Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3005 to remove the bust of Chief Justice Roger Taney and Confederate statues from public display in the U.S. Capitol Building.

The people's House can never truly be for the people if it is lined with tributes to those who fought to continue the enslavement of Black people in this country.

My ancestors built this building. Imagine how they would feel knowing that, more than 100 years after slavery was abolished in this country, we still paid homage to the very people who betrayed this country in order to keep my ancestors enslaved.

Imagine how I and other African Americans and people of color feel walking through Statuary Hall, knowing that there are monuments to people who supported, embraced, and fought for the breakup of our country.

We are not trying to erase our history. We must confront our past when

we talk about who we should honor in this building.

Should we honor the man who wrote the Supreme Court ruling that African Americans can't be citizens? Or should we honor the man who got the Supreme Court to rule that separate but equal cannot be equal? Should we honor a legal architect of slavery? Or should we honor a legal architect of the civil rights movement?

When I hear my colleagues on the other side of the aisle talk about the Democratic Party, I wonder if you are aware of the whole history of the civil rights movement, where Black people and other people of color fought to enter the Democratic Party. And when people objected to our participation, and when people objected to our right to vote, those people left the Democratic Party and joined the Republican Party. We are extremely aware of our history of racism in the Democratic Party.

Part of our history as Americans is that we criticize our country. We don't just honor the nice stories of our history, but we honor and embrace all of our history. And we fight for a more perfect Union. Fighting for a more perfect Union for people of color meant fighting to enter the Democratic Party.

It is my hope that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will go back to that history of the Republican Party that you honor and fight for the right of all Americans to vote.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Pastor Alphonso Hamilton, beloved husband, father, grandfather, friend, and community leader, who passed away on October 19, 2020. A celebration of Pastor Hamilton's life is taking place on June 26, 2021, for his 92nd birthday.

Born on June 26, 1929 in Shamrock, Florida, Pastor Hamilton became a follower of Christ early in his life at Shamrock Missionary Baptist Church. After serving in the United States Army from 1951 to 1953, Pastor Hamilton attended Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina and received a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a minor in Chemistry and General Science. Pastor Hamilton would also earn a Master of Science in Education from Madison College in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Pastor Hamilton would go on to teach high school Biology, Chemistry and General Science. During his time teaching high school, he would also serve as the head coach of the basketball team for Booker T. Washington and Robert E. Lee High Schools for 11 years, with a record of eight district championships, two state championships, and a 174-57 record. After 34 impactful years as an educator and coach, Pastor Hamilton retired in 1989.

Pastor Hamilton then served for over 26 years at the First Church of God in Christ in Staunton, Virginia. Pastor Hamilton began as assistant pastor, followed by pastor in 2014. During his tenure, Pastor Hamilton also served as church musician, Sunday School teacher, and other important roles.

I celebrate the life of Pastor Alphonso Hamilton and thank him for his incredible service and devotion to his community.

Mr. Speaker, 30 years ago today, Rodney King was viciously beaten by police officers in Los Angeles. It would be the first time the world would witness what African Americans had been organizing, marching, and trying to change for over 100 years.

Personally, I was hopeful that once everyone saw what happens in Black communities, policing in America would change. I was certain no one would deny what they saw with their own eyes and that the officers would be convicted. But they were acquitted. Some were even hired by other police departments.

The sad truth was, when people told their stories of abuse or even murder at the hands of police officers, they were simply not believed. The story was always the same: I was in fear of my life. I thought they had a gun. The person was resisting arrest. The individual attempted to assault me.

That is all that was needed for the beating or murder to be discounted, dismissed. The individuals' lives had little value.

Even children. These are children here. This is an 8-year-old, a 10- year-old, a mother, and another child placed on the ground because the mother was suspected of stealing a car.

Several years after Rodney King's beating, cell phone cameras were invented. It has taken technology and active citizen involvement to document and expose this reality. And now there are many tapes, many examples of individuals being shot and killed by officers, yet transformation of policing in America has still not happened.

Passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act will be a critical first step--just a first step--to transform policing in America. The bill raises the standards for policing and holds those officers accountable who fail to uphold the ethic of protecting and serving their communities.

Now, I know that change is difficult, but I am certain that police officers who risk their lives every day are concerned about their profession, and they don't work in an environment where they are chastised for intervening when they see a fellow officer abuse a citizen or use deadly force when it is not necessary. And I am certain that police officers want to make sure that they are trained in the best practices in policing.

To support officers, this legislation will create the first-ever national accreditation standards for the operation of police departments, set national standards for officers, and establish best practices in training, hiring, deescalation strategies, and bystander duty.

For example, if officers had better training, maybe they would understand that just because someone can verbally express ``I can't breathe,'' does not mean they are faking and the officer can continue to press on the person's chest, back, or neck. And despite our best intentions, there will be some officers who cross over the line.

Mr. Speaker, that is why this bill also includes strong accountability measures, both as a matter of simple justice, and to keep unfit officers off the street. A profession where you have the power to kill should be a profession that requires highly trained officers who are accountable to the public. That is what this bill accomplishes.

Police officers are the first to say it is unfair that they are not trained to be social workers or healthcare providers.

Mr. Speaker, the Justice in Policing Act reinvests in our communities.

If this legislation had been the law of the land several years ago, Eric Garner and George Floyd would be alive today, because the bill bans choke holds.

If the bill had been law last year, Breonna Taylor would not have been shot to death in her sleep, because no-knock warrants for drug offenses would have been illegal.

And if a national registry had been in effect, it would have been revealed that the officer who killed 12-year-old Tamir Rice--

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Madam Speaker, the world is watching, and the world is in shock.

Today I rise to speak in support of this resolution condemning the hateful rhetoric of Donald Trump. His comments were beneath the dignity of the Office of President of the United States, and they have no place in our country.

My four colleagues he attacked have every right to be in the United States. They are just as American as any one of us, and it is shameful that the leader of our country would seek to disparage them for political gain. But the sad truth is that if we were to pass a resolution every time Donald Trump were to say something offensive, little else would happen in Congress.

For that reason this moment has to be about much more than condemning

Donald Trump. This moment has to be about moving our country back toward its best values and ensuring that every American, regardless of origin, race, or sex, has an opportunity to succeed.

The American people want to see us fighting for jobs, healthcare, free elections, and policies that recognize the humanity of all who seek refuge in our Nation.

As chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, I remember when the President said to Black America: What do you have to lose?

When the leader of this Nation attacks two of our Members--two of the four women are members of the Congressional Black Caucus--what we have lost is a President who has dignity.

Someone who has the capacity to bring our country together is what we have lost. But even for this President, this is a new low: using rhetoric against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's race is superior. Since the President will not lead, we must.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly support H. Res. 432, condemning the attacks on the Sudanese people peacefully protesting their right to have a civilian-led democratic government in Sudan. The legislation emphasizes a positive and productive relationship between the United States and Sudan and demands significant political reforms and more accountability.

The situation in Sudan escalated in December 2018 and has been unstable ever since. The Transitional Military Council used Sudanese security forces to shoot peaceful protesters, leaving bodies in the Nile River. They shut down the internet for a month to try and disparage citizens from a united front and blocked journalists from doing their jobs, a clear violation of the freedom of the press.

The people of Sudan have the right to assemble and demand that the Sudanese security forces negotiate without being killed or wounded. The international community and its partners must continue to demand that the security forces stop assaulting their own citizens and adhere to the July 5 agreement.

The recent attempted coup was a ploy to try and deter the agreement, and the Transitional Military Council nor the civilian-led faction must deviate from this process. This agreement is too important, and the future of Sudan is at stake.

The agreement would potentially end months of atrocities and gross human rights abuses that have destabilized the country. The negotiated deal would have five Military Council members, five civilian members, and one civilian member chosen by both parties. The military member would lead the council for the first 21 months and then transition into a civilian-led council thereafter. This is a step in the right direction because both the Transitional Military Council and civilian- led groups negotiated the settlement.

I am also calling on the Sudanese Traditional Military Council to immediately open up the internet because it was a clear violation of the freedom of the press. Journalists must also be able to do their jobs and report and write on stories without being intimidated or physically harmed.

I support this resolution because it encourages the rights and freedoms of all Sudanese people and their right to peacefully protest and assemble and their right to a civilian-led government.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 998) to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand support for police officer family services, stress reduction, and suicide prevention, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include material on the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 998, the Supporting and Treating Officers in Crisis Act of 2019, also known as the STOIC Act. This bill would provide important mental health and suicide prevention services to law enforcement officers and their families.

Specifically, it would modify an existing, but expired, authorization providing support to law enforcement officers' families to add mental health and suicide prevention programs directed at officers themselves. Additionally, S. 998 would also reauthorize the family support provisions and would appropriate up to $7.5 million for each fiscal year from 2020 to 2024 to carry out both the family and law enforcement officer mental health programs.

The law enforcement officers this grant program would assist all too often face dangerous and horrific challenges, which takes a hard toll on them and, often, their families. Too frequently, local resources are not readily available or accessible for these purposes. S. 998 would bridge this critical gap.

Seeking help is often the hardest step to take to address one's mental health issues. It can be especially difficult for law enforcement officers because of the stigma against it within the law enforcement community and, too often still, in society as a whole. The aim of this legislation is to help overcome this reluctance by destigmatizing mental health treatment in the law enforcement community.

Provisions in this legislation encourage recipients of grant funding to set up suicide prevention hotlines. These lifelines are a critical step for getting those officers who need it the assistance they require and thereby help address the nationwide tragedy of officer suicide.

The impact of on-the-job stress is not limited to law enforcement officers, however. The underlying expired grant program, which this bill reauthorizes, permits recipients of grant programs for marital and adolescent support groups. This ``whole family'' approach to mental health services is essential for retaining officers. It is often said that departments recruit officers and retain families. Family support programs, such as those authorized in S. 998, provide critical support that keeps officers on patrol.

Lastly, included in the reauthorization is the ability for recipients of this grant to provide child care on a 24-hour basis. This provision furnishes much-needed support to single parent officers, many of whom are women. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that there are over 100,000 female law enforcement officers nationwide. Child care programs, as authorized in this measure, help promote family-friendly workplaces and facilitate the employment of more female officers.

S. 998 is identical to H.R. 2368, a bipartisan measure sponsored by our House Judiciary Committee colleague, the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Representative Guy Reschenthaler, with the support of the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania, Representative Madeleine Dean. I should also note that the Judiciary Committee passed the House bill by voice vote last month.

Accordingly, I support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Dean).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

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

Mr. Speaker, the tragically high number of law enforcement professionals who take their own lives each year is a serious problem that must be addressed.

According to Blue H.E.L.P., an advocacy organization that works to reduce mental health stigma in the law enforcement community, 167 law enforcement officers committed suicide in 2018. By comparison, in the same year, 144 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty.

S. 998 will help provide critical mental health and suicide prevention assistance to law enforcement officers in need. I therefore urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 744) to amend section 175b of title 18, United States Code, to correct a scrivener's error.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include material on the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 744, the Effective Prosecution of Possession of Biological Toxins and Agents Act of 2019, a bill that would correct an error that has unintentionally resulted in an incomplete list of biological toxins and agents prohibited under current law.

This legislation will help ensure the safety of our citizens and the security of our Nation. S. 744, which the Senate passed by unanimous consent earlier this year, is identical to H.R. 1986, which the House Committee on the Judiciary recently approved by voice vote last month.

In 1990, Congress imposed criminal penalties with respect to the development, production, stockpiling, transfer, acquisition, retention, or possession of any biological agents, toxins, or delivery systems intended for use as a weapon.

Thereafter, Congress in 2001, added section 175b to title 18 of the U.S. Code, criminalizing the possession by unregistered individuals or restricted persons of certain biological agents, termed ``select agents,'' as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. A person found guilty under section 175b can be imprisoned for up to 10 years.

As originally enacted and thereafter in subsequent amendments thereto, section 175b referred to specific sections of the Code of Federal Regulations that listed various biological agents and toxins.

That provision was last amended in 2004, but subsequently, the Department of Health and Human Services reformatted some sections of the Code of Federal Regulations and inadvertently rendered the references in section 175b incomplete.

For example, one of the select agents inadvertently eliminated from the list of prohibited substances is ricin, a poison found in castor beans. Ricin is inexpensive, easy to make, and highly toxic.

This result, the consequence of a drafting error, is clearly not what Congress intended. Unfortunately, there have already been real-life consequences for this error.

Last September, for instance, the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, dismissed the indictment of William Christopher Gibbs, a self-avowed white supremacist who was charged with the unregistered possession of ricin. In dismissing the Gibbs indictment, the court stated it:

Appreciates the potential dangers associated with

individuals possessing potentially hazardous agents and

toxins without permission to do so. Equally, though, the

Court takes very seriously the principle that citizens ought

to have fair and clear warning of the conduct for which they

can be held criminal responsible. It falls to Congress to

write criminal laws, or to amend them if they yield unfair or

unwanted results. The role of the courts, on the other hand,

is limited to fairly reading and applying the laws Congress

writes; not to change them.

As we consider S. 744 today, it is important to recognize and commend the sponsor of the House companion bill, the gentleman from Texas and our Judiciary Committee colleague, Representative John Ratcliffe; and Judiciary Ranking Member Doug Collins; as well as the gentlewoman from New York, Representative Kathleen Rice; and the gentleman from Texas, Representative Will Hurd, for their bipartisan efforts to address this critical problem.

I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, without question, Congress should do everything within its power to ensure the safety of all Americans. Clearly, the possession and distribution of ricin is dangerous and should be included among the various biological toxins prohibited under current law, as Congress had intended.

S. 744 corrects this technical error and addresses the serious consequences presented by this oversight. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S. 744, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 677) to amend gendered terms in Federal law relating to the President and the President's spouse.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include material on the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, there will be a time in this country when the President of the United States will have a husband and not a wife. In preparation for that day, I urge the House to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 677, the 21st Century President Act, which removes gender terms from current law criminalizing threats against former Presidents and their families.

Currently, we have a law that makes it unlawful to threaten to kill, kidnap, or inflict bodily harm upon a former President, President- elect, Vice President-elect, or a major candidate for President, or Vice President, or their immediate family member.

The statute, however, defines immediate family with terms such as: ``wife,'' ``her,'' and ``widow,'' which makes presumptions that will not stand the test of the future of this country.

At present, one member of the LGBTQ community and six women have declared themselves to be candidates for the Presidency. Whether or not any of these candidates is nominated or elected, it is clear that the terminology in our law is outdated and should be changed to refer to the spouse of a former President.

The words we use shape the world in which we live. We should act accordingly. I support H.R. 677, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Pocan).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

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

Mr. Speaker, it is essential that we update our statutes when necessary. H.R. 677 does exactly that. It simply amends current law so that it is more inclusive and reflective of our society.

I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin, Representative Mark Pocan, for identifying this problem in the law and for introducing this bill to rectify it. H.R. 677 will indeed take this law into the 21st century, as the title suggests.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise to take special note of the passing of a long-time constituent, Dr. Patricia E. Bath, an ophthalmologist whose career included a special focus on combating preventable blindness in underserved populations. Among many remarkable accomplishments, she was the first black female doctor to patent a medical invention, a laser device for treating cataracts.

Just two months ago, on April 3, 2019, Dr. Bath testified before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property in a hearing entitled ``Trailblazers and Lost Einsteins: Women Inventors and the Future of American Innovation.'' There she noted gender disparities that result in fewer women inventors and made recommendations to improve the barriers she saw as holding back American innovation.

Right out of medical school, she was struck by discrepancies in vision problems between the primarily Black patient population she saw for her internship at Harlem Hospital and the largely white population she saw at an eye clinic at Columbia University. Her findings that blindness was twice as prevalent among Black people as among white people would drive her lifelong commitment to bringing quality eye care to underserved people around the globe.

An educator and researcher, in 1974 she joined the faculties of the University of California, Los Angeles, and the nearby Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.

In 1976 she founded the nonprofit American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness, to promote what Dr. Bath called ``community ophthalmology,'' which advances optic health through grass-roots screenings, treatments and education.

Her research and her work with cataract patients in the early 1980s led her to envision the device that became known as the laserphaco probe, which uses laser technology to remove the cataracts that cloud the lens of the eye. The United States Patent and Trademark Office, which has singled out Dr. Bath's achievement several times, said in 2014 that the device had ``helped restore or improve vision to millions of patients worldwide.

Dr. Bath's dedication, insight and brilliance repeatedly overcame challenges from prevailing attitudes about women and African Americans in medicine. The recipient of numerous awards and accolades, Dr. Bath described her ``personal best moment'' as using an implant procedure called keratoprosthesis to restore the sight of a woman in North Africa who had been blind for 30 years.

Forty years ago, Dr. Bath wrote in the Journal of the National Medical Association that ``Disproportionate numbers of blacks are blinded by preventable causes. However, thus far, no national strategies exist for reducing the excessive rates of blindness among the black population.'' As we honor her memory and her contributions, her challenge to us remains.

Mr. Speaker, May was National Foster Care Month, a time for our country to come together to acknowledge the half million people in our child welfare system, the hundreds of thousands who work within the system day in and day out, and the millions of adults who have exited the system and are no longer in care.

No one knows the child welfare system like the foster youth who have grown up in the system. Today, the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth and the National Foster Youth Institute have brought more than 100 young people from every corner of the country here to Washington, D.C., to shadow their Member of Congress. I would like to take a second to thank the nearly 100 Members of Congress who are spending this morning learning from a constituent and delegate of this program about their personal experiences and ideas to make impactful change in the child welfare system.

The delegates of this program have been in town since Saturday and have been learning about community activism and successful movement building. Yesterday, we held a forum right here in the Capitol where our delegates were able to ask Members of the leadership of Congress questions about changes to the child welfare system. I can't wait for the participants of this program to be up here serving in Congress, making their voices even louder than they are now.

Each year, our participants have a real hand in making change. From the Chafee Grant extensions to the passage of the Family First Prevention Services Act just last year, this group's voices have changed our child welfare system forever.

The reality is this: When the government removes children from their parents, the government becomes that child's parent. Too often, the government forgets this commitment and life goes on for those not in the child welfare system; but for those in it, they come to feel trapped and forgotten.

These young people here today have traveled thousands of miles to share their stories of their challenges with abuse, trafficking, overmedication, or homelessness. In addition, they are sharing their successes with mentorship, adoption, family reunification, community activism, and independent living. Their goal is to leave Congress with a better understanding of the reality faced day in and day out by our Nation's youth in care.

Today, Mr. Speaker, I would like to share the stories of four former foster youth who are here shadowing me today.

Yeshi Vaughan graduated in the top 10 of her high school class. In May 2019, she graduated with honors from Saint Martin's University with a bachelor's in social work and a minor in sociology. She hopes that as a social worker she can share her story to encourage other youth.

Fonda Williams is a former foster youth from California, born and raised in the city of Watts. She is 27 years old and the sixth child of eight. Her current occupation is a public safety dispatcher. She attended UCLA and is currently attending El Camino College.

Racquell Perry is a Florida barred attorney and is the statewide outreach for Keys to Independence at Educate Tomorrow. The Keys to Independence program is designed to help youth in out-of-home care overcome barriers to driving. Racquell is a proud two-time graduate of Florida A&M University, earning a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a JD from its college of law.

Toni Criner, while attending Howard University, had the opportunity to be an intern in my office, where she experienced child welfare and foster care policy issues from a different viewpoint. After Toni's time on the Hill, she went on to pioneer a White House initiative and was given the opportunity to work with Washington, D.C.'s most vulnerable transitioning-aged youth. In 2019, Toni founded her own company, T.C. Mentoring and Consulting LLC. The company's mission is to help at-risk youth and young adults find their path in life.

Mr. Speaker, our country is the richest country in the history of the world, and there is no excuse for us not to take care of the half million youth who are in the child welfare system. When the government removes them, we are the ones responsible, and we should never be in a situation where anyone

would accuse the government of abuse and neglect. This is why we need to transform the Nation's child welfare system to make sure that all of the children in our country have everything they need to be successful adults.

Madam Speaker, Bishop Clark born in Norfolk, VA, came to Aliquippa in 1959 from Stanton, Va., where he was pastor of a Church of God in Christ. He took over the then-First Church of God in Christ in Aliquippa, PA and led the effort to build the landmark Church in the Round, which was finished in 1970. Before the term Mega church was coined, The Church in the Round boasted attendance and membership exceeding 3,500.

Over the ensuing decades, Clark created groundbreaking community outreach initiatives, Evangelistic Conferences, Pastoral Leadership Symposiums, Holy Ghost Conferences, Church Planning and Church Planting across the nation. His visionary interdisciplinary--community development initiatives include: Multi-unit housing, Prison Reform / Ministries, Financial Literacy Classes, Bethesda Home, a group home for troubled boys, the Family Life Center, scholarship funds, food initiatives, recreation programs, and medical- and health-awareness endeavors and more.

The Very Reverend Bishop Clark spread the gospel to millions via his widespread multi state radio ministry, ``Across the Pastor's Desk,'' which lasted three decades and drew people to his church, and to Christ. The message: ``May I Present Jesus to YOU!!''

Bishop Melvin E. Clark, Sr., the founding visionary of the Family Life Center, was appointed to the Pastorate of the First Church of God in Christ, Inc. and subsequently its successor, the legendary Church in the Round in 1960. He oversees a church legacy that spans 97-years, making the enterprise one of the oldest institutions in the Beaver County region. Bishop Clark's achievements as a pastor, and community leader resulted in his consecration to the Bishopric and Jurisdictional Prelate of the Second Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the national Churches of God in Christ. His leadership abilities and deep concern for people has brought him before many national and international leaders including four U.S. Presidents. On several occasions he served as an advisor to President Bill Clinton.

While serving as a delegate to the World Pentecostal Conference, Bishop Clark visited Jerusalem and Switzerland, and at the request of the President of Sierra Leone, West Africa, was called to preach during a special celebration at the President's church. The Presiding Bishop of the Church of God In Christ Worldwide also called upon Bishop Clark to minister to congregants in South Korea.

He has ministered in Greece, the City of Corinth, London, England, the Vatican, and Rome, Italy. He serves as an advisor, counselor, and member of the Joint College of African-American Bishops and its Pentecostal Congress where he was awarded a Doctorate of Divinity degree. Bishop Clark also holds two Master's Degrees and an earned Doctorate of Philosophy.

He has received many awards including the Humanitarian Award of the NAACP, of which he is a lifetime member, the Church of God in Christ Presiding Bishop's Award, and the Man of the Year of the Greater Aliquippa Chamber of Commerce for honorable and unselfish service. Bishop Clark is honored to serve on the national Saints Center Board and the National Task Force of the Church of God In Christ.

Madam Speaker, may this entry serve as enduring recognition of the legacy lived and left by Ermias Joseph Asghedom, known to his community and the neighborhoods of South Los Angeles and beyond, as Nipsey Hussle.

Nipsey Hussle was born in the Hyde Park neighborhood of South Los Angeles in 1985. His father was the only member of his own family in Eritrea to move to the United States, where he met Nipsey Hussle's mother. As a teen, Nipsey attended Alexander Hamilton High School, as did I, as did many in South Los Angeles. He went on to pursue a music career that would touch millions, culminating in national recognition for his studio album ``Victory Lap''.

An innovator, entrepreneur and community investor, Nipsey Hussle used the platform he created with his music to further demonstrate not only his business savvy, but his love and pride for where he came from in addition to showing the importance of community ownership and reinvestment. In the same way he went from selling mixtapes on the corner of Crenshaw and Slauson to owning the masters of his GRAMMY- nominated album, Nipsey Hussle went from trademarking his clothing line, to owning the stores selling his trademarked clothing line, to owning the shopping plaza where the store selling his clothing line was located.

Marathon Clothing is a technologically ground-breaking store that could have been opened anywhere. Nipsey Hussle opened it on Slauson and Crenshaw. South Los Angeles was where he invested; opening a barbershop and two restaurants in that same intersection, reopening the World on Wheels skating rink in Mid-City, and partnering with Vector 90, one of the first work spaces and incubators in South L.A. designed to support black and brown entrepreneurship locally. He also worked with the Los Angeles City Council on Destination Crenshaw, a project to be built for, by, and in honor of our community in celebration of the historical and contemporary contributions of Black L.A. and the Crenshaw community.

Throughout his projects, Nipsey Hussle brought the neighborhood with him. In working to ensure that the community was knowledgeable about their economic power, Nipsey Hussle made sure to give jobs to residents in the neighborhood who were struggling, some of which were homeless and formerly incarcerated. He once provided a pair of shoes to every student at 59th Street Elementary School and also donated to renovate the school's playground and basketball courts. He inspired many others in the entertainment industry to actively invest in South Los Angeles neighborhoods as well.

A humble visionary, Nipsey Hussle initiated peace in a community where experiences of systematic injustices appear in the form of police brutality and gang violence. He saw the overlooked and welcomed the dismissed. He

was an activist working to reduce gun violence in the community, hosting demonstrations and symposiums over the years. He was slated to meet with the Los Angeles Police Department about reducing gun violence in the community the day after he was murdered.

He taught and reminded our community that the power we hold is the power we come from and that awareness of our power is something no one can take from us. Nipsey Hussle will be remembered as a visionary, as a protector, as an inspiration, as a philanthropist, as a father, as a brother and as an unabashed son of South Los Angeles. For all he was given, he gave back. And for that legacy, South Los Angeles has been changed forever.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the floor of the House of Representatives to formally recognize and honor the legacy of Ermias Asghedom, known to his community and the neighborhoods of south Los Angeles and beyond as Nipsey Hussle.

As noted in the record I will be submitting shortly, Nipsey Hussle used the platform he created with his music to lift our community as he climbed.

In his business ventures, his investments, his philanthropy, his community engagement, every step of the way, he had a sole purpose of bettering the community he came from.

A humble visionary, he saw the overlooked and welcomed the dismissed. He reminded our community that the power we hold is the power of where we come from and that awareness of that power can never be taken from us.

He will be remembered by south Los Angeles as a protector, an inspirator, a father, a brother, and an unabashed son of south Los Angeles.

For all he was given, he gave back. And for that legacy, south Los Angeles has been changed forever.

Mr. Speaker, I will now be submitting this record honoring his legacy.

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 1585, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019.

This bipartisan measure was introduced by myself and my colleague, Mr. Fitzpatrick, the gentleman from Pennsylvania. Several other Members have supported this effort and were inadvertently left off the sponsor list due to a clerical error. To remedy that, I will furnish a separate statement for the Record that includes those names, respectively.

H.R. 1585 will reauthorize the VAWA of 1994, a landmark piece of legislation

first enacted and signed into law by President Clinton in 1994. This was a direct response to the epidemic of violence against women that plagued our country at that time.

While we have made significant progress, we still have much to do.

It is estimated that more than 2 million adults and more than 15 million children are exposed to domestic violence annually. These alarming figures make it imperative that we reauthorize VAWA now.

We concluded our celebration of Women's History Month in March, but our job to protect women is not complete.

Movements like #MeToo across this country demand Congress' attention to better deal with the gaping holes left unfilled in current law around the issues of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, harassment, and stalking.

The VAWA efforts will have the same profound effect on a victim survivor and their families no matter one's party affiliation. Hence, these are human problems, period.

This is our opportunity to respond to the basic needs of victims and survivors everywhere, absent discrimination based on their race, sex, religion, or nationality.

That is why this law has been reauthorized three times since enactment, in 2000, 2005, and 2013, with strong bipartisan approval and overwhelming support from Congress, States, and local communities.

H.R. 1585 continues that tradition, which reflects a reasonable and compromised approach to reauthorize grant programs under VAWA. For example, this bill includes various pieces of bipartisan legislation, Republican amendments from our committee markup, and Republican amendments through the rules process.

H.R. 1585 is intended to make modifications, as Congress has done in the past to all previous reauthorizations of VAWA.

For example, in South Los Angeles, part of my district, the Jenesse Center helps hundreds of people every year. VAWA funding has supported the growth of Jenesse's legal department, which provides direct legal services that not only assist survivors in securing immediate safety, but also helps them achieve long-term goals of stability and self- sufficiency.

VAWA funding is integral to Jenesse's transitional, or bridge, housing program for survivors. After overcoming the initial crisis phase, people need space and time to rebuild family bonds, secure education and vocational training, and receive the mental health counseling needed to heal from trauma.

H.R. 1585 is inclusive, sensible, and responsive.

Mr. Chair, this bill is about preventing and responding to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. That is why I urge my colleagues to exert courage and stand with victims by supporting this bill.

Mr. Chair, a number of my colleagues who requested to be added as a cosponsor to H.R. 1585, the ``Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019'' were not listed as cosponsors due to a clerical error.

I wish to thank all my colleagues for their enduring support of VAWA. The

reauthorization of VAWA is vital for domestic violence survivors. VAWA is a landmark piece of legislation first enacted in 1994 and signed into law by President Bill Clinton as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.

This legislation was enacted in response to the prevalence of domestic and sexual violence, and the significant impact of such violence on the lives of women. It is estimated that more than two million adults and more than 15 million children are exposed to domestic violence annually. VAWA provides essential resources to those who need it most, which is why this piece of legislation is so essential.

For the record, the following Members have expressed their support for H.R. 1585, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019'' and would have been added as a cosponsor to H.R. 1585 but for a clerical error.

Colin Allred

Ami Bera

Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.

G.K. Butterfield

Andre Carson

Matt Cartwright

Joaquin Castro

Emanuel Cleaver

Gerald Connolly

Jim Costa

TJ Cox

Charlie Crist

Sharice Davids

Danny K. Davis

Rosa DeLauro

Mark DeSaulnier

Theodore E. Deutch

Michael F. Doyle

Eliot Engel

Dwight Evans

Abby Finkenauer

Jimmy Gomez

Alcee L. Hastings

Jahana Hayes

Kendra S. Horn

Hakeem Jeffries

Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr.

Marcy Kaptur

Daniel T. Kildee

John Larson

Al Lawson

Barbara Lee

Mike Levin

John Lewis

Ted Lieu

Nita M. Lowey

Ben Ray Lujan

Elaine G. Luria

Tom Malinowski

Stephanie N. Murphy

Richard E. Neal

Joe Neguse

Michael San Nicolas

Donald Norcross

Bill Pascrell, Jr.

Ed Perlmutter

Scott Peters

Dean Phillips

Mark Pocan

David E. Price

Harley Rouda

Raul Ruiz

Bobby Rush

Mary Gay Scanlon

Robert C. ``Bobby'' Scott

Brad Sherman

Mikie Sherrill

Darren Soto

Abigail Davis Spanberger

Mark Takano

Bennie G. Thompson

Rashida Tlaib

Norma J. Torres

Xochitl Torres Small

Marc A. Veasey

Madam Speaker, this past January Los Angeles lost a legendary educator, Dr. Genevieve A. Shepherd. She championed educational equity for African-American students, especially boys, and believed passionately that it is better to raise a child than to mend an adult.

Dr. Shepherd decided she wanted to be a teacher at the age of three, when the kindness and support of a Sunday school teacher made an indelible impression on her. She loved seeing a child work to understand something, and then light up when the concept was mastered. She only left the classroom when she realized that she could have a multiplier effect on students by nurturing teachers, who could go on to support even more students.

She spent three decades of her half-century career as principal at the same school, Dublin Avenue Elementary, which was later re-named Tom Bradley Global Awareness Magnet. She always looked for innovative ways to address the challenges she saw her students face, including by pioneering an academy for African-American boys at Bradley to tackle achievement gaps.

Her signature hats made her unmistakable on school grounds. For years, before class could begin, her students would gather on the playground to enthusiastically recite the mantra: ``With passion and persistence we will perpetually pursue excellence, for learning is our top priority.'' She had the privilege of seeing her first students grow to send her their own children as students, then their grandchildren and even their great-grandchildren over the course of an award-winning, 56-year career in education.

A product of Los Angeles through and through, she grew up in the LAUSD, attended Los Angeles City College and then California State University, Los Angeles. She went on to earn a Master of Science degree from Pepperdine University and a Doctorate of Philosophy from Golden State University. She married and raised her family in LA, and was a faithful member of Bethlehem Temple Church (and served as Sunday School Superintendent, of course). Her service extended to playing leadership roles in many civic and professional organizations, as well, including the Council of Black Administrators and the YMCA Metro LA.

She also believed in lifelong education and was a long-time president of the pioneering Our Authors Study Club, founded to pursue Carter G. Woodson's vision of creating and disseminating knowledge about Black history across the nation.