Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4--the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Growing up in

Selma, Alabama, under the shadow of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the history of the Civil Rights Movement was not something I had to learn in school. The foot soldiers of the movement were not names or pictures in a history book. They were a vital and vibrant part of my community-- they were my school teachers, church members and my neighbors.

The Edmund Pettus Bridge loomed large over my hometown of Selma, serving as a constant reminder, not only of Bloody Sunday, but of the national movement that ultimately led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Fifty-six years later, the cause for which the foot soldiers, like our beloved colleague John Lewis, marched, bled and some died for, is now our cause too. Today, old battles have become new again as we face the most pernicious assault on the right to vote in generations. It's clear: federal oversight is urgently needed. By preventing states with a recent history of voter discrimination from restricting the right to vote, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act restores the full promise of our democracy and advances the legacy of those brave foot soldiers like John Lewis who dedicated their lives for the sacred right to vote.

Over eight years ago, the Supreme Court's Shelby County v. Holder decision gutted key provisions of the Voting Rights Act that, for decades, prevented states from enacting discriminatory and restrictive voter suppression laws. In her dissent, Justice Ginsburg wrote that ``throwing out preclearance when it has worked and is continuing to work to stop discriminatory changes is like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.'' Justice Ginsburg was right, and over eight years later, we are drenched to the bone.

Driven by the Big Lie, state lawmakers have introduced over 400 bills in 49 states just this year that would restrict the right to vote. In 18 states, these anti-voter bills have already been signed into law. These laws are intended to allow politicians to pick and choose whose voices are heard by subjecting voters to longer lines, inaccessible polling places, strict voter ID requirements, broken voting machines, and purges of voter rolls.

Furthermore, earlier this summer, the Supreme Court weakened another essential section of the Voting Rights Act in the Brnovich decision by upholding Arizona's discriminatory voter restrictions intended to target Latino and other minority voters.

Let me be clear: Today our nation faces a critical juncture. As President Biden said, this represents the most significant test of our democracy since the Civil War. Without congressional action to restore and modernize the Voting Rights Act, a fundamental pillar of our great democracy will crumble.

But we have a solution. H.R. 4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act will restore and modernize key provisions of the VRA which were gutted by the Supreme Court.

Most importantly, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act provides Federal oversight of states and political subdivisions that have a significant and recent history of voting rights violations by requiring those with a specific number of repeated violations in the preceding 25 years to receive preclearance. The bill also provides for a practice-based preclearance coverage to target those jurisdictions that have enacted measures that have historically been used to suppress the right to vote.

Moreover, H.R. 4 clarifies Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in response to the Supreme Court's recent Brnovich decision where it improperly changed congressional intent behind the standard for determining vote denial cases under the VRA. Other principal provisions of H.R. 4 include increased transparency and notice requirements for states and political subdivisions, strengthened protections for voters before certain discriminatory laws have been implemented, and expanded authority for use of federal election observers.

As a daughter of Selma and the Congresswoman who represents the Civil Rights District, I know the injustices suffered on the Edmund Pettus Bridge have not yet been fully vindicated. Progress is elusive, and every generation must fight and fight again to preserve the progress of the past and advance it. This is our generation's time to act to protect our democracy.

The need for Congress to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act has never been more urgent.

From our dear friend and colleague John Lewis, we learned of the importance of getting into necessary trouble--``good trouble.'' Now more than ever, it is time for Congress to act to preserve our democracy--to get into ``good trouble'' for the people.

I urge all my colleagues, both Democrat and Republican, to vote in favor of H.R. 4 and to restore the full protections of the Voting Rights Act.

Madam Speaker, I proudly represent Alabama's 7th District--the Civil Rights District--which includes the historic cities of Birmingham, Montgomery and my hometown of Selma.

I am honored to participate in the Congressional Black Caucus Special Order Hour on the heels of the anniversary of the death of the great Congressman John R. Lewis, my dear friend and mentor. I would also be remiss if I did not acknowledge the passing of Robert Parris Moses, another civil rights icon who was beaten and jailed while fighting for the precious right to vote. I am reminded daily of the sacrifices made by John, Robert, and the other countless foot soldiers.

For me, growing up in Selma, under the shadow of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the history of the Voting Rights Movement was not something I had to learn in school.

The Foot Soldiers of the Movement were not pictures or names in a history book, they were a vital and vibrant part of the community in Selma--they were my teachers, my church members, my piano teacher, our firefighters and even my babysitter.

Their valiant, collective efforts put Selma on the map in a way that no one could have imagined, so much so that we still celebrate and commemorate those efforts today.

The movement continues, because it must--because the fight for equity is as important now as it was in 1965. Selma is still now.

Old Battles have become new again. Since the Supreme Court in Shelby County vs. Holder gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in 2013, state legislatures all across the nation have passed restrictive voter laws making it harder for people to vote, especially for Black Americans and other minority voters.

Today, driven by the Big Lie of a ``stolen election,'' opponents to our democracy have ramped up their efforts to restrict access to the ballot box.

Just this year, lawmakers have introduced at least 389 bills in 48 states that would restrict the right to vote. And in 17 states, these anti-voter bills have already been signed into law. These laws are intended to allow politicians to pick and choose whose voices are heard by subjecting voters to:

longer lines,

inaccessible polling places,

strict voter ID requirements,

broken voting machines,

purges of voter rolls,

and voter registration complications.

These new tactics may not require us to count how many jellybeans are in a jar or recite the names of every county in Alabama, they are the same old tricks in disguise. Indeed, voter suppression is still alive and well.

As if these bills weren't enough, earlier this month, the Supreme Court upheld Arizona's discriminatory, anti-voter laws that were designed to target Latino and other minority voters. Specifically, the Court found that Arizona's out-of-precinct policy, which requires ballots to be thrown out if they were not cast in the assigned precinct, and its third-party ballot collection policy, which limits who can collect vote-by-mail ballots, were not discriminatory and did not violate section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Simply put, the Court got it wrong.

Arizona's out-of-precinct and third-party collection ballot policies created unfair burdens and disproportionately impacted minority voters and, as a result, Arizona's election system was not equally open to all Arizona voters, particularly for Native American, Hispanic, and Black voters. Unfortunately, with this ruling the Court chose not to protect the precious right to vote and instead weakened a different provision of the Voting Rights Act, section 2, and made it harder for victims of voter discrimination to seek justice.

Let me be clear: Today we face a critical juncture. We are up against the most coordinated state-level effort to restrict the right to vote in generations and a Supreme Court keen on destroying our nation's most important voting rights law.

Luckily, we have a solution.

Democrats in Congress are committed to passing federal legislation to restore and protect the sacred right to vote for generations to come, and I'm so proud to be leading that fight.

My bill, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act, or H.R. 4, would restore and modernize key provisions of the Voting Rights Act that were gutted by the Supreme Court. It would once again prohibit any state or jurisdiction with a history of discrimination from implementing any election changes without receiving preclearance from U.S. Department of Justice.

The need for Congress to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act has never been so urgent. Without federal protections against discrimination, states across the country have and will continue to enact new voter suppression tactics that subject voters to: longer lines; inaccessible polling places; strict voter ID requirements; broken voting machines; and more.

That's why I'm hard at work drafting this legislation with the House Judiciary Committee and stakeholder groups. We are on track to have the bill ready for introduction in the coming weeks.

Never did I think the cause for which John Lewis marched for 56 years ago--the Voting Rights Act would require congressional action to restore its full protection.

It reminds us that progress is elusive and every generation must fight and fight again.

The legacy of my district requires that I pick up this baton of voter equality and continue the next leg--their Cause is my Cause too.

I look forward to introducing H.R. 4, The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act, because the reality is--we have not yet achieved the America that John dreamed of.

John knew that our Country's best days lie ahead of us, but we must seize the opportunities to enact change every day.

He understood that democracy is not the whim or edict of one person; it is a constant, collective act of reinvention. We are a nation founded on a call to action--to strive daily for a more perfect union.

Every one of us has a role to play. As leaders we must lead and as citizens we must Vote.

May we all recommit ourselves to the ideals of equality and justice for which the foot soldiers marched. Let our words and actions stir the soul of our Nation.

John gave us his final Call to Action: John said, ``Never give up, Never give in, Keeping the faith, Keep your eyes on the prize.''

Let's get into Good Trouble.

Madam Speaker, on the 67th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education ruling, I rise to pay tribute to the three living students who desegregated universities within Alabama's 7th Congressional District, as well as Attorney Fred Gray who assisted and led the litigation for each of these students.

Over 60 years ago today, the United States Supreme Court declared that the doctrine established by Plessy v. Ferguson of ``separate but equal'' no longer reflected this country's moral and legal principles. Officially declaring racial segregation in schools as unconstitutional, this case established and upheld the American principles of racial equality and justice for all. While Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark decision towards a more just and equal America, Dr. King said, ``the arc of the moral universe is long.'' While this case blazed trails for the progression of our society, the legacy of Jim Crow has deep roots, making it our responsibility to continue to fight against injustice.

This year, as we honor the living, breathing legacy of the Brown decision, it is critically important that we pay tribute to the sacrifices made by the three living students who took on the charge of desegregating institutions of higher education in Alabama: Autherine Lucy (age 91), Wendall Gunn (age 79), and Harold Franklin (age 88).

On September 4, 1952, Autherine Lucy submitted her application to the then segregated University of Alabama. Despite being accepted to the university, once the administration realized that Autherine was African American, her acceptance was withdrawn. Autherine was allowed to attend the university after receiving support from the community, two civil rights attorneys, and the Brown decision. As the first institution of higher education to be tested by the Brown decision, many believed that Autherine's sacrifices set the precedent for integrating institutions of higher education, yet many minority students after her continued to fight against institutionalized segregation.

In July 1963, 7 years after Autherine was admitted to the University of Alabama, Wendell Gunn attempted to enroll in Florence College, now known as the University of North Alabama. After being sent to the university president's office, Wendell was told that he could not be admitted without a federal court order. Once again, attorney Fred Gray took on the case upholding his simple declaration to ``destroy everything segregated.''

In January of the following year, Harold Franklin walked onto the campus of Auburn University as the school's first African American student. Similarly, Harold's enrollment to the university was met with strong opposition from those dedicated to preserving segregation within public schools despite the Brown decision. As a result, after ``completing'' every requirement to obtain his master's degree, he was not able to defend his master's thesis and graduate until February of 2020.

As a proud product of Selma High School and its first Black valedictorian, I stand on the

shoulders of so many who were denied access to great public schools in the name of institutionalized segregation. Understanding this, we know that 67 years later the fight to ensure that all people are afforded access to a quality education continues throughout this Nation. Today as we reflect on the Brown v. Board of Education decision, may we be renewed by the tenacity and bravery of Autherine Lucy, Wendall Gunn, and Harold Franklin and the perseverance of Attorney Fred Gray.

On behalf of Alabama's 7th Congressional District, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to these three students and Attorney Gray for their contributions to reshaping education in Alabama and across our Nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and exemplary service of Pastor Edgar Baxter Morris, the beloved senior pastor of the historic First Baptist Church on North Ripley Street in Montgomery, Alabama who passed away on Sunday, May 2, 2021 surrounded by family. Pastor E. Baxter Morris was a devoted community leader and former Montgomery Police Department chaplain. He served for 50 years as the pastor of the iconic First Baptist Church, which was once pastored by Rev. Ralph Abernathy, a key strategist and architect of the Civil Rights Movement and Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Pastor Morris was born the second of two children to Mr. and Mrs. Willie and Ella Beatrice Morris in Anniston, Alabama. He studied at Jacksonville State University, Selma University, and Alabama State University. He continued his education at the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education and Samford University Extension Division. Later, Pastor Morris returned to the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education and the State Congress to serve as both an instructor and lecturer.

Pastor Morris was called to ministry on'August 20, 1972. As a faithful public servant to his community, Pastor Morris served as Chaplain for Montgomery Police Department for over 20 years and as a mentor for Montgomery police officers and their families. As the senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama for almost 50 years, Pastor Morris worked tirelessly to uphold the legacy of this historic church by promoting social justice and equity. Pastor Morris held numerous leadership positions within religious and community organizations. He is the past moderator of the Montgomery-Antioch of Christian Education, lecturer of the State Congress of Christian Education, missionary for the Alabama Baptist Southeast District State Convention, and lecturer of the Alabama Southeast District State Convention Women's Department.

Known as an active community leader, Pastor Morris dedicated his life to the police officers of Montgomery and to their families. He offered mentorship and support to police officers and emergency first- responders throughout his career. He served on various boards in Montgomery and the surrounding community including the Montgomery Area Mental Health Authority. Pastor Morris was also a member of the Fraternal Order and Masonic, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., and the Inspector General 33 deg. United Supreme Council A.A.S.R. of Freemasonry, S.J., Inc. Prince Hall.

Pastor Morris is survived by his loving and faithful wife, Rebie Morris, four children, twelve grandchildren, one great-grandniece, three nephews, one godson, and a host of other relatives and friends including his First Baptist Church Family, Ministerial Circle, Sigma Brothers, Zeta Sisters, and Masonic Family.

On a personal note, I am eternally grateful for the tremendous community contributions made by Pastor Morris and the dedicated congregation of First Baptist Church. Under the leadership of Pastor Morris, First Baptist Church opens its doors to thousands of travelers from across the world who want to learn more about the role this church played during the Civil Rights Movement. Pastor Morris remained committed to preserving and furthering the legacy of activism at First Baptist Church fostered by his predecessor Rev. Ralph Abernathy. I am especially appreciative of the warm and generous hospitality shown by Pastor Morris and the entire congregation of the First Baptist Church. They have served as the hosts for Members of Congress during the annual Faith and Politics Civil Rights Pilgrimage since 1998. Year after year, the highlight of the pilgrimage for many of my colleagues was the ``five-star'' Saturday Brunch hosted by Pastor Morris and his congregation. We will surely miss his warm smile, congenial personality, infinite wisdom, compassionate heart, and generous spirit. May we be comforted in knowing that the legacy of service and unwavering faith of Pastor Morris will live on in the hearts and actions of those he impacted.

On behalf of Alabama's 7th Congressional District, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the life and legacy of Pastor Edgar Baxter Morris and his contributions to the Montgomery community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Reverend Roy L. Ferguson, a beloved pastor and active community leader who passed away at the age of 76 on April 15, 2021. In 1983, Rev. Ferguson was elected Pastor of Saint John Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he served his congregation valiantly for 38 years. Demonstrating a continued dedication to public service, Rev. Ferguson contributed to the lives of many through mentorship and ministry, lifting spirits and soothing troubled souls.

Born on July 16, 1945, in Pickensville, Alabama, Rev. Ferguson graduated from Mississippi Valley College, where he studied physical education. He continued his education attending Birmingham Bible College and Samford University. In 1978, Rev. Ferguson answered the call to ministry under the leadership of Dr. J.C. Curry, Pastor of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Flint, Michigan. Shortly after, Rev. Ferguson's employer transferred him to Tuscaloosa, where he began his tenure as an associate minister at Saint John Baptist Church in 1982. He married Coleen Hudson, and together they had seven children.

Rev. Ferguson was a dedicated public servant who contributed to the progression of Civil and Human Rights through his positions as a board member of the State Southern Christian Leadership Conference, President Emeritus of the Tuscaloosa County Chapter Southern Christian Conference, and President of Tuscaloosa Ministerial Alliance. Expanding his influence outside of ministry, Rev. Ferguson gave back to the Tuscaloosa community by acting as a mentor in the Stars Program at Tuscaloosa City Schools and Tuscaloosa Juvenile Detention Center. He lived his life by example, encouraging the members of his community and congregation to live up to their full potential in Christ.

Throughout his life, Rev. Ferguson prioritized the importance of teaching the next generation about Black history. He believed that if we are to truly bring about change in this Nation, it is our responsibility to preserve the legacy of those on whose shoulders we stand.

On a personal note, I am eternally grateful for the support, friendship, and wise counsel that Rev. Ferguson and his dedicated wife Coleen always extend to me. The amazing congregation of St. John Baptist Church was a special refuge to my staff and I and will always be a comforting source of love and support. I am forever indebted to Rev. Ferguson for representing Alabama's 7th Congressional District at the National Day of Prayer in Washington, D.C. I could always count on Rev. Ferguson to extend his ministry for the good of our community. I was constantly reminded by the example that Rev. Ferguson set on how to extend favor and fulfillment to others. May we find comfort in knowing that the legacy of Rev. Ferguson will live in the many people that he touched. Let us be renewed by his giving spirit to make a difference in our communities. Rest In Peace.

On behalf of Alabama's 7th Congressional District, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the extraordinary life and legacy of Reverend Roy L. Ferguson and his outstanding contributions to the Tuscaloosa community.

Madam Speaker, on March 11, 2021, I missed the vote on the Motion to Recommit for H.R. 8. If present, I would have voted no.

Mr. Speaker, today is a day of great progress and great promise. I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the American Rescue Plan.

The American Rescue Plan will save lives and livelihoods. It will put vaccines in the arms of Americans and provides $20 billion in a nationwide vaccine plan.

It also puts children safely back in schools with a nearly $130 billion investment. It will put money in people's pockets by delivering $1,400 stimulus checks, as well as expand reliable childcare and affordable healthcare. It will extend unemployment benefits to 18 million Americans and so many Alabamians that I represent.

It will put people back to work by providing critical support for the hardest hit small businesses, expanding PPP eligibility and much more. It will give lots of needed money directly to localities, to local cities and counties. In fact, $472 million of direct funding will come to the State of Alabama in my district.

Mr. Speaker, I want my constituents to know and all Americans to know that help is indeed on the way.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, the PRO Act.

Just last weekend, I invited a number of our Democratic colleagues to come to my district and stand in solidarity with the Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama, who are voting this month on whether to join the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union.

Mr. Speaker, it is because of unions that we have a 5-day workweek. It is because of unions that we have safer working conditions all across America. Congress must do more to protect the basic right to join a union.

If we pass the PRO Act, workers in Bessemer and workers across this country will have stronger collective bargaining rights and more streamlined union election processes. We would also have meaningful enforcement for companies that violate workers' rights.

The workers in my Alabama district deserve a fair election that is free of influence from management.

Mr. Speaker, the Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama, are following a rich tradition of ordinary Alabamians, standing up and fighting for civil rights and human rights. I am asking my colleagues to stand with the workers in Bessemer and around this country by passing the PRO Act.

Madam Speaker, on Monday, March 8, 2021, I was unavoidably detained and missed the vote on the Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on the Rule (H. Res. 188). If present, I would have voted YEA.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted yea on rollcall No. 63.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Joyce Beatty.

I would like to thank the original anchors of tonight's and every CBC Special Order hour, the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) and the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Torres). I thank them for relinquishing to me, just for tonight's Special Order hour, the opportunity to be a guest anchor.

Yesterday, we commemorated the 56th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, an event in American history where ordinary Americans in my hometown of Selma, Alabama, brought about extraordinary social change as they peacefully demonstrated for the equal right to vote.

Each year, those foot soldiers would return to the Edmund Pettus Bridge to seek renewal, rededication, recommitment to the cause for which they fought, the cause of justice and equality. These heroes, known and unknown, risked their very lives for the opportunity of all Americans to vote.

So many people got to read about it in their history books. I got to live it, being a native of Selma, Alabama, a daughter of Selma, but also a lifetime member of the historic Brown Chapel AME Church, where those marchers gathered peacefully before they walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

Yesterday was a solemn day. I did so walking across that bridge without John Lewis. Congressman Lewis is known to so many as an icon. But when you grow up in Selma, Alabama, he is more than just that. He was our hero. Only in America could a little, Black girl grow up and watch her hero, year after year after year, always during Bloody Sunday, come back to Selma to remind the world that his cause, their cause, was not over yet.

We know that progress is elusive. We know that every generation must fight and fight again for the progress that was made by the previous generation, and they must advance it as well.

When I look at John Lewis on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, I can't help but be reminded of the very young John Lewis who, 56 years ago, carried a backpack.

Now, you know, madam co-anchor, that in that backpack, he had an apple, he had a toothbrush, and he had a Bible. He said that he wanted to be prepared to spend the night in jail.

He and Hosea Williams and 600 marchers peacefully marched for the right to vote. But they were met on that bridge by a sea of Alabama State Troopers who told them that they had 5 minutes to disperse--5 minutes to disperse. They wanted to gather and pray. They almost started to kneel, but they didn't have time to do that, because the very people whose job it was to protect and serve the people were the ones who beat them with billy clubs while riding horseback and gassed them.

When I think about John Lewis, it is this iconic picture of John being beaten at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

He wasn't alone. So many people that people don't know about, like Amelia Boynton Robinson, who I had the great fortune, during the 215th State of the Union, on the 100th anniversary, to be my special guest. Ms. Boynton, not quite as known as John Lewis, but nevertheless a foot soldier for justice, beaten and battered on a bridge. As John would say, he shed and they shed a little blood on a bridge for America to live up to its promise, its promise of equality and justice for all.

Old battles have become new again, and John knew that that progress was elusive. He started a pilgrimage, congressional bipartisan pilgrimage. He wanted his colleagues in Congress to experience walking in his footsteps through Birmingham, Montgomery, and Selma. Year after year we would march; year after year we would march.

Faith in politics. I know so many people who will be speaking tonight will be pictured right here on this amazing photo. People like Steny Hoyer, Barbara Lee, Sheila Jackson Lee, so many would come year after year with John.

Why was it important for us to come? It was important, because as John said, we must never forget.

When I got the news that John passed--you know, we knew that pancreatic cancer, stage 4, was a kiss of death, but we also knew if anyone could fight it, it would be John. I can remember sitting in my bedroom, as I heard about John's death, having spoken to him only 2 weeks prior, my heart was heavy. But at the same time, my spirit soared, because I knew that we had an opportunity to walk among an angel right here on Earth, that he gave us the roadmap, he told us that we must never give up, that we must never give in, that we have to keep the faith.

He believed, more than anything, that America's best days were ahead of it. It is now incumbent upon us to pick up that baton and to carry it to the next leg.

Who would have ever thought when I was a child sitting in Brown Chapel, singing in the choir, singing in the choir on those commemorative Bloody Sundays, with Coretta Scott King there, Juanita Abernathy there, C. T. Vivian there, Joseph Lowery there, and John Lewis there--but one, by one, by one, they are now gone. And we, who are their beneficiaries, must pick up their cause. Their cause must become our cause, too.

I never would have thought that 56 years would pass, and I, as Alabama's first Black Congresswoman, would have to seek congressional action in order to enforce the very bill that John Lewis and so many unknown Americans bludgeoned on a bridge in Selma--that we, Congress Members, must stand up to the task.

The Shelby v. Holder decision struck down section 4. But H.R. 4, the John

Robert Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, would fully restore the protections of the Voting Rights Act.

What a befitting tribute to John Robert Lewis, the Boy from Troy, that we not only walk the walk and talk the talk, but that we pick up that mantle and we pass H.R. 4.

Now, I know we are going to get it through the House. I know that. I know that my colleagues are committed. I also know that the Biden- Harris administration wants to sign a bill that will put section 4 back into the Voting Rights Act.

What I am not sure is if we can get enough of our Republican colleagues--so many of whom came on those pilgrimages with John Lewis, walked side by side in a bipartisan effort to show the world that what happened on those sacred places in my district, Birmingham--to visit the 16th Street Baptist Church where the four little girls were killed, to see in Montgomery the very spot where Rosa Parks could not sit on a bus, to walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. It was not just a photo op, I pray, but rather a call to action that now they, too, can pay it forward.

When we file H.R. 4, it will be after we have prepared, had an evidentiary hearing and all the evidence. We will be informed. That formula will be informed by the most egregious of actors, because we know it has to be narrowly tailored. We know that we can't just submit the same formula, and we won't. Because here is what is important: What is important is Federal oversight, as we have seen State after State recently impose more egregious, restrictive photo I.D. laws and restrictive barriers to voting.

I am honored today to be a part of this tribute to John Lewis. I know so many want to speak. I am just going to say in closing, John is always in our midst, because John's call to action was very familiar to all of us. He told us that ours was not a struggle of one day, not even one lifetime. He told us that ours was a struggle for a cause greater than us and that that beloved community was possible if people of goodwill, Black and White, Republican and Democrat, Christian and all the religions, if we would just do the right thing, that when we see such injustice, we have to stand up and fight it out.

Can't you hear him? I can. Never give up. Never give in. Get into some good trouble, necessary trouble, and we look forward to doing that for John Robert Lewis.

Mr. Speaker, I'm Congresswoman Terri Sewell and I proudly represent Alabama's Seventh District--the Civil Rights District--which includes the historic cities of Birmingham, Montgomery and my hometown of Selma.

It's an honor for me to guest anchor with Sheila Jackson Lee tonight. I am honored to participate in the First Annual John Lewis Good Trouble Special Order Hour on the heels of the 56th Anniversary of the Bloody Sunday March.

In 2020 we mourned the loss of a giant: the late, great Congressman John Lewis; my dear friend and mentor.

Though I am reminded daily of the sacrifices made by John and the known and unknown foot soldiers on that bridge 56 years ago, this commemoration feels unmistakably different.

Each year, John would lead a congressional delegation onto the bridge in my hometown where he was bludgeoned for the sacred right to vote. Every time, you felt like you were there with him, overwhelmed with emotion and grounded by courage as he stood before the brigade of police officers telling him and the rest to turn back.

In March 2020, John, battling cancer, surprised everyone, arriving at the 55th anniversary of the march to speak at the apex of the bridge.

That was John--relentless in the fight for what he believed in and willing to risk his life for the betterment of humanity.

The horrific events of Bloody Sunday brought the reality of the fight for voting rights to living rooms across our country. It was there, in my hometown of Selma, where ordinary Americans dared to follow through on their extraordinary commitment to justice and equality for all, that led to the signing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

For me, growing up in Selma, under the shadow of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the history of the voting rights movement was not something I had to learn in school.

The foot soldiers of the movement were not pictures or names in a history book, they were a vital and vibrant part of the community in Selma--they were my teachers, my church members, my piano teacher, our firefighters and even my babysitter.

Their valiant, collective efforts put Selma on the map in a way that no one could have imagined, so much so that we still celebrate and commemorate those efforts today.

The movement continues, because it must--because the fight for equity is as important now as it was in 1965. Selma is still now.

Old battles have become new again. Since the Supreme Court in Shelby v. Holder gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in 2013, state legislatures all across the Nation have passed restrictive voter laws making it harder for certain people to vote.

As a result of November's historic electoral victories, many Republican state legislators, Members of Congress, and far-right interest groups are working overtime to keep voters from the ballot box by introducing hundreds of new voting restrictions across the country.

Without federal protections against discrimination, States across the country have enacted new voter suppression tactics that subject voters to: longer lines; inaccessible polling places; strict voter ID requirements; broken voting machines; and more.

Twenty-eight states have enacted and implemented voter ID laws since 2010 and, in just two months, 250 restrictions have been introduced in 43 states.

Indeed, voter suppression is still alive and well.

Never did I think the cause for which John Lewis marched for 56 years ago--the VOTING RIGHTS ACT would require congressional action to restore its full protection.

It reminds us that progress is elusive and every generation must fight and fight again.

The legacy of my district requires that I pick up this baton of voter equality and continue the next leg--their cause is my cause too.

I look forward to introducing H.R. 4, The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act, because the reality is--we have not yet achieved the America that John dreamed of.

John knew that our Country's best days lie ahead of us, but we must seize the opportunities to enact change every day.

He understood that democracy is not the whim or edict of one person; it is a constant, collective act of reinvention. We are a Nation founded on a call to action--to strive daily for a more perfect union.

Every one of us has a role to play. As leaders we must lead and as citizens we must vote.

May we all be renewed by the 56th Bloody Sunday anniversary and recommit ourselves to the ideals of equality and justice for which the foot soldiers marched. Let our words and actions stir the soul of our Nation.

John gave us his final call to action: John said, ``Never give up, never give in, keep the faith, keep your eyes on the prize.''

Let's get into good trouble.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the American Rescue Plan. This past January marked 1 year since the first case of coronavirus was found in the United States. In my home State of Alabama, nearly 10,000 people have contracted COVID-19 and almost 9,000 have died, and over half a million of the workers have filed for unemployment.

We know that the effects of this pandemic have disproportionately impacted our communities of color and low-income workers, who are more likely to be frontline workers and less likely to be able to afford access to quality healthcare.

Thankfully, because of the leadership of the new Biden administration, we recently witnessed a record drop in COVID cases and hospitalizations in Alabama; and with over 815,000 vaccine doses administered in our State, hope is finally on the horizon.

That said, we have a long way to go before there are enough of the vaccines available to our communities to be really safe from the virus.

As this pandemic continues, I know Alabama families are struggling to make ends meet.

The time for decisive action is now. I strongly support the American Rescue Plan because it will not only crush the virus, but also help us to get back to schools safely, as well as to provide emergency financial support to struggling families and small businesses.

First, the President's American Rescue Plan will create a national vaccination program that will make sure that underrepresented communities are not left behind. The bill also ramps up testing and contact tracing, increases the supply of critically needed PPE, and makes healthcare more accessible by enhancing the Advanced Premium Tax Credit.

That was so important to so many Americans who could not afford otherwise to purchase quality healthcare coverage. This is critical in a non-Medicaid expansion State like Alabama, where people have fewer available healthcare coverage options.

Secondly, the American Rescue Plan delivers immediate financial relief to working families. This bill would provide critically needed $1,400 economic assistance checks to individuals so we can help families recover and cover the costs of necessary expenses, like childcare, groceries, rent, utilities, and so much more.

I also fought to ensure that the unemployment insurance was extended and expanded to $400 a week from $300 a week. This is so important. When we think about the fierce urgency of now, we know that the unemployment, the Federal pandemic unemployment insurance benefits will actually expire March 14 if we do not act. That is why it is so incredibly important that we here in Congress do our part.

I also worked with my colleagues in the Ways and Means Committee to ensure that the American Rescue Plan includes important provisions for our most vulnerable families. I am proud that the package includes an additional $7.6 million in childcare funding for the State of Alabama, which will help our frontline and hourly workers, who have been our true heroes in this pandemic.

Furthermore, the package provides over $10 million for Alabama through a TANF pandemic emergency fund so that families with necessary emergency needs get the essentials that are so necessary for their survival.

I am especially proud this bill will also include lifesaving expansion to child tax credit and earned income tax credit, and I have championed that for many years. In my district alone, 53 percent of the children do not receive the full benefits of this credit because it is not fully refundable. We will make it fully refundable and we will expand it, lifting millions of children out of poverty.

This bill also provides direct support to local government, cities, and counties directly who have not benefited from their States directly. This is critically important to small communities and large communities all across this Nation.

Finally, the American Rescue Plan supports our small businesses and our frontline workers in our minority communities. In this bill, we expand PPP eligibility and we provide critical resources to our frontline healthcare workers, transit workers, and teachers.

Mr. Speaker, economists and healthcare experts agree, if we do not take bold action now, we will have more deaths later and risk an economic downturn.

Mr. Speaker, I am asking my colleagues, both Republicans and Democrats, to listen to President Biden's call for bipartisanship and pass this bill.

I am reminded during this Black History Month of the powerful words of Dr. Martin Luther King, who said, ``We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right.''

Mr. Speaker, let's pass this package so that we can begin to Build Back Better and reassure our constituents that help is indeed on the way.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to support impeachment.

I do so with a heavy heart and a lasting and searing memory of being in this gallery, the people's House, right up there, fearing for my life. And why? Because the President of the United States incited others to be violent--a mob of insurgents in this House.

It is unacceptable. It led to the killing of five Americans. Blood is on this House. We must do something about it.

I ask that we move from ``stopping the steal'' to healing. But healing requires accountability, and everyone must be accountable.

I will be voting to impeach, and I urge others to vote for impeachment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 3494, the Intelligence Authorization Act.

Mr. Chairman, as the chair of the Defense Intelligence and Warfighter Support Subcommittee, I believe this bill will ensure our warfighters retain the information and decisionmaking advantages to which we have grown accustomed and improve the intelligence community's ability to attract and retain a diverse workforce.

The bill includes provisions that authorize increased intelligence funding for combatant commanders and our growing strategic competition with China, Russia, and other malign actors; supports the Defense Intelligence Agency's ongoing assessment of its roles and missions; and provides the Director of National Intelligence with the necessary authority to manage intelligence community-wide academic programs.

This bill also includes language I authored which will improve Federal campaign election security. My provision will require the Director of National Intelligence to work with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security to make available an advisory report on foreign counterintelligence and cybersecurity threats to those campaigns. Additionally, my language requires the Director to publish a summary of best practices and provide information to campaigns to help thwart these attacks.

This legislation also continues the committee's longstanding and bipartisan work to promote increased diversity within the intelligence community's workforce. This bill contains language directing the intelligence community to expand its annual demographic hiring report by adding grade level, years of service, career categories, gender identity, and sexual orientation reporting categories. These changes will improve the IC's ability to track how well it retains and promotes persons of diverse backgrounds.

Finally, for the first time in many years, the Intelligence Authorization Act will provide significant funding for programs that will improve the IC's ability to introduce students from diverse backgrounds to its mission.

Mr. Chairman, I look forward to voting in support of this legislation. I commend the chairman and ranking member on working together to provide these important authorizations. I encourage my colleagues to do the same and vote for this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 133rd Elected and Consecrated Bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Bishop Harry L. Seawright. Bishop Seawright has spent more than 37 years in ministry as presiding prelate of Alabama's 9th Episcopal District. On June 25, 2019, Bishop Seawright was invested and elevated, becoming President of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, a tremendous and well-deserved honor within the church and the community.

Bishop Seawright has been preparing for this most recent and elevated recognition for most of his life. A fourth-generation A.M.E., Bishop Seawright's faith was nurtured from an early age, both at home with his family and within his first church, Prodigal A.M.E. in Swansea, South Carolina. Alongside his faith, Bishop Seawright ingrained an innate work ethic after seeing his mother widowed when he was only five years old. Born to a family of sharecroppers and lacking financial resources, Bishop Seawright's mother worked tirelessly to care for her seven young children. Like his mother's, Bishop Seawright's relentless work ethic, buoyed by his unflappable faith, was and still is, the driving force behind his many accomplishments.

Having witnessed first-hand the challenges that his mother faced in attempting to provide for seven children with only a ninth grade education, Bishop Seawright took his mother's insistence on education to heart, remaining in South Carolina to earn his Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Benedict College. He then continued on, earning his Master of Divinity from Howard University School of Divinity in Washington, D.C. Bishop Seawright remains interested and invested in many businesses in addition to his work within the church.

It was not just education that Bishop Seawright's mother emphasized as a crucial guiding force for future success. Bishop Seawright's mother instilled in her son a deep and unwavering faith, which he, in turn, saw mirrored within her, even during the family's darkest struggles. ``My mother was a praying woman,'' Bishop Seawright said. ``She had a lot of faith and courage.'' That faith and courage remained evident over the course of many moves, many job changes and many days of wondering if and how she would be able to feed her children. Nevertheless, Bishop Seawright's mother never gave up her faith in God's will, nor did her son.

In 1976, Bishop Seawright accepted his call to ministry, and in 1977 was admitted to the South Carolina Central Annual Conference, by the late Bishop Frank M. Reid, II. He was later ordained as an Itinerant Deacon in the Washington Annual Conference in 1979 by the late Bishop Henry W. Murph and as an Itinerant Elder in 1981 by Bishop John Hurst Adams.

In 1978, Bishop Seawright served as Interim Pastor of St. Stephen A.M.E. Church in St. Matthews, S.C., as well as staff minister at Reid Temple A.M.E. Church in Washington, D.C. In 1981 he received his first pastoral appointment, to Payne Memorial A.M.E. Church in Jessup, MD, where he served until 1983. Between 1983 and 1986, Bishop Seawright served as pastor of Hemingway Temple A.M.E. Church in Jessup, MD, before being assigned to Union Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Brandywine, MD.

Bishop Seawright served Union Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church for thirty years, longer than anyone else in the church's history. During his tenure, he led the church in a $1.6 million construction project, building a gorgeous sanctuary that will serve as a reminder of his commitment to his faith and to Union Bethel for many generations to come.

Early in his ministerial journey, Bishop Seawright met his future wife, Sherita Moon Seawright. He was still a sophomore in college when they met, unaware that she would soon be his wife, partner, inspiration and support. The two married in 1982, and have been blessed with two beautiful children, Shari Nicole and Harry Matthew.

After 30 years of service, in 2016 Bishop Seawright left Union Bethel and prepared to transplant his life and family to Alabama, having accepted an appointment in Alabama's 9th Episcopal District. Moving to Birmingham, AL provided Bishop Seawright fresh opportunity to focus on engaging and mentoring other pastors throughout the region. Further, Bishop Seawright took advantage of the opportunity to develop several new programs, including the Life Center at Daniel Payne Plaza.

The Daniel Payne Plaza is an invaluable community resource, providing struggling community members with the opportunity to earn a GED and gain certifications in a multitude of vocational areas, including food preparation and construction. The program's goal is to transform how the 9th district serves not only the church, but the community. Thanks to the challenges he faced throughout his childhood, and the resilience he witnessed within his mother, Bishop Seawright is uniquely positioned to understand the value of quality education, and as such, is determined to provide educational opportunities to all those he serves.

Bishop Seawright's 37 years of tireless service have earned him a rightfully exalted position within the community. His most recent appointment, to President of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, further solidifies his impressive and well-deserved reputation as a leader, mentor and spiritual guide. He has given more than can ever be repaid, and both the church and community owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude. On a personal note, I want to thank Bishop Seawright for his continued support and encouragement of my home church, the Historic Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, AL.

On behalf of the 7th Congressional District, the State of Alabama and this nation, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the many accomplishments of Bishop Harry L. Seawright. We pay tribute to his distinguished career for the betterment of the State of Alabama and extend deep appreciation for his exemplary service as the Presiding Prelate of the 9th Episcopal District.