has kept the
faith. Although unexpectedly, I know he is reunited with his parents.
He has received that crown, and in the midst of that beautiful reunion,
he has heard the words: Well done, My good and faithful servant.
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman
Russell Fry from the Seventh District. Indeed, 2 Timothy is a proper
reference from the Bible of a person whom we so admire.
  We are so fortunate to be joined this evening by the Congresswoman
from the Third District of South Carolina, Sheri Biggs.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from South Carolina (Mrs.
Biggs).
  Mrs. BIGGS of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for
yielding. I really appreciate the leadership of Congressman Wilson and
Congressman Fry's friendship.
  Mr. Speaker, today, South Carolina mourns the loss of one of its most
dedicated public servants, Senator Lindsey Graham. I can't tell you how
many calls I have gotten this week, some of them not even our
constituents and some of them not even from the State of South
Carolina. I think the impact that Senator Graham made was worldwide, as
my colleagues have already mentioned.
  I know this week Governor McMaster appropriately named Darline to
fill her brother's term, and I applaud that decision. We wish her
success and Team South Carolina is here to assist in anything that she
may need during her term.