[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 127 (Monday, September 8, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H7273-H7274]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 APPROVAL OF MEMORIAL TO COMMEMORATE SLAVES AND FREE BLACK PERSONS WHO 
                   FOUGHT IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 120) approving the location of a 
memorial to commemorate the more than 5,000 slaves and free Black 
persons who fought for independence in the American Revolution.
  The Clerk read the title of the joint resolution.
  The text of the joint resolution is as follows:

                             H.J. Res. 120

       Whereas section 8908(b)(1) of title 40, United States Code, 
     provides that the location of a commemorative work in Area I, 
     as depicted on the map entitled ``Commemorative Areas 
     Washington, DC and Environs'', numbered 869/86501 B, and 
     dated June 24, 2003, shall be deemed to be authorized only if 
     a recommendation for that location is approved by law not 
     later than 150 calendar days after Congress is notified of 
     the recommendation;
       Whereas section 2860 of Public Law 112-239 (40 U.S.C. 8903 
     note) authorized the National Mall Liberty Fund D.C. to 
     establish a memorial on Federal land in Area I or Area II, as 
     depicted on such map, to honor the more than 5,000 slaves and 
     free Black persons who fought for American independence in 
     the Revolutionary War; and
       Whereas the Administrator of General Services has notified 
     Congress of the Administrator's determination that such 
     memorial should be located in Area I: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 
     location of a commemorative work to honor the more than 5,000 
     slaves and free Black persons who fought in the American 
     Revolution, authorized by section 2860 of division B of 
     Public Law 112-239 (40 U.S.C. 8903 note), within Area I as 
     described on the map entitled ``Commemorative Areas 
     Washington, DC and Environs'', numbered 869/86501 B and dated 
     June 24, 2003, is approved.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lowenthal) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska.


                             General Leave

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Alaska?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, in 2012 Congress authorized a National Mall Liberty Fund 
to establish a memorial on Federal land to honor the more than 5,000 
slaves and free Black persons who served as soldiers and sailors or 
provided civilian assistance during the American Revolution.
  Under the Commemorative Works Act, memorials must be recommended by 
the Government Service Administration for placement within what is 
known as Area I, which is generally the location around The National 
Mall in Washington. A recommendation may be issued if the Administrator 
finds a proposed memorial is of preeminence and of lasting 
significance.
  On June 3, 2014, the GSA Administrator notified the Natural Resources 
Committee he found the proposed National Liberty Memorial to be of 
lasting significance. Under current law, once this notification is 
delivered, Congress has 150 days to concur with the finding. H.J. Res. 
120 provides the necessary concurrence and allows this privately funded 
project to move forward. Again, I know of no Federal funds that will be 
used in this memorial.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LOWENTHAL. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. LOWENTHAL asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, Washington, D.C., and The National Mall 
are where we honor our Nation's heroes and commemorate our most 
significant achievements. An important chapter in our history which has 
yet to be fully recognized is the contribution and the sacrifice of the 
over 5,000 slaves and free Black persons who fought to free the 
Colonies in our Nation's War of Independence. These brave, selfless men 
must not be forgotten and are certainly deserving of our lasting 
recognition. That is why in 2003 after years of

[[Page H7274]]

debate and effort, Congress authorized the National Liberty Memorial.
  The National Liberty Memorial will serve as an important remembrance. 
I am very pleased that we are able to consider this bill today. When 
Congress authorizes the establishment of a memorial in Washington, 
D.C., it then takes years of planning to select a design and location. 
Fortunately, for the Liberty Memorial, a site has been selected. One of 
the last hurdles is approval from Congress, and with the adoption of 
H.J. Res. 120, that is why and what we are here to do today.

                              {time}  1800

  Getting this far would not have been possible without the hard work 
and dedication of the bill's sponsor, Representative Butterfield from 
North Carolina. I would like to thank him and congratulate him for his 
work and look forward to soon visiting the new National Liberty 
Memorial.
  We support this legislation and thank the majority for bringing it up 
for consideration. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Butterfield), the sponsor of the 
legislation.
  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. First, I want to thank you, Mr. Lowenthal, for those 
kind words and thank you for your leadership. Thank you for yielding 
time today and for working very hard to bring this important resolution 
to the House floor. I also appreciate the work of the Natural Resources 
Committee chairman, Doc Hastings, and Ranking Member Pete DeFazio, and 
you, Mr. Young, for considering this resolution expeditiously and for 
seeing that it was favorably reported by the committee.
  Also, let me thank Senator Chris Murphy from Connecticut, who used to 
serve in this body and now serves in the United States Senate, for 
introducing a companion bill in the Senate. His support is critical, 
and I thank him for his commitment to this important issue. I hope that 
the Senate will act as expeditiously and in as bipartisan a fashion as 
has the House of Representatives.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Joint Resolution 120, a 
bill that I introduced that will formally approve the location that was 
selected by the Administrator of the General Services Administration of 
a memorial that will recognize the thousands of slaves and free persons 
of color, or as historians sometimes refer to, free Negroes, who fought 
for independence during the American Revolution.
  Federal law requires, Mr. Speaker, that the location for the memorial 
identified by the Administrator of GSA be formally approved by Congress 
within 150 days of receiving the recommendation by the GSA 
Administrator.
  The memorial that will eventually be constructed to honor tens of 
thousands of slaves and free people of color who helped to secure 
American independence during the Revolution will be a fitting tribute 
to their heroic actions that helped shape the very foundation of our 
Nation.
  For generations, historians estimated that at least 5,000 African 
Americans--both slave and free--fought for American independence. 
Revised estimates now show more than 10,000 brave men joined the fight. 
At least 252 of these patriots came from North Carolina, and at least 
109 of those came from my congressional district, the counties of 
Bertie, Chowan, Craven, Edgecombe, Franklin, Granville, Halifax, 
Hertford, Northampton, Pasquotank, and Perquimans.
  The president general of the National Society of the Daughters of the 
American Revolution wrote of the brave souls who fought for freedom 
when they themselves were not free that ``they deserve special 
recognition in order to help better educate our country.''
  In 2008, the National Society of the Daughters of the American 
Revolution published landmark research containing the names and 
communities of these African American patriots. The research is 
continuously updated with the discovery of new heroes. Scores of 
African American men and women have been accepted by heritage societies 
that had not been previously open to their membership.
  The desire to honor these brave men and their descendants in a 
permanent and meaningful way had long been championed by a 
distinguished Member of this body who has since passed away, 
Congressman Donald Payne, Sr. Congressman Payne introduced authorizing 
language as far back as 2005. After Congressman Payne's death, I have 
worked to get this effort to the finish line, guided by his words that 
``this memorial is an important chapter in the reclamation of African 
American history.''
  There are over 2 million descendants of these Revolutionary War 
patriots nationwide. This eventual memorial will show the Nation, and 
it will show the world, Mr. Speaker, that the sacrifices and heroic 
efforts of African Americans--both slave and free--who took up arms to 
secure America's independence are not forgotten. It will permanently 
affirm what we know to be true: these patriots and their service to our 
then-infant Nation will forever be of preeminent historical and lasting 
significance to our country that they fought to create.
  Again, I thank you for the time, Mr. Lowenthal.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank Representative 
Butterfield from North Carolina for helping us get this across the 
finish line.
  We are really going to honor these brave Americans, both slaves and 
free blacks, who fought for American independence, and I think this is 
a wonderful bill.
  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 Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the joint resolution, H.J. Res. 120.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the joint resolution was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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