House lawmakers held a moment of silence on the floor Friday morning to honor the late Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.), who died in a car accident last week.
Members of Congress from both parties rose on the House floor to honor the life of Walorski, 58, and two of her staffers, Zachery Potts, 27, and Emma Thomson, 28, who also died in the car accident. Lawmakers stood in silence for roughly 40 seconds.
Walorski, Potts and Thomson died on Aug. 3 in a two-car crash in Indiana. The driver of the car that crashed with Walorski’s, Edith Schmucker, 56, also died in the accident.
“Jackie was a giant in Indiana politics and she had a giant impact here in this institution as well,” Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) said on the House floor prior to the moment of silence while surrounded by other members of the Indiana congressional delegation.
“Her lifetime of public service will be long remembered, from her time on the mission field in Romania, to her time at the Indiana State House, to the time that she spent serving our nation here with all of us. She embodied public service and putting others before herself,” he added.
Walorski served in the House for almost 10 years and was ranking member of the House Ethics Committee at the time of her death. She also sat on the Ways and Means Committee.
Before her time in Congress, Walorski served in the Indiana House of Representatives, was a missionary in Romania and worked as a television reporter.
Members of Congress mourned Walorski’s death at her funeral in Indiana on Thursday. The House sergeant-at-arms coordinated transportation for members to attend the ceremony, according to Punchbowl News.
“Hoosiers mourn the loss of a leader known for her kindness, dedicated public service, and strong work ethic,” Rep. André Carson (D-Ind.), the dean of the Indiana congressional delegation, said on the House floor Friday.
“We all stand together to celebrate the generous spirits of Jackie, Emma and Zach and their lives of public service. We also uplift their families as they deal with this tragic loss,” he added.
Banks also recognized Potts, Thomson and Schmucker.
“We also honor the lives of Zach Potts and Emma Thomson, two staffers who should remind all of us of the sacrifices that our staffs make to serve each of us in our important roles. I also want to say to the family of Edith Schmucker, who was involved in this tragedy as well, that we honor her life, the life of your loved one as well,” he said.
“Tragedies like this one remind us of how fleeting and fragile our lives really are. But Jackie’s life reminds us that we should live it to the fullest, just as she did. And that’s how we can honor her best,” he added.