Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Eta Nu Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. The Eta Nu Chapter was chartered on April 3, 1971 on the campus of East Carolina University (ECU) located in Greenville, North Carolina.

Under the direction of eight men, A.A. Best, J.J. Wise, W.G. Keys, O.T. Faison, C.H.G. White, J.C. Bryant, J.P. Harrison, and A.D. Moseley, Eta Nu was established on the campus of ECU.

At that moment, the Eta Nu Chapter became ECU's first Black fraternity and the first Black Greek-lettered organization (BGLO) to be chartered on the campus of a Predominantly White Institution (PWI) in the State of North Carolina. As a result, the Chapter became a leader as one of the first Black fraternities established at a PWI in the South. The first initiates into the Eta Nu Chapter were known as the Undisputed Truth. Members of that first line are as follows: David Franklin, Gregory Clark, Jerry Congelton, John Clark, Tony Sedgewick, Jimmy Louis, Tommy Patterson, James Mitchell, Kenneth Hammond, James Johnson, and Kenneth Wright. These men promoted brotherhood, understanding, and a cohesive unity influencing future members of the Chapter to help form the Black Student Union--an organization that brought Black students together across campus to bring unity and advocate for issues affecting them to campus faculty and administration.

Throughout the years, the Eta Nu Chapter has excelled and raised the bar for others to follow, maintaining high standards of scholastic achievement and service to the community--most notably, hosting an annual scholarship pageant whose winner eventually became Miss America 2019. The Chapter holds several distinguished honors for their contributions to ECU and the community: The first Black Student Government President, the first Black Student Government Vice President, the first three Black Homecoming kings crowned in consecutive years followed by a fourth member of the Chapter who won in 2014, and nine awardees of the ECU 40 Under 40 Leadership Award since the initial awards were presented in 2015.

Members of the Eta Nu Chapter have worked diligently to increase the number of opportunities available to our youth; they have engaged in relentless efforts toward the improvement of the campus and the community. One such measure is a leadership academy partnering with the Zeta Eta Lambda graduate chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha's Pharaohs Program to help mentor young Black men. Additionally, countless fundraisers to raise scholarship money for youth and young adults in the community have also been part of the Chapter's philanthropic initiatives.

Madam Speaker, it is my understanding that the members of the Eta Nu Chapter at East Carolina University are committed to distinguishing themselves as the most exemplary

Chapter through their insatiable attitude towards public service. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing the members of this Chapter, past and present, the very best with their future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, in celebration of Black History Month, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy of Elreta Melton Alexander--an educator, barrier breaker, civil rights advocate, and renowned officer of the court. She was the first Black woman in North Carolina to be licensed and practice as a lawyer, to argue before its Supreme Court, and to be elected a judge.

Elreta Narcissus Melton was born on March 21, 1919, in the small eastern North Carolina town of Smithfield. Her father, Joseph C. Melton, a Baptist minister and teacher, and her mother, Alian A. Reynolds Melton, a schoolteacher, had strong beliefs about the importance of education and refused to perpetuate the narratives of racial injustice. The family later moved to Greensboro, North Carolina, where in 1937, at the age of eighteen, Alexander graduated from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical College, now North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, with a Bachelor of Science degree in music. Upon graduation, she became a high-school teacher in South Carolina where she taught music, math, and history.

Encouraged by a Greensboro minister, Alexander decided to attend law school and pursue a legal career. Because of the limitations for Black student admittance into Law schools in North Carolina, Alexander applied and was the first Black woman admitted to Columbia Law School in 1943 at the age of twenty-four, and became the first Black woman to graduate from Columbia Law School in 1945. In 1947, after passing the North Carolina bar exam, Alexander became the first black woman to practice law in North Carolina. After establishing a large solo criminal practice in Greensboro, Alexander formed one of the first integrated law firms in the South, Alston, Alexander, Pell & Pell. During her career as a trial attorney, she added to her list of ``firsts'' when she became the first Black woman to argue before the Supreme Court of North Carolina.

On December 2, 1968, Alexander became the first Black judge elected in North Carolina and the first Black woman in the United States to be elected district court judge. Alexander was re-elected in 1972, 1976 and 1980. One of her most notable accomplishments as a District Court Judge was her innovative juvenile sentencing approach called ``Judgment Day'', which focused on rehabilitating young offenders and misdemeanants as an alternative to sentencing. Judge Alexander ran for the Republican nomination for the Chief Justice position on the North Carolina Supreme Court in 1974. Battling persistent racism in the state, she lost the election to a White man named James Newcomb, a fire extinguisher salesman with no college degree or legal background. However, her loss prompted a later-adopted constitutional amendment requiring judges to first be attorneys licensed in North Carolina before they can rightfully hold the position as judge. Her presence in the courtroom brought about great change and needed perspective; however, she did not win every battle and every election. Despite the perception of defeat, the barriers that Alexander faced laid the groundwork and opened doors for a better tomorrow.

While Alexander faced many challenges throughout her educational pursuit and legal career, she refused to let her circumstances define her destiny as she forged her own path led by her passion and conviction for justice and equality.

On behalf of the United States House of Representatives and the people of the First District of North Carolina, I am proud to recognize and celebrate the life and legacy of a true pioneer and Black History icon, Elreta Melton Alexander-Ralston.

Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Mfume for yielding time, and I thank Mr. Rice for introducing this legislation.

Madam Speaker, when I was first elected to Congress, I visited Congressman Clyburn's office seeking his assistance with committee assignments. While there, I noticed the pictures of eight former South Carolina Congressmen, all African American, hanging prominently in his outer office.

Among those was Joseph Rainey, the first African American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. I was unaware of Mr. Rainey, and so I became curious about this man.

Joseph Rainey was born to enslaved parents on June 21, 1832, in Georgetown, South Carolina, a community heavily dominated with slaves.

As the years went on, Joseph Rainey's father was permitted by his master to work independently and save a little money. Using his accumulated funds, Edward Rainey purchased freedom for little Joseph and his family.

When President Lincoln was elected in 1860, 11 States seceded from the Union; South Carolina was the first. A civil war erupts.

Joseph Rainey, now 28 years of age, was conscripted, or drafted, to work on fortifications in Charleston. This was unacceptable to Joseph, and so, with his family, he escaped to St. George, Bermuda.

Madam Speaker, St. George is a small parish on the island of Bermuda. While there, Rainey undoubtedly became acquainted with my grandfather, James Peter Butterfield, born 1853, who lived his entire life in St. George.

On December 6, 1865, the 13th Amendment was added to the Constitution, ending slavery in America. 400,000 slaves in South Carolina are free: 37,000 in Charleston, 32,000 in Beaufort, 18,000 in Georgetown.

The same year, the Civil War ends. South Carolina desires to be readmitted to the Union. As a condition, South Carolina was required to adopt a constitution that repudiated secession, acknowledged the end of slavery and repudiated debts that the State and its White citizens had incurred.

The South Carolina Constitutional Convention convened on January 14, 1868. A very prominent delegate to the convention was Joseph H. Rainey. The convention's minutes, Madam Speaker, reflect that Rainey advocated for free public education for all South Carolina citizens. He advocated for relieving White landowners of their insurmountable debt that had accumulated during the war.

The convention was successful; a new constitution was adopted, and on July

9, 1868, South Carolina was readmitted to the Union. Joseph Rainey was recognized for his brilliance during the convention.

The following year, 1869, Congress passed the 15th Amendment granting the former slaves the right to vote and hold office. On February 3, 1870, the 15th Amendment was finally ratified by the States.

Joseph Rainey seized the opportunity; ran for Congress in the First District. Elected on December 12, 1870, Congressman Rainey remained a Member of this body until after President Rutherford B. Hayes ended Reconstruction, which gave rise to violence against African Americans.

Though Rainey was reelected in 1876, he did not seek office again, making him the longest-serving African-American Congressman during Reconstruction.

Madam Speaker, this is a remarkable story. I appreciate Mr. Rice, and Mr. Clyburn, and the entire South Carolina delegation for offering this legislation to name the Post Office located at 1101 Charlotte Street in Georgetown as the Joseph Hayne Rainey Memorial Post Office Building.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 136th anniversary of

Princeville, a town in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, that stands strong as the oldest town incorporated by African Americans in the United States of America. Populated primarily by African Americans, the historic town of Princeville holds a legacy of pride and stands as a powerful symbol of African American determination and endurance in the face of adversity.

Originally known as ``Freedom Hill,'' Princeville was established by freed slaves in 1885. As the Civil War came to an end, many former slaves sought a new frontier of protection and freedom and left the plantations for Union troop encampments. Once the Union soldiers departed the encampments, many former slaves stayed behind and settled in an area named Freedom Hill, incorporated in 1885 in Edgecombe County. The name Freedom Hill was later changed to Princeville in honor of a well-known community member by the name of Turner Prince. A former slave and local carpenter, Turner Prince lived in Freedom Hill since its founding and was heavily involved in building many community homes for families in Freedom Hill.

While Princeville faced many challenges throughout its existence, the residents also benefitted by the strength of their collective community in many ways. Free from their enslavement, many were able to reconnect with family and gain control of their labor and requirement of compensation. Princeville developed into a community with self-employed laborers and artisans. In 1880, the community was also home to eight carpenters, seven blacksmiths, four grocers, three seamstresses and three brick masons. Princeville workers were also able to capitalize on the growth of local area communities and were able to find employment in various sectors such as textile mills and lumber industries. Freedom also brought the hope and power associated with the right to vote and hold political office. In fact, several eastern counties of North Carolina, Black residents were a majority, and in many of these locations, Blacks exercised their political strength by electing Black men to office. Princeville and Edgecombe County voters were able to elect eleven Black men to the state legislature to serve fifteen terms from 1877 to 1890. Indeed, Princeville was an example to the nation of the importance and power of having the unfettered access to make one's voice heard through their vote.

From recovery of the unnatural disaster of slavery and segregation to the devastation of natural disasters of hurricanes and flooding, the people of Princeville's determination and strength have allowed them to endure and overcome many difficulties and challenges. On behalf of the United States House of Representatives and the people of the First District of North Carolina, I am proud to recognize the 136th anniversary of the historic town of Princeville and am honored to serve as their Representative in Congress.

The Princeville citizens continue to represent the power of community and the importance of freedom to control one's own destiny to create a path forward free from oppression, suppression, and undue barriers. The town of Princeville has, without exception, earned the right to be recognized, honored, and celebrated, and it is my hope that the citizens of Princeville will continue its proud legacy for many years to come.

Madam Speaker, President Trump's incitement to violently overturn the results of a free and fair election is an attack on our rule of law.

Any President, any Member of Congress who obstructs the electoral college or attacks judges and the court system when there is no evidence to support their contentions undermines the public's trust and confidence in the judicial process.

How do my Republican colleagues expect ordinary citizens to respect and trust the courts in civil and criminal matters all across this country? Think about that as you make this decision.

Vote ``yes'' on the Articles of Impeachment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of a great public servant, a mother, a wife, a friend to many, and the longest serving employee of the Washington County North Carolina School System, Mrs. Eleanor Patterson Barber. Some refer to her as ``Mother Barber.''

Mrs. Barber, Mr. Speaker, the daughter of Charles Edgar Patterson, a West Virginia Pentecostal preacher, and Lucille Patterson, a Georgia native from the Southlands, was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on November 13, 1933.

A graduate of the historic Crispus Attucks High School, Mrs. Barber trained as a concert pianist and graduated from Lain Business College in Indianapolis. She served in the Civil Air Patrol, where she met her husband, the Reverend William J. Barber I, a minister, educator, and activist with deep roots in eastern North Carolina.

With a strong passion and conviction for justice and equality, the Barber couple, in 1966, relocated to eastern North Carolina to play an essential role in the integration of the county schools. Though it had been 12 years since the Brown decision, many Southern schools remained fully separated by race.

While the decision to move southward from a northern metropolitan city meant that their only son at the time, William J. Barber, II, would enter kindergarten at a segregated school, they believed that this sacrifice would, nonetheless, serve the greater good for their family, Washington County, and the State.

Her little boy, William, some refer to him as Billy, is now internationally known as Bishop William J. Barber, II, who was the architect of the Moral Monday movement and is now the founder and leader of Repairers of the Breach, or the Poor People's National Campaign.

In 1966, Mother Barber began working as the office manager at the Washington County Union Elementary School, while her husband taught science at the school. In 1971, when Mrs. Barber began her duties at Plymouth High School, she made history as the first African American office manager at a desegregated school in that county.

Mrs. Barber's passion and conviction have led her to impact generations of students over her 53 years of service. She has served 11 principals, and in some cases, she has watched students and their parents and grandparents matriculate through the school. She also helped teach countless young people how to play the concert piano, often when they didn't have the resources to afford the lessons. She has led choirs and served as the baccalaureate musician for the high school for many, many years, and she continues.

In her more than half a century of service to North Carolina's public schools, I, today, applaud Mrs. Barber for her years of dedicated and committed service to our Nation's most precious resources: our children.

Mrs. Eleanor Barber is a history maker, barrier breaker, and a remarkable example of the transformative power of a willing spirit and a dedicated public servant.

On behalf of the United States House of Representatives and the people of the First District, including the people of Washington County and the town of Roper, where she resides, I express appreciation to Mrs. Eleanor Patterson Barber for 53 years of committed service to the Washington County, North Carolina, public schools.

Thank you to Mrs. Barber for your perseverance and your willingness to give and to go the extra mile to pour into the youth all that you had to offer.

Mrs. Barber, without exception, earned the right to be honored here today on the floor of the House of Representatives. It is my hope that God will continue to bless and keep Mrs. Barber and her family for years to come.

I will say, Mr. Speaker, in closing, that Mrs. Barber has a wonderful family. She gave birth to two biological children. They were both boys. The first was Bishop William J. Barber, II.

Bishop Barber is married to Rebecca Barber, and they have five children: Sharralle; William, III; Benjamin Joseph; Rebecca Eleanor; and Andrew Willard--five wonderful, delightful children.

The other sibling deceased earlier this year. He lived in Grifton, Georgia. His name was Charles Edgar Barber, and he was survived by three children: Shakile, Malik, and Quentin.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate you allowing me time this morning to celebrate and to recognize a great American who has served well over these many years.

Madam Speaker, I thank the chair of our committee for yielding me time this morning.

Madam Speaker, I rise this morning in strong support of H.R. 2722. It is past time that this Congress act boldly in response to the foreign interference that took place in our 2016 elections, and that is exactly what this bill does.

The gentleman from Ohio, the ranking member of the committee, I say to him it is disingenuous to point the finger at the Obama administration. That may or may not be accurate, but let us look forward.

This legislation provides $600 million in grants to State and local officials to secure election infrastructure and replace aging voting machines with voter-verified paper ballot voting systems; $175 million to States every 2 years to maintain elections infrastructure. It requires States to implement risk-limiting audits; it prohibits internet accessibility or connectivity for devices on which ballots are marked or tabulated; and it sets long-needed cybersecurity standards for vendors.

I ask my colleagues, let us look forward. Let us protect the right to vote. Let us protect the ballot of every American citizen.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, at World Tabernacle Church in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, I had one of the highest honors in my life, to speak at the funeral service for Private First Class William Hoover Jones who served in the Korean war.

He went missing on 26 November 1950. His remains were recently returned to U.S. soil by the North Koreans. The funeral service was handled by H.D. Pope Funeral Home, and he will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery on August 22 of this year with full military rites.

Mr. Speaker, with your permission, I will read into the Record my remarks from the funeral:

``As Representative for North Carolina's First Congressional District, please allow me to extend official condolences to this family on behalf of the President and Congress of the United States of America.

``PFC William Hoover Jones gave his young life on the battlefield on foreign soil in defense of our country as part of the historic 24th Infantry Regiment, a Black Army regiment first organized in 1869 following the Civil War.

``Private First Class Jones fought on the front line for the Republic of South Korea during the Korean war.

``For his service, Private First Class Jones was promoted to private first class and posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Republic of Korean Presidential Unit Citation, and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.

``This Nation is indebted to PFC Jones for his service to our country and for offering the highest sacrifice for freedom. His life.

``PFC Jones was born in Nash County in 1931 at the beginning of the Great Depression. Life in Nash County during that period was Third World. Not only did African Americans suffer from second-class citizenship, but they suffered from extreme poverty. Undoubtedly, William Hoover Jones wanted a better life.

``On 31 May 1950, at the tender age of 18, Hoover enlisted to serve for 3 years in the Army, recognizing that he would be deployed to Korea to engage in a deadly war. I am confident that he volunteered not only to defend our Nation and our Nation's interests, but to seek a better future for himself.

``The record reflects that Private Jones was poorly trained as an infantryman. History reveals that most Black soldiers of that era were poorly trained. Though his training was incomplete, Private Jones was deployed to Korea, placed in an all-Black unit, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment of the 25th Infantry Division. President Truman had ordered that unit integrated in 1948, but as of 1950, integration in the unit had not occurred.

``The Black soldiers of the 24th Infantry fought valiantly, but the North Koreans and the Chinese were too fierce and greatly outnumbered our soldiers.

``The only African American officer serving the 24th Infantry was Lieutenant Leon Gilbert of York, Pennsylvania. Lieutenant Gilbert led his soldiers into fierce battles with the enemy near the 38th parallel. On 1 September 1950, recognizing that the 24th Infantry was literally on a suicide mission, Lieutenant Gilbert ordered his soldiers off of a deadly hill. The division's commanding officer directed Lieutenant Gilbert to return his soldiers to the fight, but he refused.

``Gilbert was court-martialed for his refusal. He was given a death sentence. After widespread outrage from Black Americans, President Harry Truman commuted the sentence to 20 years of imprisonment. He served 5 of those 20 years.

``Because of these events, the 24th Infantry Regiment was disbanded, but the division was desperately in need of infantry soldiers. Therefore, the 24th Infantry was reactivated and forced back to the front line. It was there that PFC Jones went missing on 26 November 1950 at the age of 19 years old.

``He was recovered by the North Koreans, and his remains have been secreted for the past 68 years. They were returned to American soil just a few weeks ago. That is the record of PFC Jones and the story of the 24th Infantry Regiment in the Korean war.

``PFC Jones represents a generation of young African American men who stood for this country when this country didn't stand for them.

``I thank the Department of Defense for its efforts in recovering and transporting these remains and enabling this ceremony as we salute an American hero.

``Finally, I pray solace will be found in knowing that a loved-one's remains are home. His soul is in Heaven, and he died on the battlefield with integrity. God bless each of the members of his family.''

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to honor and recognize the life and work of Private First Class William Hoover Jones.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, I know it has been a long evening and we have several hours in front of us, so I will try to be brief.

Madam Chair, I rise in support of my amendment to provide funding for the expansion of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being to include data collection on the child victims of parental substance abuse, especially those of the opioid epidemic.

As this epidemic continues, Madam Chair, the child welfare system across the country is being overwhelmed. That is the report that we are getting. They are just absolutely being overwhelmed.

In my home State of North Carolina, foster care placements have been on the rise. In 2016, over 5,600 children were placed in foster care, and in 38 percent of infant placements, parental substance abuse was a factor. As my colleagues unfortunately know, similar increases have occurred all across the country.

The NSCAW is the only national survey that provides longitudinal data on children who have been involved in State child protective services programs. It helps examine the current characteristics and needs of children and families involved with child protective services and helps to examine efforts to improve child and family well-being. However, it does not gather detailed information about the unique service needs of child victims of the opioid epidemic, their parents, their caregivers, or their child welfare professionals.

This amendment will help fill this information gap by providing funding to expand data collection for those child victims of parental substance abuse, positioning the NSCAW to be the source for critical information on the impacts and the needs of child victims of the opioid epidemic.

My amendment will fill the holes that currently exist in our data collection for these children and enable us to fully understand the critical service needs of these children. This data will empower caseworkers and child welfare agency administrators to provide the best services and supports for these children and their families.

Our communities are suffering. All of my colleagues know that. Our communities are suffering from substance abuse and the opioid crisis, especially children, who are the most vulnerable in these communities. We must have the necessary information needed to better understand the full impact these children and their families are experiencing in order to provide for their needs. I think all of us on both sides of the aisle, hopefully, can agree on this.

I want to thank the chair of the subcommittee for her friendship and her support for this, and I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this amendment.

Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the chairwoman of the subcommittee.

Madam Chair, I thank the gentlewoman for her passion and her leadership and her support for this amendment.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of a great public servant, a father, a dedicated man of faith, a friend to many, and the longest-serving elected official in Wilson, North Carolina, city government, the Honorable Avant Patrick Coleman.

Avant Coleman, Mr. Speaker, better known as A.P., is a native of Edgecombe County, but he has resided in Wilson County for many decades. He received his formal education, earning his bachelor of science degree in agriculture and biology from historic North Carolina A&T State University. He went on to earn a master of science degree in adult education with a minor in sociology from North Carolina State University and a graduate of the Extension Executive Development Institute.

Professionally, A.P. used the full potential of his education and passion in his career, which began with teaching vocational agriculture in Lenoir and Greene Counties. His desire to pour into our youth a conviction for community engagement led him to join the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, where he worked for 31 long years, retiring in March 1994. In this role, Mr. Speaker, he was responsible for countywide 4-H programs, a national initiative that embraces young people of all beliefs and all backgrounds and empowers them with leadership skills training for the betterment of their lives and their communities.

A.P. Coleman has earned numerous distinctions, honors, and achievements. Elected in 1975, A.P. Coleman has served for 38 long years as a member of the Wilson City Council. He served as mayor pro tempore from 1989 to 1995.

His campaign slogan embodied his mantra of service to the community to improve the lives of its people. He would say, ``A new way for a new day.'' His early platform for service included economic and business development, balanced growth, housing, crime and violence, and most importantly, contact with citizens.

His retirement from elected office was effective a few days ago on 31 May 2019.

A.P. Coleman has served on several council-appointed boards and committees throughout the State and the city, such as president of the North Carolina League of Municipalities, 1991 to 1992; chairman of Region L Council of Governments, 1990 to 1992, 2006 to 2007; a member of the Small Cities Council and National League of Cities, 1988 to 1995.

He has served on the board of directors for Carolina Family Health Centers, Incorporated. That is our FQHC in the city. He served as director since 1999 and even served as chairman.

Mr. Coleman previously served as a board member for the local and regional Nations Bank and was the recipient of many leadership awards, including the Extension Service Superior Leadership Award. He received a certificate of appreciation after completing a 4-H caravan 6-week study tour of the United Kingdom, honoring his leadership roles in the States of Maryland and North Carolina.

He has served, Mr. Speaker, as finance committee chair for Carolina Smart Choices for Youth and as a chairman of the Wilson Preparatory Academy charter school.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Coleman has been a very engaged individual for decades. Throughout his years of public service, A.P. Coleman has been active with his local church, civic affairs, and other charitable organizations. He is a member of Calvary Presbyterian Church, U.S.A., where he serves as an elder. He is a past member of the board of directors for United Way, president of the Wilson County chapter of the North Carolina A&T State University Alumni Association, vice president of Crime Stoppers, past member of the Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf's human rights committee, member of the Presbytery of the New Hope disaster committee, and recipient of prestigious accomplishments and awards.

Coleman is also a proud member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and a life member of the NAACP.

The most important thing to Avant Coleman has always been his family. He was married to the late Willa Monroe Coleman and is the proud father of three, Elliotte, Wanda, and Jacqueline, and a proud grandfather of one grandson, Juan.

Avant is a family man, dear friend, and colleague to so many others. Mr. Speaker, he is also my neighbor, my next-door neighbor for the past 25 years. A man of principle and conviction to the importance of brotherly kindness, A.P.'s motto in life is the golden rule: ``Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.''

Finally, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Coleman has lived an incredible life that, by the grace of God, has impacted the lives of so many. His selfless and lifelong dedication to public service and community are beyond remarkable, and he is truly a role model. His love for his family, friends, church, and community know no bounds.

I am honored today to pay tribute to such a dedicated and honorable public servant. I am proud to have A.P. Coleman as a constituent and friend. I thank him for his dedication, service, and continued role as an inspiration to all of us. God continue to bless A.P. Coleman and his family.

Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Doyle for yielding time this afternoon.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 1644. Phone calls and letters from my constituents make it abundantly clear that they want to see broadband internet expanded in their communities, they want greater consumer protections, and they want it now. The digital divide is holding them down.

Until someone has lived in a community, Mr. Chairman, that does not have reliable access to high-speed internet, one cannot comprehend its importance. Internet connectivity enables students regardless of their financial circumstances the opportunity to access world-class educational resources. It spurs economic growth by giving businesses an opportunity to connect with customers throughout the world. It can help bring access to quality healthcare for families in rural communities.

I say to my friends on the other side, this legislation is not a socialist initiative. It is America, my friends, in the 21st century.

This bill provides permanent net neutrality protections and secures a free and neutral internet for constituents. This legislation will ensure that all Americans--Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, and Green Party--will have their voices heard, their stories told, and equal access to the information that is important to them.

The Save the Internet Act addresses the way in which internet traffic is handled before it reaches the consumer--an important step toward closing the digital divide and making the digital economy more inclusive. The internet was developed to enable user choice about what content to access. That is why we need to pass this legislation, and we need to pass it now.

I appreciate the work of Chairman Doyle and the Democratic Caucus for understanding the urgency of passing this legislation.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation. Let's send it to the Senate. Let's try to reason with our friends in the Senate, and let's get it passed and protect the internet.

Madam Speaker, I rise to support H. Res. 271. This resolution, I would say to the minority leader, is a statement. It is a statement by Democrats of our position on the Affordable Care Act.

It is not surprising to me that they would not want the facts to be before the American people. That is what this resolution is about.

On day one of his administration, President Obama announced he would address the critical need for affordable healthcare for millions of uninsured Americans.

He reminded us that nearly 50 million Americans were uninsured. Low- income, childless adults could not benefit from Medicaid.

Millions of seniors were not fully benefiting from prescription drug benefits under Medicare part D because of the doughnut hole.

He told us that parents needed insurance on their children to age 26.

And finally, Madam Speaker, President Obama stressed that insurance companies were increasing premiums and not providing quality coverage, and they were discriminating based on preexisting conditions, high copays, and higher deductibles.

After much debate, we passed ObamaCare. It has made a difference in health accessibility and health outcomes. It is not a perfect solution, but it has impacted millions of lives.

We want to make ObamaCare better; we want to make it more affordable. I would say to my friend from Oregon, with bipartisan cooperation, we can do that, and we can do it effectively.

But Republicans have repeatedly tried to legislate ObamaCare out of existence with no replacement. This Congress has repeatedly said ``no'' to any repeal.

On February 26 of last year, Republican plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in the Northern District of Texas contending that the minimum essential coverage provision is unconstitutional, and, since Republicans removed the mandate penalty, the entire law is unconstitutional. That was their claim.

Three months later, Attorney General Sessions announced that the Trump administration wouldn't defend the minimum essential coverage claim and that the Trump administration would argue that preexisting conditions protections should be invalidated. However, the Trump administration said that the remaining parts of the law could be severed or separated and the law could remain intact.

The Court heard the case and, as we all know, the Affordable Care Act was declared to be unconstitutional. It is now on appeal.

On March 28 of this year, President Trump changed his position. On appeal, he is now aligning with the Republican plaintiffs and thumbing his nose, Madam Speaker, thumbing his nose again at this Congress.

The Affordable Care Act, as the Speaker said a few moments ago, is the law of the land, and Republicans are refusing to defend it.

Protection of preexisting conditions is the law of the land, Mr. President.

The final insult came this morning when President Trump confirmed that he will ask the higher courts to throw out the entire law and that he will have a replacement ready the day after the election. I am outraged, and so should the American people be.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment to improve early voting in rural communities.

My amendment would ensure that early voting locations in rural communities are placed strategically in communities to provide the greatest access to rural voters seeking to cast their ballots.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this amendment.

My amendment, Mr. Chairman, gets to the heart of what we have been trying to do here today with H.R. 1, and that is to make voting easier.

My amendment builds on the underlying text of H.R. 1 that directs States to locate early voting locations within walking distance of stops on public transportation routes by recognizing that rural communities face very different challenges to voting as compared to voters in urban communities.

In many rural communities, Mr. Chairman, like the ones that I represent in eastern North Carolina, there is no public transportation in many of those communities, so polling locations in these communities need to be located where these voters will have the best chance to let their voices be heard in our elections, and my amendment would simply ensure that that happens.

Mr. Chairman, rural communities are facing many challenges, but their ability to participate in our elections should not be one of those challenges. I think all of us on both sides of the aisle can agree on this.

During the markup at the committee, I got a good feeling about it, and I hoped my friend from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis) would be willing to work with me in getting this amendment passed.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, the gentleman from Illinois would remember that at the subcommittee markup, or the full committee markup, we did have a very healthy conversation about this topic. I acknowledge that no amendment was offered at the committee, but I felt a consensus, Mr. Davis, when we discussed it at the committee, and I thought that it would be accepted by the other side.

But suffice it to say that rural communities deserve to have polling locations that are convenient to all of its citizens. We are talking about Federal elections, not local elections, so I would ask my colleagues to reconsider and support this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes).

Mr. Chair, let me thank the gentleman for his comments and thank him for his friendship. The gentleman is right; we do serve on the House Administration Committee together. He is the ranking member of the committee and Ms. Lofgren is the chair. We will have many opportunities to work together, and I look forward to working with the gentleman and all of the committee on very important issues as we go forward.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today, along with my colleagues, to remember and honor a great, great public servant, a great North Carolinian, devoted husband and father, a man of great faith, and my personal friend for over 40 years, Congressman Walter B. Jones, Jr.

And, Madam Speaker, I emphasize the word ``junior,'' because I knew Walter's father and knew him very well, for he was the Congressman for eastern North Carolina for many years. And though Walter did not use ``Junior'' in his official name, he was indeed a junior.

Walter Jones passed away on Sunday, February 10, 2019, on his 76th birthday.

He was a lifelong public servant, serving in the North Carolina National Guard for four years, the General Assembly of our State for ten years, and the U.S. House of Representatives for 24 long years, where he served North Carolina's Third Congressional District.

Since coming to Congress, I watched Walter cast difficult votes with conviction, standing firm in what he believed was right for his constituents and for the American people. That is why the people of North Carolina's Third District sent him back to Congress again and again and again, electing him 13 times since 1994.

Even as Walter gained seniority in the Congress, he maintained his strong conscience and principles. As a senior member of the House Committee on Armed Services, Walter was an outspoken and effective voice for our military.

Anyone in eastern North Carolina who knew Walter Jones, or knew of him, would know of his love for the military. He was committed to safeguarding the well-being of our Nation's veterans and active servicemembers. In fact, Congressman Jones sponsored and cosponsored more veterans legislation in the last three congressional terms than any other sitting Member of Congress.

Madam Speaker, it was one of the greatest honors of my life for my friend, Congressman Walter Jones, to ask me to administer his oath of office, which I performed at his Farmville home on January 4, 2019. And I might say that his home in Farmville is 20 minutes from my home in Wilson.

I am equally proud to say that a 30-Member delegation traveled to Greenville, North Carolina, for the homegoing service for Congressman Jones. That 30-Member delegation was led by the dean of our delegation, Congressman David Price, and the ranking Republican among our delegation, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx.

I will miss Walter Jones in these halls and in our beloved State. Walter would drive home each week. We would sit right here on the House floor each Friday and talk about our weekends. He would tell me how he was preparing to drive home and how he dreaded the traffic, but that he would offset the dread of the traffic by listening to audiotapes in his car while he would drive.

Madam Speaker, we may have stood on opposite sides of the aisle here in the House, but there was always a mutual respect and friendship between us. I would say to the gentlewoman from Hawaii who spoke a few moments ago that he, too, called me Mr. Chairman. I never understood exactly why he would do that, but that was his vocabulary, and I found it very honorable that he would do that.

Although our friend is no longer here, he has left an indelible mark on eastern North Carolina, on the House, and on the Nation. May our friend, Congressman Walter B. Jones, Jr., rest in peace and have eternal life with our Father in Heaven.

To Joe Anne, Ashley, and all the family and friends of Walter Jones, we wish you God's blessings in the years to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise in memory of a great woman and legend within the Wilson, North Carolina community, Mrs. Fannie Mae Evans Corbett. Mrs. Corbett passed away on Tuesday, February 19, 2019. She was 86 years old.

Born in Pitt County, North Carolina on May 23, 1932, Mrs. Corbett was the fourth of five children born to Bessie Evans and Sylvester Powell. Mrs. Corbett learned the meaning of hard work at a young age, spending much of her developmental years working in the cotton and tobacco fields. In 1955, Mrs. Corbett moved to Wilson, North Carolina, where she married and raised her family. After becoming a single mother of four children, Mrs. Corbett set out to improve her economic outlook by returning to school to earn her high school diploma and an associate's degree from Wilson Community Technical Institute.

Mrs. Corbett's influence in Wilson was transformational. In 1968, Mrs. Corbett became one of the key founders of the Wilson Community Improvement Association (WCIA). Mrs. Corbett led WCIA's growth from a local grassroots organization to a proactive movement that was a model for community development corporations across the country. Mrs. Corbett's indelible contributions to Wilson include coordinating voter registration drives across East Wilson and engaging the youth in educational and recreational programs. In 1973, under Mrs. Corbett's leadership, WCIA established the Wilson Senior Citizen Center, which was the first nutritional feeding program in Wilson County.

While championing the value of homeownership, Mrs. Corbett advocated for programs that would make owning a home an attainable goal even to those with modest means. In 1991, WCIA received a $1.2 million grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to build 68 homes for low- and moderate-income people. Over 200 families applied for residency in the subdivision, Adventura East. After purchasing more land, WCIA completed an additional 30 units. Today, the Adventura East I & II subdivision is home to 148 families. In 1993, with WCIA's affordable housing momentum building, the organization acquired Sunset Terrace, a 104-unit housing complex. Two years later, WCIA

successfully purchased and restored Beacon Pointe Apartments in Wilson. In 1997, WCIA restored and renovated Mercy Hospital, which was built in 1913 as one of three African American hospitals in North Carolina.

Mrs. Corbett's service to her community has received national and international recognition and awards, including the prestigious Nancy Susan Reynolds award, the Citizen Award for Outstanding Service to Citizens of Wilson, and the Pioneering Award for Exemplary Service in Community Economic Development. Mrs. Corbett has also been featured in several publications and books, including ``To Right These Wrongs'' and ``Greater Freedom.''

Mrs. Corbett leaves to cherish her memory, four children, Barbara Claudette Blackston of Wilson, North Carolina; Christopher Evans of Apex, North Carolina; Donald Ray Evans of Portsmouth, Virginia; and Alvin Quintin Corbett of Eastampton, New Jersey; and a host of relatives, friends, and loved ones.

Madam Speaker, as a devoted mother, friend, and public servant, Mrs. Fannie Mae Evans Corbett's passing will surely be felt by all whose lives she touched. She will forever be missed, but never forgotten in the City of Wilson and across the State of North Carolina.