[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 54 (Monday, April 16, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H1817-H1820]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1620
                       LENA HORNE RECOGNITION ACT

  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 1815) to posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal 
to Lena

[[Page H1818]]

Horne in recognition of her achievements and contributions to American 
culture and the civil rights movement.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1815

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Lena Horne Recognition 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds as follows:
       (1) Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was born on June 30, 1917, in 
     Brooklyn, New York.
       (2) At the age of 16, Lena Horne was hired as a dancer in 
     the chorus of Harlem's famous Cotton Club, where she was 
     introduced to such legendary jazz performers as Duke 
     Ellington, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Ethel Waters, and 
     Billie Holiday.
       (3) In 1940, Lena Horne became one of the first African-
     American women to perform with an all-White band when she 
     toured with Charlie Barnet's jazz band as its featured 
     singer.
       (4) Lena Horne was discovered by a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 
     (MGM) talent scout and became the first Black artist to sign 
     a long-term contract with a major studio.
       (5) Despite her extraordinary beauty and talent, Lena Horne 
     was often limited to minor acting roles because of her race.
       (6) Scenes in which she did sing were cut out when they 
     were sent to local distributors in the South and studio 
     executives cast Ava Gardner as Julie in the film version of 
     Show Boat instead of Lena Horne because they did not want it 
     to star a Black actress.
       (7) However, Lena Horne dazzled audiences and critics in a 
     number of films, including Cabin in the Sky and Stormy 
     Weather.
       (8) During World War II, Lena Horne toured extensively with 
     the United Service Organizations (USO) on the West Coast and 
     in the South in support of the troops and expressed outrage 
     about the way Black soldiers were treated.
       (9) She refused to sing for segregated audiences or to 
     groups in which German prisoners of war were seated in front 
     of African-American servicemen.
       (10) During the period of McCarthyism in the 1950s, Lena 
     Horne was blacklisted as a communist for 7 years because of 
     her civil rights activism and friendship with Paul Robeson 
     and W.E.B. Du Bois.
       (11) Although Lena Horne continued to face discrimination, 
     her musical and acting career flourished.
       (12) In 1957, Lena Horne recorded Lena Horne at the 
     Waldorf-Astoria, which reached the Top 10 and became the 
     best-selling album by a female singer in RCA Victor's 
     history.
       (13) Lena Horne rose to international stardom and toured 
     the world, sharing the stage with such names as Count Basie, 
     Tony Bennett, Billy Eckstein, Vic Damone, and Harry Belafonte 
     and also starred in musical and television specials with such 
     giants as Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, and Frank Sinatra.
       (14) Lena Horne used her fame to become a powerful voice 
     for civil rights and equality.
       (15) In 1963, she participated in the historic March on 
     Washington for Jobs and Freedom, at which Dr. Martin Luther 
     King, Jr. delivered his immortal ``I Have a Dream'' speech.
       (16) Lena Horne also performed at rallies throughout the 
     country for the National Council for Negro Women and worked 
     with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored 
     People (NAACP), of which she was a member since the age of 2, 
     the National Council of Negro Women, the Delta Sigma Theta 
     sorority, and the Urban League.
       (17) Through the end of the 20th century, Lena Horne 
     continued to entertain large audiences of all ages and 
     backgrounds and appeared on numerous television shows, 
     including Sesame Street, Sanford and Son, The Muppet Show, 
     The Cosby Show, and A Different World.
       (18) In 1978, she was in the film adaption of The Wiz.
       (19) In 1981, Ms. Horne captivated audiences with her one-
     woman Broadway show, Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music, 
     which enjoyed a 14-month run before going on tour and earned 
     her a special Tony and two Grammy awards.
       (20) In 2002, 73 years after the Academy Awards were first 
     awarded, Halle Berry became the first Black woman to win an 
     Oscar for Best Actress and recognized in her acceptance 
     speech how Lena Horne paved the way for her and other Black 
     actresses.
       (21) Lena Horne passed away in New York City on May 9, 
     2010, at the age of 92.
       (22) Lena Horne was an entertainer, activist, and mother 
     who used her beauty, talent, and intelligence to fight racial 
     discrimination and injustice and rise to international 
     stardom.
       (23) A symbol of elegance and grace, she entertained people 
     of all walks of life for over 60 years and broke barriers for 
     future generations.

     SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

       (a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate 
     shall make appropriate arrangements for the posthumous 
     presentation, on behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of 
     appropriate design in commemoration of Lena Horne in 
     recognition of her achievements and contributions to American 
     culture and the civil rights movement.
       (b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the presentation 
     referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury 
     (referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a 
     gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, 
     to be determined by the Secretary.

     SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

       The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of 
     the gold medal struck pursuant to section 2 under such 
     regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at a price 
     sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, 
     materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses, and 
     the cost of the gold medal.

     SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.

       (a) National Medals.--The medals struck pursuant to this 
     Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 
     31, United States Code.
       (b) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of section 5134 of 
     title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this 
     Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.

     SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.

       (a) Authority To Use Fund Amounts.--There is authorized to 
     be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise 
     Fund, such amounts as may be necessary to pay for the costs 
     of the medals struck pursuant to this Act.
       (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of 
     duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 3 shall be 
     deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Luetkemeyer) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and add extraneous material to this bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Missouri?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1815, 
the Lena Horne Recognition Act, introduced by the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Hastings).
  This legislation, cosponsored by 308 Members, seeks to authorize the 
striking and awarding of a Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of 
the indomitable spirit and overwhelming voice of the great singer Lena 
Horne.
  Few singers have captured the imagination, the ear, and the spirit of 
the country as did Lena Horne in her magnificent career. Fewer still 
did that while waging a tireless battle for civil rights through the 
1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. Ms. Horne was perhaps the top nightclub singer 
of that era, but still found time to come here for Dr. Martin Luther 
King's March on Washington--and she was also at an NAACP rally in 
Jackson, Mississippi, alongside Medgar Evers on the weekend he was 
assassinated.
  From her earliest performing days--at 16, in 1933, at the famous 
Cotton Club--until her very last performance in a Duke Ellington 
tribute album in 2000, her performances riveted audiences. She won a 
handful of Grammy awards and a Tony award, and she was nominated for 
other Tonys and for an Emmy as well as a large number of personal 
achievement and civil rights awards.
  Lena Horne appeared multiple times on all of the big television 
variety shows of the fifties and sixties, and of course, later in her 
career, hosted her own long-running, one-woman show on Broadway. She 
also acted in numerous films, including ``Stormy Weather,'' in which 
she performed what many thought to be her signature song of the same 
name. Sadly, despite her ability and her beauty, she never landed a 
starring role.
  Mr. Speaker, Lena Horne's magnificent voice and steadfast fight for 
civil rights make her a worthy recipient of the Congressional Gold 
Medal. I salute her, and congratulate the gentleman from Florida for 
his effort on this legislation. I urge its immediate passage, and 
reserve the balance of my time.

                                         House of Representatives,


                                  Committee on Ways and Means,

                                   Washington, DC, April 16, 2012.
     Hon. Spencer Bachus,
     Chairman, Committee on Financial Services, Rayburn House 
         Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Bachus: I am writing concerning H.R. 1815, 
     the ``Lena Horne Recognition Act,'' which is scheduled for 
     floor action the week of April 16, 2012.

[[Page H1819]]

       As you know, the Committee on Ways and Means maintains 
     jurisdiction over matters that concern raising revenue. H.R. 
     1815 contains a provision that provides for the sale of 
     duplicate medals, and thus falls within the jurisdiction of 
     the Committee on Ways and Means.
       However, as part of our ongoing understanding regarding 
     commemorative coin and medal bills and in order to expedite 
     this hill for floor consideration, the Committee will forgo 
     action. This is being done with the understanding that it 
     does not in any way prejudice the Committee with respect to 
     the appointment of conferees or its jurisdictional 
     prerogatives on this or similar legislation in the future.
       I would appreciate your response to this letter, confirming 
     this understanding with respect to H.R. 1815, and would ask 
     that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be 
     included in the Congressional Record during floor 
     consideration.
           Sincerely,
                                                        Dave Camp,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                              Committee on Financial Services,

                                    Washington DC, April 13, 2012.
     Hon. Dave Camp,
     Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, Longworth House Office 
         Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Camp: I am writing in response to your letter 
     regarding H.R. 1815, the Lena Horne Recognition Act, which is 
     scheduled for Floor consideration under suspension of the 
     rules on Monday, April 16, 2012.
       I wish to confirm our mutual understanding on this bill. 
     The bill contains a provision for a charge for the sale of 
     duplicate medals. I understand your concern with provisions 
     that raise revenue and accordingly would fall under the 
     jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means. However, 
     this bill is not expected to raise revenue.
       Further, I appreciate your willingness to forego action by 
     the Committee on Ways and Means on H.R. 1815 in order to 
     allow the bill to come to the Floor expeditiously. I agree 
     that your decision to forego further action on this bill will 
     not prejudice the Committee on Ways and Means with respect to 
     its jurisdictional prerogatives on this or similar 
     legislation. Therefore, I would support your request for 
     conferees on those provisions within your jurisdiction should 
     this bill be the subject of a House-Senate conference.
       I will include this exchange of letters in the 
     Congressional Record when this bill is considered by the 
     House. Thank you again for your assistance and if you should 
     need anything further, please do not hesitate to contact 
     Natalie McGarry of my staff.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Spencer Bachus,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Today, I rise to speak in favor of H.R. 1815, the Lena Horne 
Recognition Act, introduced by my good friend and colleague from the 
great State of Florida, Congressman Alcee Hastings, to honor and 
posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal, one of our Nation's 
highest civilian awards, to the great Lena Horne.
  Lena Horne is known to many as a uniquely talented performer who 
dazzled audiences on stage and on the silver screen. She was a symbol 
of elegance and grace; and she entertained people of all walks of life 
for over 60 years and broke barriers for future generations, winning 
numerous awards and accolades as a trailblazing African American female 
performer.
  When I think of just yesterday that Major League Baseball, during 
that era, honored Jackie Robinson--a pioneer and professional baseball 
player--it's a breakthrough. But during that same period of time, Lena 
Horne was on the entertainment stage with such grace during a time when 
it was difficult for her as an African American to travel--places to 
stay, places to eat--but yet always with that elegance, with that 
grace, with her beauty, she would perform and entertain but stay true 
to herself, understanding that she was going to have a better tomorrow 
for those who followed in her path. She was a trailblazer, making it 
easier for people to follow.
  If you think about the times that we had during that period, you had 
to be extra special. That's who she was. I can recall, even as my 
mother sat, she had to smile, because as soon as you said the name, my 
father would smile because of the beauty and the glory of Lena Horne. 
Anytime you heard Lena Horne on the radio, he would stop to listen to 
her voice. And when she was on television later, everything else in the 
house had to halt so that we could watch the elegant Lena Horne.
  So when we think about the prejudice and discrimination that she had 
throughout her life but how she persevered and ultimately used her 
talent and fame to become a powerful voice for the civil rights 
movement and equality, it is for those reasons I congratulate my 
friend, Alcee Hastings, for bringing this bill forward.
  Lena Horne lived in New York. In fact, a good friend of mine, a good 
personal friend of mine, lives in her old home now that's been 
landmarked and designated in Addisleigh Park, Queens, which is the 
heart of my district.
  So, Mr. Speaker, today I call on my colleagues to join me in voting 
in favor of H.R. 1815, to award the elegant, the beautiful Lena Horne 
the Congressional Medal of Honor for her outstanding accomplishments 
and her contributions to American culture and society.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers at this 
time. I will continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Hastings) such time as he may consume.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I thank my good friend for yielding the 
time, he and Mr. Luetkemeyer for bringing the measure forward.
  I especially want to acknowledge Chairman Spencer Bachus and Ranking 
Member Barney Frank, as well as their respective staffs, for helping us 
in this matter. And a special shout-out to Tim Scott. Like Ms. Hayworth 
helped you with Raoul Wallenberg, Tim and Jennifer DeCasper, from his 
office, helped me to gain the number of signatures, as well as to 
acknowledge my young staffer, Erin Moffet, who learned an awful lot 
about Lena Horne along the way.
  Mr. Speaker, obviously I'm in strong support of H.R. 1815, the Lena 
Horne Recognition Act, a bill to posthumously honor Lena Horne with a 
Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of her many achievements and 
contributions to American culture and the civil rights movement.
  I personally felt that I could not allow time to pass without 
honoring the life and legacy of Ms. Horne, who passed away on May 9, 
2010, at the age of 92. Throughout her lifetime, Ms. Horne used her 
talent and fame to become a powerful voice for civil rights and 
equality.
  It was quite a journey to get this legislation to the floor given the 
requirement that at least 290 Members of the House must cosponsor the 
bill. I introduced this bill on May 10, 2011, with the support from 23 
other Members, and I'm proud to say today that there are now 308 
bipartisan cosponsors, and the measure is also offered in the United 
States Senate.
  While asking my colleagues to support this legislation to award Lena 
Horne with the Congressional Gold Medal, I was, in some respects, a 
little disappointed to see that too many people, both Members and 
staff, were not aware of who this remarkable woman was.
  I hope that we can pass H.R. 1815 today and that the Senate will then 
subsequently pass this legislation and the President will sign this 
bill into law so that Lena Horne's legacy will finally be given the 
recognition it rightly deserves by posthumously awarding her with the 
Congressional Gold Medal. I know her daughter and members of the 
family--her daughter, Gail Lumet Buckley, I promised that I would call 
when it passed, and I shall.
  Lena Horne was the recipient of the Kennedy Center Honor for her 
lifetime contribution to the arts in 1984, and in 1989 she received a 
Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award. She has two stars on the Hollywood 
Walk of Fame for her work in both motion pictures and recording. 
Additionally, she has a footprint on the International Civil Rights 
Walk of Fame at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site.
  Although these and other monumental awards and honors were bestowed 
upon her, Ms. Horne's life was not a story of smooth sailing. Her life 
was too often plagued by stormy weather, which ironically was the title 
of her signature song and one of the major films that she starred in. 
Footnote there: I was in the third grade in Jersey City, New Jersey, 
and my mother let me stay out of school to see my first motion picture, 
and I have a memory of it today that stayed with me throughout that 
time.
  Born on June 30, 1917, in Brooklyn--not in Queens, Gregory--Lena Mary

[[Page H1820]]

Calhoun Horne broke racial barriers through her career as a singer, 
dancer, and actress for 60 years.

                              {time}  1630

  Ms. Horne got her start at the age of 16 when she was hired as a 
chorus dancer at Harlem's famous Cotton Club. Then, at 19, she made her 
Broadway debut in dancing a feature role in ``Dance With Your Gods.''
  Her path to stardom then led her to tour with Charlie Barnett's jazz 
band in the early 1940s, when she became one of the first black women 
to tour with an all-white band.
  A few years later, after starting her career as a singer and a 
dancer, Ms. Horne was discovered by a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer talent scout, 
and moved to Hollywood to be an actress, becoming the first black 
artist to sign a long-term contract with a major studio.
  Even given her extraordinary beauty and elegance and talent, she was 
often limited to minor acting roles because of her race. Among many 
lost opportunities was the role of Julie in the film adaptation of 
``Show Boat.''
  Ms. Horne had previously played this role in an adaptation of act 1 
of ``Show Boat'' that was featured in the 1946 film ``Till the Clouds 
Roll By.'' But due to the Motion Picture Production Code not allowing 
the depiction of interracial relationships in film, the distinguished 
and famous Ava Gardner was cast in this role instead of Lena Horne.
  Her fame in films was also limited due to the fact that during that 
time, many films were shot so that scenes in which black performers 
were featured could be easily edited out for Southern audiences. Even 
facing such discrimination, Ms. Horne's perseverance allowed her to 
overcome such obstacles and led her to dazzle audiences and critics in 
a number of major films.
  Her lead roles included those in the musical ``Cabin in the Sky'' and 
the box office hit ``Stormy Weather,'' where Ms. Horne's remarkable 
performance of the title song in ``Stormy Weather'' became one of her 
most notable songs throughout her career. On her last tour, I saw her 
in Ft. Lauderdale, and she sang three iterations of that song; and the 
last one, indeed, as she said, was the most powerful. These two roles 
increased her visibility as well as sealed her legacy in the music and 
film industry.
  The struggle for equal and fair treatment became an inseparable and 
increasingly political part of Ms. Horne's life even outside of the 
film industry. She toured extensively with the United Service 
Organizations in support of U.S. troops during World War II, where she 
was a major critic of the unfair treatment of black soldiers. Outspoken 
on the issue, Ms. Horne refused to sing for segregated audiences or to 
groups in which German prisoners of war were seated in front of the 
black U.S. servicemen.
  Due to her civil rights activism on issues such as these, as well as 
her friendship with Paul Robeson and W.E.B. DuBois, Ms. Horne found 
herself blacklisted during the period of McCarthyism.
  While she continued to face discrimination in the film industry in 
the fifties, her career flourished in television and on nightclub 
stages across the country. During this time, she returned to her roots 
as a vocalist and established herself as a major recording artist.
  In 1957, she recorded ``Lena Horne at the Waldorf-Astoria,'' which 
became the best-selling album by a female singer in RCA Victor's 
history. Ms. Horne used the talent and fame she achieved through such 
acclaims to become a powerful voice for civil rights and equality. In 
1963, she participated in the historic March on Washington for Jobs and 
Freedom at which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his immortal ``I 
Have a Dream'' speech.
  She also performed at rallies throughout the country for the National 
Council for Negro Women, and worked with the National Association for 
the Advancement of Colored People, the NAACP, of which she was the 
cover girl for their monthly bulletin at age 2.
  Following her blacklisting from film in the fifties and 
disillusionment with the industry, Ms. Horne only returned to the 
screen three more times following the McCarthyism era, one of which was 
the film adaptation of ``The Wiz,'' in which she was cast as Glinda the 
Good Witch.
  Then in 1981, Ms. Horne finally received the big break she had waited 
for her whole life, a one-woman Broadway show. ``Lena Horne: The Lady 
and Her Music'' was the culmination of her triumphs and struggles. It 
enjoyed a 14-month run before going on tour and earned her a special 
Tony award for distinguished achievement in theater and two Grammys.
  At the age of 80, Ms. Horne made the following statement, which I 
believe appropriately captures her legacy; and, Gail, this one is for 
you.
  She stated that:

       My identity is very clear to me now. I am a black woman. 
     I'm free. I no longer have to be a credit. I don't have to be 
     a symbol to anybody. I don't have to be a first to anybody. I 
     don't have to be an imitation of a white woman that Hollywood 
     sort of hoped I'd become. I'm me, and I'm like nobody else.

  Mr. Speaker, Lena Horne was an extraordinary woman who refused to 
give up her dreams because of the color of her skin, and used her 
beauty, talent, elegance, and intelligence to fight racial 
discrimination. Her perseverance and accomplishments are truly 
inspirational, having taught us all how to weather the stormy periods 
of our lives.
  I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 1815, the Lena Horne 
Recognition Act, so that we may honor the life and legacy of Ms. Lena 
Horne with a Congressional Gold Medal and through this recognition 
inspire others with her story.
  Someone wrote today, what do Lena Horne and Jack Nicklaus and Raoul 
Wallenberg have in common? It's my hope that what they will have in 
common today is each will be recognized for their distinguished 
achievements and heroic acts on behalf of our society.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Luetkemeyer) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1815.
  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. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.

                          ____________________