Resolution designating the House Press Gallery (Rooms H-315, H-316, H-317, H-318, and H-319 in the United States Capitol) as the 'Frederick Douglass Press Gallery’

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 137) designating the House Press Gallery, Rooms H- 315, H-316, H-317, H-318, and H-319 in the United States Capitol, as the ``Frederick Douglass Press Gallery'', as amended.

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 in the Record on H. Res. 137.

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

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 137 designates the House Press Gallery as the Frederick Douglass Press Gallery.

Frederick Douglass came to Washington, D.C., in 1870 to become editor of the New National Era paper, which chronicled the progress of African Americans in the United States. He became the first African-American member of the press gallery from 1871 to 1875.

In 2007, he was honored with a plaque and painting in the House Press Gallery. This resolution today will officially name the House Press Gallery after him. I thank the gentleman from Florida, Representative Donalds, for his leadership on this bipartisan resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the legislation and reserve balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Donalds).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I will take a moment to recognize someone who has made a particular impact on myself and this body, and that is Transportation and Infrastructure Republican Staff Director Jack Ruddy, who is leaving the Hill after 15 years.

Jack started out in my office as an intern. He liked it so much he decided to come back as an intern four more times. No matter what we did or how hard we tried, we just could not get rid of him. I am incredibly thankful that he stuck it out because this entire body has benefited from his public service and his expertise.

Jack has come a long way from his days as an intern. He went on to serve as my legislative director in my congressional office. For the last 6\1/2\ years, he has been with me at the T&I Committee, first as deputy staff director and, most notably, as staff director, which he led my entire team since 2022.

It is uncommon in this Chamber that a staff member makes such a lasting impact, but Jack is a very uncommon staffer. He is a trusted adviser, not only to me but to many members on the Transportation Committee on both sides of the aisle.

Over the years, he has played an integral role in shepherding through Congress numerous major legislative priorities to improve America's transportation network and build our infrastructure. This includes: the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 and other important aviation safety legislation; multiple water resources development acts; Coast Guard authorizations; public buildings and Federal office space reforms; and pipeline safety reauthorizations, just to name a few of the things that are out there.

It takes hard work, skill, extensive knowledge, and a deep understanding of the legislative process to get these things across the finish line, and Jack has all of those qualities.

It also takes sacrifice, and Jack, his wife, Paige, and their two boys, Joel and Barrett, know that all too well. I thank Jack and his entire family for the sacrifices that they have contributed in more ways than I can describe. Their sacrifices over the last 6\1/2\ years have contributed to the success of the T&I Committee and the House of Representatives.

Mr. Speaker, I close by saying that anybody who has ever worked with Jack knows that these things are very true: He is fair, he is pragmatic, and he knows how to get the job done. The most important thing that we know is that Jack is a true friend, and I can say that from personal experience. We are all going to miss him, and I wish him the best of luck as he begins his new chapter in life.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, naming the House Press Gallery after Frederick Douglass is going to honor his commitment to the free press, his legacy, and his work reporting on the official business of Congress.

I urge support of House Resolution 137, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 137, as amended, which designates rooms H-315, H-316, H-317, H-318, H-319 in the U.S. Capitol as the Frederick Douglass Press Gallery.

We honor Frederick Douglass for his extraordinary contributions to this country. Born an enslaved person, he grew to be a prominent abolitionist, public intellectual, journalist, world-renowned orator, businessman, and statesman.

Frederick Douglass was a courageous advocate for equal rights who used his journalistic and oratorical skills to advance civil liberties for all his life.

It is fitting that we name the House Press Gallery after the first Black reporter allowed into the Capitol press galleries.

Mr. Speaker, I support passage of the resolution, as amended, and urge my colleagues to do the same. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time, and I am prepared to close.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I will also take this time to recognize Republican Staff Director of T&I, Jack Ruddy, who is leaving at the end of the week, after more than 6\1/2\ years of work on the committee and, of course, an additional 9 years directly with the chair.

During Jack's 3 years as staff director, 2\1/2\ of which I have been the ranking member of the committee, the T&I Committee has passed impactful, bipartisan bills that have moved the ball on a number of issues. From our work on the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 to the WRDA Act in 2024, which included the first reauthorization of the Economic Development Administration in more than 15 years, Jack has proven to be a trusted partner and effective negotiator.

Just to show you how much work he does do, one of the issues we had to settle on the FAA Reauthorization Act occurred when I was in my district on Whidbey Island, while Sam was on Midway Island in the middle of the Pacific--I don't even know which day it was on Midway at the time--but Jack helped facilitate the phone call that helped the chair and me resolve a sticky wicket issue that we had to get done to get the bill done. I appreciated Jack's help in making that happen.

Even when we disagreed, Jack was never disagreeable, and he worked to find common ground. We are actually sad to see Jack go. I know Jack will do well and we wish him great luck in his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I support the resolution and encourage my colleagues to do the same.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 137 to rename the House Press Gallery the Frederick Douglass Press Gallery, in honor of a man whose life and work embodied the very best of American ideals and shattered through glass ceilings.

Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in 1818 and courageously escaped bondage in 1838. He built a life dedicated to truth, liberty, and justice.

He became a journalist in Rochester, New York, and launched The North Star using his own money, giving voice to the voiceless in the years before the Civil War.

He fought fiercely against slavery, championed equal rights and women's suffrage, and became one of the most forceful orators in American history. During the Civil War, Douglass recruited Black soldiers, met with President Lincoln to advocate for equal pay and treatment, and worked to assist those escaping slavery.

After his Rochester home was destroyed in a suspected arson attack, he moved to Anacostia here in Washington, D.C., and became the editor, and later owner, of the New National Era, which chronicled Black progress throughout the Nation.

Douglass was the first Black reporter admitted to the Capitol press galleries. From 1871 to 1875, he reported on the House and Senate action, keeping the African-American community informed during Reconstruction after the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. He spent countless hours writing and studying right here in the House Press Gallery. Even after his tenure in the gallery, he often would return to the Capitol.

Congress has honored Douglass with a portrait and plaque in the gallery and a statute in Emancipation Hall. This

resolution permanently renames these famous offices off of the House floor for all Americans today, and years to come, to honor his work for freedom in this hallowed Chamber.

I thank Speaker Johnson, Chairman Graves, Representatives Andre Carson, Burgess Owens, Stephen Horsford, Wesley Hunt, and John James for their leadership on this resolution.

I also thank my former staffer, Luke Diel, for all of his hard work and dedication in this effort. I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 137.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 137, which was approved unanimously by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in April.

It has been a pleasure to work with my Transportation and Infrastructure colleague, the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Owens), to help advance this bill through our markup and to the floor today. We are both original cosponsors of this resolution from the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Donalds.

H. Res. 137 will rename the House Press Gallery for an amazing American, Frederick Douglass.

Many know Douglass as an abolitionist and orator. Formerly enslaved, he emancipated himself.

Yet many don't know Douglass as a journalist. He first worked with William Lloyd Garrison's abolitionist newspaper, The Liberator.

Then, he founded and published his own newspaper, The North Star. The title recognized the way so many former slaves found liberation--by following the North Star to freedom. After the Civil War, Douglass published other newspapers, like The New National Era, a Black weekly newspaper. Douglass and his sons covered Congress for this publication.

Frederick Douglass was the very first Black man to report on Congress and be allowed into the Capitol press gallery, where he was a member from 1871 to 1875. He covered the critical debates in Congress during reconstruction, including developments on the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution.

There is a plaque and a painting of Douglass in the Press Gallery. But it's past time for a permanent recognition of his groundbreaking and legendary work by renaming the House Press Gallery the Frederick Douglass Press Gallery.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting passage of this resolution.