Office of Rep. Derek Kilmer announcement.
On Thursday, December 5, U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) was awarded the U.S. Capitol Historical Society’s highest honor, The Freedom Award, in recognition of his leadership as Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on Modernization and his efforts to make Congress work better for the American people. The award was also given to the Modernization Committee’s Vice Chair in the 117th Congress, Rep. William Timmons.
“The Modernization Committee was committed to the critical mission of making Congress work better for the American people. The American people deserve that. It was an honor to lead the committee, and I’m proud that, together, we made 200 bipartisan recommendations to help make the Congress more effective, efficient, and transparent. The Modernization Committee has provided a roadmap for Congress to build staff capacity, update its use of technology, address polarization, and make additional reforms to build a better institution that is more responsive to the needs of the American people,” said Rep. Kilmer. “I’m grateful to the U.S. Capitol Historical Society for this honor – and I’m grateful to every staffer, colleague, advocate, and community member, who worked with the Modernization Committee to make improvements to the People’s House.”
“Under Derek Kilmer’s leadership of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, we honored our promise to the American people for a Congress that is ethical, unifying and responsive to their needs and aspirations,” Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said. “By modernizing our institution and making the House more transparent and responsive to the voices of Members and the American people, reforms were enacted that updated our institution in bold, forward-looking ways. Congratulations, Chairman Kilmer, for this well-deserved recognition of your bipartisan work to advance a House of Representatives that is diverse, dynamic and oriented toward the future – and that fulfills our Constitutional role as first among co-equal branches of government.”
“From its inception, the House of Representatives was meant to more closely mirror the mood and needs of the nation than any other body of the federal government,” said Jane. L. Campbell, President of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society. “To this end, the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress had the difficult, yet necessary task of helping an institution—rooted in tradition—meet the needs of a society vastly different than the one in which it was formed. That is why we are thrilled to honor Reps. Kilmer and Timmons with this year’s Freedom Award. Together, their bipartisan commitment to service has enabled Congress to implement crucial reforms that make our legislative branch more efficient, effective, and—most importantly—answerable to the American people.”
The U.S. Capitol Historical Society created its Freedom Award to recognize and honor individuals and organizations that have advanced greater public understanding of and appreciation for freedom as represented by the U.S. Capitol and Congress. The Freedom Award was first presented on September 17, 1993, the eve of the 200th anniversary of the laying of the U.S. Capitol cornerstone by George Washington in 1793. This award, named for the statue that graces the Capitol’s Dome, is presented annually in recognition of the dedication of recipients to freedom, democracy, and representative government. Past honorees include Bob Dole, John Lewis, Cokie Roberts, Ken Burns, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and many others.
The Modernization Committee, which was formed at the beginning of the 116th Congress and later extended through the 117th, was tasked with researching a broad range of issues, identifying challenges and opportunities for reform, and offering recommendations for improving and strengthening the House. During that time, the Modernization Committee heard from elected officials, current and former staff, academics, the private sector, and everyday Americans, all with different backgrounds and areas of expertise, and all interested in improving the People’s House. The Modernization Committee passed over 200 recommendations with bipartisan support.
The U.S. Capitol Historical Society was founded in 1962 by Congressman Fred Schwengel. In 1978, The Society was chartered by Congress with the mission of educating the public on the history and heritage of the U.S. Capitol, its institutions, and the people who have served therein, in order to foster an “informed patriotism.” Societal activities include educational tours, scholarly symposia, enhancement, and preservation of the Capitol’s collection of art and artifacts, sponsorship of research on the public careers of those who have served in the Capitol, and assistance to Congressional and other Capitol offices. The Society is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, tax-exempt, educational 501(c)3 organization.
I don’t know how he feels after serving for Tribal interests instead of the constituents. His legacy will be on a totem pole. I hope he can get a good employment from them like Kristin Greguare did.
Are ‘tribal interests’ not constituents? They were here long before any of the rest of us immigrant descendants.