In Memory of Michael Joseph Reed
Floor Speech
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Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr Speaker, I rise today in sadness and in joy to celebrate the life of a good man and a friend of longstanding, Mr. Michael Joseph Reed. Sadly, Michael transitioned from labor to reward on January 15, 2024, at the age of 69. A private service will be held on Friday, February 2, 2024, among family, friends, and loved ones. While his passing leaves in its wake many heavy hearts, upon prayerful reflection, the pain we share must melt into joy. For Michael Reed leaves a remarkable legacy of service to humanity as a public servant, mentor, confidant, husband, and friend to many.
A native of Buffalo, New York, Michael earned his bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. He also earned a master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.
Michael's career in public service began as a Presidential Management Intern at the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Budget Policy. This experience led him to his first Capitol Hill position as an intern for former Congressman Louis Stokes of Ohio, who was a member of the House Appropriations Committee. After leaving Congressman Stokes, he joined the staff of Congressman William Gray, Chairman of the House Budget Committee and a member of the Appropriations Committee, as Legislative Director. After leaving Congressman Gray's office, he was Vice-President for Marketing at the United Negro College Fund. He was also the Director of Regional Card Marketing and Vice- President for Government Affairs for the American Express Company.
When I was selected to serve on the House Appropriations Committee in 2003, I needed a seasoned specialist and adviser. I was blessed to have Michael Reed join my team--starting as a Policy Adviser and Special Assistant, later becoming my Deputy Chief of Staff, and finally my Chief of Staff where he served until his Capitol Hill retirement in 2021.
For 18 years I matriculated in the ``Michael Reed School of Budgetary Policy''. He was a master of the appropriations process and its nuances. He was also constantly growing and expanding his expertise. Initially unfamiliar with agriculture issues, he quickly became steeped in the knowledge of the field. He was an invaluable asset to me and was respected by my colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
It was no surprise that upon leaving Capitol Hill, Michael was honored by the communities and industries whose lives his work touched, most notably the University of Georgia (UGA) and the Georgia Peanut Commission. UGA's College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences bestowed its Medallion of Honor on Michael in 2021. This award recognizes outstanding individuals for their dedication to the college's mission and is an expression of the University's gratitude for the time, advice, support and impact awardees have provided. The Georgia Peanut Commission presented Michael with its Distinguished Service Award in 2022, which is a testament to the decades of work Michael Reed did to help protect our peanut farmers and grow the peanut industry.
Upon his retirement from the public sector, Michael decided to re- enter the private sector and utilize his extraordinary skills and talents to make a meaningful contribution to mankind's efforts to confront the challenges of the environment and climate change. In 2021, he joined the American Forest Foundation as Vice President of Policy, exploring the pivotal role our nation's forests play and the potential they have in meeting this global challenge.
Sir Winston Churchill often said: ``You make your living by what you get, you make your life by what you give.'' Michael gave so much to so many for so long and truly lived a complete and full life. His public service, his devotion to his family, and his service to his community and nation, reflect the legacy he leaves and the joy we must celebrate. Truly the world is a better place because of the life Michael led.
Michael Reed accomplished so much in his life, but none of this would have been possible without the grace of God, the love and support of his loving wife, Attorney Diane Fields Reed, his late father-in-law, Judge Richard Fields, their beloved dog, Alexandra, and a host of family and friends that will miss him dearly.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join my wife, Vivian, and me, along with countless others throughout Georgia and the Nation in saluting and honoring Mr. Michael Joseph Reed for service to his community, to his country, and to humankind; and in extending our deepest condolences to Michael Reed's family, friends, loved ones, and all those who mourn his loss. We pray that we will all be consoled and comforted by an abiding faith and the Holy Spirit in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
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