Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, let me thank Congressman Jeffries and Congressman Collins for this FIRST STEP Act.

Does it go as far as I would want it to go? It doesn't. But is it a substantial step in the right direction? The answer is yes.

When we start talking about prison reform, we start talking about ways to help those who are incarcerated, one, when they get out; two, to better themselves when they are already in.

And one of the things we do in this bill is to allow movement of inmates closer to their families so that they can keep that family connection, so that they can continue to be a part of the family, which also reduces recidivism.

We also fix the ``good time'' problem that has happened. For every 7 days that you increase good time, you save $50 million a year. Not only did we fix it this year, but we fixed the problem BOP interpreted in the law, contrary to congressional intent, in the first place.

So this bill takes, I believe, a significant step in the right direction, not to mention the $250 million toward restorative justice and other ways. Hopefully, the savings from this bill will continue to go toward criminal justice and we will continue to take second and third steps.

Mr. Speaker, let me thank Congresswoman Clarke from New York for those very insightful and passionate words.

Just a few moments ago, we listened to Republicans talk about the sanctity of life and how they want to protect everyone. They will protect anyone, as long as they don't have to go up against the NRA.

What we have here is, we are protecting our children. We always say our children are our future. We should act like it.

This weekend, I was speaking at Baker High School's graduation and I realized that while we were celebrating those 139 kids' graduation, there were families from Santa Fe that were preparing home-going celebrations for their children.

Dr. King once said that there comes a point where silence is betrayal. We have passed that point in this body, in this Congress, a long time ago. Our silence is betraying our future. It is betraying our children. It is betraying their parents.

So, when we take a moment of silence and we ask to pray, let us not pray to end school violence. Let's pray for the courage to actually do something about it.

I know all my friends on the right like to claim they are the Christian right. But if they were the Christian right, they would pray for some courage and they would do something. But there is an old gospel song that says:

``Lord, don't move my mountain. Give me the strength to climb.

``Lord, don't move my stumbling blocks, but lead me all around.''

What it is saying is: Lord, give me the strength to fight my battles. Give me the strength to help myself.

So, if we are going to pray as a body, if we are going to pray as a Nation, we should be praying that this body musters up some courage to do something about it. I am not saying that there are not any good suggestions on the other side. I am saying they won't address the hard suggestions about access to high-capacity cartridges, guns that shoot over and over and over and over again. I am talking about weapons of mass destruction in our community.

We don't have to go look in Iraq or Afghanistan for weapons of mass destruction. Go look at your nearest sporting goods store, your nearest pawn shop. We are selling them right here in this country. Everyone doesn't have to get a background check.

So I would just say that the time is now. The time was yesterday.

I will just leave the body with this fact. When we had more people killed in school shootings than we have lost in the military this year, that should say something about this country, that should say something about where we are headed, and I would just hope that the two sides could come together, although I don't have much belief that we will get action from the other side until the NRA gives them a permission slip.

But our children are far too fragile. When our children start to believe that this is the norm, as opposed to the exception, we all need to go home and take a look in the mirror and say that this is not about the next election. We should muster up the courage, because this is absolutely about the next generation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life and legacy of Mr. Cyrus Martin ``Russ'' Jollivette, a civic leader and former executive at Florida's Blue Cross and Blue Shield, who died on May 7, 2018 at the age of 71.

Mr. Jollivette was born on August 5, 1946, in Miami, Florida, the son of Mr. Cyrus Martin and Mrs. Frances Edna (Reeves) Jollivette Chambers. Mr. Jollivette earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration in Management from C.W. Post College of Long Island University, a Master of Business Administration from Long Island University, and Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law.

Mr. Jollivette served in multiple senior-level positions at the University of Miami for 24 years, from 1977 to 2001, including as executive assistant to former University of Miami President Edward ``Tad'' Foote. Prior to working at the University of Miami, Mr. Jollivette was managing editor from 1971 to 1977 of the Miami Times, a black-owned newspaper founded in 1923. In 2011, the National Newspaper Publishers Association recognized the paper as the top black newspaper in the country.

After leaving the University of Miami, Mr. Jollivette served in several high-level capacities at insurance giant Blue Cross Blue Shield Florida, including as vice president, before opening his own public relations firm in 2014. While there, Mr. Jollivette develop a generous gift ,to University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies for scholarships for minority nursing students.

Mr. Jollivette also served as a trustee at St. Thomas University and Jacksonville University, a board member of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami, a member of the Orange Bowl Committee, was on the Jacksonville Host Committee for the 2005 Super Bowl, chairman of the United Way of Northeast Florida and Jackson Aviation Authority.

Mr. Jollivette lived an extraordinary life that cannot be categorized. His legacy will forever be a part of his hometown and his dedication to community embodies the spirit of public service. We cannot match the sacrifices made by Mr. Jollivette, but surely we can try to match his sense of service. We cannot match his courage, but we can strive to match his devotion.

Mr. Jollivette's survivors include his daughter Lynn Jollivette Johns; two sisters Regina Jollivette Frazier and Cleo L. Jollivette, and two grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, I celebrate the life and legacy of Mr. Cyrus ``Russ'' Jollivette.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Centennial Year of McDonogh 35 Senior High School. McDonogh 35 Senior High School is the oldest public high school established for African-Americans in New Orleans, Louisiana. The year 1917 was a crucial year in educational advancement for African-Americans in the city. After decades of being denied the opportunity to attend public schools beyond the eighth grade, African-American students would have a public high school that offered courses that prepared them to attend the colleges throughout the city of New Orleans.

Despite the location of McDonogh 35, in a section of the city that once housed brothels, barrooms, and boarding houses, the school would become a beacon of hope and pride to New Orleans' black community. For decades, the campus on South Rampart and Girod Streets was not equipped to serve with fidelity the needs of its students. Science labs were not modernized. There was no gymnasium to provide fitness for student- athletes. Moreover, many students took it upon themselves to provide nutritious meals for their classmates by preparing food by growing gardens of fresh produce. It was, for those times, an unsustainable set of low conditions.

Despite these circumstances, the students achieved accomplishments in the academic, artistic, and athletic fields of education--and also took on the challenges of addressing the social injustices of their day. Even with the destruction to their fifty-year-old building by Hurricane Betsy in 1965, this situation did not discourage the McDonogh 35 community from achieving excellence. The students continued to excel as they called a federal courthouse and an older school building home-- until the opening of the historic Kerlerec Street building in 1972. In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina struck the city, the returning students of McDonogh 35 rallied and fought to have their school opened, making passionate pleas to the Orleans Parish School Board for the restoration of this historic institution. In 2015, a

state-of-the-art campus in the Columbia Parc area offers students opportunities to make strong strides in academics, arts, and athletics--and to add their unique contributions to the legacy of this celebrated institution.

Throughout the course of its journey, the McDonogh 35 legacy has been strengthened by its continuance of educating students to their highest potential, daring them to open their minds to learning about the world outside of their neighborhoods, and earning prestigious honors and accolades for their ambitious efforts. Through these 100 years of trial, triumph, and transition, the presence of McDonogh 35 has graced the city landscape by educating the most prominent civic servants, educators, business moguls, athletes, and proud citizens--past and present. Now that it has reached that glorious milestone of 100 years, the entire Roneagle Nation is ready to celebrate A Century of Soaring: the McDonogh 35 Centennial Celebration. New Orleans should be proud to claim McDonogh 35 Senior High School as an important landmark for its impact made to our city's history.

Mr. Speaker, I applaud McDonogh 35 Senior High School's commitment to educating our youth and celebrate their centennial year. McDonogh 35 Senior High School is a school with an unpromising beginning, but blessed with a legacy and future that will take it beyond its 100 years of importance.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for, once again, leading the Congressional Black Caucus's Special Order hour, where we get to address the American people and talk directly to the American people about what it is that is going on in Congress, what we would like to do.

Tonight is a very somber but important Special Order hour. We are talking about protecting American lives. It would not be Black History Month without a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, a Morehouse graduate. He says: ``At some point, silence becomes betrayal.''

I want us to just think about that: silence becomes betrayal. When it comes to our communities being inundated with guns, this Congress has been far too silent. In fact, what we do is just take moments of silence, one after another, whether it is Virginia Tech, moment of silence; Sandy Hook, moment of silence; Pulse nightclub, moment of silence; First Baptist Church, moment of silence; Las Vegas, moment of silence; Mother Emanuel, moment of silence.

So far in 2018, we have already seen 8,200 incidents of gun violence in America, including 34 mass shootings. These acts of violence have taken more than 2,200 lives. That is 2,200 families affected by gun violence.

I would just say that it is time for Congress to do something, at least have the debate, but we ought not become coconspirators with the crimes that are being committed across this country.

I know that many people will say: Hey, you all are in Congress, you all deal in theory. We deal in reality. Banning assault weapons wouldn't have kept this kid from being able to buy an AR-15.

Well, let me just tell you, that is not true.

An AR-15 from the store ranges about $500 and $600. A kid could probably get $500 or $600, but during the days of the assault weapons ban, those guns, the street value became three times as much. So that means that $600 gun that he bought would have been $1,800. The question is whether he would have had access to get to that $1,800, whether good common sense would have prevailed before he got to $1,800, whether somebody would have caught on to his plan while he tried to get $1,800.

At some point, we can't not do anything because we say it wouldn't have made a difference.

The one thing I will say is it is amazing to see these young people rise up and speak out with one voice that they want something done.

It is a sad day in America when our seniors can't go to church without fear

of gun violence, when families can't go to the movies because of fear of gun violence, and when children can't go to school because of fear of gun violence.

We as a Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, have an obligation to this country to make sure that we protect people who are vulnerable. I don't think it is too much to ask for both sides to come together and ignore the will of the National Rifle Association, but to listen to the people in our country who are demanding that we do something.

When we start talking about background checks, assault rifles, high- capacity cartridges that go in these guns which allow people to shoot large amounts of people in a very short order of time, those guns-- let's just be clear, and I want Congressman Evans to understand what we are talking about: nobody is talking about ending the Second Amendment. The right to bear arms is as fundamental and as protected as anything else in this country. However, when we start talking about AR-15s and these assault weapons and these automatic things, we are talking about weapons of mass destruction.

We went to Afghanistan looking for weapons of mass destruction, when they are right here in this country. We don't have to go to Iraq, we don't have to go to Afghanistan. If you are looking for weapons of mass destruction, they are sold in our sporting goods shops all across this country, and they are being used to slaughter American citizens.

So I would just ask, in closing, that at some point, silence is betrayal. As for me, because of my conviction, because of my conscience, and because I don't lack any courage, I will not be silent.

I would just urge this body that we can't be silent anymore as weapons of mass destruction destroy our communities.

I am frustrated. I come from a funeral home family, and I know what it is like when people have to bury loved ones, and I know the natural order of things, because I have had to bury my father and my stepfather and my grandparents, who were--my grandfather specifically, who stepped in for my father when he died, but that is the natural order of things. Although my dad died when he was 32, it was of natural causes.

Parents shouldn't be burying children. Children shouldn't be victims and shot in school. So the frustration comes because I know the pain associated.

So when we start talking about the 2,200 people who were killed, that is 2,200 families that had to get up and hear the preacher say: Oh, pain may endureth through the night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Well, joy is not going to come in the morning if the same thing keeps happening and Congress will not do anything about it, because that means those lives were lost in vain, and that is just as big a sin, in my estimation. I just think that we have to do something about it.

It is one thing when the cameras are there and the family has the support at the funeral of all these people, the Congressperson comes, family comes, and says, ``Oh, we are going to be with you, and we are going to support you and pray for you during this time,'' but at the end of the day, that mother and father goes back to that house, and that kid's room is empty.

There are no words of comfort that we can give to that family when they walk by that room every night and it is empty because we let somebody with mental issues get their hands on an AR-15 and slaughter a bunch of kids in school. So if it sounds like I am upset, then you are right, because those parents shouldn't have to pass an empty room.

Every empty room that happens, my fear is that we are complicit by omission of letting it happen over and over again, and I don't want that on my conscience.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life and legacy of Mr. Johnny Jackson, Jr., a former New Orleans city councilman, state representative and Ninth Ward community leader, who died on January 24, 2018 at the age of 74.

A New Orleans native, Mr. Jackson was a 1961 graduate of George Washington Carver High School. He earned his bachelor's degree from Southern University at New Orleans in 1965, and his master's degree in social work from Tulane University in 1980.

In 1968, Mr. Jackson became director of the Desire Community Center and was its leader during the time of the 1970 standoff between New Orleans police and members of the Black Panther Party. He used the center to offer breakfast and tutoring programs for children.

In 1971, Mr. Jackson was elected to the Louisiana state legislature, as only the body's third African-American member. He served in the state House of Representatives for 14 years from 1972 until 1986. Mr. Jackson became the New Orleans delegation's floor leader soon after his election and was a founding member of the state's Legislative Black Caucus. He also served as a delegate to the 1973 convention which rewrote the state constitution.

Mr. Jackson was recruited to run for the state legislature by members of the Ninth Ward political organization Southern Organization of United Leadership, better known as SOUL. He was a member of the group and later a founding member of another political group, DAWN, which stood for Development Association for Wards and Neighborhoods.

In 1985, Mr. Jackson and Ms. Delories P. Francois started the Desire Community Housing Corporation Staff Christmas Show and gift exchange for the neighborhood kids. Eventually, the program grew into a community event. The purpose of this program was to provide Christmas gifts for children in the Desire-Florida areas and was extended to the City of New Orleans. The program grew to provide bikes, computers, and toys to kids within the city.

From 1986 until 1994, Mr. Jackson served as the District E representative on the New Orleans City Council, representing New Orleans East and the Lower Ninth Ward.

Mr. Jackson was a former board member of Total Community Action, Inc., the New Orleans East Economic Development Foundation, Desire- Florida Area Community Council, and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation. He also chaired the ``Gospel is Alive'' program, and was former president of WWOZ public radio.

Mr. Jackson became a member of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, Inc., in the 1980's. He soon thereafter became an active fundraiser for the club, which earned him an appointment to the Zulu Board. After the death of former King, Mr. Fred Thomas, Mr. Jackson was appointed as captain of the Zulu Diamond Cutters, a position he held for almost 28 years.

Mr. Jackson, always having a heart for the community, with the help of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, Inc. revived the Desire Carver Housing Corporation's original vision and formed the Zulu Toys for Tots Christmas Talent Show, which focused on raising money and collecting toys for underprivileged youth.

Mr. Jackson loved the city and the people of New Orleans. His legacy will forever be a part of the city and his dedication to community embodies the spirit of New Orleans. We cannot match the sacrifices made by Mr. Jackson, but surely we can try to match his sense of service. We cannot match his courage, but we can strive to match his devotion.

Mr. Jackson's survivors include his wife, Mrs. Ara ``Jean'' Parker Jackson, his mother, Mrs. Josephine Jackson; two sons, Kevin Jackson of New Orleans and Johnny Jahi Jackson of Houston, Texas; four daughters, Kenyatta Jackson Morris of Dallas, Texas, Johnann Jackson of Tampa, Florida, and Jeanne Jackson and Samantha Spears, both of New Orleans; two brothers, Brandon Jackson, Sr. of New Orleans and Kevin Jackson of Slidell; two sisters, Cynthia Webster of Slidell and Cheryl Robinson of New Orleans; 13 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, I celebrate the life and legacy of Mr. Johnny Jackson, Jr

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Pennsylvania for yielding to me.

Mr. Speaker, let me take a moment to congratulate the city of Philadelphia, the great people of Pennsylvania, on winning the Super Bowl last night. And I will just say, as we talk about economic justice, one of the reasons why Philadelphia or the Eagles were able to win the Super Bowl was not just because of their outstanding player Malcolm Jenkins, which they all got from the New Orleans Saints, but part of the reason why is because the rules are the same for everybody. When the rules are the same for everybody, then you get rewarded for your hard work, your dedication, your sacrifice, and all of those things. Last night was the reward of the Eagles' hard work, dedication, and sacrifice.

The problem with what we face in this country is that the rules are not the same for everybody, which is why it takes an African American to have a high school diploma and some college education to earn what a White dropout makes. And, look, it is what it is. It is the rules we find ourselves. But in a great nation such as this, you correct it so that the playing field is even and that the rules are the same.

Some people are born on third base. They hit a single and think they hit a home run and earned all of their success. So often in minority communities, we go to the plate already with two strikes, and we are expected to hit that same home run or that same single.

Well, this morning, as I prepared to say good-bye to my 3-year-old-- little Cedric--and drop him off at daycare and go to the airport so that I could fly up here and do the people's work, I noticed that the CBC was getting criticized for not standing when the President said that African-American unemployment was at an all-time low. I am grown. I accept what I do. To my colleague from Pennsylvania: No, I didn't stand.

But for anyone who is listening--and I hope that the White House is-- why don't you just call me and ask me why I didn't stand?

Because I will tell you, and I don't care if it hurts some feelings, ruffles some feathers, or send people in a little tizzy.

I didn't stand because we haven't done enough. I didn't stand because Black unemployment has been going down since 2011 at a steady rate. The decline this past year is less than the decline in other years.

But if I stood and applauded, it would make someone think that I was happy. It would make someone think that he was doing a good job.

I also didn't stand because I just didn't believe the words that I was hearing.

I also didn't stand because I could hear the words of my grandmother in the back of my head saying: ``Baby, he means you no good.''

But part of the other reasons why I didn't stand was because, in a country as great as this, I was sitting there that night--and I am a Southern boy--and I was thinking about how cold it was outside while we were in here listening to the State of the Union; and when the weather gets really cold and it is snowing or it is raining and cold, I try to bundle up so I can hurry up and get in my car, and then hurry up and get in the office, and then hurry up and get in the house so that I don't have to be exposed to the elements long.

Do you know what I realized?

That there are people in this great country who go to bed and wake up

outside. We can't consider ourselves a great nation if that is true.

The other thing I realized is that there are mothers who go to work every day and they bust their tails to provide for their kids, and at the end of the week, they still don't have enough to make ends meet. But she is working for a corporation whose profits are at an all-time high, while her wages are at an all-time low. She is making the corporation a profit, but she can't pay for the basic needs for her family. You can't be a great country when that happens.

So what does she do?

Not to mention that she has to work two jobs to earn what a White male makes. So she is working two jobs to make what a White male makes. Then we criticize her for not educating her children. Well, she can't help with homework. She is working her second job.

But in this country, we have to be better than that. So to stand and give a State of the Union and just look at the unemployment rate really means you are looking at it like a 3-year-old.

Part of our job as the CBC--the Congressional Black Caucus--is to educate, which is why we did prepare this document.

And, look, White House, if it is too long, if it is too complicated, if the words are too big, call me. I will send you the cliff notes version. Lord knows I used them once or twice in school.

But I will tell you: If you want to know our solutions, it is on page 17. If you want to hear us talk about economic justice and how to improve the economy, it is on page 31. If you want to know how to improve education and the workforce and healthcare, those are pages 40, 43, and 49.

If you want to talk about rural America--because, as the CBC, I want to make this crystal clear to the country: Yes, we are the Congressional Black Caucus, but we work for the entire country. So when we start talking about solutions, we are talking about solutions for rural America, like investing in infrastructure, broadband, and all those things, so rural people, both Black or White or any other race, can succeed.

But what most of the country doesn't know is, yes, we have 48 members of the Congressional Black Caucus; we represent 78 million people, but only 17 million of those are African Americans. So we fight for the entire country. So when we marched in the civil rights movement, and when the CBC fought for a civil rights bill, and a voting rights bill, they weren't just fighting for African Americans. First of all, they were fighting to redeem this country's soul because it was so lost. We find ourselves at a similar place in history where we are fighting to redeem this country. We are here to help you save you from yourself because in this country, with the wealth that we have, we should not have the poverty.

I want to be clear about another thing. I applaud the fact that people make a lot of money. Look, I think it is absolutely phenomenal.

There is a guy in California right now building a 100,000-square-foot house for $500 million. God bless him, and God bless this country that he is able to make that much money.

But you can't tell me that, in the same country where he is able to do that, we can't take care of a hungry 3-year-old or a hungry 4-year- old or help that mother who is working two jobs to make ends meet. And because she is getting subsidized rent, we have the nerve to call her lazy?

No one in this body works two jobs. First of all, we are prohibited. But we don't work two jobs, and there are too many families all across this country where people are working two and three jobs.

You hear me talk about civil rights often, and you hear me talk about Dr. King often--not only because he was one of the greatest leaders ever in this country; not only because he went to Morehouse College, the greatest institution in this country; but because his words had meaning and, more importantly, his actions and his deeds were those that changed this country.

So let's think, as April 4 we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of his assassination in Memphis at the Lorraine Motel. What people don't realize about Dr. King, he was down there fighting for sanitation workers. He was fighting for people who woke up every day, got on the back of a truck. We call them ``hoppers.'' They would hop on and hop off the truck, put your trash in it, worked very hard, but they didn't work with decent wages, decent work conditions, or anything else.

He was down there not fighting for chronic voters, not pandering to a base, not trying to appeal to what is popular; he was down there fighting for garbage men and garbage women so that they could work with dignity and respect. That is what the CBC embodies.

So I am so glad that tonight the gentleman is leading this Special Order Hour on economic justice. I know I went all over the place, but I want people to understand.

First of all, I am not apologetic for not standing. Make me. Make me stand. And I am not talking about in a physical sense. That is too easy. All these sergeant-at-arms around here and all the security that the President has, yeah, they can make me stand, but make me want to stand.

See, that is what makes this country great. Anybody, any little infant in this country can criticize. There are a whole bunch of people who criticize. Oh, they won't stand for the Pledge of Allegiance or the Star-Spangled Banner. What makes this country great is that they don't have to if they want to protest.

But this country is so great, we should make people want to stand. We should make those players feel not that they are sons of Bs, but that they are contributing members of society and that we cherish every community; that we are going to actually talk about police misconduct, not just from the White House where we get--you are in the White House. You get to beat up on the FBI, the CIA. You get to beat up on all law enforcement, and nobody says a word. But if one little football player says that police relations in my community are so bad that, no, I am not going to talk about the FBI publicly, I am not going to criticize them, I am just going to, in a very reverent way, take a knee to show that I am not happy with police community relations in my community, all of a sudden they are despicable people. But you can stand and sit in the White House and tweet about the FBI, CIA, and everyone else, and all of a sudden it is acceptable.

So, look, the rules should be the same for everybody. The solutions we have in this book, like investing in the minority business development agencies, those would make a real difference in the lives of African Americans achieving better. But what did this budget do? Propose to cut them out completely.

So we just have to be very cognizant of where we are, what we are doing, and know that you have to have a plan. Economic injustice will not cure itself because it wasn't created overnight.

I know I am probably way over the heads of all the people in the White House, but we learn in physics that, if a ball is rolling downhill, the only way you stop it from rolling downhill is to apply equal or greater force in the opposite direction.

So if we know that discrimination and racism and injustice has been involved in our economic system since the slaves built this hallowed building, then we know that that discrimination and that inequality has been rolling down the hill for centuries. So if it has been rolling down the hill for centuries, then we need an equal or greater force to meet it.

That is what this document is. It is saying, ``Mr. President, implement these policies.'' That will be the equal or greater force to meet that. All of a sudden, we have an equal playing field and we have a chance to make this a more perfect Union, what we all strive for, so that little Black boys and little Black girls can be judged by their character, not by the color of their skin. That is what we strive for. Too often, too many politicians forget it because they are pandering to chronic voters and to a base.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania, from Philadelphia, who has on his green tie celebrating his Super Bowl victory.

Mr. Speaker, I tell the gentleman from Pennsylvania, how you describe the state of our Union depends on what ZIP Code you live in in this country these days. There are ZIP Codes where the state of our Union is great, where people are overjoyed that the stock market was over 25,000, that they are bustling because of the economic recovery that was started under President Obama. They are doing very well, and they did very well as we ended the Great Recession.

But there are too many people in other ZIP Codes who still find themselves without raises in the last 10 years, but the cost of gas, the cost of milk, the cost of electricity, all those costs are going up. All of your expenses are going up, but your salary is staying the same. That does not make for a balanced balance sheet. That makes for a deficit, which is why we talked about and challenged the tax cut that we just did.

We just spent $1.4 trillion. Bernie Sanders' free college plan was only $800 billion. We could have done his free college plan and still had $600 billion left over to do infrastructure or something else, because the best way out of poverty and the best way to do these things is through investing in education.

So the state of our Union is divided, is fractured; for vulnerable people, it is scary. They are anxious. For too many people, they are angry.

We have pitched this whole idea in this country that if you are poor and you are White, the only reason you are poor is because minorities keep cutting the line and keep taking what should be yours. And to perpetuate that doesn't help poor White people or poor Black people because, at the end of the day, they are both poor, and we need to realize that that is not what this country is about, and we need to uplift both.

That is why I would say the state of our Union is in paralysis, and we are paralyzed in a broke state. But it is our job, the Members of this House, all 435, to figure out ways to come together to fix it. We know we have very specific ideas. We know that they have very specific ideas. They won the majority, and elections have consequences.

But if you want to talk to me in good faith about finding a solution, then be open to hearing what you don't want to hear. I am open to not getting everything I want because I know that we didn't win the House.

But this institution has to be better than that. I hope we can come together at some point and realize that spending money on American families is actually an investment that gives you a return, and it is not just wasteful spending.

Well, first of all, I think they should take some comfort and glean some hope from the fact that we are sitting here in the House of Representatives talking about economic justice on this Monday night because we are concerned about it and because we are offering solutions to it.

Hopefully, some in the majority, maybe in the House, maybe in the Senate, maybe in the White House, will extend a hand to say we are interested in hearing your ideas; we will read your proposals; let's see if we can find some middle ground.

This is not just about African Americans. This is about American people. There are too many people in this country who are busting their tails but can't make ends meet, and that, we have to take as a reality.

Corporations, the profits are at an all-time high; wages are at an all-time low. We ought to have a better balance than that. I think that they should take comfort in the fact that we are dedicated to working on it, and I think that there is some sense of corporate responsibility that will also level the playing field.

Not yet. Not yet is the short answer.

Let me say this, Representative Evans, as I close. You mentioned that where we are from it is all about the Benjamins, which means the Ben Franklins, the money dedicated to the resources.

Far too often--and I challenge a lot of the norms and customs and sayings in our community that I think are harmful. One of the sayings we used to hear a lot was, ``if it doesn't make dollars, it doesn't makes sense,'' which means that, if it makes money, it makes sense.

But the true saying should be: if it only makes dollars, then it doesn't make sense.

There has to be something else to it besides just corporations making as much as they possibly can. There still has to be some sort of community obligation that goes along with it to make the communities you are in a little bit better, whether it is the schools; whether it is the housing; whether it is the streets, the roads, the bridges, all of those things.

So when you start talking about our infrastructure, the question becomes: Are corporations paying their fair share? They benefit from our labor, they benefit from our consumers, they benefit from a whole bunch of things. But if it is only about the dollars for them, then this country has lost its soul, which is why we are having this conversation, because we have to save it from itself.

And it is not the first time this country has lost its soul. During slavery, during Jim Crow, during segregation, there were many people who woke up every day, went to church, prayed to the Lord, and then at the end of the day went right back to perpetuate Jim

Crow, segregation, slavery, racism, and all of those things. But it takes brave people to stand up and call it for what it is.

If you don't diagnosis the problem, you will never find a cure for it. So even in this House, we have people who claim to be the Christian right or the religious right who will say and espouse very hateful and racist things, all in the guise of religion.

But it is our duty as the CBC, and me as the chair, to remind people, one, that we are better than that, and, two, we have done an awful lot of despicable things in this country and blamed it on religion or blamed it on the Lord and don't blame religion or the Lord for wicked men. It is our obligation to make sure that we call it when we see it and we continue to fight for the least of these. Because the least of these can't afford lobbyists. They can't run commercials on TV congratulating people. They can't run commercials on TV opposing candidates. All they can do is continue to bust their tails every day to try to put a roof over their head, food on their table, and all of those things.

Mr. Speaker, I come to the mike tonight just in a way of fact-checking all of the inaccuracies that we hear.

If Members listen to the White House, if Members listen to my colleagues on the other side, they pretend that this whole shutdown was over illegal immigrants versus American citizens.

Our DREAMers, who came here as children through no fault of their own, were legal until the President decided to withdraw their legality and their documentation. He made them here undocumented.

The second part of all of this is they are saying: Oh, we are funding our troops.

It was General Mattis who said that funding the troops with a continuing resolution was debilitating for our armed services.

So there are a lot of things that we hear, but on the House floor in this United States Congress, the one thing we owe to the American public and to our citizens is the truth, whether it is on our side or whether it is not.

The truth is they have well over 230 Members. They could pass a budget if they wanted to. If they would work with both sides, then we could continue to do what the Congressional Black Caucus has done since the beginning of time, which is make this country a more perfect Union.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Mrs. Gloria Margie Brown, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, who passed away on January 4, 2018, at the age of 82.

Mrs. Brown was the first child born of three children to the late Mr. Edward Davis, Sr. and Mrs. Maude B. Davis, in Lobdell, Louisiana. She was reared in a Christian home, where both the Catholic and Baptist faiths were taught, although the family mostly attended St. Paul Catholic Church in Brusly, Louisiana.

Mrs. Brown's childhood education began at St. Monica School, where she met her lifelong

friend Bessie. Upon graduating the eighth grade she matriculated to Walter L. Cohen High School. She was in the second graduating class and one of the first majorettes. She was proud of her school and regularly participated in many of their functions.

As a teenager, Mrs. Brown was honored with the title of Miss Lincoln Beach. She enjoyed helping others and served as the monitor at the ``baby pool'' at Leman Park Playground for more than 19 years.

Mrs. Brown married Mr. Eric Brown and together they raised three children--Melvin, Rhonda, and Margie. She supported her children in all of their life adventures, from the church house, ball parks, and dance recitals.

We cannot match the sacrifices made by Mrs. Brown, but surely we can try to match her sense of service. We cannot match her courage, but we can strive to match her devotion.

Mrs. Brown's survivors include her children, Melvin, Rhonda, and Margie; grandchildren AJ, Hass, and Maddi; one great grandson A'Jay; her sister Elaine (Jack), her brother Ed, sister-in-law Valentine and two god children Karen Lynn and Tommy. She was preceded in death by her husband Eric, parents Edward and Maude, grandson Melvin John Eric, sister-in-law Annie and nine brothers and sisters-in-law.

Mr. Speaker, I celebrate the life and legacy of Mrs. Gloria Margie Brown--a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, and daughter.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the 40 years of service in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana by Pastor Uyless D. Landry, Sr.

Pastor Uyless D. Landry, Sr. is the senior pastor of First Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, in the uptown section of New Orleans, Louisiana. For the last 40 years he has been much more than a typical pastor, who caters exclusively to the needs of his immediate parishioners. Since 1978, his reach has extended beyond the walls of the local church. In the community he is a humanitarian and philanthropist. Over the years, he has helped thousands of people with sound counsel and financial assistance, without federal aid.

In 1951, Pastor Landry graduated from Booker T. Washington High School. In 1952, he married his high school sweetheart Emily Jackson. Together they raised four children, Uyless D. Landry, Jr., Darrell, Dawn and Annette Landry. In 1969, Pastor Landry was called to the ministry. In 1974, he was ordained and licensed to preach in the state of Louisiana. In 1975, he received a Bachelor of Theology from Union Baptist Theological Seminary. In 1978, he received a Master of Theology from Union Baptist Theological Seminary.

Pastor Landry loves the city and the people of New Orleans. His sense of service is forever a part of the city and his dedication to community embodies the spirit of New Orleans.

Mr. Speaker, I celebrate Pastor Uyless D. Landry, Sr. for 40 years of service in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Pennsylvania, Congressman Dwight Evans, for allowing me this time to speak.

Mr. Speaker, I heard Mr. Evans talk about Dr. King's roots and influence in Pennsylvania. I just want to note, and this would only be a small moment of my remarks, that as a Morehouse man, we remind everyone that Dr. King started at the age of 16 in his matriculation through college and his embarking on the world knowledge that he had at Morehouse College, which I spent just a few years at and graduated from myself.

I hope that there are a number of young people watching today, as well as those seniors whose backs I stand on, because a lot of people talk about Dr. King's dream, but I just want to say here publicly, and I have said it

privately so many times, we don't honor the dream. Everybody has a dream. The question becomes whether you have the courage, the fortitude, and the willingness to sacrifice your future to make that dream come true.

In this body, and as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, which now represents almost 78 million Americans in serving with real icons who paved the way to make this a more perfect union, I appreciate now more than ever the sacrifice that went into making this country what it is, and because of that and because of this time, let me just give 30 seconds of my history.

My mother is from the poorest place in the United States. She had 15 brothers and sisters, and all she had was a mother, a very dedicated mother who was a housekeeper we call a domestic or some other fancy term now. She was a woman who woke up every day, who would clean other people's houses to make sure that her 15 kids had an opportunity at a better future. You know what created that better future? Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

My mother went to Southern University. She shared a jacket with her sister, who was still in Lake Providence, which is about 200 miles away. I don't know how you do it, but they did it.

My mother, in that HBCU, because of the work of many people, was able to achieve an education, which is the best way to lift yourself out of poverty. She instilled in me two things: one, Cedric, you have to work hard, you have to do everything twice as good as everyone else so you can make it; and two, once you make it, you have an obligation to give back.

That is what is so special about Dr. Martin Luther King and the dream and the day that we celebrate. A lot of young people sit around and say: Oh, when I make it, I am going to give back. Oh, when I grow up, I am going to do something.

Well, Dr. King did everything that he did at a young age. If you talk about the Montgomery bus boycott, if you talk about our leaders in the civil rights movement, they didn't wait to grow into leadership. They created their own path. The remarkable thing is many of them sacrificed not only their future but their life.

When you talk about Dr. King, and to a lot of my middle class African Americans, let me say this, Dr. King could have sat back and said: I have mine, you get yours, or my family is comfortable, so I will take the easy path.

So for all of us who are doing well, remember, there are a whole bunch of people who are not. We have this ice storm all across the country right now where we are hunkering down in our homes with heat. We have to remember that there are people who are hunkering down on the street, sleeping outside under a blanket because that is all they have.

So we have to, in the spirit of Dr. King, remember that we are the greatest country on Earth; and if we don't think it is a perfect Union, we have to make it a more perfect Union. Even if it costs us our life, like it did Dr. King, and it cost him his life in Memphis, fighting for sanitation workers; we have to fight for the least among us because this country is only as great as is the least among us.

As long as there are people sleeping on the streets during this blizzard, that means this country is failing. When there are kids in public school that are destined for failure because we have not funded our public schools, this country is failing.

So I would just say that, of all of the great things about Dr. King, the one thing that we should remember is his sacrifice, his courage, and the fact that he gave his life to make our lives a better life.

Let me just say that, as I grew up going to some of the best schools in the country, integrated schools because of Dr. King and because of the person whom I am going to introduce, I know I stand on their backs, and I know that I have a lot of work to do to make sure that the generation behind me has that ability.

But sacrifice is not easy, and when I think of it, I think of people that I read about in my textbooks, people I studied, people I admired, people whose autograph I sought. And now I actually get to call this gentleman, this distinguished gentleman from Georgia, a friend.

But he is more than a friend: he is an icon; he is a trailblazer; he is a person who saved this country; and he, as a teenager, started his civil rights fight. He marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, knowing that there was hatred on the other side; and he met hatred with love, and he was beaten because he loved and they hated.

But do you know what he did? He marched again.

Do you know what he did? He ran for Congress.

Do you know what he did? He welcomed me into this Congress, and he paved a better way for generations so that we could go to some of the best schools in the country.

Mr. Speaker, I have an opportunity to present, introduce, one of the greatest Americans to ever walk on the face of this Earth, one who has sacrificed blood, sweat, tears, and who has stayed on his knees constantly, praying for a better country.

He reminds us all that the Lord will order your steps, but you have to move your feet. He moved his feet across that Edmund Pettus Bridge, and he was beaten so that I could vote without counting how many bubbles in a bar of soap or how many jellybeans in a big tub.

Mr. Speaker, the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Evans) will now yield to one of the greatest Americans and the greatest Member serving in this House of Representatives, the Honorable John Lewis from Georgia.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the legacy of two prominent individuals of Carnival Season, Suzie and Anthony Colombo, for their tremendous contribution of costume-making. The Colombos will be celebrating their 50th anniversary of costume making this upcoming Mardi Gras season 2018.

Mr. Colombo first began designing costumes nearly five decades ago. He believes that the importance of a costume is to bring it to life as if it was telling a story, and that is exactly what Mr. Colombo executes with each headpiece he designs. Mr. Colombo has also been able to transcend from the original size of collars to much larger, ornate pieces. His dazzling designs have become very distinctive among krewes as they would gleam along the parade routes being worn by many notable clubs such as Zulu, Endymion, and Caesar just to name a few.

Working alongside Mr. Colombo is his daughter, Suzie Colombo. Suzie would often joke about her father's concept of size when it comes to his head piece designs due to them constantly getting bigger and bigger. Suzie is known as the brain in the family business. She puts together costume design ideas and executes them thoroughly. From the head piece on down to the shoes, she has it all planned out and ready within a year.

The designs created by this father and daughter team have caught the attention of many and contributed to the excitement of Mardi Gras. Mr. Colombo, who is now 83 years of age, is often asked how long he plans to continue this business. In response, he'll always reply, ``For as long as God allows me to.''

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to celebrate the legacy of Mr. Anthony and Ms. Suzie Colombo, two Mardi Gras legends.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Mrs. Girlia E. White Sanders, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, who passed away on December 19, 2017, at the age of 79.

Mrs. Sanders loved the city and the people of New Orleans. Her legacy will forever be a part of the city and her dedication to community embodies the spirit of New Orleans. We cannot match the sacrifices made by Mrs. Sanders, but surely we can try to match her sense of service. We cannot match her courage, but we can strive to match her devotion.

Mrs. Girlia E. White Sander's survivors include her husband of sixty years, Pastor Leroy Sanders, Sr.; six children, Janice S. Bennett, Connie S. Brider, Leroy, Jr. (Treva) Sanders, Diana S. (Eugene, Jr.) Barnes, Leslie S (Rahman) Martin and Pastor Dale J. Sr. (Kimberly) Sanders; seventeen grandchildren, Clarence Bennett, Jr., Rev. Lorenzo (Carrie) Bennett, Antoine Bennett, Sr., Jazmm (Kendrick, Sr.) White, Monika Arceneaux, Leroy Regis Sanders, Javalyn Session, Ashley Brider, Gerae Vallery, Christian Booker, Eugene, III and Jaren Barnes, Destiny Estean, Jordan and Dale Sanders II, Kwinci Martin and Jericho Ehsha Sanders; one honorary grandson, Minister Clyde Davis, Jr.; nine great- grandchildren and one great-great grandchild; five sisters, two brothers, four brothers-in-law, four sisters-in-law, and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Mr. Speaker, I celebrate the life and legacy of Mrs. Girha E. White Sanders a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and daughter.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Mr. Frank ``Frankie'' Williams, Jr., a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, who passed away on December 6, 2017 at the age of 50.

Mr. Williams was born on July 21, 1967 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was the oldest boy of six children to Mr. Frank Williams, Sr. and Mrs. Joan Williams. Mr. Williams received his education in the Orleans Parish Public Schools, graduating from George Washington Carver High School. He was employed by the Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar and a former employee of Margaritaville for ten years.

Mr. Williams went into the water near Lakeshore Drive to assist in rescuing two men. One of those two men died and another was hospitalized after their car plunged into a canal at West End, along with killing Mr. Williams as well. A co-worker of Mr. Williams stated that his actions that night were in line with his character.

It was said that, ``Frank was the true definition of a selfless person who always looked out for his fellow man, co-worker or friend-- the type of guy who would give you the shirt off his back. His large stature perfectly matched his large heart.''

Mr. Williams loved the city and the people of New Orleans. His legacy will forever be a part of the city and his dedication to community embodies the spirit of New Orleans. We cannot match the sacrifices made by Mr. Williams, but surely we can try to match his sense of service. We cannot match his courage, but we can strive to match his devotion.

Mr. Frank ``Frankie'' Williams, Jr.'s survivors include his wife Doretha ``Kim'' Henry Williams, mother Joan Williams, son Frank Clark and two stepsons; grandchildren Adriana, Ma'Kye and Cam'ron Clark and two step grandchildren; and godchild Karionisha Polk. Siblings Karen Jones, Joan (Charles), Barbara (Will), Glenn (Chandra), Tyrone (Teidra) Willimas and Jessie (Brenda) Brue; eight brothers-in-law; and four sisters-in-law. He is

survived by a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives and friends.

Mr. Speaker, I celebrate the life and legacy of Mr. Frank ``Frankie'' Williams, Jr. a beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and son

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with extreme joy and excitement. My hometown, which is New Orleans, a part of my congressional district, next year, will celebrate our 300th anniversary. Over the years, we were under French control, we were under Spanish control, we were back under French control, and then we had the Louisiana Purchase. But as we walk into our 300th year, we have an elected--and we will be under the control of--female mayor for the first time in New Orleans history. That female is LaToya Cantrell.

She is a community activist and she is very focused on the future. I just want to congratulate LaToya on being elected to be the mayor of the city of New Orleans, and just to assure the people of New Orleans that we are going to go forward in our 300th year together and continue to improve the greatest city in the world, and that is New Orleans, Louisiana.

Mr. Speaker, I, once again, congratulate LaToya Cantrell on her election to be mayor of the city of New Orleans.