Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary career of a legal giant and civil rights activist, Alabama's first Black Federal judge, the Honorable U.W. Clemon, who celebrated his 80th birthday on April 9.

A native of Alabama, Judge Clemon was born in 1943. Despite spending much of his childhood in the segregated school system of Jefferson County, Clemon broke down barriers, graduating as a two-time valedictorian, first at Westfield High School in 1961 and then Miles College in 1965.

As a college student, Judge Clemon was a leading voice for civil rights. He marched in countless student demonstrations under the direction of Dr.

King and played a pivotal role in the Selective Buying Campaign to boycott segregated stores in downtown Birmingham.

Before graduating from Columbia Law School in 1968, Clemon clerked at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, forming a lifelong association serving as local counsel on numerous civil rights lawsuits throughout Alabama.

Judge Clemon always understood the importance of the law in the fight for justice and equality. He quickly gained a reputation as an effective and fearless lawyer, taking on Coach Paul ``Bear'' Bryant to desegregate the all-White University of Alabama football team. He took on the U.S. Steel Corporation, which led to the desegregation of the American steel industry.

By 1974, Judge Clemon took his advocacy to the Alabama State Legislature, making history as one of the first two African Americans elected to the Alabama Senate since Reconstruction.

His tenure as a pioneering lawmaker and skilled attorney caught the attention of President Jimmy Carter, who appointed then-Senator Clemon to serve as Alabama's first Black Federal judge in 1980. He went on to serve on the Federal bench for 30 years until 2009.

Judge Clemon was a highly respected jurist inside and outside the courtroom. He was known as fair but tough. He demanded that lawyers before him represent their clients competently and effectively. Judge Clemon served as the Chief Judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama from 1999 to 2006.

Despite retiring from the bench in 2009, Judge Clemon has remained a vibrant member of the Birmingham legal community where he continues to practice law, serving the underrepresented, vulnerable, and underserved.

He has received numerous awards, holds three honorary degrees, two street namings, and most recently, an elementary school was named in his honor.

On a personal note, Judge Clemon is a trusted adviser, counselor, and a loving father figure to me. My most formative legal experience was serving as a law clerk for Judge Clemon after graduating from law school in 1992.

I learned so much serving as his law clerk. I learned more about the practice of law and saw firsthand what justice looks like by witnessing him in his courtroom. Sitting with him in his chambers was always an educational experience. The judge tested my knowledge, stretched my legal acumen, challenged my views, and inspired me to be a better lawyer and person.

I know that I now serve as Alabama's first Black Congresswoman because I was blessed by a transformative experience clerking for Alabama's first Black Federal judge.

I thank his loving family, his wife of 50 years, Ms. Barbara, and his two children, Michelle and Isaac, for sharing him with so many of us.

I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the 80th birthday and the extraordinary career of an exceptional jurist, lawmaker, public servant, and wonderful counselor, Judge U.W. Clemon, whose life's work stands as a testament to the power of one person to change the world.

May the seeds that Judge Clemon sowed continue to bear fruit for generations to come.

Happy birthday, Judge.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary career of a legal trailblazer, Civil Rights activist, scholar, former State Senator, pioneering lawmaker, and my special mentor, the Honorable Judge U.W. Clemon, as he celebrates his 80th birthday on April 9, 2023.

A native of Alabama's 7th Congressional District, Judge Clemon was born to Addie and Moses Clemon in Fairfield in 1943. He began his education in the then-segregated Jefferson County School System, graduating valedictorian of Westfield High School in 1961, then attended Miles College.

At Miles College, Clemon excelled in academics and student activism, serving as SGA President and a leading voice for civil rights on campus. Clemon played a pivotal role in the ``Selective Buying Campaign'' to boycott segregated stores in downtown Birmingham. Because of that boycott, a young Clemon was confronted by ``Bull'' Conner, when he petitioned the Birmingham Commission to remove its segregation laws. Clemon marched in many student demonstrations under the direction of Dr. King, and blazed trails, successfully desegregating the Birmingham Public Library.

Upon graduating from Miles College as valedictorian of the Class of 1965, Clemon fulfilled his childhood goal of becoming an attorney, receiving his law degree in 1968 from the Columbia Law School in New York City. While a law student, Clemon clerked at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. This clerkship led to a life-long association with the organization as local counsel on numerous civil rights lawsuits brought in Alabama.

After law school, Judge Clemon brought his immense talents back home to Birmingham. He spent the next 12 years as a premier civil rights attorney, dedicated to addressing the racial barriers against Black people in Alabama. Clemon was an effective fearless lawyer taking on Coach Paul ``Bear'' Bryant to desegregate the ``all-white'' University of Alabama football team, leading lawsuits against local school boards, large and small employers, and major corporations, including the United States Steel Corporation, which led to the desegregation of the American steel industry.

By 1974, Judge Clemon made history as one of the first two African Americans elected to the Alabama State Senate since Reconstruction. Serving the 15th District for five years, Senator Clemon took the same fearless advocacy to the Alabama State Legislature, chairing two powerful Senate committees--Rules and Judiciary--and was an unrelenting critic of Governor George Wallace's stance on the death penalty and exclusion of African Americans from state boards and agencies.

His successful legal career gained the attention of United States President Jimmy Carter, who appointed then-Senator Clemon to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Ascending to the bench, Judge Clemon made history as Alabama's first Black Federal Judge in 1980 and served as Chief Judge from 1999 through 2006.

During his almost three decades as a federal judge, Judge Clemon presided over numerous federal cases on a variety of issues. His decisions changed the face of our judiciary, and his legacy has had profound effects on Alabama systems and practices in housing, criminal justice, education, employment discrimination, and environmental injustices changing and influencing the landscape of Alabama for generations to come.

Judge Clemon was a highly respected jurist both inside and outside the courtroom, known as a tough but fair judge, demanding that lawyers before him represent their clients competently and effectively. As Chief Judge, the Court developed a better relationship with the community by adopting a more juror-friendly approach, insisting on a diverse jury pool, prioritizing minorities in the court's workforce. In 2009, Judge Clemon retired from the bench submitting his retirement letter to President Barack Obama. It was befitting that Judge Clemon was succeeded by his law clerk Abdul Kallon. Judge Clemon received numerous prestigious awards, holds three honorary degrees, two street names, and an elementary school in his name.

Judge Clemon continues to be a vibrant member of the Birmingham legal community. Now in private practice, he continues to take on cases of the underrepresented, vulnerable, and underserved. A man of faith, Judge Clemon served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for his home church Jones Chapel AME Church and is a current member of the Sixth Avenue Church, where he serves as a deacon. Judge Clemon is a loving and proud husband of Mrs. Barbara L. Clemon for over fifty-five years and the doting father to their daughter Michelle who is a lawyer in Birmingham, following in his footsteps as a graduate of Columbia Law School, and his son Isaac who is a musician in New York City.

On a personal note, Judge U.W. Clemon is a special mentor to me, a trusted advisor and loving father figure. My most formative legal experience was serving as a law clerk for Judge Clemon after graduating from law school in 1992. I learned more about the practice of law and saw first-hand what ``justice'' looks like by witnessing him in the courtroom. Sitting with him in his chamber was always an educational experience. The Judge tested my knowledge, stretched my legal acumen, challenged my moral values, and inspired me to

think and be a better lawyer and person. There is not a major life decision that I made that I didn't get his wise counsel and advise including running for Congress. I know that I now serve as Alabama's first Black Congresswoman because I was blessed by the transformative experience of serving as a law clerk to Alabama's first Black Federal Judge. To say ``thank you'' to him seems woefully inadequate.

As we celebrate his 80th birthday, I want to express my sincere gratitude to Judge Clemon for all the guidance he has given me in my life's journey, and I want to thank Mrs. Barbara and Michelle for sharing the Judge with me. His extraordinary legal career is a testament to the power of one person to change the world. Through his hard work, brilliant mind, fearless determination, and thoughtful legal decisions, he has changed lives. May the seeds he has sown into so many of us, continue to bear the fruit of change. Congratulations for a life well led. Happy 80th Birthday. Here's to many more years.

On behalf of Alabama's 7th Congressional District, I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Happy Birthday and to celebrate the extraordinary career of an exceptional jurist, lawmaker, and public servant, Judge U.W. Clemon, for his decades of service to the State of Alabama and this Nation.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to join with my CBC colleagues in commemorating the 58th anniversary of Bloody Sunday and to call on my colleagues to take action to protect our most valuable and sacred right to vote.

As the daughter of Selma, Alabama, it was in my hometown of Selma, exactly 58 years ago, where John Lewis and the foot soldiers shed blood on the Edmund Pettus Bridge for the equal right of all Americans to vote.

It was in Selma where ordinary Americans peacefully protested so that every American could enjoy the full promise of our democracy.

It was in Selma where these brave foot soldiers were met with tear gas and unspeakable violence, but we know that their sacrifice was not in vain.

Indeed, it was the courage and tenacity of those brave foot soldiers that brought us the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and provided Federal oversight to ensure that no State could restrict the right to vote based on the color of a person's skin.

This past weekend, I was proud to welcome President Biden and a bipartisan delegation of congressional colleagues to Alabama to commemorate the anniversary of Bloody Sunday.

I applaud the President for his appearance at the Edmund Pettus Bridge and his dedication and recommitment to ensuring that our history is never forgotten. Coming to lay eyes on the faces and places of the movement is, indeed, a brave and powerful thing to do.

I also acknowledge that this year was different. It was different not only because the President came to visit us but also because, on January 12, my hometown of Selma suffered a major disaster with a tornado that destroyed thousands of properties in Selma.

So, the President's visit was twofold. It was both an acknowledgment of the importance of voting rights but also an acknowledgment that he and the Federal Government will be there to help my hometown rebuild. After all, Selma is a custodian of America's history. We are merely the custodians of that history.

I honor and applaud my colleagues of the CBC for doing this Special Order hour on voting rights, and I want to say that it is very important that we not only talk about voting rights but that we do something about voting rights.

We passed the John Robert Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which I am so proud to sponsor and be the author of, twice out of the House of Representatives. Both times, it languished over in the Senate because of an archaic procedural rule called the filibuster.

We need to not give up and be tireless in our efforts to ensure that every American has the right to vote. After all, we in the CBC understand all too well that we would not be here if it weren't for the sacrifices of those who came before us, who laid their lives on the line so that this country could live up to its highest ideals of democracy and equality for all.

Again, I commend the CBC and my colleagues tonight. I am honored to join you in making sure that we keep this alive.

It was John Lewis who said that the vote is the most precious, fundamental right in our society. He also reminded us that our struggle is not a struggle for 1 day, 1 week, or 1 year. Our struggle, the struggle for voting rights, is a struggle of a lifetime.

We in the CBC are committed to making sure that we pass the John Robert Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act named after our beloved John Lewis.

I thank you for allowing me to begin this Special Order hour, and I again commend my colleagues for joining us in the fight to make sure that all Americans have access to the ballot box.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and legacy of Ambassador James A. Joseph, who passed away on February 17, 2023, at the age of 87. Although originally from Louisiana, Ambassador Joseph had ties to Tuscaloosa, where he helped lead local civil rights efforts in the 1960s.

Ambassador Joseph served with distinction in under several Presidents, including as Under Secretary of Interior under President Carter and as our Ambassador to South Africa for three years during the Clinton Administration. The only U.S. Ambassador to present his credentials to President Nelson Mandela, he was awarded the Order of Good Hope by the Republic of South Africa in 1999, the highest honor bestowed on a citizen of another country.

Under President Clinton, Ambassador Joseph also served as the founding chair of the Commission on National and Community Service that established AmeriCorps. Reflecting the high regard in which he was held, Ambassador Joseph served under President Ronald Reagan on the Advisory Committee for the

Agency for International Development and on the Board of Advisors for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and as an Incorporating Director of the Points of Lights Foundation under President George H.W. Bush. In 2010, he was honored by the United States Peace Corps for his life-long contributions to voluntarism and civil society.

From 1982 to 1995, Joseph was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Council on Foundations, an international organization of more than 2,000 foundations and corporate giving programs, which changed communities and lives on five continents. He served as a Vice President of Cummins Engine Company, the world's largest producer of heavy-duty diesel engines, and President of the Cummins Foundation from 1971 to 1977, where he was a pioneer in corporate social responsibility and helped fund a broad array of civil rights and civil society organizations.

Ambassador Joseph's journey was historic, having started life on a family farm in Southwest Louisiana, spending his early years in segregated Opelousas, Louisiana--the state headquarters of the Ku Klux Klan--and rising to the heights of achievement and contributions in academia, public service, civil society, and the private sector. My House colleagues may be interested to learn that in high school, he won the state oratory competition and placed second in the national competition to one of my predecessors and role models, the future Congresswoman Barbara Jordan (D-TX), the first Southern African- American woman elected to the United States House of Representatives.

Ambassador Joseph was a leader in the fight for civil rights. After graduating from Southern University in 1956 and obtaining a master's degree from Yale Divinity School in 1963, he taught at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, the national headquarters of the KKK. While at Stillman, Joseph cofounded the local civil rights movement, leading marches, sit- ins, and other protests against segregation, garnering death threats from the KKK. He befriended and worked alongside renown civil rights leaders including The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young, former Congressman John Lewis and William Gray, former National Urban League President Vernon Jordan, and others.

After his government service, Ambassador Joseph continued to find ways to contribute to American society, including serving as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Foundation for Louisiana after Hurricanes Rita and Katrina decimated New Orleans and communities across the southern part of the state.

I ask my colleagues to join me in extending our sincere condolences to Ambassador Joseph's family, including his son and my college classmate, Jeff Joseph, his wife, the former Mary Braxton of Sarasota, Florida, daughter Denise, daughter-in-law Lisa Merman, and granddaughters Jordan and Julia Joseph.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak against the House Republican's effort to block the expansion of voting rights for the people of Washington D.C. This absurd resolution is a clear attempt to block 100,000 residents in D.C. from having access to the ballot box. Our vote is our voice, and it must be defended as a fundamental right for all Americans. Fifty-eight years ago, foot soldiers in my hometown of Selma, Alabama put their lives on the line to ensure that Black Americans could participate in the political process. But sadly, old battles have become new again.

House Republicans are trying to undermine the efforts of those who sacrificed their lives by rushing legislation to the floor that would prevent DC residents from being able to use their voice to make decisions that will impact their everyday lives. This is why I will reintroduce the John Robert Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act because it will protect voters by barring discriminatory voting practices. It is our duty to ensure that every American can exercise their right to vote. I strongly urge my colleague to vote against this voter suppression legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my distinguished guests for the 2023 State of the Union, the Curry family of Selma, Alabama.

Mr. Thomas Curry is a native of Selma who bravely served our Nation for over 30 years in the United States Air Force. Mrs. Annie Curry, his wife, spent over a decade working as a teacher and a counselor at Selma High School.

The Currys have been married for over 60 years and are currently in their nineties. Tragically, as a result of the tornadoes that tore through Alabama on January 12, the Currys lost their home of over 50 years, displacing them and destroying the place where they raised their five children. Luckily, the Currys escaped without injury. God is indeed good.

The people of Alabama's Seventh Congressional District are indeed resilient, and the Curry family represents the very best of us. Their story is yet another reminder of the need for increased Federal assistance for Alabama families impacted by the tornadoes.

I was honored to lead a delegation letter to President Biden asking for 100 percent Federal share, given the dire straits of the historic city of Selma, Alabama, and that of Autauga County.

Mr. Speaker, I am asking my colleagues to welcome the Currys to our Nation's Capitol and keep them in your prayers. We are indeed Selma strong.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the storm damage impacting Alabama's Seventh Congressional District following the devastating tornadoes that struck our State earlier this month.

On January 12, severe storms, including multiple tornadoes, tore through the Southeast, ravaging communities in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and destroying over 16,000 homes. In my district alone, 6,000 properties sustained damage, many to the point of irreversible repair.

Across Alabama's Black Belt, rural communities that were still recovering from financial ruin of COVID-19 were once again devastated.

Hale County, with less than 15,000 residents, lost over 92 homes with an estimated $2 million worth of damage. Greene County and Sumter County, also in my district, sustained damage.

Just outside of my district, in Autauga County, seven precious lives were lost that day. In my beloved hometown of Selma, Alabama, an EF-3 tornado tore through the town center, leveling homes, businesses, churches, and community centers in the Queen City.

I spent much of last week in Selma, boots on the ground, to survey the damage and to assist with the recovery effort. I will never ever forget the scene as I entered Selma that evening. It was pitch black as I crossed the bridge; no lights, just street after street of complete devastation.

The following morning, I was joined by Governor Ivey, Senator Britt, Selma Mayor James Perkins, and State and local officials to tour the wreckage. My heart broke to see the depth of destruction in the light; trees uprooted from the ground, homes destroyed, lives destroyed.

It is not lost on me that this devastation struck our community on MLK weekend. But despite the debris and the horrific scenes that we saw, I did see a vision of what Dr. King meant by a beloved community. I saw neighbor helping neighbor and community members lending a hand to take care of the place that we call home.

I am thankful that President Biden heard our cries and expedited a major disaster declaration for the State of Alabama. This designation will provide critical Federal resources.

I am endlessly grateful to our partners at FEMA who are on the ground right now helping my constituents. Today, the Alabama congressional delegation is sending a letter to President Biden requesting an increase in disaster assistance to Alabama, increasing the Federal share to 100 percent of the total eligible costs. We need this. We need this desperately.

I also thank the many mayors and residents of surrounding communities who offered a helping hand. We are indeed resilient people in Alabama's Seventh Congressional District, and nothing about that will change. Out of this destruction, I know that we have a unique opportunity to reimagine Selma and surrounding areas and to build back better and stronger than before.

We will do all we can, working together at all levels of government to bring every resource at our disposal to those who have been affected.

This evening, at 6:30 Central Time, I will be hosting a live telephone townhall about disaster assistance to answer questions, and for my constituents to hear directly from FEMA and the Alabama EMA on disaster assistance.

I am asking my colleagues to keep Alabama's Seventh Congressional District and all of Alabama that was affected in your thoughts and prayers as we recover and rebuild. But for the grace of God go all of us.

We do need to make sure that our Federal resources are adequate to help those who have been impacted by disasters. We are, indeed, Selma Strong.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary career of Sherri Jackson, who is celebrating her 25th Anniversary at CBS 42 on January 12, 2023.

Sherri is a 2-time Emmy Award-winning journalist who currently serves as the PM Managing Editor and Member of the CBS 42, ``Your Voice, Your Station'' Investigative Team. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Sherri is a graduate of Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Communications.

Prior to making her home in Birmingham in 1998, Sherri worked for WGXA-TV in Macon, GA, WSAV-TV in Savannah, Georiga, and WSAZ-TV in Charleston and Huntington, West Virginia. Since moving to Birmingham, she has blazed trails reporting on the critical conditions affecting the residents of Central Alabama.

Upholding her motto: ``we are all connected,'' Sherri tailors her journalism to focus on healthcare and issues affecting families to ensure that her audience is abreast with news most pertinent to their community. Her exemplary journalism includes the ``Local War on Breast Cancer,'' which highlights research at the University of Alabama- Birmingham's O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her Emmy-winning ``Dangerous Connections'' provided resources informing parents on how to protect their children in this digital age from both predators and bullying.

Gaining a reputation as a truth-seeker, Sherri spearheaded the CBS 42 award-winning coverage of North Birmingham's environmental crisis. Her expert reporting in CBS 42's ``Deadly Deception'' exposed the pollution and provided a voice for generations of families who have suffered this injustice for far too long. As a result of her tenacity, the EPA declared the area a SuperFund Site shortly after.

Sherri's unwavering commitment to telling our stories has made her an invaluable resource for Birmingham and the surrounding area. Her second Emmy Award-winning project, ``Hope and Honor,'' followed Elizabeth MacQueen, a local artist, and sculptress, as she made the Four Spirits Statue in Birmingham's Historic Kelly Ingram Park. She boldly tells the story of Birmingham's efforts to establish a fitting memorial for the Four Little Girls: Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Denise McNair, to ensure that we never forget the tragedy of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing. That same year, Sherri traveled to Washington D.C. to cover one of my proudest moments in Congress the posthumously awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal to the Four Little Girls killed in the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church. As the only local journalist there, the impact of Sherri's journalistic talent brought my constituents from Birmingham to the Capitol, ensuring that they felt represented during the monumental occasion.

For over 2 decades, Sherri has established herself as 1 of the most trusted voices in the world of journalism. Outside of her home at CBS 42, Sherri has also worked with BBC News, hosting their BBC World Service ``Heart and Soul'' broadcast from inside the 16th Street Baptist Church and presenting ``The Cultural Frontline.''

Sherri has received various well-deserved awards and recognition for her work, including being named Best News Anchor by Alabama Broadcasters Association and Associated Press, the 2015 National Headliner Award, and in 2018 received the National Association of Black Journalists Salute to Excellence. Sherri also serves on various boards, including the Foundry Ministries and previously the boards of the Children's Aid Society, UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, Childcare Resources, and American Red Cross Blood Services Alabama. Sherri's civic affiliations include being a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, Radio Television Digital News Association, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

On a personal note, I was honored that Sherri covered my first bill passage that paid tribute to the Four Little Girls who lost their lives in the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama. Like them, Sherri's career and extensive body of work serve as an inspiration to all little girls, especially little black girls who watch her on television and become inspired to follow in her footsteps. Congratulations on your 25th Anniversary at CBS 42. May you continue to anchor for many years to come.

On behalf of Alabama's 7th Congressional District, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the extraordinary career of Sherri Jackson and congratulate her on 25 years of exceptional work at CBS 42.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor news anchor Sherri Jackson, who is celebrating her 25th anniversary today as a trusted voice of the CBS 42 family in Birmingham, Alabama.

Sherri Jackson is an award-winning journalist who currently serves as a managing editor and a member of the CBS 42 investigative team.

Sherri hails from St. Louis, Missouri. She made her home in Birmingham in 1998 and has blazed trails reporting on the critical issues affecting Birmingham and central Alabama.

Sherri's career has earned her praise and recognition, including Best News Anchor by the Alabama Broadcasters Association.

I am grateful to Sherri for traveling to Washington, D.C., in 2013 to cover one of my proudest moments in Congress, awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the four little girls.

I know that my constituents in Birmingham are eternally grateful for her consistent and trusted voice.

I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Sherri Jackson for her extraordinary career and congratulating her on 25 years of exceptional work at CBS 42.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak against H.R. 23. The funding provided through the Inflation Reduction Act is an important step to address the lack of resources for the IRS so that they could do their job.

How many of us have called the IRS and been on the phone waiting for hours only to be told that you were being transferred to yet another department and also continue to be waiting?

Over the past year, the IRS has already been cut by 15 percent, and more cuts means more delays and lack of services for our constituents. As Representative Neal said, the IRS failed to collect over $500 trillion last year alone because of lack of resources, lack of

compliance, and the targeting of those people who are less fortunate through the EITC compliance. They have been hurt.

Mr. Speaker, this is about tax compliance. This is also about racial equity and fairness. Historically, African Americans have been disproportionately audited by the IRS due to their claims of EITC. I ask for fairness and equity and ask for my colleagues to vote ``no'' against this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my support of the bipartisan Jackie Walorski Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Reauthorization Act, or MIECHV.

This legislation represents not only a commitment by me to the mothers, children, and families in my district, but it also reflects a sincere love and respect that this committee has for our late, great, wonderful colleague, Jackie Walorski, and the work that she did on the Ways and Means Committee as chair of this amazing subcommittee.

Currently, over 1,800 pregnant women and new mothers throughout my district in Alabama receive services from the MIECHV program. The actions taken today by the House will ensure that these families will have access to the essential early childhood care that they so critically need for proper growth during a mother and child's early developmental years.

Increased access to home visitation services, including postnatal care and screening for postpartum depression, will guarantee that women, especially those women of color in my district, can continue to have regular access to medical professionals, thus giving them the opportunity to have the highest form of care offered.

Specifically, in my district, the women, children, and families of Dallas, Lowndes, Montgomery, Perry, and Wilcox Counties are poised to benefit from this reauthorization.

I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this. What a wonderful tribute to an amazing public servant. It was an honor not only to work with her but to call her my friend. Let's vote ``yes'' to reauthorize this amazing program.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an American native, an Alabama native, and a civil rights icon, Mrs. Rosa Parks, on the 67th anniversary of her historic arrest.

On this day, December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Mrs. Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, taking a bold stand against Montgomery's segregated bus system. Her dignified courage sparked the beginning of the Montgomery bus boycott and changed the very fabric of our Nation.

As the Representative of Alabama's Seventh Congressional District, I am proud to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 5111, the Rosa Parks Day Act, which would designate today, December 1, as a Federal holiday in her honor.

This bill would ensure that her brave sacrifice will live on in American history forever, and I urge my colleagues to sign on.

As we reflect on her courage, let us never forget the power of ordinary Americans to achieve extraordinary social change.

In the words of Rosa Parks, I urge you all to ``never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 51st Anniversary of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) in Montgomery, Alabama.

Though the SPLC was founded after the passing of the Civil Rights Law of 1964 and the Voting Rights Law of 1965, the founders of the SPLC, two young civil rights lawyers from Montgomery recognized that despite the promises of these laws, life for African Americans in the South remained the same. They witnessed first-hand the devastating effects of racial injustice, and together, Joseph Levin Jr. and Morris Dees committed themselves to provide a voice for the disenfranchised.

Watching our communities strategically excluded from a range of economic and educational opportunities, they took pro bona cases few others were willing to pursue, resulting in the desegregation of recreational facilities, the reapportionment of the Alabama Legislature, and reforms in the state prison system. It was from the work and vision of these two men that the Southern Poverty Law Center was born in 1971.

Specializing in civil rights and public interest litigation, the SPLC has remained dedicated to working directly with communities to dismantle white supremacy, protect voting rights, eradicate poverty, and reform the criminal justice system. Through more than 30 landmark legal victories, the work of the SPLC has spurred systemic reforms in the Deep South and fought to protect our most sacred and fundamental rights.

During its 1981 litigation efforts against the Ku Klux Klan, the SPLC discovered the lack of comprehensive information on American radical groups. Recognizing the vitalness of this resource in the fight to battle injustice, the SPLC created its Intelligence Project and Hatewatch program to monitor and expose such groups. Today, their Intelligence Project tracks more than 1,600 extremist groups in the United States and is an invaluable resource for training and educating the public.

As a forward-facing organization, the SPLC has transformed over the years as a catalyst of change; while also ensuring that we never forget the sacrifice and bravery of those on whose shoulders we stand. Through the Civil Rights Memorial Center, the SPLC has memorialized the stories of the countless known and

unknown Foot Soldiers that fought bled, and died, holding our Nation accountable to its highest ideals of justice and equality. Through honoring the martyrs of the Civil Rights Movement, this center inspires and empowers all its visitors to continue the fight for racial equality and civil rights.

Remaining true to its founding mission--ensure that the promise of the Civil Rights Movement became a reality for all, the SPLC has remained on the front lines in the fight for civil rights, standing up for the powerless, the exploited, and other victims of discrimination and hate. Their critical work has dismantled vestiges of Jim Crow, reformed juvenile justice practices, shattered barriers to equality for women, the LGBT community and the disabled, and protected low-wage immigrant workers from exploitation. Its accomplished history is evidence of an unwavering resolve to promote and protect our nation's most vulnerable by serving as a voice for the voiceless.

On a personal note, for over 50 years, the SPLC has faithfully upheld its rich legacy as a stalwart defender of human rights by providing education, litigation, and public resources to all. As we have seen old battles become new again, your work at the SPLC is as critical today as it was over five decades ago, and I am thrilled that your headquarters is in my district. Congratulations on 51 years of success, and as we honor the living, breathing legacy of the Civil Rights Movement, I am proud to pay tribute to the work done by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

On behalf of Alabama's 7th Congressional District, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 51st anniversary of the Southern Poverty Law Center and its unwavering dedication to ensuring our nation lives up to its most cherished ideals.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the leadership of Dr. Cynthia Warrick, the 7th and first female President of Stillman College, who is retiring on June 30, 2023, after over five wonderful years of service to the college and the surrounding community.

Dr. Warrick obtained her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Howard University. She went on to earn a master's degree in Public Policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a doctorate in Environmental Science and Public Policy from George Mason University.

A pharmacist and health services researcher by trade, Dr. Warrick brought over 20 years of experience to her position as Stillman College President. She began her career in higher education at Howard University. From there, she accepted appointments at the University of Texas Houston Health Science Center, Texas Southern University, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, and Elizabeth City State University. Prior to her tenure at Stillman College, Dr. Warrick's most recent positions include Interim President of Grambling State University and South Carolina State University and senior research and evaluation fellow at Thurgood Marshall College Fund in Washington. Dr. Warrick has been recognized nationally for her leadership and invaluable contributions to healthcare research.

Under the exceptional guidance of Dr. Warrick, Stillman College has made many advancements, expanding its educational programs to ensure that its students are competitive in the 21st-century workforce. Known as a collaborative leader, her focus on academic excellence, administrative accountability, and student success outcomes is evident in her success as president through the increased opportunities for prospective students, stabilization of institution finances, and enhanced donor partnerships. Along with financial and academic growth, Dr. Warrick prioritized historic preservation, working to strengthen Stillman's connection with the Presbyterian Church USA and the West End Tuscaloosa community.

Since her installation in 2017, Stillman College has seen its largest incoming class of freshmen since 2014, an increase in student enrollment, SACSCOC accreditation for another 10 years without any recommendations or further action, and the addition of multiple programs to diversify coursework in business, music, and film. Understanding the power of partnership, Dr. Warrick spearheaded the college's fight to address its debt. By rallying the presidents of over 40 institutions with HBCU capital finance loans, policymakers, and members of Congress, she pushed for the deferment of the loans and, through hard work and dedication, got the entire 40-million-dollar debt eliminated, making Stillman College debt-free.

Over the past five years, Stillman's grant funding and sponsored programs have increased tremendously to over 12.8 million dollars by leveraging the resources Stillman already had. As an avid supporter of HBCUs, Dr. Warrick saw the potential in Stillman despite the many challenges she faced during her tenure to meet the current and future needs of Stillman's student body. Dr. Warrick expanded the graduate school pathways through an existing partnership with the University of Alabama and established summer research opportunities within biomedical sciences with Drexel University, the Salk Institute, and LaJolla Research Institute in Immunology. Continuing to blaze trails and create new opportunities for her students, she secured a historic annual appropriation from the State of Alabama Education Trust Fund.

Under the strong helm of Dr. Warrick, Stillman College has strengthened its nurturing environment for students to thrive, providing them with the resources they need to stay successful and competitive in the 21st century. Taking her experience as a researcher into her position as president, Dr. Warrick's dynamic vision has set the foundation for a bright future for Stillman College, leaving a lasting impact on the administration, student body, and Tuscaloosa community for years to

come. Although I know she will continue to serve the community of Stillman College, I sincerely hope that her retirement is filled with the joy of spending time with family and friends.

On a personal note, it has been an honor getting to know Dr. Warrick and to be her partner on the federal level in securing more funding and better opportunities in furtherance of the mission of Stillman College. Dr. Warrick has been a tireless advocate, fierce negotiator, and passionate champion for the students, faculty, and alumni of Stillman College. She has utilized her professional experience and extensive knowledge, leveraging her impressive network to steer this historic institution through perilous times and set it on a more solid financial footing extending its future viability. We wish her well in her retirement and thank her for her phenomenal leadership of Stillman College.

On behalf of Alabama's 7th Congressional District, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the extraordinary leadership and service of Dr. Cynthia Warrick and her contributions as President of Stillman College.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the lives and legacies of four precious little girls--Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Morris Wesley--who died within the sacred walls of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, 59 years ago.

On September 15, 1963, as the four little girls were getting dressed in the bathroom of the church basement, preparing to sing in the choir, 19 sticks of dynamite placed under the church detonated and totally exploded, causing the interior walls to actually cave in.

The crowd of about 200 people who gathered for the 11 a.m. service evacuated the church. But the church was filled with smoke, and underneath the debris lie four little girls.

Along with the little girls who lost their lives, dozens of others were injured that day, including Sarah Collins Rudolph, the younger sister of Addie Mae Collins, who was in the basement with her sister and the other girls preparing for church that day.

Due to the violently racist nature of the attack, thousands of African Americans protested across the State of Alabama. In response, George Wallace called the police to break up the demonstrations.

The violent clashes between protesters and police resulted in massive arrests and the tragic loss of two more lives, two little boys who died that day, Johnny Robinson and Virgil Ware. The two boys, one 16 and the other 13, were killed within hours of the church bombing.

Following the attack, several people, many of whom were members of the KKK, were arrested, but none of them--none of them--were actually prosecuted until 34 years later.

Described by Dr. Martin Luther King as one of the most vicious and tragic crimes ever perpetrated against humanity, this racially motivated act of terrorism focused America's eyes on Birmingham, Alabama, bringing into sharp clarity the injustices that sparked the civil rights movement.

Although we will never replace the lives lost or injuries suffered, the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 proved that their sacrifices were not in vain.

Today, as we reflect on our painful history, we are reminded that every gain in the battle for civil rights has come at a high cost paid by those who sacrificed everything for a vision and a dream bigger than themselves.

As a direct beneficiary of the legacy of the four little girls, I was honored that the very first bill that I passed in this body posthumously bestowed upon them the Congressional Gold Medal to ensure that this Nation will never forget their sacrifice.

I not only question where I would be today without the influence of the four little girls, but more importantly, I question where America would be today. The premature and senseless deaths of these four little girls awakened the slumbering conscience of America and galvanized the civil rights movement.

It was their memory that carried John Lewis and those brave foot soldiers, unarmed and unafraid, across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in my hometown of Selma, Alabama.

It was their sacrifice which burned in the mind of President Lyndon Johnson as he signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

It was their sacrifice that inspired a generation of freedom fighters to move this Nation closer to its highest ideals of equality and justice for all.

Madam Speaker, as we commemorate the 59th year since the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church, we, as Americans, are called upon to reflect on the legacy of the four little girls and to know them by name: Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson, Denise McNair, and Cynthia Morris Wesley. These four little girls and the loss of their lives have changed America forever.

The legacy of the four little girls paved the way for a more equitable and more just future. For that, we owe it to them to pick up the baton and carry it forward.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in commemorating the 59th anniversary of the lives of Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Morris Wesley.

May we always remember their names: Addie Mae, Denise, Carole, and Cynthia.