Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast roll call votes on the afternoon of July 23, 2014. Had I been present, I would have cast the following votes:

On rollcall 442, Ordering the Previous Question during consideration of H. Res. 680, I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall 443, on H. Res. 680, the rule to consider H.R. 3393, I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall 444, on the Kilmer of Washington Part B Amendment ``no.'' 2 to H.R. 4984, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 445, on the Motion to Recommit H.R. 4984, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 446, on passing H.R. 4984, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 447, on passing H.R. 5111, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 448, on the Motion to Recommit H.R. 3393, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 449, on passing H.R. 3393, I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall 450, on the Motion to Instruct Conferees on considering H.R. 3230, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity's centennial anniversary. My good friend, the Gentlewoman from Louisiana (Ms. Landrieu) and the Gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin), is sponsoring the Senate companion to this resolution.

As a Sigma brother, I am proud that this fraternity has grown into a worldwide institution.

One hundred years ago, A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I. Brown founded the fraternity at Howard University. These men were committed to the idea of ``Culture For Service and Service for Humanity.'' They believed that all potential members ought to be judged by their own merits. Family background, wealth, race, and nationality are irrelevant to a prospective brother's worth; instead, the fraternity built a brotherhood of individuals who shared a deep commitment to service, education, and brotherhood.

Today, Phi Beta Sigma continues to build upon its founding principles and expand its legacy across the country and around the globe. With more than 150,000 college-educated Sigma brothers and 650 chapters, the fraternity organizes many service projects and missions. These include: Sigma Beta Club, equipping youths with leadership skills; Project Vote, which encourages voter registration; Sigma Wellness: Living Well Brother-to-Brother, an initiative seeking to eliminate health disparities for men of color; and the Ghana School Project, which provides vocational opportunities for children worldwide. As many of you know, these are just a few examples of Sigma contributions to American society and our brothers and sisters around the world.

This week, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity's historic centennial anniversary and congratulating the Sigma brothers for a century of service to all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Fudge), the esteemed chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, for her hard work, for her leadership on this resolution, and for her kind words.

I would also like to thank the gentlewoman from Michigan for her kind words and for her leadership. The two of them have never given up or given in and have kept the faith, and for that, I thank them so much.

I would also like to thank the Speaker and our friends on both sides of the aisle for helping to bring this resolution to the floor.

I am glad to be on the floor with the gentleman from South Carolina, Jim Clyburn, who I met more than 50 years ago at an organizer meeting of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, when we both were very young, first for the sit-ins, when we both had all of our hair.

To be here with the gentleman from South Carolina today, if someone had told me then that the two of us would be sitting here in the Congress, I would say: you are crazy, you are out of your mind, you don't know what you are talking about.

Fifty years ago, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law. This bipartisan effort outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The following year, President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law. It was a bipartisan effort.

Mr. Speaker, if you visit my office in the Cannon Building, you will see both Democrats and Republicans standing together. You will see me standing with Members of the Senate. One man I will never forget, the Republican leader Everett Dirksen, helped make it possible to get the bill passed.

Too many people I knew and loved lost their lives in the fight for civil rights and simple justice. Every single

day, each and every one of us must remember the heroes--average men, women, and children--who put their lives on the line in the fight for equality.

We cannot forget their sacrifice, and we must not ignore the lessons of history. When we come together across party lines, from different races, religions, and regions, we can achieve the greater good.

I hope and pray that we will come together again--Democrats and Republicans, of all faiths, colors, and regions--to pass laws that maintain, protect, and strengthen rights for which many gave their ultimate sacrifice.

Again, Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Michigan, the gentlewoman from Ohio, and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their strong support of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a very special woman, Chief Rosemary

Cloud, of East Point, GA. She is the first African-American woman to lead a paid professional fire department in America.

I am proud to recognize my amazing constituent on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. A native of Atlanta, Chief Cloud began her career in the fire service 30 years ago at the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department as a firefighter. For the past 12 years, she has served as the Fire Chief of the East Point Fire Department. Over her years of service, Chief Cloud has managed 35 fire stations and over 1,000 employees.

Chief Cloud's service extends beyond Metro Atlanta. She was the Appointed Subject Matter Expert on Homeland Security Presidential Directive-8 for the White House National Security Council. She helped develop policies to help the United States prevent and respond to terrorist threats, major disasters, and other emergencies. Chief Cloud was also recently inducted into the International Women in Homeland Security and Emergency Management Hall of Fame.

Additionally, Chief Cloud is actively involved in her community. She currently mentors young people through leadership programs. She has also established more than 10 community service public safety programs in East Point.

Mr. Speaker, Chief Cloud's dedication to public service is inspirational and patriotic. I applaud her service and leadership, and I congratulate her on this historic appointment.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding, and I want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey for all of his work on this legislation.

I would like to thank the chair and ranking member of the Financial Services Committee and all of their staff for their strong support of the legislation.

This bill is very simple. It simply ensures that these medals are displayed at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opens next year.

In 2004, Congress passed bipartisan legislation to grant the Congressional Gold Medal to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Mrs. Coretta Scott King. I introduced the House bill, and my good friend, Senator Carl Levin, sponsored the Senate companion.

The legislation passed in the House and Senate by voice vote. Unfortunately, a couple of years later, my good friend, Coretta Scott King, passed away. She was a beautiful and strong spirit and, like her husband, a national treasure.

They were heroes, breaking down barriers, opening doors, fighting injustice across our country, and building bridges around the world. It is only fitting that this congressional tribute is on exhibit to the world in a permanent national memorial.

Again, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the bipartisan leadership and staff for all of their good and great work in support of this commonsense legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a wonderful and beautiful spirit; Mrs. Mariella Ukina Ama Holman was a friend, mother, wife, teacher, activist, and trailblazer.

A woman of the world, Mariella Ukina Ama was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 4, 1922 to Kiushu Amakaya and Ada Adams. Her father, an immigrant from Japan, changed his name to Frank Ama and worked as a cook and caterer, and her mother was a laundress. Mariella and her brothers--Charles, Lloyd, and Bobby--were expected to meet their parents' high standards and were determined to overcome all odds.

As a child of the Great Depression, she worked hard, stood strong, and held her head high as one of the few children of color at the historic Philadelphia High School for Girls. Mariella continued her education in Atlanta, where she graduated from Atlanta University Laboratory High School. She completed her formal education at the renowned Spelman College, where she truly found her voice. At Spelman, Mariella bloomed into a woman of culture and class--studying and excelling in French and the humanities--gradually becoming more socially and politically conscious and active.

While working at Hampton Institute, now Hampton University, she met her husband-to-be, M. Carl Holman. In 1945, Mariella and Carl married and returned to Atlanta to begin a family; they were proud to raise their children--Kerry, Karen, and Kent--in the heart of the Civil Rights Movement. Her husband, a professor at Clark College in Atlanta, helped co-found the Atlanta Committee for Cooperative Action (ACCA) and became the editor-in-chief of The Atlanta Inquirer, which developed into a leading, weekly journal and voice for equality and justice in our nation. In the 1960s when Carl joined the staff of the United States Commission on Civil Rights, the family moved to Washington, D.C., where he eventually served as the president of the National Urban Coalition.

Throughout their marriage, Mrs. Holman was the backbone of their beautiful family and home, while maintaining her own career as a skilled educator and an activist in her own right. She taught French at Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta, and continued to teach in Washington, D.C. at Hart Junior High School until her retirement in the 1980s. In her classroom, she opened the minds of countless young people to a global language and community beyond the United States; she brought Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean to their front door through her creative and passionate instruction.

For years, Mrs. Holman also provided wise counsel to the architects-- the movers-and-shakers--of the Civil Rights Movement. She opened her home to organizers for strategy meetings, and her hospitality, cooking, and warmth fed stomachs and reignited spirits. When her beloved husband passed away in 1988, Mariella continued to be the grounding, central force of her family, friends, and community for 26 years. Last week, on March 17, 2014, Mrs. Mariella Holman passed away surrounded by loving family and friends. Although I know that she lived a long and full life, I was still heartbroken to hear the news.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to her children--Kwasi (Kerry) G. Holman, Kinshasha (Karen) Holman Conwill, and Kwame (Kent) Holman; grandchildren--Monifa, Kevin, Donovan, and Camille; seven great-grandchildren; great-greatgrandchild; brother, Lloyd, and his wife, Muriel, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and countless loving family members and friends. They were guided and grounded by this beautiful and strong matriarch, and today each and every one of them is in my thoughts and prayers.

Mella--as she was called by all who knew and loved her--will be truly missed. She touched so many with her warmth, her spirit, her cooking, and her timeless class, and I am proud to have known and loved this great and wonderful lady.

Mr. Speaker, I missed votes during the week of February 10th due to eye surgery.

Had I been present, I would have cast the following votes: on rollcall No. 55, I would have voted ``yes;'' on rollcall No. 56, I would have voted ``yes;'' on rollcall No. 57, I would have voted ``yes;'' on rollcall No. 58, I would have voted ``no;'' on rollcall No. 59, I would have voted ``no;'' on rollcall No. 60, I would have voted ``no;'' on rollcall No. 61 regarding the Temporary Debt Limit Extension Act, I would have voted ``yes;'' on rollcall No. 62, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 3865.

For years, Congress demanded action on this issue. In an independent report, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) told the IRS and Treasury to remove the gray and give clear guidance regarding the tax treatment of social welfare organizations.

There were dramatic hearings, and the public demanded clear, fair rules. Members of this Congress from both sides of the aisle agreed that the IRS should implement all nine of the TIGTA recommendations.

This is just what the IRS and Treasury did. They are taking their time, and trying to do the right thing--once and for all. The IRS already received 23,000 comments on the proposed rulemaking--23 thousand, Mr. Speaker.

And today, not even eight months later, this body is trying to tear down long overdue progress and restart the clock at square one. So, you can see why I oppose bringing this bill to the Floor today. It makes no sense, no sense at all.

Mr. Speaker, Members of Congress can be constructive, supportive, and effective. Instead, this bill returns to the old tradition of no, by any means necessary.

I urge each and every one of my colleagues to oppose this unnecessary bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. Jacob Gillison, who served as office manager and scheduler in my Washington, DC office for nearly 14 years.

For over a decade, Jacob served as a member of my staff, friend, confidant, and counselor to many in what we call Team Lewis, our office family. Jacob recently joined the staff of Senator Bernie Sanders as the administrative director and scheduler. I would like to congratulate him on his new position, and thank him for his many years of service to my office and constituents.

I first met Jacob many years ago when he was a member of the United States' Air Force (USAF) Air Traffic Control Field. During his nearly two decades of service in the U.S. Air Force, Jacob was recognized repeatedly for his dedication and commitment to excellence. When I learned that he was considering a transition to a different branch of government, I was pleased to invite him to join my Washington, DC staff as scheduler and office manager. If he was able to keep military planes safe and on-time, I believed he might be able to keep me and my staff on schedule.

When he joined my office, I learned even more about his total commitment to service. As a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Jacob was handpicked by the president of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. to serve as deputy assistant to the international president of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity focusing on governmental and civic affairs. In this capacity, Jacob conceptualized and coordinated ``Sigma

Day on the Hill,'' which brought local high school students to Capitol Hill to lobby on the behalf of legislation affecting high school students and their local communities. This experience enlightened and exposed young people in learning how their Congress works and inspiring them to move from the sidelines to the frontlines.

During his spare time in the evening and on weekends, Jacob advises and counsels young men in the local community. His selfless efforts did not go unrecognized as the leadership of Nu Sigma Sigma Chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. voted and honored him as ``Mentor of the Year 2010.'' As an additional testament to Jacob's long and exceptional service, the Free Masons bestowed on him their 33rd Degree, an honorary title granted to those Masons who distinguish themselves.

A native of Beaufort, South Carolina, Jacob graduated from Battery Creek High School and continued his education by earning dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Business Administration and Economics from Benedict College and an additional degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

Over the years, I had the pleasure of visiting Beaufort, South Carolina and even attending the beautiful Gullah Festival. I was particularly proud to meet and become an honorary member of Jacob's welcoming family. He is truly a loving and dedicated family man--a proud brother, father, and grandfather. Jacob's son, Dexter, and daughter-in-law, Nikita, continue the family tradition of service as members of the U.S. Air Force. His lovely daughter, Mekala, is a high school honor roll student, ROTC member, athlete and dancer, and Jacob's handsome first grandchild, Brice, is the apple of his eye.

As you can see, Mr. Speaker, I cannot say enough about how great a member of my staff and family Jacob Gillison was. I will truly miss him, his children, grandson, twin brother Esau, and brothers-in- spirit--Tyson and Glenn--but I wish him continued success in his new position and this exciting, next stage of his outstanding career.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Keith Elliott Washington for accomplishing his goal of visiting all seven continents.

I first met Keith a few years ago and he expressed his deep passion in politics and his interest in the needs of the American people.

I applaud him on completing a mission which began 18 years ago, when he first visited Senegal in 1996. This was his first visit outside of North America.

On February 2, 2010 at 12:00 p.m., Keith visited Antarctica and achieved his dream of visiting the last continent. I congratulate him for his determination to complete this personal milestone.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a very special woman, Mrs. Mary Sallie Clark Hughes, of Atlanta, Georgia. She turned 100 years old on December 8, 2013, and I am so grateful to call her a constituent and a friend.

Mr. Speaker, for the last 75 years, Mrs. Hughes has been a missionary for those left out and left behind. She has worked tirelessly to provide clothes to local homeless men and women, as well as victims of fires and other disasters. Her heart is so big that everyone who knows her calls her ``Mother Hughes.'' She has dedicated her life to principle of service--service to God, service to others, and service to the Beloved Community.

At the beautiful age of 100, Mother Hughes is still going strong. She recently earned a certification in theology from the Interdenominational Theological Center. As their oldest graduate to date, Mrs. Hughes inspires others to never abandon their goals and dreams. Her compassion is remarkable, patriotic, and certainly worthy of recognition from this body.

As you can imagine, on her birthday this year, many people gathered in Atlanta to honor her tireless and caring spirit and dedication. I unfortunately was unable to attend this wonderful celebration because of the death of Nelson Mandela. I wish I could have joined so many others in my community in thanking Mother Hughes for her tireless work, lasting legacy of love, and compassion for those most in need.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend and colleague for yielding.

I rise to join my colleagues to pay tribute to a man I deeply admire, President Nelson Mandela.

When I first met Mr. Mandela, I felt as if I was touching the spirit of greatness. He was tall and graceful with the common spirit of the Dalai Lama. President Mandela was one of those rare individuals, like Gandhi, Lincoln, or King, who come along only once in a generation and who are a lesson to all humanity. They teach us not just to liberate the body, but to free our minds and unleash the power of the human spirit.

This weekend, I had the honor of traveling with Members of the House and one Member of the Senate to attend an official memorial service in South Africa. I would like to thank the Speaker and his staff for working with Chairwoman Fudge to ensure that Congress was represented at this global tribute.

Tonight, I express my deepest sympathy to the family and friends of President Mandela. To the people of South Africa and the global community, we have lost a giant of a man who embodied grace, dignity, and peace. He just walked out of prison after 27 years without any bitterness, hostility, or hatred. And through the power of love and complete forgiveness, President Mandela not only freed the oppressed, but he also freed the oppressor.

What we know of his long walk to freedom, what he endured and what he overcome, has made us all a little more human. What he taught us about reconciliation, love, and inner peace inspires each and every person who knows his story to be better, stronger, more loving, more peaceful citizens of the global community. He was the father of a new South Africa who helped build a new nation, more focused on unity today than ever before.

Mr. Speaker, during the height of the civil rights movement, the chant of the African people became our chant: ``One man, one vote.'' He was a great leader, but I never thought that I would have the honor of meeting him and calling him my friend, my brother.

During this holiday season, I hope that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in both Chambers will use this time to reflect on how we can be representatives of the people, can continue to work in unity, extend the legacy of love of service and respect for all humankind as Mr. Nelson Mandela did.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my constituent, Mr. William J. Stanley III, on his election as Chancellor of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects. Mr. Stanley was elected to the College of Fellows' highest position in July at the American Institute of Architects National Convention in Denver, Colorado, and he will be inaugurated on December 12, 2013.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. It is comprised of more than 79,000 licensed architects and associated professionals. The AIA's most prestigious honor is the designation of a member as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. A jury of peers awards Fellowship to members who have made contributions of national significance to the profession. Only about two percent of AIA members have been honored by appointment to the College of Fellows. Mr. Stanley's distinction not only recognizes his individual, architectural achievements but also elevates his significant, societal contributions.

Mr. Stanley is the founder and principal for design of the firm Stanley, Love-Stanley, P.C. In 1972, he became the first African- American graduate of Georgia Tech's College of Architecture. He began his private architectural practice in 1977 with Ivenue Love-Stanley, also an AIA Fellow and his wife of 35 years.

Literally, Mr. Speaker, you can find his legacy and beautiful innovative designs throughout Metro Atlanta, across the country, and around the world. His amazing work has been featured in numerous books and periodicals, and he has more than 40 award-winning projects to his credit. His designs in Atlanta include the Olympic Aquatic Center for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, the historic Fulton County Courthouse, Ebenezer Baptist Church, the John Hope Hall Science Research Facility at Morehouse College, the Reynolds Cottage at Spelman College, the Thomas Cole Research Center at Clark Atlanta University, the Catholic Center at Atlanta University Center, B.E.S.T. Academy at Benjamin S. Carson All Male Middle and High School, and the Nanotechnology Research Center at Georgia Tech. Outside Atlanta, his handiwork includes the Health & Physical Education Complex at Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, Georgia; the L.H.O. Spearman Technology Center at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas; and the Wilberforce Institute in South Africa.

Mr. Stanley has served on the National Board of the American Institute of Architects, as the South Atlantic Regional Director, and as past President of AIA Georgia. In 1995, Mr. Stanley was awarded the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Citation, one of the AIA's highest honors, presented to the country's most socially-conscious architect. In 1999, the Georgia chapter of the AIA bestowed upon Mr. Stanley the Bernard Rothschild Medal, the chapter's highest award. In 2011, AIA Atlanta presented him with its Ivan Allen, Sr., Trophy for sustaining the highest ideals of the profession of architecture through his contributions of service to the Atlanta community. He has also lectured and served as a visiting critic and jury member throughout the United States, Europe, and Africa.

Throughout his career, Mr. Stanley has frequently found himself in positions on projects where he was the first or the only African American with leadership or design responsibility. Even today, he says, ``the profession of architecture has very few persons of color among its ranks.'' Not only does Mr. Stanley's body of work inspire countless young architects of all backgrounds, but he has also broken down invisible barriers through his examples and actions. He is determined to open the door to generations of aspiring architects.

As Fellows, Mr. Stanley and Ms. Love-Stanley take their shared legacy to heart by mentoring countless young architects. Mr. Stanley has served in various leadership positions, affording him the opportunity to mentor young students of architecture academically and professionally, including two years as the President of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). For the past 27 years, Stanley, Love-Stanley, P.C. has sponsored a scholarship award and internship for the most improved architecture students of African descent. Every day, they inspire young people of color in the AIA, NOMA, and the Metro Atlanta community in general.

Mr. Speaker, architecture holds a special place in my heart. As you know, I love art and history in any form, and architects work so hard and so long to become experts in countless fields--arts, science, math, construction to name a few--in order to design, create, save, and restore beautiful masterpieces for countless generations.

I cannot fully express my great appreciation of Mr. Stanley and Ms. Love-Stanley's service and dedication to Metro Atlanta, nor how deeply proud I am of Mr. William J. Stanley III, FAIA, NOMA, for receiving this well-deserved honor.

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

I am opposed to H.R. 2655.

Mr. Speaker, this is the final amendment to the bill. It will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage, as amended.

My motion is similar to an amendment offered by my good friend, Ranking Member Conyers, during the committee markup. It simply excludes civil rights cases from this act.

My amendment makes it crystal clear that discrimination based on sex, race, age, or other forms of discrimination will not be subjected to lengthy, expensive sanctions. People should have a right to seek redress to petition the courts to act. For an individual to be able to take legal action based on discrimination because of age, race, color, gender, or sexual orientation is not senseless. It is not frivolous or silly. They are exercising their sacred right to work to make our union stronger and better for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure that my friends and colleagues in this body fully understand the importance of my amendment.

Civil rights lawsuits are unique because they push the judiciary to review, question, consider, and update our Nation's commitment--our constitutional duty--to respect the dignity and the worth of every human being. These cases inspire our judicial system to explore and develop new legal theories and standards.

There is no doubt that legislation like H.R. 2655 would have slowed down many historic legal successes of the 20th century. Civil rights landmarks like BROWN v. BOARD OF EDUCATION would have taken another 10 years. Rights to marital privacy could have been debated for who knows how long. Blacks and Whites would not have been free to marry. Same-sex couples would not have been able to love each other. Decisions guaranteeing freedom of the press and First Amendment protections could be ongoing.

Civil rights legal progress would have been even slower if this act was the law of the land 60, 50, or even 20 years ago. Our judicial system of thoughtful, deliberative, constant review makes our history-- our progress, our commitment to justice--a model for nations around the world.

This effort has been tried already. It does not work. My amendment corrects the greatest injustice of this bill.

I urge all of my colleagues to support my commonsense change to this seriously flawed legislation. This amendment is the right thing to do, the fair thing to do. It is the just thing to do.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, October 2, 2013, I attended the funeral of a good friend and constituent, Mrs. Evelyn Lowery, in my congressional district. Consequently, I was unable to make votes for a portion of the day.

Had I been present, I would have cast the following votes: on rollcall No. 509, I would have voted ``no''; on rollcall 510, I would have voted ``no''; on rollcall 511, I would have voted ``yes''; on rollcall 512, I would have voted ``no.''