Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to Rev. Dr. Azalee C. Bishop, a faithful Christian servant and a trailblazing humanitarian. Dr. Bishop and I are of the same generation, and I am honored to extend best wishes on the occasion of her 80th birthday.

Dr. Bishop is an honors graduate of Gallman High School, Class of 1956. She went on to pursue her undergraduate degree at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina. Upon graduation, she completed graduate studies at Cornell University, Caniusus College, State University of New York in Buffalo, and Pentecostal Overcoming Outreach School of Religion in Columbia, South Carolina. She spent years as a dedicated wife and mother, and then earned her doctorate degree at Spirit and Truth Seminary in Richmond, Virginia.

Her legacy is Grace Christian Church in Columbia, South Carolina, which was established under the vision and leadership of Rev. Dr. Bishop and her husband, Bishop Robert L. Bishop. The initial worship service was held on May 12, 1982 with seventy-seven faithfuls in attendance. The Bishops grew the congregation from its original location in a small daycare facility and moved to a site at the Columbia Housing Authority's Latimore Manor Housing Complex in 1984. It continued to thrive, and seven years later moved to 627 Dixie Avenue in Columbia. Grace Christian Church established its current home on October 17, 1995 when it purchased property at 5010 Monticello Road.

Under the vision of Dr. Azalee C. Bishop, the church expanded its mission and in 1998 launched the Grace Divinity College of Biblical Studies. This divinity school is accredited both by the Accrediting Commission International and International Biblical Association. She is also the founder and producer of Morning Break with Jesus, a daily devotional broadcast, that reached thousands of South Carolina listeners.

Dr. Bishop has also sought to improve the quality of life in her community by establishing Grandma's House, an afterschool program for low-income, academically-challenged youth, and The Wisdom Center which is dedicated to embracing wisdom and changing lives. In addition to her work as a pastor and civic leader, Dr. Bishop spent 33-years as a Program Administrator with the Department of Social Services.

Her many memberships and accomplishments include The Greater Columbia Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance (Board

Member), The Black Adoption Project (Board Member), Christian Social Relations Women's Missionary Society of South Carolina (Chairperson), Empire State Baptist Educational Center (Instructor), National Baptist Educational Association (Member), State PTA (Life Member) and the

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me the time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to support this resolution to intervene against the egregious Texas v. United States lawsuit that seeks to end the Affordable Care Act, or, as I like to call it, the Civil Rights Act of the 21st Century.

In a few days, we are going to be celebrating the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who once said: ``Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane.''

Since the ACA was enacted, significant progress has been made to lessen the inequality in our healthcare delivery system. To dismantle those lifesaving protections now is unfounded and unjust.

It is unjust to deny those with preexisting conditions access to healthcare. It is unjust to cut off insurance coverage to a child with cancer because she has reached her maximum lifetime benefits. It is unjust to charge women more than we charge men for healthcare simply because of their gender. It is unjust to increase the cost of seniors' medications by reopening the gap known as the donut hole in their Medicare prescription drug coverage.

It is unjust to tell young people just starting out in life that they can no

longer remain on their parents' insurance policies.

It is unjust to reinstitute charges for preventative healthcare, costing more money in the long run when illnesses go undetected for too long.

It is unjust to ask the working poor not eligible for Medicaid to purchase private insurance at the market rate when they are struggling to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads.

Access to quality healthcare ought not only be for those who can afford it; it ought to be for those who need it. It is unfortunate for us to deny healthcare to people just because they were born unhealthy.

A vote against this resolution is a vote against providing the basic human right to fair and equitable access to quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7230, a bill I sponsored to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 226 West Main Street in Lake City, South Carolina, as the ``Postmaster

Frazier B. Baker Post Office''. This bill pays a tribute to a true American hero.

Frazier B. Baker was appointed Postmaster of Effingham, South Carolina in 1892 by President Benjamin Harrison, and in 1897, he was appointed Postmaster of Lake City, South Carolina by President William McKinley.

After Baker was appointed Postmaster of Lake City, local citizens in the predominantly white community subjected his family to months of hostility. The post office mysteriously burned down, and multiple gunshots were fired at him. Residents filed numerous complaints regarding his performance as postmaster, but federal postal administrators determined the allegations were unsubstantiated.

After relocating the post office to his family's home following the previous arson, a lynch mob set fire to it the morning of February 22, 1898. The mob aimed their guns at the home, killing Baker and his two- year-old daughter Julia and injuring his wife and three of his five surviving children. The attack sparked media attention, public uproar, and fundraising efforts on behalf of the Baker family.

Although the state of South Carolina failed to prosecute the mob; federal prosecutors and postal administrators took on the murder investigation. Thirteen men were arrested and charged with twenty-four criminal counts including ``a conspiracy to injure and oppress Frazier B. Baker in the free exercise'' of his civil rights. The trial began on April 10, 1899 in Charleston, South Carolina with an all-white jury which acquitted three and deadlocked on the remaining accused. The judge declared a mistrial and federal prosecutors did not reopen the case.

Justice was never served for Frazier B. Baker and his family. Designating the U.S. Post Office located at 226 West Main Street in Lake City, South Carolina in his honor is a fitting tribute to his memory.

I thank my colleagues in the South Carolina delegation for their unanimous support of this bill. I urge its passage by the House to honor this outstanding South Carolinian and great American.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great American and native South Carolinian Dana R. Gordon upon his retirement after a long and distinguished service to this nation. Captain Gordon will retire this month after 29 years of service in the United States Navy.

A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Captain Gordon graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech University in 1989. He was commissioned in the United States Navy through the school's Naval Reserve Officer's Training Corps (NROTC) program. He received designation as a Naval Aviator in 1991. Captain Gordon later earned an MBA from Embry-Riddle University and has completed in-residence coursework at the Harvard Business School.

Captain Gordon completed his flight training in the SH-60B Seahawk Helicopter and has accumulated over 3,500 flight hours, including numerous deployments onboard CRUDES ships while serving multiple tours with Helicopter Squadrons at HSL-40, 42, and 44 in Mayport, Florida.

He has served as both Executive Officer and Commanding Officer of the HSL-42 Proud Warriors, as well as Executive Officer and Commanding Officer of the USS Iwo

Jima. Under his leadership, both commands won multiple Battle Efficiency Awards, as well as the Secretary of the Navy Safety Award as the Navy's safest operational fleet Squadron and Big Deck Amphibious ship.

Captain Gordon was most recently assigned to Navy Region Southeast where his Emergency Management team has been responsible for the evacuation, recovery and safe return of thousands of sailors and civilians after Hurricanes Matthew, Harvey, Irma and Maria. He has served as fleet pilot, flight instructor, weapons and tactics instructor and had shore duty in Millington, Tennessee, San Diego, California and on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon.

Captain Gordon was nominated by the Navy and was selected to Diversity Magazine's top 100 Diverse Executive Leaders. He is proudest of the many unit, campaign, and service awards that he shares with his fellow service members and civilian counterparts throughout his many tours of duty both at sea and ashore.

He will be joined at the ceremony by his mother, Mrs. Delores M. Gordon, his wife the former Rolanda Ogletree; their daughters Danielle Lauren and Reese Catharine, his siblings; Jule McDuffie and Valerie Hearn; and several of his close friends, among them, his college mate and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity brother Walter A. Reed and his wife Dr. Jennifer C. Reed. Captain Gordon's late father, Mr. Bobby L. Gordon, played football in college and for several teams in the National Football League.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in thanking Captain Dana R. Gordon for his many years of exemplary service and congratulating him on his well-earned retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a fellow South Carolinian and longtime friend, Fred D. Garrett, Sr.

Born in Salley, South Carolina to the late Rev. John E. Garrett and First Lady Mattie Baston Garrett, Fred Garrett grew up in his father's churches. He carried throughout his life the values of servant leadership and community engagement he learned through his childhood experiences in the church.

After graduating high school in 1943, Mr. Garrett enlisted in the United States Navy and served through the end of World War II in a segregated unit. Upon completing his military service, he returned home to South Carolina where he enrolled in South Carolina State College. He graduated in 1951 with a Bachelors in Agricultural Science with plans to modernize the state's agricultural industry.

Mr. Garrett began his career in public service working for Florence County, South Carolina as an agent for Clemson University's Agricultural Extension Program. Shortly after marrying his wife of 66 years, Mamie Williams Garrett, he moved to Greenville, South Carolina and became Clemson's Agricultural Extension Agent there.

In 1958 he was hired part-time as an employee of the then Watkins, Arnold and Sheppard Mortuary. He quickly became a part-owner/manager of the business, which changed its name to Watkins, Garrett & Woods Mortuary. Fred Garrett, Sr. became sole owner of the mortuary in 1993.

Mr. Garrett has served his community in numerous positions including his role as a lifetime member of the NAACP, membership with the Greenville County Planning Commission, a member of the Rainbow PUSH Steering Committee, board member with the Greenville Urban League/Urban League Upstate, and board member of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Garrett was also a member of the Mu Pi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He received many awards for his service and business leadership, most recently a Business and Community Service Award from the Minority Economic Development Institute.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in honoring the life, leadership, and legacy of service of this outstanding South Carolinian.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church of Cottageville, South Carolina, on the occasion of its 150th anniversary celebration on the weekend of September 14th-16th, 2018. The journey that has brought St. John A.M.E. Church to this moment began in 1868 when the Church, originally named St. Matthew A.M.E., was established in the Burr Hill community under a bush arbor.

Responding to the need for a more secure structure, the Reverend James Nesbitt and the officials of the Charleston District, with the assistance of the Church's founding fathers, organized the building of a church constructed of lightwood boards, heated by a potbelly stove, and illuminated by kerosene lamps. The Church served members from several different communities and was the site for a public school.

In 1912, the Church was relocated to a parcel of land more central to the communities it served both in Burr Hill and Mack Village. The area is now known as Griffith Acres Drive in Cottageville, South Carolina. St. John A.M.E.'s present facility was erected in 1975 where the Church continued to flourish and where, with the help of a supportive membership, a Fellowship Hall was constructed to serve as a dining facility and hub for entertainment and educational activities.

Since its inception, St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church and its congregation have acted as a beacon of light within the community. The programs and ministries initiated by the Church have served as models for A.M.E. churches in the area and for other denominations as well. St. John A.M.E. continues to positively impact the residents of Cottageville, a small town west of Charleston in Colleton County, through community-oriented programs, including: summer math and reading camps, church school, vacation bible school, revivals, bible study, and creative and performing arts.

Always striving to serve God and the community in new and innovative ways, St. John has piloted a new program called ``The Iron Sharpeners'' to encourage young African-American men to pursue internship opportunities and has planted a new community garden which has produced a fresh harvest available to members, free of charge.

Despite the uncertain and adverse climate in which St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church was planted, the strength of spirit and faith has allowed the Church to blossom and thrive through the years. St. John exemplifies what it means to be ``rooted in faith'' and is a place that people of various geographic locations and stations in life still refer to as ``home.''

It is my great honor to pay tribute to this fine congregation. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in congratulating St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church on their 150th anniversary and wishing them continued strength and prosperity in the days ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a constituent and long-time friend, Calvin Wright, who has dedicated his life to our nation through activism, civic endeavors and military service. Mr. Wright is being honored on September 20th for his more than 50 years of public service to Orangeburg County, South Carolina, and the nation.

As a high school student, Mr. Wright was among the hundreds of protestors in the `` Orangeburg Movement'' who were arrested and jailed for civil disobedience. Mr. Wright continued his activism as Vice President of the State NAACP Youth Conference. His experiences with seasoned leaders of the Movement undergirded his activism and reinforced his commitment to social justice.

Mr. Wright was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1965, just after his graduation from Wilkinson High School. He earned the rank of Sergeant in less than 10 months and was deployed to Vietnam in 1968. Mr. Wright resolutely discharged his duties and was awarded a Certificate of Military Combat by the 18th Military Police Brigade, 93rd Military Police Company for outstanding service in Vietnam.

Once back in Orangeburg, Mr. Wright challenged the lack of opportunity facing his fellow African Americans, veterans, the poor, and disenfranchised. He became a foot soldier in President Lyndon Johnson's ``War on Poverty.'' Mr. Wright served on the Board of Directors for the Orangeburg Area Committee for Economic Progress (Orangeburg-Calhoun-Allendale-Bamberg [OCAB] Community Action Agency, Inc.)--the local Community Action Program. Mr. Wright resigned his seat in 1977 to become Deputy Director of the Agency. He became the agency's Executive Director in 1983.

Along with the block grant programs that are the core of OCAB, the agency has a long-running HIV Prevention Peer Education Project, a Non- Traditional Occupational Training for Women, and an employment opportunity program for mothers receiving public assistance. Mr. Wright created the OCAB Community Development Association which constructed the Ujima Village Apartments for low income elderly and disabled residents. He also directed the construction of new Head Start Centers in Allendale, Bamberg, and Orangeburg.

Mr. Wright' s years of service have touched many lives. All his experiences as an advocate and soldier have enabled him to effectively serve his community. He has been a leader for civil rights, community service and humanitarianism and has received numerous honors and awards for these efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in recognizing this barrier-breaking public servant, and to wish him Godspeed and continued success.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Tsongas for managing this bill, and I thank Mr. Gianforte for appearing here on the floor today.

I also thank Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva for their support of this legislation in the Natural Resources Committee.

I also thank Congressman Mark Sanford, who is a cosponsor of this bill, but remains in Charleston this evening for obvious reasons. I pray God's blessing upon him, his constituents, mine, and all others who find themselves in the path of this horrific hurricane.

Mr. Speaker, throughout my tenure in this august body, I have worked to preserve and protect our Nation's most treasured historical sites and institutions.

Reconstruction, a period which lasted a little more than 13 years, is a crucial period in American history. Although it ended March 17, 1877, we tend to apply the label ``Reconstruction era'' to the latter four decades of the 19th century. It was during those years that African Americans across the South began their freedom from slavery, gained citizenship, and enjoyed equal protection of the laws and the right to vote under the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution.

Some of the oldest and best preserved sites from the Reconstruction era are located in Beaufort County, South Carolina. Brick Baptist Church and Penn Center on St. Helena Island were the site of the original Penn School, founded in 1862 by Quaker missionaries to educate newly freed slaves, the first such school established in the South.

Camp Saxton in Port Royal was a Union Army camp where, on January 1, 1863, Union General Rufus Saxton read President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation to thousands of slaves who had gathered to celebrate their new freedom. The camp was also the site where the First South Carolina Volunteers were assembled, the first official Black regiment of the United States Army.

With overwhelming support from their communities and local elected leadership, these sites and a visitors center in downtown Beaufort were designated Reconstruction Era National Monument by President Obama in January of 2017.

The bill under consideration today will do three things:

First, redesignate the national monument as the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park;

Second, provide for possible boundary expansions within the Beaufort National Historic Landmark District and on St. Helena Island; and

Third, establish the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network.

As a national park is the highest level of protection and prestige our government can bestow, I believe passing this legislation will send a powerful message regarding the significance of these Reconstruction sites.

Having served previously as the sponsor of the legislation redesignating the Congaree Swamp National Monument as the Congaree National Park, I can attest that the rebranding of the park resulted in an increase in annual visitors of almost 20 percent, a significant economic impact to rural South Carolina.

Congress has, in recent years, redesignated both the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site and the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument as national historical parks, two sites with similar historical significance but focus on much different aspects of American history.

Of course, the sites currently included in the national monument are not the only significant Reconstruction sites worthy of preservation. This legislation would allow for expansion of the boundary near the existing monument. Several very significant Reconstruction sites in the area were considered for inclusion. This bill would allow for expansion with appropriate agreement between all owners and stakeholders.

However, it is not feasible to incorporate all historic sites from Reconstruction into one national park. The Reconstruction Era National Historic Network would be a program operated by the National Park Service, but sites in the network will be managed by their current owners, whether Federal, State, local, or private.

This concept has been utilized in the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom and the recently enacted African American Civil Rights Network.

When the national monument was under construction, I heard from many communities with sites they thought were worthy of inclusion. With the network in place, communities can make their case for Federal recognition and assistance for their significant Reconstruction era sites without the National Park Service having to take on the obligation of owning or managing the sites.

Sites like Mitchelville on Hilton Head Island, which was a self- governing African-American community established during the Civil War, are deserving of Federal recognition. Mitchelville is perfect for the network concept, where the local municipal leadership is moving forward to manage the site on their own, but would welcome the increased recognition and visibility that inclusion in the network would provide.

I often invoke the adage that if we fail to learn the lessons of our history, we are bound to repeat it. Sadly, many of the gains made by African Americans during the Reconstruction era were lost in the Jim Crow era that followed. Reconstruction is a story of the triumph of freedom, but it is also a lesson that freedoms are not permanent and can be fleeting, if not protected.

Passage of this legislation, helping our Nation preserve, protect, document, and promote the history of Reconstruction, is critical to avoiding past mistakes and guiding our pursuit of a more perfect Union.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable woman and outstanding South Carolinian, Betty Henderson, who exemplifies the epitome of dedicated community service.

Born in Branchville, Ms. Henderson served the citizens of Orangeburg County for twenty-eight years as the first African American Tax Assessor in the State of South Carolina. She also served for twelve years on the Town Council in Branchville, South Carolina, the first African American to serve on the body since post reconstruction. For 10 of those years, Ms. Henderson served as Mayor Pro Tem of Branchville.

Ms. Betty Henderson was one of the founders of the Orangeburg County Family Health Center. She has served on the Board of The Orangeburg Calhoun, Bamberg, Community Action Agency, the Trustee Board of the Regional Medical Center of Orangeburg and Calhoun Counties, the Orangeburg County Department of Social Services, and as a member of the Adult Literacy Board.

She served for over 20 years as Chairperson of the Orangeburg County Democratic Party and through her leadership many persons have been elected to public office. Her life includes membership in the White Rose Chapter I, Former Worthy Matron of White Rose Chapter I, former Queen of the National Order of the Eastern Star, LaCharm Club, founding member of the Concerned Citizens of District 94, and is a member and Chair of the Budget Committee of Canaan Baptist Church.

Ms. Henderson has raised three fine children, Shelia, Ernest, and Kathy, who have blessed her with four wonderful grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, I urge that you and my colleagues join me in honoring the selfless, service, outstanding leadership and remarkable achievements of this outstanding South Carolinian.

Madam Chair, I rise in support of the Sewell amendment. This proposal would increase funding for grants from the Historic Preservation Fund to preserve the sites and tell the stories of the civil rights movement.

I want to thank my colleague Terri Sewell for her leadership on this issue, and I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their support of this program in the past.

First funded in fiscal year 2016, this program has met a great need in rural communities across our Nation that are struggling to preserve and protect their legacies.

Last year, the program funded a $500,000 grant to preserve Trinity United Methodist Church, which will help secure the church's legacy and preserve its history for future generations. I was a student at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina, during this time, and I know well the role that Trinity played in our meetings and our rallies, many of them attended by luminaries like Martin Luther King, Jr., Roy Wilkins, Thurgood Marshall, and many others.

This is but one example of several successful grants in South Carolina and throughout the Nation. There is much more work to be done to fully preserve this history.

Madam Chair, I strongly support this amendment.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, this amendment would increase by $2 million the Historic Preservation Fund to restore and preserve buildings and sites on the campuses of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. It is offset by a minor reduction in the administration account for the Department of the Interior.

Most HBCUs were founded after the Civil War to provide higher education to African Americans, most of whom were newly freed from slavery. These institutions continue to serve a vital purpose and have deep historical connections with African Americans and American history. Most of them have sites and structures of historical significance that are in dire need of restoration and preservation.

Early in my tenure in Congress, I worked with my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus and in leadership of this committee and the Committee on Natural Resources to authorize and appropriate funds to the GAO to study the breadth of this issue. The GAO identified 712 endangered historic buildings at an approximate cost of restoration of $755 million.

My amendment today will increase the funding in the bill for this important program by $2 million, to a total of $7 million, still $3 million below the level authorized by the House-passed bill.

I have seen the transformational power of historic preservation in my congressional district, where buildings like Ministers' Hall at Claflin University and Chappelle Auditorium at Allen University were restored after decades of abandonment to their original glory as iconic institutions of their communities.

Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Alabama (Ms. Sewell).

Madam Chair, may I ask how much time I have left.

Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the ranking member of the subcommittee.

Madam Chair, I thank Ranking Member McCollum. I thank the chairman of the subcommittee, Ms. Sewell, and Congresswoman Adams for their support of this legislation.

As a proud graduate of an HBCU, with a daughter who is an HBCU graduate, I am very much supportive of restoring and preserving the tremendous history of these institutions.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great American and South Carolina native, John Mack. John, the former longtime President of the Los Angeles Urban League who spent eight years on L.A.'s Police Commission passed away June 21st after a long battle with cancer. He was 81 years old and will be sorely missed.

The Los Angeles Times recently wrote John Mack was ``one of L.A.'s most influential black figures'' on the subject of police reform. He led the Los Angeles Urban League through wide-ranging and significant changes for nearly 36 years. He saw the election of the first black mayor in Tom Bradley, the advancement of African Americans in prominent positions in the city and the emergence of a growing black-Latino coalition, and gained international recognition in 1992 when leading then-President George H.W. Bush on a tour after the 1992 Los Angeles riots that were precipitated by the arrest and videotaped beating of Rodney King by members of the Los Angeles police Department; and called for the resignation of then-Police Chief Daryl F. Gates.

The Times continued, ``[t]hrough the Urban League he offered services to some of L.A.'s most disenfranchised citizens'' and ``improved the lives of countless black and brown people in the city.'' Even after his retirement from his official duties, Mack remained influential behind the scenes and recently played a key role in the hiring of a new police chief strong on police reform and the effort to eradicate police brutality and racism within the LAPD.

John Mack was born in Kingstree, South Carolina on January 6, 1937, and grew up in Darlington, South Carolina. His father was a Methodist minister and his mother a public school teacher. Being PKs (preacher's kids), was a bond we shared throughout our many years of friendship. He attended North Carolina A&T State University, where he was the president of the NAACP chapter. He graduated in 1958 with a degree in applied sociology. He later earned a master's degree in social work from Clark Atlanta University.

John began his professional career in Oxnard, California at the Camarillo State Mental Hospital. He later served as the executive director of the Flint Urban League in Flint, Michigan from 1964 to 1969. He returned to California for good in 1969.

In 1959, John married Harriet Johnson Mack, an elementary school teacher, who preceded him in death. They had three children.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House to join me in acknowledging the work and leadership of the late great John Mack.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to an outstanding public servant, Cyrus Jollivette or ``Russ,'' as we knew him.

Russ was a dedicated Floridian with an extensive record of achievements. He held titles from Senior Vice President to Board Chairman for many state and national organizations and had an extensive record of work in causes as diverse as expanding educational opportunity, improving access to health care, helping minority men and women advance professionally, and strengthening the nonprofit community.

He was well known throughout Florida and Washington, D.C. for his commitment to these causes and to many colleges, universities, and other entities dedicated to the creation of opportunities for young people. He was especially recognized for his 24-year-long service to the University of Miami, for which he secured hundreds of millions of dollars of federal support for medical research, most notably for cancer, diabetes, and nursing, as well as cutting edge environmental health and marine sciences research and the University's internationally recognized North-South Center.

I knew Russ best, however, for his work to advance diversity and minority education and training. He stood for the development of educational opportunities for all, with particularly minority-serving historically black colleges and universities.

Russ was a generous and caring leader in philanthropy, having directed the University of Miami Foundation and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation, through which he was able to award millions of dollars to education, health access, and training initiatives. He played a major role in helping shape health policy at the local, state, and federal level.

He was committed to his home state of Florida and played a leading role rebuilding after Hurricane Andrew. His pride in his talented daughter and his two grandchildren, Lauren and Richard, was unbounded.

Mr. Speaker, Russ Jollivette was a trusted, respected, true friend and loved by family, friends, and whomever he came into contact. I ask the House to join me in celebrating this life well lived.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to an outstanding young lady and great South Carolinian, Ms. A'ja Wilson. Ms. Wilson is a student at the University of South Carolina (USC) in Columbia, South Carolina. USC's athletic teams are nicknamed the ``Fighting Gamecocks,'' and A'ja is a member of the Gamecock's women basketball team.

During her tenure at USC, A'ja played in 138 games, averaged 17.3 points per game, had 8.7 rebounds and blocked 2.6 shots per game. In 2017, Ms. Wilson led the Gamecocks to their first ever NCAA Women's Basketball Championship and was named the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

This year, A'ja was named the Southeastern Conference's (SEC) Player of the Year for the 3rd consecutive year, and led the Gamecocks to a record 4th straight SEC Tournament Championship. She also became the all-time leading scorer in USC women's basketball history and was a consensus first-team All-American for the 3rd consecutive season.

A'ja was named 1st team All-SEC all four of her years at USC. She has swept every one of the National Player of the Year awards as the best player in women's college basketball in 2018. Last week, A'ja capped off her college athletic career by becoming the first player drafted by the Women National Basketball Association (WNBA).

A'ja Wilson was born in Hopkins, South Carolina to Roscoe and Eva Wilson. She graduated from Heathwood Hall Episcopal High School in Columbia and led the school to the state championship as a senior in 2014. Perhaps more important than her statistics; A'ja Wilson has been a leader for her teams--both on and off the court--and in her community.

USC's President Dr. Harris Pastides, Athletics Director Ray Tanner and Women's Head Coach Dawn Staley have all praised A'ja the person as well as A'ja the player. President Pastides recently told The State newspaper, ``A'ja [is] the person who never turned down an autograph, a selfie, a high five . . . A'ja has never said no to anybody, and that is because she loves this community, she loves the fans.''

Mr. Speaker, I agree with Dr. Pastides, and I hasten to add that the basketball fans and citizens of her hometown and state love her back.

Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend for yielding me the time.

Madam Speaker, this rule fails to make in order four significant measures to address the gun violence epidemic that is plaguing our Nation.

In addition to closing the gun show and internet sale loopholes in the background check system, lifting the prohibition on Federal research into gun violence, and creating a process to prevent dangerous individuals from having firearms, the amendment includes my legislation to close the Charleston loophole, which allows gun sales to be completed even if FBI investigations are still going on to determine the outcome of a background check.

The tragic consequences of this loophole were demonstrated on June 17, 2015, when a hate-filled gunman opened fire at the historic Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine and injuring three others. In that fateful instance, the shooter attempted to buy a firearm on April 11 and was initially delayed due to possible red flags in his criminal record.

Despite the investigation not being completed in 3 days, he was allowed to purchase the weapon. The FBI later discovered the shooter would not have been allowed to purchase the firearm due to his documented history of drug abuse had they been able to complete the background check.

Madam Speaker, the consequences are too great to allow loopholes like these to persist. We have laws on the books to prohibit dangerous individuals like the shooter in Charleston from buying weapons, but these loopholes prevent them from being enforced. Thousands of weapons are sold each year through the Charleston loophole alone. In fact, I read that over 6,000 such weapons have been sold through this loophole.

I appreciate that many of my colleagues have signaled they are supportive of improving the background check system, but no amount of improvement will protect the American people if all the loopholes are allowed to exist.

For almost 3 years, the people of Charleston, South Carolina, and across the country have been demanding a vote from this House on closing the Charleston loophole. They have yet to get one.

I urge my colleagues to allow this body to take a vote on closing this loophole and giving the American people the protections they need and deserve. I urge a ``no'' vote on the previous question and a ``no'' vote on the rule.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Evans for yielding to me.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly represent the Sixth Congressional District of South Carolina in this august body. This past week, I spent a significant amount of time throughout the district meeting with faith leaders as well as other community-based organizations. And one of the things I kept hearing came from people who are particularly interested in whether or not this Congress will do anything to respond to this horrific problem that we have with guns.

Of all the things that I find myself talking about, the one thing that bothers me most is the fact that we seem to be no longer safe in our most sacred institutions.

I often quote Alexis de Tocqueville, who came to this country way back in the early 1800s seeking what he called the magic of this great country. He said that he went throughout the country looking at our institutions--educational institutions, legislative bodies--trying to find the magic of this great country. Alexis de Tocqueville said that he could not find it in any of these places. He said that it was not until he went into our churches and

synagogues that he found the real magic of this great country. He said that he came to the conclusion that, in spite of all of the difficulties and challenges we had as a country, that America was great because Americans are good.

And he went on to surmise that, if Americans ever cease to be good, America will cease to be great. It is kind of interesting that he came to that conclusion by visiting our places of worship. And tonight I want to remind the American people that that sacred institution has been violated time and time again.

And on this question of gun violence, we remember the Emanuel 9: nine soulful Bible study pupils in the basement of their church, once again reestablishing the goodness of Americans. They had that goodness violated by a young man with a gun who sat among them for a full hour before opening fire, killing nine of them.

Now, when we think about that incident and we ask ourselves how could such a thing happen, one of the things that we do know is that this young man was able to purchase a weapon, although under the law he was not eligible to make the purchase; but because of a loophole that we have in the law, a loophole that I have taken to call the ``Charleston Loophole,'' which says simply that, if the background check is not completed within 3 days, the purchase can proceed to conclusion.

Now, the fact of the matter is, this gun was purchased in West Columbia. I don't know whether or not this young man had enough sophistication about the law to give the wrong information about his address. but what we do know is that the wrong address was keyed in; and because it was keyed in, there was difficulty trying to get the information that was needed.

By the time they found out the problem, the 3 days had expired, and the young man went back to get the gun, and, within days, traveled all the way from Columbia, South Carolina, down to Charleston.

He picked this church because, he said, it was historic. He wanted to go into a historic Black church.

Well, this month, the Nation has set aside time to honor the contributions of Black Americans. I can think of no way for us to better highlight what this month is all about than to, once and for all, close this Charleston loophole, to demonstrate to those nine African-American worshippers, who were going about the business of helping to make this country great, going about the business of demonstrating the goodness of Americans, to have their lives snuffed out; I can think of no better way for us to honor their lives than for us to close this loophole.

Tomorrow, I am going to come before this body with a discharge petition, because the legislation to close this loophole was filed in this body last July. It has been hanging around now for 8 months. I am going to ask all of my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, to sign this discharge petition before the end of this Black History Month so that we can say to those souls: Rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his question.

I am sort of a history buff, and so I have spent a little time trying to find out what this country is all about. I also recall a great writer, George Santayana, once writing that if we fail to learn the lessons of our history, we are bound to repeat them.

I believe that history should be instructive, and I think that that is what de Tocqueville was talking about in his writings. He really came to this country, from France, to study our penal system on that particular occasion, but he was enamored with this country because of its people.

Now, the interesting thing about this, remember, the early 1800s when he came here, slavery was the law of the land, and he wrote about how contradictory that was to what he found in people's hearts, the goodness that he found in people.

So irrespective of what the challenges may be of the various institutions that we may have, the various legal issues that may come before us, the various legislative accomplishments we might make, irrespective of all that, there is a certain goodness in Americans that ought to be on demonstration at all times.

I really feel that it will demonstrate that goodness if we can say to these nine souls that, just as Alexis de Tocqueville found in our places of worship, what the basic goodness about America is all about, that is what they were in pursuit of as they sat in the basement of their church, Emanuel AME, on Calhoun Street, Charleston, South Carolina, they were there perpetuating that goodness, and it was violated.

I believe that this body can take a long step toward demonstrating how important that is by saying, in their memory, we are going to close this loophole so that their nine souls can rest in peace.