[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 165 (Thursday, September 23, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H5096]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            AND STILL I RISE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Green) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, and still I rise, a proud, liberated 
Democrat unbought and unbossed in the spirit of Shirley Chisholm.
  And I rise today with a very simple message: Black lives still 
matter. It doesn't matter who is in power, Black lives matter. The 
circumstances haven't changed. Black lives matter wherever they happen 
to be. They matter in Haiti, and they matter at the southern border.
  Mr. Speaker, what you see here is despicable and reprehensible. This 
is what is happening at the southern border, persons on horses lashing 
out apparently at persons who are from Haiti. Black lives still matter, 
and it is important to note that these persons, when they are rounded 
up apparently and sent back to Haiti, are given $50, a phone card and 
some food. Many of these persons haven't been to Haiti in over a 
decade--over 10 years--and they are given $50, a phone card, and some 
food.
  Black lives matter. This has got to change. This is why I have 
introduced H. Res. 670. It condemns the actions that we have seen at 
the border; it condemns the actions. It doesn't condemn the people; it 
condemns the actions. I have some personal thoughts about the behavior 
of the people and the people themselves, but this resolution condemns 
these actions. I believe all people of goodwill should find these 
actions abhorrent and deplorable.
  I also believe that those who tolerate injustice--this is an 
injustice--those who tolerate injustice perpetuate injustice.
  I am asking that H. Res. 670 be brought to the floor of this House so 
that this House can go on record as opposing what we have seen at the 
border that is inhumane. We ought to go on record opposing this.
  We have gone on record opposing things that have been said by people 
who are within the House and without the House. This House has gone on 
record when we have had these seminal moments in time. This is another 
seminal moment in time that requires some time on the floor of this 
House to show the world that we stand for justice and that this 
injustice should not stand.
  Finally, I indicated that when they are deported to Haiti they 
receive $50, some food, and a phone card. But here is something that I 
find appalling as well: Haitians have been given temporary protected 
status in this country. Mr. Speaker, if you were here at a certain time 
prior to a certain time, you were given temporary protected status. 
Well, we are sending people who are Haitians back to Haiti who haven't 
been there in 10 years, but there are others who will stay because we 
are saying that the conditions are not acceptable to send people back 
to Haiti. That contradiction has to be reconciled. We shouldn't be 
sending people to Haiti when we said that Haiti is not safe for us to 
send Haitians to.
  Mr. Speaker, Black lives still matter. It doesn't matter who is in 
power, Mr. Speaker. Circumstances don't change, and until they change, 
a liberated Democrat is going to continue to say that we must be a part 
of that change.
  I pray that we will have H. Res. 670 brought to the floor so that we 
can show the world that we believe Black lives matter.

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