DeLauro Statement on the Passing of Congressman John Lewis

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), issued this statement on the passing of fearless leader, civil rights icon, Congressman John Lewis:

"I am devastated and heartbroken at the passing of my colleague, friend, and civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis.

"The impact John Lewis has had on our country cannot be overstated. In his over three decades in Congress, John Lewis carried with him the ideas laid forth by Martin Luther King Jr. – ‘the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.' John worked toward achieving that justice every single day as a member of the House of Representatives, and the United States of America is better off for it.

"Congressman Lewis' service to our nation pre-dates his time in Congress. He was a trailblazer. He was a founder and leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee which organized sit-ins throughout the South. He was one of the original 13 Freedom Riders challenging the unjust rules of segregation in the South in the 1960s. And, in March of 1965, he helped organize a peaceful protest in Alabama advocating for equal voting rights by marching from Selma to Montgomery.

"There are few in this world who change it. The lessons John Lewis taught me, and the wisdom he shared with the Congress have made this institution and this country a better place. He led us in the sit-in movement in the well of the House to end gun violence. As John always said, ‘never be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble.' I will carry his words and his wisdom with me forever. My dear friend, John Lewis, you were a guiding light, you showed us the way.

"My thoughts and prayers are with his entire family, loved ones, and the nation during this time of mourning."