[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 41 (Thursday, March 9, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H1955]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    PHILANDER SMITH COLLEGE CELEBRATES THE 140TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS 
                                FOUNDING

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Arkansas (Mr. Hill) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, the distinguished minority leader from 
Maryland certainly knows my great affection for him and his leadership 
of the opposition. We are the opposition here. I have to say that 
should he not have access to C-SPAN, like all of us, we invite him to 
tune in to C-SPAN and the Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce and enjoy this long markup, Mr. Leader, and it 
is quite the contrary.
  Mr. HOYER. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. HILL. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.
  Mr. HOYER. It may not be true of your constituents, but most of my 
constituents were asleep between 12 and 6 this morning.
  Mr. HILL. I thank the gentleman. Reclaiming my time, I recognize 
that. But the American people, Mr. Leader, want us to work to correct 
the deficiencies in the Affordable Care Act, to repeal and replace it, 
make it better for the American people, to lower premiums, give more 
access, let people choose the plan they want.
  I would remind the leader that there was no C-SPAN camera in Ms. 
Pelosi's office when the original Affordable Care Act was cobbled 
together over Christmas break, certainly not in the light of the 
American people.
  So I urge people who are watching C-SPAN today, go to 
readthebill.gop, understand what is going on to repair and replace the 
Affordable Care Act, engage with your Member of Congress, and let's 
make health care available for all of our citizens. Let's make it truly 
affordable. Let's take care of the least of these, but let's do it in a 
patient-centered, market-based approach.
  Mr. Speaker, today I come to the House floor to honor my friends at 
Philander Smith College in Little Rock. They celebrate their Founder's 
Day, commemorating the 140th anniversary of their founding in 1877. 
Philander Smith is a Historically Black College and an early higher 
education institution built and created by former African-American 
slaves, the first such institution west of the Mississippi River.
  Graduating thousands of students over its 140-year legacy, the 
college is particularly important to Arkansas' history, economy, and 
higher education community. Currently, approximately 760 students are 
enrolled at Philander Smith, and the college continues to play an 
integral role in preparing predominantly minority and low-income 
students for careers and employment in Arkansas and throughout our 
country. I always enjoy my opportunities to be on campus, engaging with 
their bright, dedicated young minds.
  The college's president, Dr. Roderick Smothers, recently joined his 
HBCU colleagues here in Washington to meet with the White House and 
leadership in Congress and talk about the challenges facing our 
Historically Black Colleges and their students. I appreciate Dr. 
Smothers' dedication to his students and their education at Philander 
Smith. I am proud to represent such a historic and valuable 
institution.
  I congratulate Philander Smith on its 140th anniversary. I look 
forward to many more decades of their success.

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