Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Robert Hughes, a man who broke incredible records in basketball while simultaneously overcoming tremendous obstacles. Robert Hughes paved the way for African American students to have the same opportunities as their counterparts and bridged the divides of a segregated community.

Robert Hughes was born on May 15, 1928, in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. He was the youngest of five brothers with a successful high school basketball career. After a tour in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, Hughes played college basketball at Texas Southern University. In 1955, he was drafted to the Boston Celtics, but ended up playing for Marques Haynes' barnstorming team, the Harlem Magicians. During his time with the Harlem Magicians, he ruptured his Achilles tendon and began his legendary coaching career.

From 1958 to 1973, Hughes coached the Fort Worth I.M. Terrell High School basketball team, with an astonishing record of 378-84. During this time, I.M. Terrell was a segregated high school, placing the team in a specific division called the Prairie View Interscholastic League. The PVIL governed the Texas African American high schools. Hughes won three PVIL championships and came second in two more during his time at Terrell. In 1973, the desegregation of public schools would lead to the closing of Terrell and the beginning of Hughes career at Fort Worth Dunbar High School.

Hughes remained at Fort Worth Dunbar until he retired in 2005 with an astonishing overall career record of 1,333-264. He had the most wins in the entire nation until recently when Leta Andrews passed his record. During his 47 seasons at Dunbar, Hughes brought his team to victory while changing the lives of thousands of students. As a coach, he broke the racial divide and bridged the gap between communities. For 50 years, the Southwest Conference denied entry to black high school athletes. Hughes navigated his way around these policies and created relationships with the Big Ten, Pacific 8 and Missouri Valley Conferences so that all of his players could be offered the same opportunities.

Dallas cinematographer, Ronald Nance and Lindell Singleton, producer of major feature films such as Lone Star and Holy War, are partnering to bring Robert Hughes' story to life in a feature-length documentary called Relentless, which will premiere in February 2015. The film will capture the incredible feats of Hughes and the impact that he had on the Texas basketball community.

In honor of Coach Robert Hughes, a pillar of the Fort Worth and Texas athletic community, this statement will be entered into the Congressional Record on Wednesday, November 12, 2014.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of Comer Cottrell, one of Texas' leading African American entrepreneurs and an education philanthropist in the Dallas community. His passing on October 3, 2014, leaves a void in the city of Dallas, and I join with the Texas community in giving our condolences to the Cottrell family.

Comer Cottrell was born on December 7, 1931, in Mobile, Alabama. He was 15 when he graduated from a private high school in 1946 and attended the University of Detroit, a Jesuit college. At age seventeen, Mr. Cottrell joined the United States Air Force and excelled to the the rank of First Sergeant at a very young age. After completing his military service, Cottrell returned to Alabama, where he worked part time for his father's insurance company.

In 1968, Mr. Cottrell recalled his time serving in the U.S. Air Force and the lack of ethnic hair-care products, which sparked his interest in the black hair care business. In 1970, Mr. Cottrell and his brother James Cottrell founded Pro-Line Corporation, an African-American hair care products company in Los Angeles, California. The company's success grew and prompted his move to Dallas, Texas in 1979.

In 1990, Mr. Cottrell purchased and restored the former Bishop College land in southern Dallas to persuade Paul Quinn College to move its campus from Waco to Dallas, Texas. Today, the historically black college continues to provide educational opportunities for the entrepreneurs of tomorrow. In addition to his interest in education philanthropy, Mr. Cottrell became the first African-American to hold a major stake in a professional baseball team. In 1989, he became a part owner, with George W. Bush, of the Texas Rangers.

Mr. Cottrell is survived by his wife, Felisha Starks Cottrell of Dallas; a daughter, Renee Cottrell-Brown of Arlington; four sons, Comer Cottrell III of Dallas, Aaron Cottrell of New York, Bryce Cottrell, a University of Texas at Austin student, and Lance Cottrell, a University of Colorado student; a brother, James Cottrell of Dallas; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

In honor of Mr. Comer Cottrell, a pillar of the Dallas business community, this statement will be entered into the Congressional Record on Wednesday, November 12, 2014.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in order to celebrate an entire life of accomplishment, fighting for civil rights, and devotion to improving the lives of others for a greatly respected constituent of mine in Fort Worth, the Honorable L. Clifford Davis.

Following graduation from Philander Smith College with a degree in Business Administration in 1945, Mr. Davis then enrolled at Howard University Law School for the school year 1945-1946.

In the spring of 1946, he applied for admission to the University of Arkansas Law School but, because he is African-American, was not admitted. In the school year 1946-1947, he enrolled at Atlanta University majoring in Economics but continued to seek admission to the University of Arkansas Law School. In the fall of 1947, he returned to Howard Law School but continued correspondence with the University of Arkansas in an effort to gain admittance.

In January 1948, a press conference was called at the University of Arkansas to announce that if he applied he would be admitted if he enrolled. But, because of the ``separate but unequal'' arrangements at Arkansas, Mr. Davis elected to remain at Howard and graduate with a Juris Doctor Degree in 1949. His efforts ultimately led to the University of Arkansas' decision to integrate its graduate programs, becoming the first southern state university to do so without litigation.

After graduating from law school, Mr. Davis returned to Arkansas and was admitted to practice law on July 4, 1949. He has practiced law in Arkansas and Texas for over 65 years and represented numerous plaintiffs in public school de-segregation cases. After serving as legal counsel for the NAACP in the 1960s, he became one of the first African American state district judges in Tarrant County, serving from 1983 to 1988 in Criminal District Court No. 2.

For his Civil Rights efforts, the NAACP has awarded him the highest award for Civil Rights litigation, and he has been recognized by the National Bar Association's Hall of Fame and the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame. On the local level, he has received numerous awards including the Blackstone Award, the highest award presented to a lawyer, and the Civil Gavel Award, the highest award presented to a judge, both awards presented by the Tarrant County Bar Association. Today, the L. Clifford Davis Elementary School in Fort Worth bears his name.

Judge Davis has been Counsel at the Johnson, Vaughn & Heiskell law firm since 1989, where he still practices law today. Despite the great time demands of these many accomplishments, he served his country in the military from 1954 to 1955 and was also an Assistant Professor in the Business Department at Paul Quinn College from 1952 to 1954.

Judge Davis is happily married to Ethel R. Davis and they have two daughters, Avis and Karen; and is a member of the St. Andrews United Methodist Church.

I am grateful for Judge L. Clifford Davis' many decades of service to this nation in advancing Civil Rights, serving in our military, and paving the way for others by establishing scholarships so that students can follow in his path. Our nation is grateful as well for his service.

Madam Speaker, each year from September 15 until October 15, the Nation celebrates the many contributions of Latinos during Hispanic Heritage Month.

In my home State of Texas, the Hispanic community continues to relish in the cultural and historical footprint in the areas of government, architecture, business, and the arts. From north Texas Hispanic elected officials, both past and present who are advocating for the Latino community, to the Rose Marine Theater in Fort Worth and the Latino cultural center in Dallas, Hispanic culture continues to illuminate all aspects of life and history in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

In the area of business and commerce, the contributions of business leaders continue to make the area that we live in one of the best in the entire country. Both Dallas and Tarrant Counties are fortunate to be served by very strong Hispanic chambers of commerce that proudly serve many of those businesses.

It is undeniable that Hispanic culture is woven into all aspects of contemporary American culture, and in the Dallas-Fort Worth area we are fortunate to be known as a city that is vibrant because of its strong Latino community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call on House Republican leadership to stop playing games and start governing.

We are scheduled to debate 36 bills this week, but many are just repeated failed attempts that went nowhere beyond this House because they will do nothing to create jobs or strengthen the economy.

Instead of working to pass comprehensive immigration reform or raising the minimum wage or decreasing income disparity between men and women, we are instead repackaging and repassing partisan talking points and special interest handouts.

This Congress is on track to be the least--the least--productive in U.S. history.

We have seen valuable time and tax dollars wasted in trying to sue the President, over 50 failed attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act--including the 2-week Republican government shutdown over the same issue--and attempts to legitimize flimsy conspiracy theories.

House Democrats stand ready to work with House Republican leadership when they decide to stop playing games and get back to work. We are ready to jump-start our economy, make it in America, reunite families, and bring back jobs from overseas.

Madam Speaker, while House Republicans spend the next 2 weeks bringing up silly partisan bills aimed at embarrassing the President, House Democrats remain focused on the real solutions that matter to the American people.

It is time to put the middle class above partisan politics. It is time to vote to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour and give struggling families a real chance to be in the middle class.

What is wrong with women receiving equal pay for equal work? Let's bring the Paycheck Fairness Act to the floor to make sure that women are treated equally in the workplace.

These bills and many others are part of the Democrats' Middle Class Jumpstart America agenda, a plan to fight for the middle class, put families before special interests, and reignite the American Dream for all those who want to work hard for it.

Let's put partisan politics aside and help the people that are struggling out there in the middle class to get back on their feet.

Mr. Speaker, while America waits for House Republicans in Washington to bring immigration reform to a vote, we cannot forget about the invisible casualties of our broken immigration process, notario fraud victims.

While there are many communities and religious organizations that are providing legitimate immigration-related services, there is also a growing number of nonlawyers posing as legal consultants, and they are known as ``notarios,'' and they are not licensed to give legal advice. Notarios are basically scam artists who prey on immigrant communities.

This week I introduced H.R. 5228, the Notario Victim Relief Act, which would allow victims of notario fraud to reopen their cases and immigrate lawfully. The bill is just the first step toward stopping fraudulent immigration services in our Nation.

I urge my colleagues to join me as a cosponsor of H.R. 5228 and help the victims of our broken immigration system.

Mr. Speaker, this week House Republicans will be considering a resolution that would authorize the Speaker of the House to sue President Obama. This lawsuit is frivolous. It is also wasteful and without merit.

We must focus on critical legislative priorities instead of political lawsuits that will do nothing but waste millions

of the taxpayers' dollars. There are critical issues that need action now. How about creating some jobs, raising the minimum wage, or maybe fixing our broken immigration system before we leave here?

I can tell you that the constituents in my district could use a raise in the minimum wage. There are also people out there that are hurting, that need their unemployment benefits extended.

This lawsuit disregards the priorities of the American people. I do not support this lawsuit. It is frivolous. And I suggest that we use our time to address critical issues that will positively impact Americans.

I will be voting ``no'' on this lawsuit and urge the House leadership to use their time wisely this week--like we are taught early in elementary school--to bring up bills that will put hardworking Americans back to work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to talk about the Democrats' plan to get the middle class working in America again. The Democrats' Make It In America plan will boost job growth by giving employers tax incentives for jobs created in the U.S. It also raises the minimum wage and updates our current infrastructure.

I want the constituents that I serve in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex to know that me and other Democrats are here, working hard for America to bring back these good-paying jobs.

Also, Mr. Speaker, I wanted everyone to know that I started my Marc Means Business initiative, where I work spending time at different jobs in the district that I serve.

This month, I worked at a concrete batch plant as a laborer at a downtown highway construction site in Dallas. Not only do I get to see what the constituents that I serve go through every day on the site, but this also highlights just how important rebuilding our infrastructure is to the U.S. economy.

Let's give middle class Americans a jump-start and continue to work on policies that expand our economy and get Americans back to work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solidarity with Israel in its fight to defend itself and its people against Hamas, a known terrorist organization.

The recent rocket attacks from Hamas have proven it is dedicated to the destruction of the State of Israel. We must stand by Israel during this time of conflict and continue to demand that Hamas stop firing rockets and accept the Egyptian proposal for a cease-fire.

We must stand by Israel during this time of conflict. I hope that the people of Israel and Palestine will soon find peace and security in their homes. Hamas has made it clear that they do not share this goal.

Until peace does come, it is vital that we continue to work toward strengthening our military partnership with Israel, as well as offer our support and solidarity in these trying times, and continue to push for a path of a two-state solution, so Israel citizens and Palestinian citizens may live in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage my colleagues to do the right thing: to work across the aisle and take swift action to address the humanitarian crisis that our Nation is currently facing.

As a parent, I look at the situation at our Texas border, and I think of the circumstances that would lead my wife and me to send our 8-year- old on a dangerous journey thousands of miles away from home without us--away from his room, away from his toys, away from the things that he loves the most.

Children awaiting their fates at detention centers are victims of crime, violence, and war, and we have a responsibility to address the root causes of their migration. Without a comprehensive solution, however, we will continue to face situations like the crisis that we see now at the southern border.

For over a year now, House Republicans have refused to take up a long overdue overhaul of the immigration system that will streamline the legal immigration process, decrease the Nation's deficit, secure our borders, create jobs, and provide an earned pathway to citizenship.

We need to put politics aside and work together to pass a fair immigration plan for the 21st century that honors this country's history as the land of opportunity, justice, and equality for all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the month of June as Immigrant Heritage Month. This month I join my colleague, Representative Saanchez, as an original cosponsor recognizing the month of June as Immigrant Heritage Month in honor of the role immigrants play in shaping the history and culture of the United States.

No country has been more invigorated by immigrant culture, more rewarded by immigrant labor and immigrant ideas than our country, America. I believe the only true way to honor the immigrants that built the foundation of this great Nation is by fixing our broken immigration system, but House Republicans have refused to pass an immigration reform bill.

To mark Immigration Heritage Month, we must create a message of unity and remember that this country was also built by the dreams and hard work of people who came from someplace else. Perhaps then we can change the dialogue around immigration by placing attention on the country's diverse immigrant heritage and the need to bring immigration reform to the floor for a vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my sadness and also honor the passing of a great man, Pastor Maurice Edward Barnes. Pastor Barnes lived a life of service to both the church and community.

Born on July 30, 1945, to Charittie and the late Reverend Robert Barnes, Sr., he grew up in the Lake Como community of Fort Worth.

After completing his undergraduate studies at Texas Wesleyan University, Trinity Valley, and Southern Bible Institute, he answered his call to preach. For over 20 years, he was the faithful servant of God in the church in which he grew up, at the Zion Missionary Baptist Church on Horne Street in the Como community.

As a man who diligently served those around him, Pastor Barnes was not only a leader in the church, but also showed great leadership in organizations aimed at improving the community, like the NAACP.

My heartfelt sympathy to his wife, first lady Debra Watson Barnes; his children; extended family; and his friends.

Pastor Barnes made a positive impact on my life, and I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering this great man.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Sam Garcia, a World War II veteran, businessowner, and renowned civic leader in the Fort Worth Hispanic community.

Mr. Garcia immigrated to the United States from Mexico at the age of 2, with his undocumented parents. After serving in the Army during World War II and earning three Bronze Stars, Mr. Garcia moved to Fort Worth in 1958. He later started his own successful construction company.

Mr. Garcia served Fort Worth, where he led many community service organizations in an effort to raise scholarship money. Mr. Garcia also edited and published The Community News, a newspaper committed to improving the quality of life in the Latino community of Fort Worth.

Mr. Garcia devoted his life to improving the life of others and was rightfully recognized in 1990 as the Fort Worth Volunteer of the Year and, in 1991, the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Member of the Year. In 1999, he was the Man of the Year.

Mr. Garcia's leadership and dedication to the Fort Worth community will forever be marked in history.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in favor of diversity, equality, and affirming every American's right under the Constitution to equal justice under the law.

Today I speak in honor of LGBT Pride Month.

Despite all that we have achieved in recent years towards equality, opportunity, and justice for every American, regardless of identity or orientation, far too many LGBT Americans still suffer discrimination each and every day.

In this Congress we have the chance to pass legislation that bans discrimination in the workplace and in the military and in schools, and ensures that couples, regardless of sexual orientation, have the same rights as anyone else.

I am a proud cosponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act that affirms the Supreme Court decision to allow same-sex marriage and the Student Nondiscrimination Act that bans discrimination in schools.

I also support President Obama's intention to act, where this House has not, to end discrimination in the workplace.

Let us continue to work together to ensure that all Americans are provided the civil liberties they deserve.