[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 27 (Tuesday, February 10, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H1111-H1116]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING THE NAACP ON ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 35) honoring and 
praising the National Association for the Advancement of Colored 
People, NAACP, on the occasion of its 100th anniversary.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 35

       Whereas the National Association for the Advancement of 
     Colored People (referred to in this resolution as the 
     ``NAACP''), originally known as the National Negro Committee, 
     was founded in New York City on February 12, 1909, the 
     centennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth, by a multiracial group 
     of activists who met in a national conference to discuss the 
     civil and political rights of African-Americans;
       Whereas the NAACP was founded by a distinguished group of 
     leaders in the struggle for civil and political liberty, 
     including Ida Wells-Barnett, W.E.B. DuBois, Henry Moscowitz, 
     Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villard, and William 
     English Walling;
       Whereas the NAACP is the oldest and largest civil rights 
     organization in the United States;
       Whereas the mission of the NAACP is to ensure the 
     political, educational, social, and economic equality of 
     rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and 
     racial discrimination;
       Whereas the NAACP is committed to achieving its goals 
     through nonviolence;
       Whereas the NAACP advances its mission through reliance 
     upon the press, the petition, the ballot, and the courts, and 
     has been persistent in the use of legal and moral persuasion, 
     even in the face of overt and violent racial hostility;
       Whereas the NAACP has used political pressure, marches, 
     demonstrations, and effective lobbying to serve as the voice, 
     as well as the shield, for minority Americans;
       Whereas after years of fighting segregation in public 
     schools, the NAACP, under the

[[Page H1112]]

     leadership of Special Counsel Thurgood Marshall, won one of 
     its greatest legal victories in the Supreme Court's decision 
     in Brown v. Board of Education, 374 U.S. 483 (1954);
       Whereas in 1955, NAACP member Rosa Parks was arrested and 
     fined for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus in 
     Montgomery, Alabama--an act of courage that would serve as 
     the catalyst for the largest grassroots civil rights movement 
     in the history of the United States;
       Whereas the NAACP was prominent in lobbying for the passage 
     of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, and 1964, the Voting 
     Rights Act of 1965, the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Coretta 
     Scott King, Cesar E. Chavez, Barbara C. Jordan, William C. 
     Velasquez, and Dr. Hector P. Garcia Voting Rights Act 
     Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006, and the Fair 
     Housing Act, laws that ensured Government protection for 
     legal victories achieved;
       Whereas in 2005, the NAACP launched the Disaster Relief 
     Fund to help survivors in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, 
     Florida, and Alabama to rebuild their lives;
       Whereas in the 110th Congress, the NAACP was prominent in 
     lobbying for the passage of H. Res. 826, whose resolved 
     clause expresses that: (1) the hanging of nooses is a 
     horrible act when used for the purpose of intimidation and 
     which under certain circumstances can be criminal; (2) this 
     conduct should be investigated thoroughly by Federal 
     authorities; and (3) any criminal violations should be 
     vigorously prosecuted; and
       Whereas in 2008 the NAACP vigorously supported the passage 
     of the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act of 2007 
     (28 U.S.C. 509 note), a law that puts additional Federal 
     resources into solving the heinous crimes that occurred in 
     the early days of the civil rights struggle that remain 
     unsolved and bringing those who perpetrated such crimes to 
     justice: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) recognizes the 100th anniversary of the historic 
     founding of the National Association for the Advancement of 
     Colored People; and
       (2) honors and praises the National Association for the 
     Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its 
     anniversary for its work to ensure the political, 
     educational, social, and economic equality of all persons.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Johnson) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Georgia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, today we honor the National Association for the 
Advancement of Colored People, the Nation's oldest and largest civil 
rights organization, on the occasion of its 100th anniversary, for a 
century of unwavering commitment to justice and equality for all.
  The NAACP, founded on February 12, 1909, by Ida Wells-Barnett, W.E.B. 
DuBois, Henry Moscowitz, Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villiard 
and William English Walling was indeed a labor of diversity.
  Since its inception, the NAACP has united students, laborers, 
professionals, scholars, officials and others of all races to advance 
its vision of a society in which all individuals have equal rights and 
there is no racial hatred or racial discrimination.
  Historically, the NAACP may be best known for Thurgood Marshall's 
successful advocacy leading to the watershed 1954 Brown v. Board of 
Education decision, in which the Supreme Court held that separate 
educational facilities are inherently unequal.
  The NAACP is also known for the work of its chief advocate for more 
than 30 years, Clarence Mitchell, who worked to secure the 1957, 1960 
and 1964 Civil Rights Acts, as well as the 1965 Voting Rights Act and 
the 1968 Fair Housing Act.
  But we salute the NAACP not only for these better-known 
accomplishments, but for all of its efforts to promote justice and 
equality for every American, throughout the past 100 years.
  And the NAACP spoke out against lynching, challenged racially biased 
Supreme Court justice nominees as early as 1930, and pursued 
nondiscrimination policies in the military, in war-related industries, 
and the rest of the Federal Government during the world wars. At the 
height of the Civil Rights era, NAACP fought battles everywhere, on the 
ground, in the courtroom, and in the United States Congress.
  Finally, in commemorating the 100th anniversary of the NAACP, we draw 
inspiration as we look to the continued work that lies ahead. From Dr. 
King and Coretta Scott King, from Rosa Parks, from Medgar Evers and 
Merlie Evers-Williams, from Julian Bond, from Kweisi Mfume and from so 
many others who have gone before, and from the current leadership of 
President Benjamin Todd Jealous, Washington Bureau Directory, Hilary 
Shelton, and Legal Defense Fund President John Payton, through whom the 
NAACP has been promoting African American graduation and college 
readiness, protecting and advancing voting rights and identifying 
solutions to our current fiscal crisis.
  As we celebrate the NAACP's centennial anniversary, I am confident 
that the organization will remain an integral part of our Nation's 
efforts to protect and promote civil rights for all Americans.
  I urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 35.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I support House Concurrent Resolution 35 which 
recognizes the 100th anniversary of the NAACP. For a century now, the 
NAACP has fought to bring justice and racial equality to all of 
America.
  In 1917, the NAACP won a legal victory in the Supreme Court which 
held that States could not restrict and officially segregate black 
Americans into residential districts. The same year the NAACP fought 
for the right of black Americans to be commissioned as officers in 
World War I.
  In 1935, NAACP lawyers Charles Houston and Thurgood Marshall won a 
legal battle to admit a black student to the University of Maryland.
  During World War II, the NAACP led the effort that resulted in 
President Franklin Roosevelt's ordering a nondiscrimination policy in 
war-related industries and Federal employment.
  And in 1948, the NAACP convinced President Harry Truman to sign an 
executive order banning discrimination by the Federal Government.
  In 1954, under the leadership of Special Counsel Thurgood Marshall, 
the NAACP won one of its greatest legal victories in Brown v. Board of 
Education, which found segregated schools and other educational 
facilities in the United States to be unlawful.
  In 1960, in Greensboro, North Carolina, members of the NAACP Youth 
Council launched a series of nonviolent sit-ins at segregated lunch 
counters. The segregation ended.
  The history of America's modern struggle to live up to our 
constitutional principles includes a major role by the NAACP, and it 
continues to champion the cause of social justice today.
  It is with pleasure that I join in supporting this concurrent 
resolution, which I hope raises even greater awareness of this 
organization's historic contributions to the cause of civil rights.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to yield the balance of my time 
to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe), also a member of the Judiciary 
Committee.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from Texas 
will control the balance of the time.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Texas, Congressman Al Green.
  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in the inner sanctum of my soul, 
I believe that although the arc of the moral universe is long, as Dr. 
King put it, it bends toward justice. However, I must confess that in 
the cognitive confines of my cranium, I know that it does so because of 
organizations like the NAACP.
  For 100 years, the NAACP has been there bending the arc of the moral 
universe toward justice for all. From anti-lynching legislation to 
Brown v. Board of Education, to the election of the 44th President of 
this Nation, the NAACP has been there.
  For 100 years, it's been there because of brave and noble Americans 
who

[[Page H1113]]

made great sacrifice that all may have a better life. Brave and noble 
Americans like NAACPer Rosa Parks, who took a stand by taking a seat 
and ignited a spark as a result that enhanced the Civil Rights 
Movement; brave and noble Americans like NAACPer Medgar Evers, who 
sacrificed his life in an effort to bring justice to all; brave and 
noble Americans like white NAACPer John Shalady, who was beaten by a 
mob and eventually died in his effort to secure rights for blacks.
  For 100 years, it's been there demonstrating at the White House, 
negotiating and litigating at the courthouse. Hence, it is indeed most 
appropriate that the Congress of the United States of America honor the 
NAACP on this, its 100th anniversary.
  To this end, Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Conyers and Ranking Member 
Lamar Smith, subcommittee chair Bobby Scott, floor leader Hank Johnson, 
and also now floor leader Judge Ted Poe. I also thank the 105 U.S. 
House cosponsors of this legislation. I thank Senator Dodd and his 20 
cosponsors of the companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.
  And, in closing, at the risk of being both redundant and superfluous, 
I beg, beseech and entreat my colleagues to support this resolution 
because, in so doing, you are voting for liberty and justice for all, 
as pronounced in the Pledge of Allegiance. In so doing, you are voting 
for government of the people by the people for the people, as 
proclaimed in the Constitution. In so doing, you are voting for the 
equality of all, as promulgated in the Declaration of Independence. By 
voting for this resolution, you are continuing to bend the arc of the 
moral universe toward justice.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman 
from Arizona (Mr. Franks).
  Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Speaker, today I stand here to honor the 
NAACP. We all honor the NAACP in this House. It has been at the 
forefront of the civil rights struggle in this country for 100 years, 
and though 100 years have passed since the founding of the NAACP, there 
still remains great work to be done.
  Mr. Speaker, last summer dozens of black pastors and black mothers 
attended the 99th annual NAACP conference in Cincinnati to call on the 
NAACP to help expose one of the least known and yet one of the most 
pervasive forms of racism at work still in this country, the targeting 
of the black community by abortion providers. Many of these advocates 
who gathered at the NAACP I have the privilege to call precious 
friends. Dr. Alveda King, who leads King for America, is the niece of 
Dr. Martin Luther King.

                              {time}  1745

  Bishop Harry Jackson; Reverend Johnny Hunter, the founder of LEARN, 
America's largest African American pro-life organization; the Reverend 
Clenard Childress of LEARN Northeast; Catherine Davis with the Georgia 
Right to Life; Lawson Lipford-Cruz, the president of Black Students for 
Life; and David Owens, among many, many others. Their goal was simply 
to fulfill the mission of the NAACP, and that is to ensure equality 
and, most importantly, equal protection of the law for all.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to quote Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin 
Luther King, who helped lead the rally outside the NAACP conference.
  ``Racism lives at Planned Parenthood. I say to my fellow NAACP 
members: It's time to tell the government to stop funding racism. 
Planned Parenthood will gladly accept donations for the specific 
purpose of aborting only black babies,'' King said. ``It locates its 
clinics in or near minority neighborhoods. It has led the way in 
eliminating African Americans to the point where one quarter of the 
black population is now missing because of abortion.''
  King called on the Nation's oldest civil rights organization to 
remember its mission statement: ``To ensure the political, educational, 
social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate 
racial hatred and racial discrimination.''
  Day Gardner, the president of the National Black Pro-Life Union, 
said, ``As a child, I thought the NAACP to be a superhero organization, 
an organization that would fight racism right down to its very core.'' 
She stressed that the NAACP leaders need to have their eyes opened to 
the agenda of government-supported abortion providers and to what she 
believes is their strategic marketing to the black community.
  According to reported statistics, Mr. Speaker, a black child is 
nearly five times more likely to be aborted than a white child.
  Gardner continued. ``We are here to rally the NAACP, to make our 
voices heard as we shout in unison `all across this great Nation the 
struggle is not yet over. The evil hand of racism is still at work.' ''
  Gardner also spoke about the Federal tax dollars that go to Planned 
Parenthood. She said it was time for Congress to end that funding. She 
asked, ``Why are we forced to pay well over $300 million to an 
organization that is overtly racist? We are calling on the NAACP to 
stand boldly with us to defund Planned Parenthood and even lead the way 
in this, the greatest struggle for civil rights.''
  Mr. Speaker, I just want to echo and agree with the words of Dr. King 
and of Day Gardner, that for the NAACP to fully advance the cause of 
the black community, it must take a stand and fight on behalf of the 
most helpless, voiceless, politically unempowered members of the black 
community--those being the unborn.
  Today, one out of every two black babies conceived in this country is 
lost to abortion. That is an astonishing reality that I cannot find the 
words to describe. I just want to thank those courageous members of the 
NAACP for their fight against this unspeakable tragedy. We must all 
open our eyes to the racist history of abortion-on-demand movements in 
this country and its devastating impact on black America. It is past 
time to defund such a movement in this country.
  To that end, I will also be reintroducing the PreNDA bill, the 
Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act, to end sex-selection abortion and race-
selection abortion in this country. It is the duty of all of us to come 
together and to eliminate this deadly form of discrimination in this 
generation.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Tennessee--the Chair of the Commercial and 
Administrative Law Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee, my good 
friend, Mr. Steve Cohen.
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I am a life member of the NAACP. In my 
lifetime, in the city of Memphis, there have been all kinds of 
activists involved in civil rights work or in political work, and the 
people who have always stood out as the champions have been the members 
of the NAACP. They have been the people who have been involved in 
looking out for human rights, voting rights, and civil rights for 
people, regardless of their color, because it was the right thing to do 
and not because of any political advantage to themselves.
  For those particular individuals of which Maxine Vasco Smith, Russell 
Sugarman, A.W. Willis, Jesse Turner, and others have been leaders, I 
commend them and thank them for their efforts before me.
  This is the 100th anniversary of the NAACP. In the African American 
community, there are only two other organizations that are renowned and 
that have celebrated 100 years of existence. The others are the Alphas, 
a distinguished fraternity; Alpha Phi Alpha; and the AKA sorority, 
Alpha Kappa Alpha. Each has celebrated its 100th anniversaries most 
recently.
  The NAACP today is headed up by Julian Bond, one of the heroes of the 
Civil Rights Movement. He is a distinguished gentleman who has done a 
phenomenal job for 50 years in leading people toward the rights of free 
conscience as well as civil rights and other rights. Those are the 
types of activities that the NAACP has been involved in.
  It was started 100 years ago by a biracial group of people who 
thought it was time that America lived up to its promise. It had been 
approximately 40-some-odd years since the end of the Civil War, and yet 
we still had Jim Crow laws. This country had not advanced greatly from 
the time of the Civil War. We had the period of reconstruction, and 
then after that there was a step back in civil rights. These people 
decided there should be a change, and they have worked assiduously to 
see that that happens. They

[[Page H1114]]

are often known or thought about with Thurgood Marshall and the work 
done for the Brown versus Board of Education in 1954 in bringing about 
that landmark decision. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund, which does so 
much, is a separate arm from the NAACP, but it was founded by it, and 
their activities in the courts have yielded great benefits to Americans 
throughout the years.
  When it comes to hate crimes, the NAACP has been on the front lines. 
With voting rights, they're on the front lines. So those leaders, such 
as Dr. Martin Luther King, Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks, Medgar 
Evers, Myrlie Evers-Williams, Benjamin Hooks from my hometown of 
Memphis, Jesse Turner, Jr., from my hometown of Memphis, who served as 
national treasurer of the late Jesse Turner, Sr., and others have 
fought the good fight for the NAACP, and they continue to do so as the 
moral conscience of this Congress in lobbying for legislation that this 
Congress needs to pass.
  They published a report card on the work of this Congress, and it 
does hold people up to account for the works that they have done in 
these years. They helped me in passing a policy for slavery in Jim 
Crow. I appreciate their work. I am proud, and I ask my colleagues to 
join with me in voting for the resolution.
  Mr. POE of Texas. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Farr).
  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I am a proud lifelong member of the NAACP, and 
today, I join my colleagues in celebrating this 100th anniversary. I am 
especially proud of my local moderate county branch of the NAACP where 
our chapter was created in 1932, and I believe this chapter ranks as 
one of the largest per capita branches in the United States, and has 
been active in education and law for all of these many years. I can 
tell you we are all better off for it.
  Our chapter's proudest member is Ben Jealous, now the youngest and, 
in my opinion, the most dynamic president of the NAACP. As we recognize 
the great achievements of one of America's best organizations, let us 
not forget that the struggle continues. We still face discrimination in 
our communities, in our schools and in the workplace. It is a struggle 
that requires continuing education and legal action.
  The NAACP offers us many examples as we continue on our path towards 
solving our racial troubles. Even the founders of the NAACP offer an 
important lesson on how such a diverse group can accomplish so much. 
The men and women--black and white, from different backgrounds and from 
different careers and from different religions--these people came 
together to create a force for good.
  I want to thank the NAACP for 100 years of hard work. God bless your 
president and his family as he leads us into the next century of 
fighting for human and civil rights. We congratulate you on this 
historic day.
  I'm a proud lifelong member of the NAACP, and today I join my 
colleagues in celebrating its 100th anniversary.
  I am especially proud of my local Monterey County Branch of the 
NAACP, where our chapter was created in 1932. My chapter ranks as one 
of the largest per capita branches in the United States and has been 
active in education and law--and we're all better for it.
  The Fort Ord Army training base in Seaside, Calif., was the first 
military base in the United States to be integrated in 1947. It was one 
of the largest bases in the United States to conduct training for 
Korea, Vietnam and many other conflicts. Now that base is closed, it's 
site is home to the newest campus of the California State University 
system--due in part to the fine work of the NAACP.
  And our chapter's proudest member is Ben Jealous, now the youngest--
and in my opinion the most dynamic--national president of the NAACP.
  As we recognize the great achievements of one of America's best 
organizations, let us not forget that the struggle continues. We still 
have discrimination in our communities, in our schools and in the 
workplace. It's a struggle that requires continuing education and legal 
action.
  Luckily, we have the rich history of the NAACP that offers us so many 
examples of how to proceed. One of the best is the group of individuals 
who founded the group. It shows us how such a diverse group can 
accomplish so much.
  Along with a life of activism, W. E. B. Du Bois was a noted professor 
and writer. Archibald Grimke, the son of a slave owner and slave, was a 
journalist and lawyer. Henry Moskowitz was a Jewish physician. Mary 
White Ovington and Oswald Garrison Villard spent their lives writing. 
William English Walling, born into a former slaveholding family, once 
served as a factory inspector. And Ida B. Wells was also a noted 
women's rights activist.
  America is the country where dreams come true. Certainly the world 
has seen such with the election of Barack Obama. But the work will 
never end until peace and justice are available to everyone.
  I want to thank the NAACP for 100 years of hard work. You've made 
America a stronger and better nation.
  And your work continues. God bless your president, Ben Jealous, as he 
leads us into the next century of fighting for human and civil rights. 
We congratulate you on this historic day.
  Mr. POE of Texas. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would yield 4 minutes to the 
honorable gentleman from the great State of Virginia, Mr. Bobby Scott, 
who is also the Chair of the Crime Subcommittee of the Judiciary 
Committee.
  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to recognize the 
NAACP on its 100th anniversary. The NAACP holds a very special meaning 
to me because I have been a long-time active member of the group. I 
have had the honor of being Virginia's first individual Golden Heritage 
Life Member and Virginia's first Diamond Life Member, the 
organization's highest individual membership level. In addition, I have 
had the honor of serving as president of the Newport News, Virginia 
branch of the NAACP.
  The NAACP is an organization that has made a difference from the very 
beginning. In 1909, 60 prominent Americans, including Ida B. Wells-
Barnett and W.E.B. Du Bois, met on the occasion of the 100th 
anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln to discuss racial violence 
and social justice. Out of that meeting, the NAACP was born with the 
goal of securing rights, liberties and protections for all Americans as 
guaranteed by the Constitution.
  Since its inception, the NAACP has worked tirelessly to continuing 
looking for ways to improve the democratic process and by seeking the 
enactment and the enforcement of Federal, State and local laws that 
secure civil rights. The NAACP furthers its mission by making the 
public aware of adverse effects of racial discrimination and by seeking 
its elimination. The NAACP also seeks to educate the public about their 
constitutional rights, and it goes to court to enforce those rights 
when necessary.
  The NAACP has a long and impressive history of activism. It has 
contributed greatly to shaping America as we know it today. One of its 
first legislative initiatives was anti-lynching legislation in the 
early 1990s. In the 1940s, the NAACP was influential in President 
Roosevelt's decision to issue an executive order prohibiting 
discrimination in contracts with the Department of Defense. The NAACP 
was very instrumental in President Truman's decision to issue an 
executive order ending all discrimination in the military. In 1946, the 
NAACP won the Morgan v. Virginia case where the Supreme Court banned 
States from having segregated facilities on buses and trains that 
crossed State borders. In 1948, the NAACP pressured President Truman 
into signing an executive order banning all discrimination in the Armed 
Forces. In 1954, the NAACP won its landmark case of Brown v. Board of 
Education, declaring separate but equal unconstitutional.
  The NAACP is what the late Bishop Stephen Gill Spotswood, the former 
national board chairman, has called ``the oldest, largest, most 
effective, most consulted, most militant, most feared, and most loved 
of all civil rights organizations in the world.'' Bishop Spotswood's 
statement remains true today.
  Even in the 21st century, the NAACP continues to be a strong advocate 
for fairness and equality. Recently, the NAACP was deeply involved in 
protesting the Jena 6 controversy where the efforts of the NAACP and 
others provided justice for the students in

[[Page H1115]]

that case. The NAACP continues their work on eliminating racial 
injustice. It continues to act as a watchdog to protect the civil 
rights of all people, and it educates the public about civil rights so 
that future generations will know that tolerance and equality are the 
norm rather than the exception.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the NAACP and its people on 100 years of 
service to our great country, and I wish them another successful 
century of service.
  Mr. POE of Texas. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Texas has 13 minutes 
remaining. The gentleman from Georgia has 4\1/2\ minutes remaining.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I will yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Illinois, the honorable Danny Davis.

                              {time}  1800

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman 
from Georgia for yielding, and I also want to commend the gentleman 
from Texas, Representative Green, for his introduction of this 
resolution.
  I rise to be in agreement with all of those who have edified the 
examples of tremendous leadership provided by the NAACP.
  On a personal note, though, I want to commend my wife, Vera, who is 
the chairman of our local Westside Branch NAACP, and Mr. Karl Brinson, 
who is the president. They do outstanding work and have continued to do 
so. I also want to commend Hilary Shelton for the tremendous job that 
he has done over the years keeping us informed.
  And so I commend the NAACP on its 100th anniversary.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would yield 1 minute at this 
time to the honorable gentleman from the State of Virginia, Mr. Tom 
Perriello.
  Mr. PERRIELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 100th 
anniversary of the NAACP as it celebrates its centennial.
  Since its founding in 1909, the NAACP has been a tireless crusader 
against racial discrimination, and it has continuously called our great 
Nation towards an ever-expanding horizon of liberty and justice for 
all.
  Often with support and protection from the NAACP, countless brave 
citizens of my district joined the great American struggle for civil 
rights. From slavery and segregation, through massive resistance and 
Bloody Monday marches, our area has passed through dark nights always 
to emerge at the dawn of a new era of equality.
  I thank the NAACP, its staff, and its members for remaining true to 
our Nation's highest ideals. As it embarks on its second century with 
new leadership and a renewed commitment to human rights, I congratulate 
the NAACP on this landmark year in its history and extend our deep 
appreciation for victories won and those that remain before us.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, we have no additional speakers 
at this time, and if the gentleman yields back the balance of his time, 
I will do the same.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate my good friend 
and fellow judge from Texas (Mr. Green) for introducing this 
legislation, an individual I've known for now over 30 years and have 
been through a lot together back in the State of Texas and proud to see 
that he has introduced this legislation.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to commend 
Congressman Green for his efforts in introducing this legislation, and 
I look forward to its passage.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, this historic year marks both the 
inauguration of this country's first African-American president, Barack 
Obama, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored 
People's (N.A.A.C.P.) 100th anniversary. February 12, 1909 was chosen 
as the founding date of the N.A.A.C.P. to commemorate President Abraham 
Lincoln's 100th birthday, with the hopes of realizing his vision of a 
unified nation overcoming racial and ethnic hatred and discrimination.
  The following decades have seen the emergence of new challenges along 
America's journey towards equality. Yet the N.A.A.C.P. has persisted 
and has overcome these obstacles. It currently bears witness to 
numerous advancements that may have never taken place had it not been 
for the collective will of the many N.A.A.C.P. members who were willing 
to fight for what they believed was right.
  Without the N.A.A.C.P., it is hard to say where this country would be 
if it never fought for African-Americans to have increased access to 
the ballot box.
  Without the N.A.A.C.P., it is hard to say where this country would be 
if it never fought against discrimination--from schooling to housing, 
and from marriage to employment. After all, the NAACP's Legal 
department, headed by Charles Hamilton Houston and Thurgood Marshall, 
undertook a campaign spanning several decades to bring about the 
reversal of the ``separate but equal'' doctrine enshrined in the 
Supreme Court's decision in Plessy v. Ferguson.
  Without the N.A.A.C.P., it is hard to say where this great country 
would be if it were not for the courageous men and women who risked 
their lives and livelihoods in order to promote the rights of everyone, 
regardless of the color of their skin.
  In fact, it is hard to imagine such an America without the N.A.A.C.P. 
My life and the life of this nation would be much different if it were 
not for the organization's efforts to tear down the barriers of racial 
discrimination and hatred. The N.A.A.C.P.'s work, however, is not yet 
finished. If the last century is any indication though, as long as 
there is an N.A.A.C.P., all Americans will continue to have a powerful 
advocate for fairness, equality, and justice.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H. 
Con. Res 35 ``Honoring and praising the National Association for the 
Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its 100th 
anniversary.''
  Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res 35 recognizes the 100th anniversary of the 
historic founding of the National Association for the Advancement of 
Colored People (NAACP) and honors and praises the National Association 
for the Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its 
anniversary for its work to ensure the political, educational, social, 
and economic equality of all persons. I urge my colleagues to join me 
in supporting H. Con. Res 35 because of the impact that the NAACP has 
had on me and other minorities across this great nation.
  First organized in 1905, the group came to be known as the Niagara 
Movement when it began meeting at hotel situated on the Canadian side 
of the Niagara Falls. The group first met in Canada because the U.S. 
hotels were segregated. Under the leadership of Harvard scholar W.E.B. 
DuBois, the group later went on to become known as the National Negro 
Committee. It was not the date of the organization's second conference 
in 1910 that it formally adopted the name the National Association for 
the Advancement of Colored People.
  The mission of the association was clearly delineated in its charter:
  To promote equality of rights and to eradicate caste or race 
prejudice among the citizens of the United States; to advance the 
interest of colored citizens; to secure for them impartial suffrage; 
and to increase their opportunities for securing justice in the courts, 
education for the children, employment according to their ability and 
complete equality before law.
  Since its inception, the National Association for the Advancement of 
Colored People (NAACP) has upheld its mission to fight social injustice 
and give a voice to the voiceless. The NAACP is among the largest and 
most prominent mass-membership, civil rights organizations in America.
  Founded with a mandate to secure equal political, economic and social 
rights for African Americans, the NAACP has been in the forefront of 
every major civil rights struggle of the twentieth century. Using a 
combination of tactics including legal challenges, demonstrations and 
economic boycotts, the NAACP played an important role in helping end 
segregation in the United States.
  The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., (NAACP LDF) a 
leading civil rights organization based in New York City, began as the 
legal wing of the NAACP under the leadership of Charles Hamilton 
Houston, a former professor at Howard University Law School. In 1938, 
Thurgood Marshall, Houston's student and future Supreme Court justice, 
succeeded him as NAACP LDF counsel.
  Marshall further developed the strategies and goals of the legal 
department, establishing the Legal Defense Fund as an organization 
totally independent of the NAACP.
  Among its most significant achievements was the NAACP LDF's challenge 
to end segregation in public schools. In the landmark Supreme Court 
case Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Justices unanimously ruled 
that separate educational facilities for black

[[Page H1116]]

and white students were ``inherently unequal.'' That ruling and the 
Court's subsequent order that public schools be desegregated with ``all 
deliberate speed'' touched off a firestorm of protest in the South and 
contributed substantially to the growth of the modern-day civil rights 
movement. Today, the NAACP has over 500,000 members standing in unity 
with all who support protecting our constitutionally guaranteed civil 
rights against all who would oppose protecting these freedoms.
  Even in my district in Houston, the NAACP seeks to be a voice against 
injustice for all minorities. The NAACP Houston Branch has a long and 
rich history championing civil rights in Houston on vital issues such 
as the desegregation of Houston schools, combating the spread of HIV/
AIDS, and improved access to education and information technology.
  The NAACP Houston Branch has played an instrumental role in breaking 
new ground on the path to freedom and equality for Houston's minority 
community. The branch has been experiencing tremendous growth in recent 
years while serving the Harris County area through its programs and 
myriad committees made up of its dedicated staff and volunteer members. 
Led by an Executive Committee of approximately 25 volunteers, there are 
approximately 800 members in the Houston Branch.
  Some of the Houston Branch's programs include collaborations with the 
City of Houston Health Department in STD prevention and awareness 
programs, legal assistance in the form of legal consultation and 
educational seminars, a year-long enrichment program designed to 
recruit, stimulate, improve and encourage high academic and cultural 
achievement among African American high school students, and other 
programs beneficial to minorities across the city of Houston.
  As a member of the Judiciary Committee, I truly appreciate the 
support from the NAACP in fighting for the reauthorization of the 
Voting Rights Act. We all know that without the reauthorization of the 
Voting Rights Act, the voting rights of many U.S. citizens would be in 
jeopardy. When I authored H.R. 745 in the 110th Congress, I am proud to 
say that with the NAACP's support, my colleagues and I were able to 
rename the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Cesar E. Chavez, Barbara C. 
Jordan, William C. Velasquez, and Dr. Hector P. Garcia Voting Rights 
Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006. This bill renamed the 
Voting Rights Act to demonstrate the many faces of the Civil Rights 
Movement. The bill was renamed to recognize the Hispanics and other 
persons of color who labored in the vineyards to insure that all 
receive equal treatment in the United States.
  Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res 35 provides for a tribute to celebrate the 
impact and achievements of the National Association for the Advancement 
of Colored People in their efforts to better the lives of minorities 
and the community. There is still a need for justice and equal 
treatment for minorities in our country. I am grateful for the many 
fights for equality that he organization has won, and thankful that the 
NAACP will be there in the future to champion the cause of justice 
wherever and whenever it needs a spokesman.
  The struggles of the NACCP have helped pave the way for the election 
this country's first African-American President Barack Obama. During a 
speech celebrating the NAACP, President Obama declared that ``serving 
as . . . [P]resident, 100 years after the founding of the NAACP, I will 
stand up for you the same way that earlier generations of Americans 
stood up for me--by fighting to ensure that every single one of us has 
the chance to make it if we try.''
  I thank my colleague, Representative Al Green, of Texas, for 
introducing this important legislation, to ensure that we celebrate, 
treasure and recognize the African American spiritual as a national 
treasure and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this 
resolution.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Con. Res. 35.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the 
ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a 
quorum is not present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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