Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, the House is honored today to welcome a great theologian and humanitarian, my friend and constituent, the distinguished William J. Barber, II.

I have known Bishop Barber since he was a college student. A native of Roper, North Carolina, Bishop Barber has dedicated his life to preaching God's word of salvation and embracing the least of these in civil society.

Bishop Barber's trajectory to national prominence began when he organized a multiracial, multigenerational social justice movement in Raleigh, North Carolina, to expose the racial and economic inequities facing our Nation.

The Moral Monday protests catapulted Bishop Barber to a place where he is now a nationally recognized voice for the poor. As the founder of Repairers of the Breach, Bishop Barber leads a movement that challenges systemic racism, systemic poverty, ecological devastation, and what he calls the distorted narrative of religious nationalism. Bishop Barber seeks to build an agenda rooted in love, justice, and morality.

Bishop Barber is the senior pastor of the Greenleaf Christian Church in Goldsboro, North Carolina. He and his wife, Rebecca, have five very accomplished children who have distinguished themselves in their respective fields.

We are honored today, Madam Speaker, to have Bishop Barber with us today to pray over this sacred institution that we call the House of Representatives.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize my dear friend, Earle Francis Jones who recently announced his retirement from Comcast NBCUniversal. Earle has been a fixture on the Hill for many years and I hope my colleagues will join me in congratulating him on a successful and storied career. Furthermore, I'd like to acknowledge the contributions Earle has made to the CBC community. They are too many to list here, but suffice it to say, the CBC can't thank Earle enough for his support and counsel to the CBC and the CBCF throughout the years.

Earle was born in Washington, D.C. to Earle Sr. and the former Sylvia Carroll. He is a product of the District of Columbia Public School system where he attended historic Coolidge High School.

There, he excelled in sports, music, and community service. Earle furthered his education by attending American University in Washington, D.C. He then went on to attend the University of California at Berkeley where he received his Juris Doctorate from the prestigious Boalt Hall School of Law.

Following law school, Earle practiced law at Holland and Hart in Denver, Colorado before entering private practice. During that time, he served on the Judicial Ethics Advisory Board as the Ethics Counselor for Colorado lawyers and as an adjunct Law Professor at the University of Denver.

Upon returning to Washington, D.C., Earle joined Tele-Communications, Inc. (TCI) in 1989 where he served as Division Director for Government Affairs and then its Federal Communications Commission Washington Counsel. For three years, he led Washington, D.C.'s District Cablevision as its General Manager and oversaw Comcast's acquisition of District Cablevision from AT&T in 2001.

In 2009, Earle joined Comcast Corporation's Washington Federal Government Affairs where he cultivated a reputation for being an expert on issues and a sought-after counselor and mentor to many on the Hill-- especially in the CBC community.

Madam Speaker, I'm proud to say Earle Jones is my friend. I've always been impressed by his integrity and his ability to have empathy for others. I'd like to thank him for all the years he served on the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Board where he always provided excellent counsel and support.

Please join me in congratulating Earle Jones on a remarkable career and wishing him the best as he spends more time with his son Steve, daughter-in-law Heather and grandchildren Ryan and Rachel.

On behalf of the United States House of Representatives I congratulate Earle Francis Jones on his remarkable career and his contributions to our Country and our community.

Madam Speaker, I thank Mrs. Dingell and the ranking member for their courtesy, and I also thank the Natural Resources Committee for all the work they do. I am not on that committee, but I have great respect and admiration for the committee and its chairman. I thank you for letting me have 5 minutes to present this amendment.

Madam Speaker, this amendment is rather simple. It is straightforward. The underlying bill establishes a new, competitive grant program to support innovative strategies to help species recovery. That is the underlying bill we have been debating all afternoon. However, as drafted, the bill limits those competitive grants to only State wildlife agencies.

Specifically, my amendment expands the eligibility of the grant program to include nonprofit organizations like the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, the Pamlico Albemarle Wildlife Conservationists, and so many more wonderful organizations in my State, and perhaps in your States all across the country.

Many of these nonprofits have tremendous expertise in helping species recover and they should be eligible to participate in this new program under this amendment.

Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this amendment, which will strengthen our species recovery efforts.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I listened very carefully to the gentleman from Arkansas, and I respect his position, but I just want to remind my colleagues that in my State and most States these organizations that are not nonprofits who care about the environment and care about protecting endangered species--in most States and in all of your States--these are not radical groups. These are good grassroots nonprofit organizations who really care about the environment and want to do their part in protecting our economy and our environmental economy.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to please vote for this amendment. I understand the gentleman's concern, but I assure him that the nonprofits that I speak of are not radical groups, they are good environmental organizations.

Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell).

Madam Speaker, in closing, let me thank the gentlewoman from Michigan for supporting this amendment. It is a very simple amendment. It is a very commonsense amendment. It will allow and authorize nonprofit organizations, as Mrs. Dingell said, to compete for funding.

It will not be a guarantee of funding. It will be an opportunity to compete for funding. It is a worthwhile amendment, and I ask my colleagues to vote ``yea.''

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

Madam Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina.

On April 14, 1897, Voorhees College was founded by 23-year-old Elizabeth Evelyn Wright as Denmark Industrial School. A native of Georgia, Ms. Wright went on to study at Booker T. Washington's Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Knowing the importance of education, Ms. Wright moved to South Carolina and started the first of several schools for Blacks in the rural area of southeastern South Carolina.

On May 14, 1902, the Denmark Industrial School was renamed to Voorhees Industrial School after Ralph Voorhees, a New Jersey philanthropist, gave Ms. Wright $5,000 for the purchase of 280 acres of land on the outskirts of Denmark The generous donation allowed the school to expand.

In 1924, the American Church Institute for Negroes, which was a part of the Episcopal Church, agreed to support the school beginning a long relationship that continues to this day. In 1947, Voorhees Industrial School became a junior college and was renamed Voorhees School and Junior College after the industrial department was discontinued. The junior college was accredited in 1946 by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and in 1949 it became the first Black college in South Carolina to be recognized by the regional body.

In 1962, the school became Voorhees College and five years later it became a senior degree granting institution. Shortly thereafter, it received full accreditation as a liberal arts college from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

For the last 125 years, Voorhees College has educated thousands of students. Its educational scope has expanded from the days of teaching vocational skills to becoming a liberal arts college to now having a presence in Ghana, Liberia and other countries in West Africa.

Today, 125 years after Denmark Industrial School was founded, it will be renamed once again to Voorhees University with the start of a Masters programs.

Madam Speaker, today, I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating the 125th anniversary of Voorhees University, its history, and its founder, Elizabeth Evelyn Wright.

Madam Speaker, as many of you know, the United States is one of the only developed nations in the world where the maternal mortality rate continues to rise every year. The rate of mortality is especially higher in minority populations and rural communities--those who most often sit on the wrong side of the digital divide. This women's health crisis has had a particularly disparate impact on the African American community. African American women are three times more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth than their counterparts. Physicians and scientists continue to study the cause of these high numbers, citing lack of access to resources as one of many reasons the maternal mortality rate continues to rise. These resources include, but are not limited, to broadband access.

My bill, the Data Mapping to Save Moms' Lives Act, focuses on overlaying broadband connectivity data held by the FCC with health information held by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Armed with this information, policymakers will be able to target connectivity resources where telehealth may be able to assist medical professionals remotely monitor the health of pregnant women. We must act to address this crisis and my bill will give us the needed information to target our interventions.

I urge my colleagues to help protect our Nation's mothers and vote yes on H.R. 1218, the Data Mapping to Save Moms' Lives Act.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 868, I call up the bill (H.R. 5746) to amend title 51, United States Code, to extend the authority of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to enter into leases of non-excess property of the Administration, with the Senate amendment thereto.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record on the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 5746.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5746, the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act. As President Biden made clear in his speech in Atlanta on Tuesday, the time to act to protect the right to vote and the very essence of our democracy is now. The bill we are considering today meets the gravity of this moment.

H.R. 5746, Mr. Speaker, combines two pieces of legislation vital to ensuring every American has free, equitable, and secure access to the ballot: The Freedom to Vote Act and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, the latter of which critically also includes the Native American Voting Rights Act.

Together, Mr. Speaker, these bills will combat the wave of voter suppression laws we saw enacted in States across the country following the Supreme Court's decision in Shelby County v. Holder, a decision that undermined the essential preclearance protections of the Voting Rights Act, which accelerated at an alarming rate following the unprecedented voter turnout in the 2020 elections.

Rather than responding to increased voter participation with welcoming arms and provoter policies, States have instead been enacting laws that roll back access and aim to erect roadblocks to the ballot box.

Despite a 2020 election that election security experts said was the most secure in American history, according to the Brennan Center For Justice, 19 States have enacted 34 restrictive voting laws in the last 12 months.

The time, Mr. Speaker, to act is now. Voter suppression and discrimination are alive and well. It is our duty and firmly within our constitutional powers as a Congress to protect the rights of the voter and ensure equal access to the franchise.

This bill, Mr. Speaker, does just that. It sets nationwide standards for access to early voting; promotes voter registration through automatic voter registration, same-day voter registration, and online voter registration; gives every voter access to no-excuse absentee voting; protects the security of our election infrastructure and our precious election workers; addresses the rising threat of election subversion; puts an end to partisan gerrymandering; curbs the torrent of dark money flooding our politics; and, yes, it restores the critical protections of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and protects the right to vote for Native American voters.

We must set an example as a democracy and encourage, rather than suppress, voter participation in our electoral process.

This legislation is critical to protecting our democracy. I encourage all of my colleagues, Democrat and Republican, to support this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries), the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark), our Assistant Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Ms. Williams), my friend.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence), the second vice chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), the dean of the Florida delegation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes), the author of the For the People Act.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Beatty), the distinguished and unrelenting chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon), who serves on the Committee on House Administration and the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Garcia), my friend who serves on the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from the Commonwealth of Virginia (Mr. Beyer), my friend.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), my friend, the distinguished Democratic leader.

Mr. Speaker, I would ask my friend from North Carolina to refer to the bill section that refers to voter ID. It simply says this bill sets uniform national standards for States that choose to require identification to vote.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn), the Democratic whip, who has led the way in this House and the South for generations.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin), who is a member of the coveted House Committee on House Administration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Aguilar), who is the distinguished vice-chair of the Democratic Caucus and, I might say, a member of the Elections Subcommittee of which I have the honor to chair.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Selma, Alabama (Ms. Sewell), who is my dear friend and a sponsor of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

Madam Speaker, I want to remind my friend from Arizona who just spoke that this bill sets uniform national standards for States that choose to require identification to vote. The bill gives States the flexibility--flexibility--to choose whether to require voter IDs. It is not a mandatory voter ID law.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jones), who is a thoughtful leader on the Committee on the Judiciary.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), who is my friend and chair of the Appropriations Committee who stays in perpetual motion.

Madam Speaker, may I inquire about how much time each side has remaining.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), my friend who is another Member who stays in perpetual motion and who is a senior member on the Judiciary Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green), my friend and classmate from Houston, Harris County.

Madam Speaker, at this time in the interest of time, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Allred), my friend from Dallas, who represents the 32nd Congressional District.

Madam Speaker, again, how much time do I have remaining?

Madam Speaker, I say to the gentleman that I am prepared to close.

Mr. Davis is my friend, and I want the world to know that.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume in order to close.

First of all, Madam Speaker, let me thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis) for his kind words.

When Members of Congress say to each other, ``you are my friend,'' I just want the world to know that we mean that sincerely. Mr. Davis and I are genuinely friends. I am the chairman of the subcommittee. He is the ranking member of our full committee, and we have a whole relationship. We respect each other. I thank Mr. Davis so much.

And I thank our chair of the full Committee on House Administration, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, who allowed me to manage the floor today. And I want to thank her for her leadership, not only on this committee, but also on the Committee on the Judiciary.

Madam Speaker, this has been a healthy debate. This is the way Congress should work. This is a healthy debate, and I look forward to debate in the Senate. I hope it will start forthwith and conclude on Monday. I look forward to passage in the United States Senate.

Madam Speaker, the choice before the House today is clear. We must protect our democracy.

It is past time for this Congress to act. Historically, we have come together to protect the right to vote. From the Voting Rights Act of 1965, that I remember so well, its subsequent reauthorizations, and various election administration bills, we have protected and expanded the right to vote. And Madam Speaker, we must do that again.

The Voting Rights Act works. Along with Lani Guinier, and Julius Chambers, and Leslie Winner, and Jack Greenberg, of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, I joined with them in the 1980s and successfully litigated Voting Rights Act cases in North Carolina. The Voting Rights Act works.

Throughout my career, I have witnessed this body come together to ensure all Americans have a voice in this democracy. We must do that again now.

One of our most sacred rights in this country is the right to vote. Indeed, as the Supreme Court observed in Wesberry v. Sanders: ``Other rights, even the most basic''--the most basic--``are illusory if the right to vote is undermined.''

As a Congress, as a Nation, we cannot, we must not tolerate any voter suppression, any voter discrimination of any kind in any State in America.

And so, I respectfully urge all of my colleagues, Democrat and Republican, all 435 of us, I urge all of us to support this bill. Vote ``yes.''

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

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the following letters of support for the Senate Amendment to H.R. 5746.

National Urban League,

New York, NY, January 13, 2022.

Dear Representative: As President and CEO of the National

Urban League, and on behalf of its 91 affiliates in 37 states

and the District of Columbia, I am writing to express our

strong support for the House Amendment to the Senate

Amendment to H.R. 5746, the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis

Act, as it is considered in the House and Senate in the

coming days. As a historic civil rights organization

dedicated to ensuring that all people are able to exercise

their fundamental right to vote, we stand with our fellow

civil rights organizations in supporting this bill.

The Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act will ensure that

voters can safely and freely cast their ballots, protect

against election sabotage, stop partisan gerrymandering, and

limit the influence of dark money in politics. In 2021 alone,

19 states have enacted 34 new laws that suppress the right to

vote for all Americans and more are under consideration

today. In addition, states are pursuing manipulative

redistricting effoits which discriminate against and dilute

the representation of Black and Brown voters. This

legislation would fight back against these attacks and ensure

the ability for every American to participate in safe,

accessible, and transparent elections.

Our organization fully endorses this bill, which responds

to the current needs of this nation in the fight for voting

rights, and urges you to support this legislation. For more

information, please contact Yvette Badu-Nimako, Senior

Director for Judiciary, Civil Rights and Social Justice.

Sincerely,

Marc H. Moria,

President and Chief Executive Officer,

National Urban League.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 10th anniversary of the Enviva's flagship facility in Ahoskie, North Carolina, in my congressional district.

Enviva produces renewable wood bioenergy from low-value and residual wood. For the past decade, Enviva has grown to become a valued and trusted member of the community. The Ahoskie facility has created over 300 jobs and has an economic footprint of $160 million per year in the area. In total, Enviva has generated 1,800 jobs and nearly $1 billion in economic output through their four production facilities and port terminal in North Carolina.

Enviva's sustainable forestry practices help fight climate change, strengthen rural communities, create well-paid jobs, and contribute to the health and vitality of North Carolina's beloved forests. It supports North Carolina's forestry industry, purchasing low-grade wood and forestry residuals that would otherwise go to waste or rot in the fields. Their work connects the citizens of my district in the global effort to reduce energy derived from coal and mitigate climate change.

Madam Speaker, Enviva's contributions to the First District and the entire state of North Carolina have been profound. I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the 10th anniversary of Enviva's flagship facility in Ahoskie, North Carolina.

Madam Speaker, let me first thank Congresswoman Leger Fernandez for her friendship and leadership, and thank her for yielding time to me this afternoon.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1619, the Catawba Indian Nation Lands Act.

A few moments ago, Congressman Clyburn made reference to the fact that 1619 was a very significant number. What he was referring to, Madam Speaker, was that it was the year 1619 that the first slaves arrived in America--the first African slaves, I might say, arrived in America.

It is very interesting that this bill bears that number, but I am in full support of this legislation.

Madam Speaker, this is good, bipartisan legislation. You can see that it has support on both sides of the aisle. It will ratify actions taken by the Department of the Interior that placed 17 acres of land in North Carolina that are within the Catawba's service area, as defined by Congress in 1993, that land was placed into trust for the benefit of the Tribe.

This bill would enable the Catawba Indian Nation to secure economic self-sufficiency as envisioned by Congress in passing the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1987. It will generate millions of dollars in economic development and create thousands of jobs in North Carolina, where few jobs currently exist.

That, Madam Speaker, is why I have such a deep interest in this legislation, because of the economic impact.

The Catawba Nation has already signed an agreement. I need to make

sure the record is clear about that. The Catawba Nation has already signed an agreement with our Governor, Governor Roy Cooper, and they have the support of the local community.

Madam Speaker, I respectfully urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important legislation.

Madam Speaker, let me first thank Congresswoman Leger Fernandez for her friendship, her extraordinary leadership, and her passionate leadership. The gentlewoman is a wonderful member of this body, and I thank her so much for all that she does. She and I serve on another committee together, the Elections Subcommittee, and I have seen her in action.

Madam Speaker, I thank all of our cosponsors of this legislation for their support, both Democratic and Republican, including the Tribe's Representative, Congressman Dan Bishop from the Ninth District of North Carolina, who is my friend.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bill, H.R. 2758, the Lumbee Recognition Act, and I urge my colleagues to vote for its passage.

Madam Speaker, the Lumbee Recognition Act will finally extend full Federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and make its members eligible for the same services and the same benefits provided to members of other federally recognized Tribes.

Most importantly, the bill would establish, once and for all, the Lumbee Tribe as an independent and sovereign entity under Federal law.

Madam Speaker, we have an opportunity before us to do the right thing and fix a historic wrong by passing my bill. North Carolina has recognized the Lumbee Tribe since 1885, and this body, the Congress, recognized the Tribe in the 1950s but, during the dark days of the termination era, refused to allow the Lumbee Tribe access to federally funded services and benefits. What a shame.

Almost all Tribes that were ``terminated'' in this troubling era have since been restored to Federal recognition. We are long overdue in delivering the same justice to the Lumbee Tribe.

This legislation has tremendous bipartisan support inside and outside North Carolina as demonstrated by a unanimous House vote to pass this very bill last Congress and President Biden's support for full Federal recognition of the Lumbee Tribe. Now is the time, Madam Speaker, to get it done.

Madam Speaker, the merits of the Lumbee's claim for full Federal recognition have long been accepted by our State of North Carolina, academia, and the Federal Government. It is long past time for Congress to give the Lumbee the respect they deserve and to treat them with the fundamental fairness that has been withheld for so many years.

As Ms. Leger Fernandez said earlier, this is the first day of Native American History Month. What an honor.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' and stand on the right side of history.

Madam Speaker, for years I have said that the 1965 Voting Rights Act was written between Selma and Montgomery. The Voting Rights Act leveled the playing field and transformed southern electoral politics.

Since the Shelby decision, the right to vote and access to the ballot box are being compromised. The Subcommittee on Elections, which I chair, held five hearings, we called over 35 witnesses, produced a report detailing clear evidence of ongoing voter discrimination all across the country.

I thank Chairman Nadler, Chairman Cohen, and Ms. Sewell for a good bill. The Voting Rights Act is as important today as ever. Passage of H.R. 4 will protect the right to vote and fully enforce the 15th Amendment.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the important work being done all across North Carolina to reduce food insecurity.

I commend the outgoing president of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, Ronnie Smith, for his leadership on this effort. Ronnie is also chair of the Martin County Board of Commissioners, a constituent, and a good friend.

Under Ronnie's leadership, the association's Resilience Task Force was formed to develop local strategies to promote food system resilience. The task force recently released a report to help counties deepen relationships with the local food banks, improve efforts to transport food to homes, and strengthen local food sources to reduce food insecurity.

To date, nearly a quarter of North Carolina's counties have passed resolutions to support the initiative. This year, 42 million people nationwide will experience food insecurity.

Madam Speaker, I applaud President Ronnie Smith's leadership. I applaud him for his leadership and commend him and the members of the Resilience Task Force for their hard work in combating food insecurity in North Carolina. Thank you, Commissioner Ronnie Smith.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 60th anniversary of the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission.

The role of this commission is to support growers and increase sweet potato consumption. Their efforts have been tremendously effective as the popularity of sweet potatoes has increased at home and especially abroad.

North Carolina leads the Nation in sweet potato production and has done so for the last 50 years. There are over 450 sweet potato farmers in North Carolina, and those farmers produce about 65 percent of all sweet potatoes grown throughout the country.

I am proud to recognize and congratulate the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission on its 60th anniversary. I wish them another 60 years of continued success.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act.

This legislation invests in communities like mine all across the country that are in desperate need of infrastructure improvements.

Madam Speaker, this past weekend, I took the train back to Washington, D.C., from my hometown of Wilson, North Carolina. As I waited to board the train, I noticed significant deterioration to facilities of the station, including the platform and the canopy. Like many train stations across America, the Wilson Station is in dire need of repair and renovation. The INVEST in America Act, among other things, provides funding to address these issues.

I thank Chairman DeFazio for including over $57 billion in grant funding to help repair and modernize our aging train facilities. I also thank the chairman for the inclusion of five transformative infrastructure projects across my district.

Madam Speaker, this momentous bill delivers on a promise that we made to the American people. Let's build back better.

Madam Speaker, let me first thank the chair for her leadership and friendship on our committee.

Madam Speaker, just a little bit of history. I want to take you back to 1860. President Lincoln won the general election in 1860 by winning 18 of 29 States.

Madam Speaker, the 11 States that Lincoln failed to carry were slave- holding States. These States were fearful that Lincoln would find a way to end slavery and deprive slave owners of their free labor. Eleven Southern States immediately seceded from the Union, forming the Confederate States of America. The CSA elected its leadership, they printed a currency, and they set up a military.

At Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, the CSA took military action against the United States of America. For the following 4 years, more than 600,000 Americans lost their lives on the battlefield, including Black Union soldiers. This was not a war between the States; it was a war against the United States by 11 Southern States, including my State.

When the Union finally won the war and both sides buried their dead, 4 million slaves were granted their freedom by the passage and ratification of the 13th Amendment.

In 1864, each State was granted the privilege to donate two statues of deceased persons to be displayed in this Capitol that depict the history of their State. These statues are now known as the National Statuary Hall Collection.

Approximately 10 of these statues depict men who volunteered to fight against the United States in the Civil War. All of these statues were donated many decades after the Civil War. Like many other statues around the country honoring members of the Confederate States of America, particularly those erected in the South, these 10 statues were not donated and installed in the Capitol until the 1900s, during the height of the Jim Crow era.

Many Americans see these statues and the timing of their placement to intimidate Black Americans and to perpetuate the notion of white supremacy. We must not continue to honor these combatants by allowing their images to be displayed in this Capitol.

The bill before us today, Madam Speaker, identifies several other statues for removal that are not part of the collection, including the bust of Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney, who authored the 1857 Supreme Court decision of Dred Scott that ruled that slaves could not be considered citizens and that Congress did not have the ability to ban slavery. This opinion, Madam Speaker, is regarded as possibly the Supreme Court's worst decision of all time, and the 7-2 decision was a major factor contributing to the Civil War.

Another bust not a part of the National Statuary Hall Collection is for Vice President John Breckinridge, 1856 to 1859. In 1860, Breckinridge ran for President on the Southern Democratic ticket and he lost. During the Civil War, Breckinridge served in the United States Senate, from Kentucky, but became a traitor and enlisted in the Confederate military and assigned to the Army of Mississippi, achieving the rank of Major General. And it gets worse. He was expelled from the United States Senate. Jefferson Davis then appointed him as Secretary of War. After the war, he fled the country for several years.

Madam Speaker, this statue must also be removed.

I ask my colleagues to answer the summons of our time by voting to remove these statues from the Capitol of the United States of America.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, on January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation to emancipate 4 million slaves residing in the 11 Southern States that were combatants against the Union.

The proclamation was significant but not totally effective. It did not include slaves who resided in the States that were not in rebellion. Lincoln was of the opinion he could only use his authority against the States who were rebelling.

In addition, there was doubt about the legal efficacy of the proclamation since Congress had not participated. There were legal questions of whether the proclamation would expire following Lincoln's Presidency and, very importantly, whether States would not free slaves without Federal intervention.

Juneteenth is significant because it marks the day when Federal troops arrived in Galveston to take control of the State and ensure that all enslaved people were free. These Federal troops arrived 2\1/2\ years after the signing of the proclamation.

By passing this legislation, Madam Speaker, every American can now better understand the African Americans'

struggle for freedom and full citizenship. Every American can now participate in recognizing the end to slavery in America.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation.