HONORING KAMRAN KHAN

HONORING KAMRAN KHAN

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 50 (Thursday, March 19, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 50 (Thursday, March 19, 2026)] [House] [Page H2609] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING KAMRAN KHAN (Mr. JACKSON of Illinois asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a remarkable American, Mr. Kamran Khan. Kamran Khan came to this country at the age of 18 with faith, determination, and a belief in the promise of America. He built a beautiful life with his lovely wife, Dr. Hamida Khan, and they raised six children. He devoted himself not only to his family's success but to the cause of dignity, equality, and inclusion for others. Mr. Kamran Khan understood something fundamental: that America is strengthened when every faith is respected and every community is seen. At a time when Muslim Americans had never seen Eid recognized at the White House, he helped change that. Kamran Khan, alongside other American-Muslim leaders, helped push forward a simple but powerful idea: Eid should be recognized in the White House just as faiths have had their holidays recognized and celebrated. On February 20, 1996, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton welcomed guests to what she called ``the first Eid celebration ever at the White House.'' In those same remarks, she thanked Mr. Kamran Khan personally by name, ``for all [his] help in creating this occasion.'' This historic achievement is an affirmation that Muslim Americans, too, belong fully in the civic and spiritual life of this Nation. It helped establish a tradition of recognition that would continue for the years that followed. During this Ramadan, Kamran Khan deserves our gratitude, our admiration, and our praise. His life reminds us that history is often shaped not only by those in higher offices but by citizens of conviction who quietly insist that America live up to its ideals. I honor Kamran Khan today for his vision, his leadership, and his enduring contribution to our country. ____________________