[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 111 (Thursday, July 16, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1077]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 13, 2015

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, first, let me thank Congresswoman Robin Kelly 
and Congressman Donald Payne for hosting this important Special Order. 
I appreciate your leadership in organizing this important discussion.
  I would also like to thank Chairman Butterfield and Assistant Leader 
Clyburn for their continued leadership and dedication to fighting 
racism and racial bias.
  Tonight's special order is particularly important because of recent 
high profile events that have forced our nation to reflect on race.
  Our nation continues to grieve those lost in the terrible tragedy at 
Mother Emmanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, S.C. and my thoughts and 
prayer remain with their families.
  In the wake of this senseless tragedy, Americans all over the country 
are asking: why do we still celebrate the Confederate battle flag? The 
confederate battle flag is a true symbol of hate and discrimination.
  Late Wednesday night, as the South Carolina legislature debated 
bringing down the Confederate battle flag that had flown over its 
statehouse, Congressman Ken Calvert, a Republican from California, 
introduced an amendment--in the dark of night--to allow for the sale 
and display of this symbol of hate in our national parks and federal 
cemeteries.
  That's simply outrageous--this symbol of hate has no place at these 
federal landmarks. It's past time that we put away these symbols of 
hate and division.
  It's past time that we confront America's long and dark history of 
racism and work to address the legacy of slavery, Jim Crow and 
institutional racism that continue to disadvantage too many African 
American families.
  Now I grew up in El Paso, TX and I remember vividly Jim Crow. I 
remember the segregated schools and separate drinking fountains. I 
wasn't able to go to the Plaza Theatre with my white and Latino 
friends--because I was black.
  Thankfully, those days of legal segregation have ended but in many 
ways, we know that segregation and the wounds of racism still persist.
  And the Confederate battle flag is a symbol of that hate and racism. 
It is a symbol that only serves to divide us and that never should have 
existed.
  From its conception, the confederate battle flag has represented 
white supremacy, and oppression.
  In the words of William Thompson, the designer of the confederate 
battle flag, ``As a people we are fighting to maintain the Heaven-
ordained supremacy of the white man over the inferior or colored race. 
A white flag would stand fourth our southern cross, preserving in 
beautiful contrast the red white and blue''
  He continues by saying ``. . . it would soon take rank among the 
proudest ensigns of the nations, and be hailed by the civilized world 
as the White Man's Flag.''
  Mr. Speaker--I could not have put it more plainly.
  This flag means hate--it always has and always will.
  The intent for the confederate battle flag was to create a symbol 
that will remind the whole world of white supremacy, discrimination, 
and opposition to America.
  It was also the banner under which millions fought against the 
preservation of our great union.
  Under this flag, the Ku Klux Klan; a terrorist organization solely 
devoted to promoting hate and white supremacy, would unlawfully lynch 
blacks and burn churches to the ground.
  Under this banner, lawmakers instituted laws that established and 
preserved segregation for generations.
  And Dylann Roof looked to the flag as his guiding symbol that 
legitimized his actions: the murder of 9 peaceful parishioners looking 
to develop a deeper connection with God and their community.
  Mr. Speaker--enough is enough. This symbol of hate has no place in 
our society--it's past time to take it down.
  However, it is not enough to simply take it down. We must get serious 
about deconstructing the system that the Confederate battle flag 
represents--a system designed to close off economic opportunity for 
African Americans. It's past time that we get serious about ensuring 
liberty and justice for all.
  To start, we must pass Congressman Bennie Thompson's resolution to 
bring down the Confederate battle flag from our nation's Capital. This 
is a common sense step and I urge the House Administration Committee to 
quickly move on his legislation.
  We can and must do more to put away hate and ensure justice for all.
  We must start by creating good-paying jobs that are open to all 
Americans.
  In my role as co-chair of the CBC Task Force on Poverty and the 
Economy and Chair of the Democratic Whip's Task Force on Poverty, 
Income Inequality, and Opportunity, I am proud to be working with more 
than 100 of my colleagues, to advance policies that give all 
Americans--a fair shot.
  This work includes working to pass the Pathways out of Poverty Act 
(H.R. 2721), which I am proud to have introduced this Congress. This 
legislation is a comprehensive approach to address poverty in America 
that starts by creating good-paying jobs that empower families to build 
pathways out of poverty.
  We also need to raise the minimum wage--and fight for a living wage 
because no one working full time should live in poverty.
  To that end, I am proud to be a cosponsor of Congressman Al Green's 
The Original Living Wage Act (H.R. 122) and Congressman Scott's Raise 
the Wage Act (H.R. 2150) to increase paychecks for families living on 
the edge.
  We also need to fight against the disparities that persist in our 
health care system. The Affordable Care Act was a good start but more 
is needed.
  For years, the Congressional tri-caucus has championed this effort by 
introducing The Health Equity and Accountability Act (HEAA). 
Congresswoman Robin Kelly will have the honor of introducing this 
important legislation this Congress and I am proud to co-lead this 
effort as co-chair of the CAPAC Health Task Force. This legislation 
builds on the Affordable Care Act and puts us on track to eliminate 
health disparities in our country.
  Lastly, we need criminal justice reform. For too long we have ignored 
the systemic racial bias that's endemic in our criminal justice 
institutions and which has created an entire ``missing generation'' of 
black men.
  That is why Congress should pass the bipartisan Stop Militarizing Law 
Enforcement Act (H.R. 1232), which I am a proud cosponsor of, to stop 
the militarization of our nation's police forces.
  We need to pass the Police Accountability Act (H.R. 1102) and the 
Grand Jury Reform Act (H.R. 429) so we can ensure that deadly force 
cases are heard by a judge and there is more accountability among 
police officers.
  Mr. Speaker--we have the legislation before us to start ending 
systemic poverty and injustice in America--let's call a vote and pass 
these bills.
  It's time that we get serious about deconstructing the institutions 
that have oppressed millions and denied them and their families' 
opportunity to live the American dream.
  But first, we must take down the Confederate battle flag--a symbol of 
those biased institutions.
  A symbol of hate--
  Of racism and
  Of treason.
  Mr. Speaker--it's past time to take it down.

                          ____________________