Honoring and praising the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its 101st anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 242) honoring and praising the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its 101st anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material.

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

Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 242 honors one of our Nation's oldest and most esteemed civil rights organizations, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, known as the NAACP, also known as the conscience of the United States Congress.

This year, the NAACP celebrates its 101st anniversary, and its ongoing efforts to promote justice and equality for all Americans; not just Americans of color, but all Americans.

I salute the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Al Green) the sponsor of this resolution, and the former president of the Houston branch of the NAACP, for his continued commitment to recognizing the NAACP for its historical and contemporary civil rights contributions.

As we celebrate the Nation's preeminent civil rights organization on its 101st anniversary, I would like to reflect on a few bits of history concerning the NAACP.

First, I would like to acknowledge its history which began February 12, 1909, when the organization was formed by Ida Wells-Barnett, W.E.B. DuBois, Henry Moscowitz, Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villiard, and William English Walling, a biracial group that consisted of Christians and Jews.

It is a history that includes some of the most significant moments in our Nation's great story where we come to a more perfect union, like the 1954 case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, the landmark Supreme Court case that ended the separate but equal fallacies that our government and laws labored under, and chief counsel was Thurgood Marshall, later one of the great justices of our Supreme Court.

The NAACP's contributions also have included support for and rallying and lobbying for the 1957, 1960, and 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1965 Voting Rights Act and the 1968 Fair Housing Act where Clarence Mitchell led the way with the NAACP. And of course the court case that the NAACP was involved in, Loving v. Virginia, which turned over the miscegenation laws in this country in 1967, an aberrant set of laws that are precursors to other laws that still are in debate in this Nation today.

But the fight didn't end there; which brings me to my second point. Today, we are reminded of the NAACP's mission, to ensure equality of rights of all persons, and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination. It is as important and relevant as it was decades ago. Just this year, a hate crimes law was passed that ensured that there was not discrimination based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or other distinguishing characteristics, and the NAACP was there in great support.

The NAACP is engaged in battles on multiple fronts on its 101st anniversary. Its dedicated team is leading the charge in addressing issues that disproportionately impact communities of color. The NAACP advocates for equality in education, influences the debate on environmental justice, works to end disparities in the criminal justice system, racial profiling and other types of injustices.

In addition, the NAACP is working to prevent families from losing their piece of the American dream during this housing crisis, by working with financial institutions to change the mortgage lending practices that helped bring on this crisis. They are party to a lawsuit against Wells Fargo in Baltimore County, Maryland, and also in Memphis, Tennessee. Improving fair credit access, supporting sustainable home ownership, and promoting financial literacy for disadvantaged communities are among their other great priorities.

The NAACP was supportive of the resolution that the 110th Congress passed, for the first time in our Nation's history apologizing for slavery and Jim Crow laws, and to make clear that the vestiges of Jim Crow and slavery would be affected by the future Congresses.

Today's commemoration of the NAACP's 101st anniversary occurs as the organization prepares for its convention, ``One Nation, One Dream,'' in Kansas City, Missouri, on July 10-15. At that time, hundreds of NAACP members and leaders will consider bold and innovative approaches to tackling the challenges we face in the 21st century.

Among those leaders will be President Benjamin Todd Jealous, present Chairwoman Roslyn Brock, former Chairman Julian Bond, Washington Bureau Director Hilary Shelton, and Detroit Branch President Wendell Anthony, who have exhibited fearless dedication to build on the NAACP's great legacy. This legacy includes many great heroes, such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., of whom a bust is in our Capitol Rotunda; Coretta Scott King, his widow; Rosa Parks; Medgar Evers; Benjamin Hooks; and many others. I must mention some great leaders from my hometown of Memphis: Vasoc and Maxine Smith; Jesse Turner, Sr.; Jesse Turner; Jr.; Russell Sugarman; A.W. Willis; Johnny Turner; and others.

Their unwavering commitment to protect and promote civil rights for all Americans is a proud tradition that the NAACP continues today. I am a life member of the NAACP, and proud of it. I encourage others to support the NAACP in their efforts to make the American dream true for all. I congratulate the NAACP on its 101st milestone, and I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Al Green), the sponsor of this resolution and the former president of the Houston branch of the NAACP.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the work of Congressman Green from Houston. And when I look at him and I look at Mr. Smith, I think about my weekend trip this past weekend. I went to Austin, Texas. And when I was in Austin, I was at the Barbara Jordan Airport, and in the baggage area on the ground floor, there is a statue of Barbara Jordan in her regal splendor. And what a great member of the NAACP she was, and what a great American.

Ms. Watson requests some time. I would be pleased if she would contribute. I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman.

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I was unable to cast votes on the following legislative measures. If I were present for rollcall votes, I would have voted in the following manner:

Roll 347, June 10, 2010: On Agreeing to the Amendment: Waters of California Amendment No. 1 to H.R. 5072, FHA Reform Act of 2010, I would have voted, ``aye.''

Roll 348, June 10, 2010: On Agreeing to the Amendment: Garrett of New Jersey Amendment no. 5 to H.R. 5072, FHA Reform Act of 2010, I would have voted, ``no.''

Roll 349, June 10, 2010: On Agreeing to the Amendment: Price of Georgia Amendment no. 7 to H.R. 5072, FHA Reform Act of 2010, I would have voted, ``no.''

Roll 350, June 10, 2010: On Agreeing to the Amendment: Turner of Ohio Amendment no. 9 to H.R. 5072, FHA Reform Act of 2010, I would have voted, ``no.''

Roll 351, June 10, 2010: On Agreeing to the Amendment: Edwards of Texas Amendment no. 12 to H.R. 5072, FHA Reform Act of 2010, I would have voted, ``no.''

Roll 352, June 10, 2010: On Agreeing to the Amendment: Maffei of New York Amendment no. 13 to H.R. 5072, FHA Reform Act of 2010, I would have voted, ``aye.''

Roll 353, June 10, 2010: On Passage: H.R. 5072, FHA Reform Act of 2010, I would have voted, ``aye.''

Roll 354, June 10, 2010: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass: S. 3473, To amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to authorize advances from Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, I would have voted, ``aye.''

Roll 355, June 14, 2010: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree: H. Res. 1368, Supporting the goals of National Dairy Month, I would have voted, ``aye.''

Roll 356, June 14, 2010: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree: H. Res. 1409, Expressing support for designation of June 20, 2010, as ``American Eagle Day'', and celebrating the recovery and restoration of the bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States, I would have voted, ``aye.''

Roll 357, June 14, 2010: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass: H.R. 5502, To amend the effective date of the gift card provisions of the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009, I would have voted, ``aye.''

Roll 358, June 15, 2010: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree: H. Res. 1383, Honoring Dr. Larry Case on his retirement as National FFA Advisor, I would have voted, ``aye.''

Roll 359, June 15, 2010: On Agreeing to the Resolution: H. Res. 1436, Providing for consideration of H.R. 5486, the Small Business Jobs Tax Relief Act; and providing for consideration of H.R. 5297, the Small Business Lending Fund Act, I would have voted, ``aye.''

Roll 360, June 15, 2010: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended: H.R. 4855, Work-Life Balance Award Act, I would have voted, ``aye.''

Roll 365, June 16, 2010: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree: H. Con. Res. 242, Honoring the NAACP on its 101st anniversary, I would have voted, ``aye.''

Roll 366, June 16, 2010: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree: H. Res. 1422, Honoring the Department of Justice on the occasion of its 140th anniversary, I would have voted, ``aye.''

Roll 367, June 16, 2010: On Motion to Suspend and Agree, as Amended: H. Res. 1414, Congratulating Urban Prep Charter Academy for Young Men-- Englewood Campus, the Nation's first all-male charter high school, for achieving a 100 percent college acceptance rate for all 107 members of its first graduating class of 2010, I would have voted, ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I especially want to thank the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen) for working with us on this resolution. I especially want to thank the ranking member, Mr. Smith, for his working with us on the resolution, and I also want to give an extra special thanks to Mr. Sensenbrenner because the first time we introduced this resolution he was the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and he was very helpful not only up front in helping me with the resolution, but also behind the scenes making sure that we got the resolution through the House. Mr. Sensenbrenner, I will be forever grateful to you.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored today to present this resolution because the NAACP stands for what America stands for, and that is liberty and justice for all.

The NAACP was founded in 1909, as was indicated, by a diverse group of Americans. It is important to note that the NAACP has always been an integrated organization. From its inception, it has been an integrated organization.

While I applaud all that has been done by the African Americans who have been a part of the NAACP, I have to also make mention of the many other persons who are not African Americans, because we simply did not get here by ourselves. There were persons of good will of all ethnicities who have been of benefit to us to help us have these opportunities that we have today. So today we want to thank persons who were members of the NAACP at its inception, but also persons who helped to bring the NAACP along the way.

James Weldon Johnson was the first African American executive secretary of the NAACP. But it's important to note that prior to his becoming the first, there were five other executive secretaries, none of whom were African American.

It's important to note that the NAACP accords an award annually. It is known as the Spingarn Medal. This is given to a person who has made great achievements in the area of helping the human rights and civil rights struggle. It is important to note that the Spingarn Medal is named after Joel Spingarn. The Spingarn family was a great contributor to the NAACP. In fact, Thurgood Marshall was a great litigator in part because of other persons who made contributions to the NAACP. They were great contributors, and as a result we had this litigation to go forward. The NAACP is an organization that welcomes anyone who desires to be a part of the fight for human dignity and human freedom.

I believe that the NAACP merits this special expression from the Congress of the United States of America, and I also believe that we should thank Senator Dodd, because he has the Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 3 that has 15 Senators who have signed onto it, and that will hopefully pass the Senate.

I am asking all of my colleagues to please support this legislation because the NAACP made it possible for us to sleep where we sleep, because of Shelley v. Kraemer and Barrows v. Jackson. It allows us to eat where we eat because of Brown v. Board of Education and other cases associated with it. So, literally, we live where we live, we sleep where we sleep, and we eat where we eat because of the NAACP. It has earned the right to be recognized by the Congress of the United States of America, and I beg that my colleagues would support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 242, to honor and praise the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on its 101st Anniversary. The NAACP was founded in New York City on February 12, 1909, because of America's pressing need for a large, coordinated civil rights organization. Today, the NAACP holds true to its initial values.

The objectives of the NAACP are:

To ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all citizens;

To achieve equality of rights and eliminate race prejudice among the citizens of the United States;

To remove all barriers of racial discrimination through democratic processes;

To seek enactment and enforcement of federal, state, and local laws securing civil rights;

To inform the public of the adverse effects of racial discrimination and to seek its elimination; and

To educate persons as to their constitutional rights and to take all lawful action to secure the exercise thereof, and to take any other lawful action in furtherance of these objectives, consistent with the NAACP's Articles of Incorporation and this Constitution.

For 101 years the NAACP has remained committed to ensuring the political, educational, social and economic equality of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination. The organization was originally founded out of the dire need for civil rights among African Americans in the United States. Today however, the NAACP is determined to advance the cause of civil rights not only for African Americans, but for all American people, regardless of color.

The NAACP has aided in achieving the passage of several important pieces of legislation throughout their 101-year existence. These include the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act. The NAACP has also influenced several groundbreaking legal cases that have advanced the causes of civil rights in our nation, such as the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education case. The NCAAP has and continues to serve as a beacon to those who want to make a difference. They have proven that progress can be made in the face of oppression through non-violence and political action.

The NAACP claims over 360,000 members and it continues to grow. Heading into its second century of service, the NAACP is focused on disparities in economics, health care, education, voter empowerment and the criminal justice system as is also continues its role as a legal advocate for civil rights issues.

The organization remains just as committed today to continuing the fight for political, social, educational and racial equality as it was over a century ago when it was first conceived. For this reason that I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 242.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 242, Honoring and Praising the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its 101st anniversary. I would also like to commend Representative Green, the sponsor of this resolution, for his commitment to recognizing the accomplishments of this historic organization. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution praising this venerable institution.

In 1905, a group of Jewish and African-American leaders came together to discuss the injustices faced by African-Americans and possible solutions. The group led by renowned scholar and sociologist W.E.B Du Bois was known as the Niagara Movement. Du Bois said at that time that, ``[t]he problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line''. The goal of the Niagara Movement and its successor the NAACP was to erase that color line.

In its earliest years the NAACP fought against the racist Jim Crow laws of the south and campaigned for equal access to voting, housing, and education. The organization's dedication to overturn the ``separate but equal'' doctrine culminated in the unanimous 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, which declared state-sponsored segregation of elementary schools to be unconstitutional. During the Civil Rights era the NAACP's unrelenting appeals for voting reform culminated in the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Civil Rights Act into law.

Some critics of the NAACP now see the organization as unnecessary and ineffective in today's post-racial world. I respond to that criticism with these words: the color line that W.E.B. DuBois fought against 101 years ago, still exits today. Yes, we are living in a time when our country has its first African-American president; but we are also living in a time when African-Americans are on the whole underrepresented in governmental leadership positions. We also live in a time in which African-Americas account for nearly 51 percent of all new HIV/AIDS cases. Progress has clearly been made, but we have a lot of work to do and the NAACP continues to champion better life for all citizens.

Mr. Speaker it is imperative that we recognize this landmark organization for its contributions to this country. Many of us would not be here without their efforts. For 101 years the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has consistently and effectively pressed for total racial equality and inclusion and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and recognize the 101st anniversary of the NAACP.