John Rice Carter: “As you know, I come down here quite often. I consider this to be one of the great privileges that we have in…”

“As you know, I come down here quite often. I consider this to be one of the great privileges that we have in Congress--to recognize people in our districts for the lives that they lived, for the achievements that they achieved. Some of them I know, and some of them I don't. All of them deserve to be recognized because all of them have done great things. Today, I come down to honor someone who was a dear friend. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of my dear friend, Kevin ``Catfish'' Jackson. Kevin grew up in Cartersville, Georgia. Those who knew him recognized his talent and motivated him to pursue a future in athletics and academics. He actually wanted to quit high school. He wanted to become a lineman for Georgia Power. His coaches saw his athletic ability and encouraged him to continue on, and he did. He will be remembered for, among many things, being a member of the 1980 University of Georgia National Championship football team. He played under Coach Vince Dooley and Coach Erk Russell. In fact, Coach Russell told the story about how he got his nickname, ``Catfish.'' Some people say it was because the coach said he fought like a cat and drank like a fish. The coach also said that it might have been because, one day in practice, he was waddling around in the mud and looked like a catfish. Due to his dedication, teamwork, and love for the sport, he was voted by his teammates as co-captain for the Georgia Bulldogs in 1983.…”