Lawmakers dedicate Oversight room to Cummings, unveil plaque

Lawmakers on Thursday dedicated the House Oversight and Reform Committee room in honor of the late former Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.).

“For decades, perhaps centuries, people are going to walk into this room. They’re gonna look up as they come in the room and see ‘Elijah Cummings Oversight Committee Room,’ and they will turn to somebody and say, ‘Who was Elijah Cummings?’” House Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Thursday during the plaque unveiling.

“And perhaps those who knew him well will say, ‘He was better than us’,” he added.

Congress members honored Cummings as they unveiled the plaque honoring the chairman.

SpeakerPelosi and others unveil plaque at House @OversightDems @gopoversight Elijah Cummings Room Dedication.

Full video here: https://t.co/iGzWKIL0zH pic.twitter.com/Sh3ZG2kgWK

— CSPAN (@cspan) February 27, 2020

Cummings died in October from health complications. He was 68.

Democrats spoke of their former colleague’s dedication to public service; Hoyer said the longtime civil rights advocate was in public life for “the best of reasons.” 

“Elijah brought [with] him an experience and experiences that informed his empathy for others,” Hoyer added. 

House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said he’d often speak with Cummings about what it means to hold onto their faith. 

“I will always hold onto Elijah Cummings,” Clyburn said. “He meant so much to me, he meant so much to my family, he meant so much to the United States House of Representatives and the world.” 

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Cummings was, and continues to be as he’s “dancing with the angels,” a blessing for the country. 

“As we say ‘God bless America,’ he really did,” she said.