Commemorating the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 158) observing the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the British slave trade and encouraging the people of the United States, particularly the youth of the United States, to remember the life and legacy of William Wilberforce, a member of the British House of Commons who devoted his life to the suppression and

abolition of the institution of slavery, and to work for the protection of human rights throughout the world, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I would first like to thank Congressman Joe Pitts, who was the prime sponsor of this resolution, and the other cosponsors. Congressman Pitts is a strong human rights activist and has worked on issues of Western Sahara and other issues dealing with suppressed people, and so this resolution honoring William Wilberforce by Congressman Pitts and encouraging young Americans to remember his life, legacy and dedication to the abolition of the British slave trade.

Mr. Wilberforce was born in 1759 in England into a wealthy merchant family. He studied at Cambridge University, where he began a lasting friendship with the future Prime Minister of England, William Pitt.

In 1780, Wilberforce was elected at the age of 21 years of age to the British House of Commons. His self-indulgent lifestyle as a young man changed completely when he became an evangelical Christian, prompting him to dedicate his life to social reform, particularly dealing with the institution of slavery.

During his time, the British Empire controlled the largest portion of the slave trade. As we have heard, estimates are from 25 to 50 million Africans were captured and taken from Africa to the Western Hemisphere and forced into bondage over centuries.

Wilberforce was mentored and counseled by John Newton, a former slave trader and the author of ``Amazing Grace,'' which was a song that John Newton wrote when he was caught in a storm with slaves. That is when he said ``Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,'' and he asked the Lord to forgive him and he became an Abolitionist. That is where this song originated, which is still sung at Irish funerals, played by the bagpipes, and, of course, it opens up many services in African American churches throughout this country.

But Mr. Wilberforce talked about the horrors of the slave trade and he devoted the rest of his life to the suppression and the abolition of slavery. In his major speech on abolition in the House of Commons, he argued that the slave trade was morally reprehensible and an issue of natural justice. He described in vivid details the appalling conditions in which slaves traveled from Africa through the Middle Passage and argued that abolishing the slave trade would also bring an improvement in the conditions of existing slaves in West Indies, then, of course, under the domination of Great Britain.

In addition to his anti-slavery activities, Wilberforce was active in at least 69 different projects, focusing on issues such as prison reform, education, child labor conditions, animal cruelty, and cultural reformation. He was certainly a man who was indeed ahead of his time.

Mr. Wilberforce fought for 20 years in the House of Commons to pass legislation banning the slave trade; and on February 23, 1807, Britain passed a bill banning slave trade. Wilberforce died on the 29th of July, 1833, shortly after the act to free slaves passed. He had labored for 46 years to abolish slavery in the British Empire.

Wilberforce helped inspire and encourage those who fought against slavery in the United States, including political leaders like John Quincy Adams, who actually handled the Amistad Case in Connecticut of some slaves who in the Caribbean freed themselves and ended up on trial, and John Quincy Adams won the case. But he was influenced by Mr. Wilberforce, spreading the message of hope and freedom throughout America.

As a matter of fact, Wilberforce University, as we heard Mr. Burton mention earlier, founded in 1856 in Wilberforce, Ohio, and the first historically black college in the United States of America, is part of the honored legacy of Wilberforce in the United States.

Wilberforce University was a final destination for the Underground Railroad that brought over 100,000 slaves from the South to freedom. As a matter of fact, currently, the president of Wilberforce University is a former Member of this body, Reverend Doctor Floyd Flake.

Wilberforce once said, ``Men of authority and influence may promote good morals. Let them, in their several stations, encourage virtue. Let them favor and take part in any plans which may be formed for the advancement of morality.'' I think those words stand today, if we would listen to what Mr. Wilberforce said at that time.

I ask all of you to listen to the words of Wilberforce and to vote for this resolution to honor Mr. Wilberforce's work and legacy, his commitment to each and every person's human dignity, value and freedom. I urge that we pass this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, we have one additional speaker who has not yet arrived, so I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), a member of the Appropriations Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the Representative from the 14th District of Michigan (Mr. Conyers), chairman of the Judiciary Committee and dean of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Let me conclude once again by thanking the prime sponsor, Congressman Pitts, for this resolution and just say that as I was indicating before about a little bit about our history, it is important that we remember history. It is important that the House of Commons fought and Mr. Wilberforce would not give up his fight.

Actually, New Jersey back in 1863 passed the 13th amendment that was proposed by President Lincoln, although New Jersey did not support Lincoln in his elections. The Republicans passed the 13th amendment, but interestingly enough, the Democrats opposed this, and in the next election the Democrats swept out all the Republicans in the New Jersey State legislature and actually rescinded the 13th amendment.

So New Jersey did not pass the 13th amendment, refused to take up the debate on the 14th or 15th amendments. There was a time in our State where we were called, rather than down south was called up north or down north, because we did have problems, even in the North, attempting to get basic things like 13th amendment abolishing slavery; 14th amendment, due process under the law; and 15th amendment, giving the right to vote to all citizens.

We still have to fight injustice. No one would think that our great Garden State, which today is such a leader in the right things, had such a spotted past and a troubled history.

I urge support of this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 272) commemorating the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and yield myself as much time as I may consume.

I would like to first commend our distinguished colleague and former member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Ms. Lee of California, for introducing this very important resolution.

I am honored and humbled to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the abolition of transatlantic slave trade with this resolution, for its legacy continues to reflect the racial biases and socioeconomic disparities that still exist in this country and throughout the Americas.

As we consistently admonish the prevalence of modern-day slavery worldwide, because it still exists in some parts of the world, it would be hypocritical if we did not acknowledge the history of transatlantic slave trade which existed for so long in this country, and therefore it is appropriate that we speak about it at this time, its 200th anniversary.

For over 300 years the United Kingdom and other European countries kidnapped and sold millions of Africans into slavery. The transatlantic slave trade is known as the largest forced migration in the history of the world. Estimates range from 25 to 50 million Africans were forcibly brought to the United States, the Caribbean, Central and South America and to Europe. Sharks migratory patterns were changed because these predators followed the ships in the Middle Passage because when a slave died they were thrown overboard, or if they were killed because they were protesting, or if they committed suicide, the sharks knew that they could follow the ships, and it changed the migratory patterns of sharks during this period of time.

African labor was an essential feature of economic development in Europe and her former colonies, including the United States. All of the nations involved flourished economically as a result of slave labor.

The fact that slavery was not abolished in the United States until Abraham Lincoln declared to end slavery in the Confederacy in 1863 with the Emancipation Proclamation. However, slavery was really not abolished in the Union.

Interestingly enough, in my State of New Jersey, slavery continued until 1866. In New Jersey, a mother, a woman could become free at the age of 21, and a man at the age of 25, but their children had to continue in slavery. And so

the emancipation only freed slaves in the Confederacy, and did not free slaves in the Union. And so, as I have indicated in New Jersey, there were still slaves a year after the end of the Civil War in 1866.

The dignity of our Nation demands our recognition of this tragic part of American history. I extend my highest respect and appreciation for the contributions and struggles of African Americans to create an equitable and just society from which we all benefit today.

I strongly support this resolution, and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her generosity.

Madam Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 7 minutes to the sponsor of the resolution, Representative Barbara Lee from the Ninth District of California, member of the Committee on Appropriations.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas, Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure's Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina, Representative G. K. Butterfield, the vice chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from the 11th District of New York, Representative Yvette Clarke, a member of the Commerce and Small Business Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from the Seventh District of Illinois, chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service and the District of Columbia, Representative Danny K. Davis.

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 3 minutes to the Representative from the Sixth District of California, Representative Lynn Woolsey.

I yield 3 minutes to the gentlelady from the 18th District of Texas, Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee, chairwoman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation, Security and Infrastructure Protection.

(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from California (Ms. Solis), a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from the 13th District of Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick), the chairperson of the Congressional Black Caucus and a member of the Appropriations Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, let me thank the gentlelady from California once again. As she said, we hope that the history will be integrated into our textbooks. In New Jersey, I am proud to say, William Payne, assemblyman, passed Amistad legislation that will integrate the history of African Americans in the history of New Jersey. Our current Member of Congress, Albio Sires, was the Speaker of the Assembly when that great legislation was brought through with his assistance.

When we read about Patrick Henry, who said, ``Give me liberty or give me death,'' or Nathan Hale, who said ``I regret that I only have one life to give for my country,'' we will read about Crispus Attucks, the first person killed in the Revolutionary War on March 3, 1770. We will read about Peter Salem and Salem Poor at the Battle of Bunker Hill, that fired the shot. They said, ``Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes.'' They killed Major Pitcairn, who led the Boston Massacre.

When we hear about the Civil War, 50 percent of the Navy were African Americans, once Frederick Douglass convinced President Lincoln to allow them.

In the Spanish-American War, as I conclude, we hear about the Rough Riders of Teddy Roosevelt, but it was the Buffalo Soldiers at the Battle of San Juan Hill that saved the Rough Riders of Teddy Roosevelt from annihilation, which has been kept from our history.

I could go on and on, but since the time has expired, at another time I will hope to be able to get through World War I and World War II and to the present time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Let me thank the distinguished gentleman from New Jersey, the chairman of the Africa Subcommittee on the Foreign Affairs Committee. I thank the author and sponsor of this legislation, it is historic. And certainly, I thank the ranking member of the full committee for her leadership and presence here on the floor today and our full committee Chair.

This is a day that really emphasizes the long and diverse history of this Nation. It is a day that I hope that members of this body will unanimously pass this legislation, H. Res. 272.

Certainly, the historic aspect of it has already been noted, some 10 million to 15 million Africans were transported as slaves across the Atlantic. It does not, however, add all of the history when you look at the broadness of this question of slavery and America. What it really did to America was carve out this issue of race. And Judge Higgenbotham made it very clear as he rendered decisions on segregation and separation, that in this Nation, race matters. This historical perspective now puts all of this horrible legacy in place, and it does so as America. It does so, it speaks to America about the horribleness of the slave trade. It adds that this was not a very positive part of America's history, but it is part of America's history. It does so in the backdrop of the commemoration of the 400th year of Jamestown, 1607. And the first slaves that came over were actually from Angola. The person who fought against the slaves who were being taken was a woman warrior of the tribes in that part.

Just a few weeks ago, I saw the reenactment or the refilming, if you will,

or the reshowing of Roots, the Alex Haley Roots, on TV1, interestingly enough, a station and a company owned by an African American woman. And it brought home again the fierceness of slavery, the violence of slavery, and in fact, that these slaves were taken and violated and abused. And those that came over and made it here were infected with disease, they were suffering from rape and they had been brutalized.

This is an important statement. But a more important statement is the vestiges of slavery, and I am glad to have joined the Honorable Congresswoman Barbara Lee and a number of others who went to South Africa to the Conference on Racism, organized by the United Nations in 2001. That was a very, very important effort, and I am glad that Members of Congress did not accept the administration's rejection of going to that conference. It was vital for us to be there. It was a vital part of the healing process, because it had to do with racism around the world. In fact, we know today that slavery still exists around the world.

So as we stand here today, we acknowledge the horribleness of the slave history of this country, but we also condemn slavery that exists today around the world, in parts of Asia, in parts of Africa, in parts of South and Central America, in parts of all aspects of the world, possibly even in Europe, where people are held against their will.

But the United Nations conference was to speak to the issue of stamping out the vestiges of slavery, so that we could do it in unity, so that we could respect each other for our dignity and for where we have come from, our religious difference, our racial difference, even our regional and country differences.

That is why this resolution is so important, because it says to the world that the United States House of Representatives accepts and acknowledges the wrongness of slavery, but we are going forward. We also recognize the vestiges of slavery, and we must go forward to end that separation on the basis of race. We must be able to say that race matters in a positive way.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 272, commemorating the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

When slavery was introduced into the European colonies in 1619, the dark days that followed ignited the faith and hope of our ancestors that one day their descendants would live in freedom and helped them bear the unbearable burden of bondage. For over 300 years, the United Kingdom and other European countries kidnapped and sold millions of Africans into slavery; contemporary historians estimate that between 9.4 and 12 million Africans arrived in the new world. Although on March 25, 1807, the United Kingdom outlawed the African Slave trade by passing the Slave Trade Abolition Act, the road to freedom was a perilous one, and without Abolitionist movements, protests, and opposition, would not have been realized.

Madam Speaker, it is important to commemorate this occasion so that the world will not quickly forget the incorrigible injustices African- Americans suffered as slaves and the humiliation and degradation they bore when they were taken and adjudged to be real estate, the same category as livestock, household furniture, wagons and goods.

Although slavery was long, vicious and arduous, African slaves were instrumental in the economic development of this Nation and allowed Europe and the United States of America to be built. Slaves were the foundation of the country--today we recognize the end of this heinous trade of human cargo. It was from the institutional slave trade of Africans that the strong African-American people who have survived despite racism and second class citizenship emerged in the United States.

As we condemn the atrocities, human rights abuses, and modern-day slavery worldwide, it would be hypocritical if we did not acknowledge the history of the transatlantic slave trade and slavery that existed not long ago in our country.

The end of slavery did not come to pass until 1865, when the United States ratified the 13th amendment to the constitution. But the fight for equality against injustices, though easier today, still carries on. The consequences of the slave trade have been profound and the scars that it produced still have not healed. The most serious legacy is the endurance of racism in various forms that keep changing, but do not seem to dissipate.

Madam Speaker, we are committed to overcoming this legacy and assuring a just world society. The dignity of African-Americans demands recognition of the tragic history of the slavery era. It is for that reason that I rise in strong support of H. Res. 272, commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. I urge all members to do likewise.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, Mr. Pitts of Pennsylvania, for authoring this important resolution recognizing the abolishment of the inhumane, grossly immoral and ubiquitous British slave trade 200 years ago, and the highly principled member of the House of Commons, William Wilberforce, who poured his life into that noble cause. One man can--and did--make a difference.

H. Res. 158 also links the abolition issue to today's modern-day slave trade, human trafficking, and I appreciate that the gentleman from Pennsylvania recognized that there are lessons learned that need to be applied to our current battle against modern-day slavery.

Madam Speaker, William Wilberforce was 21 years old when he was elected to the House of Commons in 1780. And perhaps like some of us, later said, ``The

first years in Parliament I did nothing, nothing to any purpose. My own distinction was my darling object.''

But that all changed, Madam Speaker, after a profound conversion to Christianity and a serious rethinking as to whether politics, with all of its diversions, distractions, vanity, lies, and deception, was compatible with his ever-deepening religious faith. He even thought of quitting politics and entering into a ministry.

John Newton, the former slave captain turned convert to Christ, among others, encouraged him to fight the battle against slavery where it could be won, in Parliament. The Commons is the place where you can stop slavery. Wilberforce agreed, and then poured his life into that battle.

William Wilberforce once said: ``Never, never will we desist until we extinguish every trace of this bloody traffic to which our posterity, looking back to the history of these enlightened times, will scarce believe that it has been suffered to exist so long to disgrace and dishonor this country.''

He also said: ``So enormous, so dreadful, so remediable did the trade's wickedness quickly appear that my own mind was completely made up for its abolition.''

Madam Speaker, 200 years ago the slave trade was abolished, and he went on for the rest of his life with a group of prayer warriors, men and women who prayed every day for the abolishment of the slave trade, who believed it was a blight not just against man and woman, but against God himself. And it was through prayer and action that they came up with a number of very interesting and creative legislative ways of trying to stop it.

Wilberforce was also tenacious. Time and time again, he would offer his bill to abolish the slave trade, only to have all kinds of shenanigans, filibusters and misinformation, diversions, and threats including physical threats to himself, used as a way of deferring action, but he nevertheless persisted and in the end, he prevailed.

We need to learn from that example, Madam Speaker, because we have a slave trade today. In 1990s, the phenomenon of human trafficking, ever present in all of history, exploded in prevalence, sophistication and cruelty.

With the breakup of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact nations, suddenly new mobsters, many of them former KBG operatives, were all of a sudden on the scene buying and selling young women as commodities.

Additionally, the Internet suddenly brought pornography, including child porn, into homes all over the world, furthering the demand for victims. The sleazy X-rated theater went mainstream.

Organized crime in countries all over the world, including the United States, made profits seemingly without limit while incurring next to no risk of prosecution.

As Mr. Pitts pointed out earlier, today the United States is the net importer of upwards of 18,000 people, mostly women or children, who are trafficked into this country to be exploited. That is an abomination.

We also have our own interstate slave trade where young girls who are runaways are quickly picked up by pimps and bought and sold like commodities. That, too, must stop.

Madam Speaker, I believe that because too much evil is involved here and because the prospect of making billions of dollars has enticed some of the most unsavory and cruel individuals, including and especially organized crime, into this nefarious trade we have to beef up our efforts to stop this slavery. Because too much demand enabled by crass indifference, unbridled hedonism and misogynistic attitudes has turned people, especially women, into objects valued only for their utility in the brothel or in the sweat shop we have to accelerate and expand our fight, and because of the relative lack of visibility, all of this makes the task of combating trafficking in modern day slavery all the more difficult.

But trafficking, like germs, infection and disease, thrives only in the shadows and in the murky places and cannot survive when brought to the light. Light remains a very, very powerful disinfectant.

So my challenge to all of us is that we have to bring the light, the bright light of scrutiny, of criminal investigations, the disinfecting of investigations and convictions, probing legislative inquiry, having the students, as Mr. Pitts in this bill encourages them to do, to form student groups to look into slavery. We need to use every tool, best practice and well-honed strategy to win the freedom of the slaves and to spare others the agony, especially through prevention measures, the agony of slavery.

Together, we can make the pimps and the exploiters pay by doing serious jail time, as well as the forfeiture of their assets. The boats, the villas and the fat-cat bank accounts must go. Together we can end this barbaric and utterly cruel modern day slavery, just as William Wilberforce and other great men and women did so in antiquity.

Make no mistake about it; the abolition of modern day slavery is a winnable war. We need to fight in ways so as to win. We need to pray. I believe we need to fast, and we need to have good, well-developed strategies, and we need to work as a bipartisan team, to end this cruelty.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for yielding and for her principled leadership on the Foreign Affairs Committee, and I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) for his leadership on this and the preceding resolution, and for his leadership on the issue of human rights in general around the world.

Madam Speaker, with this resolution, we rightly honor one of humanity's great heroes. William Wilberforce was a man of integrity, a man of courage, a man of faith, and a man of principle. And he used these qualities, Madam Speaker, to forever change the world for the better. He is someone that each of us in this Chamber can relate to and draw inspiration from.

In a legislative body of 435 Members, it can be difficult to make progress on the issues we care about. Indeed, the odds sometimes appear insurmountable.

But the life and accomplishments of William Wilberforce are proof that individuals of character truly can change the world. Wilberforce was himself a member of an elected legislative body. He was first elected to the British Parliament more than 220 years ago.

In his day, the human slave trade dominated England's economy. As a result, the interests of the slave traders were firmly entrenched in the halls of Parliament. Arguments used to justify the sale and trade of human beings and the horrific injustices that occurred in that trade were commonplace in that day.

But William Wilberforce refused to accept these arguments. He knew that slavery was an unspeakable injustice, and he made it his object to end it. This conviction would lead him on a decades-long effort to end slavery in England. It was a journey full of setbacks and disappointments. Again and again, he introduced his bill in parliament to end the British slave trade. Again and again it was soundly defeated, and again and again he was ostracized by his peers. For years this went on, and the discouragement grew.

But all the while, Wilberforce's call to conscience was slowly winning over hearts and minds. His willingness to stand for what was right and fight what was wrong was being noticed by his colleagues. And after 20 years of perseverance, 20 years of unbending principle, 20 years of standing for justice in the face of daunting odds, Wilberforce at last tasted success.

On February 23, 1807, Parliament voted, and on March 25, the King signed the bill that outlawed the British slave trade, a move that was once thought impossible.

And 26 years later, Wilberforce was informed a few days before his death that the House of Commons had finally voted to abolish slavery altogether in the British Empire.

Madam Speaker, throughout this year, we celebrate the 200th anniversary of this tremendous accomplishment. And as part of this celebration, a number of efforts are underway to inform people of this often-forgotten hero of humanity and his colleagues who worked to end in slavery.

We could mention others, like John Newton, who has already been mentioned. John Newton was a former slave trader who wrote the hymn ``Amazing Grace,'' whose testimony before Parliament was so influential.

We could mention John Wesley, who a week before he died in 1791, wrote William Wilberforce about American slavery which he called ``the vilest form of slavery known to mankind.''

We could mention Wilberforce's direct influence on John Quincy Adams, and John Quincy Adams' direct influence on Abraham Lincoln. There are many people who could be mentioned, but this resolution before us today is part of the celebration of the life and accomplishments of William Wilberforce, and are certainly worthy of recognition.

Madam Speaker, I would submit this is not merely an effort to look back and give credit where credit is due, it is also a call to fight modern-day injustice.

Sadly, every generation must confront evil in its own time, and ours is no different. Around the world, thousands of people are deprived of their basic human rights every single day. Good men and women of this world have a moral duty to fight these modern-day injustices.

The U.S. State Department estimates that approximately 800,000 men, women and children are trafficked each year into slavery, into the sex industry, other slave-like labor conditions.

In South Asia, an entire class of people numbering in the millions are considered to be ``untouchable,'' and as a result, they are denied basic services and subjected to terrible living conditions. Horrible human rights abuses continue in places like Burma and Sudan and China and many others. These are just a few examples. The list could go on.

Madam Speaker, as we honor William Wilberforce, may we also be inspired today to educate ourselves and others about modern-day injustice, inspired to not turn a blind eye to millions of people worldwide who need our help; and inspired, Madam Speaker, to act.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this important resolution.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I would like to yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), the former chairman, current ranking member, of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health and a great champion of human rights today.

Madam Speaker, we have no additional speakers; therefore, I yield back the balance of my time.