[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 1, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H312-H315]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
JOHN R. LEWIS POST OFFICE BUILDING
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 5577) to designate the facility of the United
States Postal Service located at 3900 Crown Road Southwest in Atlanta,
Georgia, as the `John R. Lewis Post Office Building'.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5577
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. JOHN R. LEWIS POST OFFICE BUILDING.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 3900 Crown Road Southwest in Atlanta,
Georgia, shall be known and designated as the ``John R. Lewis
Post Office Building''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be
a reference to the ``John R. Lewis Post Office Building''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz) and the gentleman from Kansas (Mr.
LaTurner) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida.
General Leave
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5577 to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3900 Crown Road
Southwest in Atlanta, Georgia, as the ``John R. Lewis Post Office
Building''.
John Lewis was born on February 21, 1940, in Troy, Alabama, to Willie
Mae and Eddie Lewis.
Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he attended the American
Baptist Theological Seminary in Nashville, Tennessee. Lewis then went
on to earn his bachelor's degree in religion and philosophy from Fisk
University.
[[Page H313]]
As a college student in Nashville, Congressman Lewis was a founder
and chairman of the national civil rights organization, Student
Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, or SNCC.
In 1963, John Lewis was involved in planning the March on Washington
for Jobs and Freedom. As a part of the event, Lewis delivered a keynote
address at the Lincoln Memorial in which he called on an army of
movement activists to ``march through the South'' in a sustained
campaign of nonviolent resistance to produce effective civil rights
legislation and destroy Jim Crow.
His fight for Federal civil rights legislation continued in 1965, as
Congressman Lewis participated in new voter registration drives and
peaceful demonstrations in Selma, Alabama, where he sustained a
fractured skull as a result of being beaten during what is now known as
Bloody Sunday.
President Jimmy Carter appointed Lewis as the associate director of
the Federal volunteer agency, ACTION, where he worked to build
connections to local volunteer groups and diversify the agency's
workforce.
From 1981 to 1986, Congressman Lewis held a seat on the Atlanta City
Council, where he tackled local issues, such as public funding for
infrastructure, zoning laws, and homelessness.
As a Representative of Georgia, Lewis made monumental strides as he
focused on backing or introducing legislation advancing civil rights,
environmental justice, education, and healthcare.
In 1991, Lewis proposed legislation to establish the museum of
African American history and worked to gather support for the proposal
until George W. Bush signed into law a bill creating the National
Museum of African American History and Culture.
Mr. Speaker, one of the greatest honors of my professional life, and
really my life, was the opportunity to get to know and serve with the
great John Lewis in this body, and I think if you asked most Members
who had the privilege of getting to know him and serve with him in the
U.S. House of Representatives, that they would count among their finest
honors to be able to have that privilege as well.
Sadly, we lost Congressman Lewis, our beloved John, who died on July
17, 2020, and I encourage all of my colleagues to honor the memory of
Congressman John Lewis's legacy and his fight for civil rights through
the dedication of the post office at 3900 Crown Road Southwest as the
``John R. Lewis Post Office Building'', and may his memory be for a
blessing.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1415
Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5577, which would
name a post office after our former House colleague, John Robert Lewis.
Besides being a long-term Member of Congress and serving as chief
deputy whip in the 110th Congress, he is best known for his role as a
leader of the civil rights movement.
Congressman Lewis' legacy is inspiring.
John was the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating
Committee in the 1960s. He was one of the original Freedom Riders in
1961.
In 1963, John helped organize the March on Washington.
In 1965, John led the first of three marches between Selma and
Montgomery across the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
There are few Americans as distinguished as John R. Lewis, and I am
proud to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Georgia (Ms. Williams), who has the privilege of not
having stepped in the shoes, but to have succeeded the great former
Congressman John Lewis.
Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R.
5577, legislation that I introduced to rename the main post office on
Crown Road in Atlanta after my mentor and predecessor, a friend to many
of us, Congressman John Robert Lewis.
Giving the Fifth Congressional District's main United States post
office Congressman Lewis' name is a proper, lasting tribute to the life
of a civil rights hero. And to have the people's House take this bill
up on the first day of Black History Month could not be more fitting.
Congressman Lewis was a Freedom Rider, the youngest speaker at the
1963 March on Washington, a recipient of the Presidential Medal of
Freedom, and the conscience of the Congress.
The sacrifices Congressman Lewis made paved the way for me to even
stand before you today as a Member of this body.
Congressman Lewis was a natural leader, and nearly 2 years after his
passing, his mere memory has united over 360 cosponsors to honor his
life and legacy by designating the John R. Lewis Postal Building.
As I reflect on the power of over four-fifths of this body coming
together to honor the life of Congressman Lewis, I can only imagine the
good we could do by coming together in the same numbers to advance what
Congressman Lewis called the beloved community; the good we could do by
standing together, fiercely defending the civil rights that Congressman
Lewis put his life on the line for; the good we could do if we all said
something, did something, whenever we see something that is not right;
the good we could all do if we heeded the words in Congressman Lewis'
final essay ``to answer the highest calling of your heart and stand up
for what you truly believe.''
While it speaks volumes that so many of us have united to commemorate
Congressman Lewis, it would shout to the heavens where Mr. Lewis could
hear us if we united with the same energy in the spirit of justice and
moral obligation.
As we look at the trying times that our country is facing, let us not
only honor Congressman Lewis with the post office. Let us channel
Congressman Lewis every day in Congress. Let's make sure today's
passage of H.R. 5577 is only a starting point for our work ahead in his
honor.
Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Carter).
Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember and honor the life of the great
John Lewis.
I am honored to have called Congressman Lewis a colleague and, more
importantly, a friend. Mr. Speaker, I have many fond memories of
serving in Congress, but some of my fondest memories are walking from
the Cannon Building over here to the Capitol with John Lewis. Here I
am, this kid from south Georgia, walking with an icon over here to the
Capitol. And we did it on many occasions. His office was a floor below
mine when I was in the Cannon Building.
I also cherish the time that he invited Members of the Georgia
delegation to his home, and we had dinner that night. He sat and told
us stories, stories of his experiences with Dr. King. I was proud to
call John Lewis my friend.
Like all of us in these Halls, we can say that his wisdom, his
spirit, and his friendship are deeply missed.
But what can you say about John Lewis that hasn't already been said?
He was a giant among men. He fiercely dedicated his life to fighting
for equality and for justice for all.
From his early days fighting segregation in Nashville, to the Freedom
Rides, and to his service in the Halls of Congress, John Lewis
dedicated his life to a more perfect Union.
John Lewis never stopped. And now more than ever, it is encouraging
to be reminded of John's unyielding optimism and faith in the American
Dream.
My hope is that today's bill would, in a small way, continue his
legacy. The bill we are considering today would name Atlanta's central
postal facility after this American hero. It is only appropriate to do
so for a city shaped so much by Mr. Lewis.
What is more, Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if you have looked at the
number of cosponsors on this bill. If you count, this bill has an
incredible 341 cosponsors as of this morning. By my estimates, that
makes it the most bipartisan bill that Congress has considered. And
that is telling of John Lewis' legacy.
I should note that this legislation has the support of Congressman
Lewis' family, the John and Lillian Miles
[[Page H314]]
Lewis Foundation, as well as local Atlanta officials.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Nikema Williams, who now
represents Mr. Lewis' old district in Atlanta, for sponsoring this
effort.
As a Georgian, as a colleague, and as a friend, I am especially
honored to support this legislation and urge all of my colleagues to do
the same.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
distinguished gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline), a member of
the Judiciary Committee who chairs the Antitrust, Commercial, and
Administrative Law Subcommittee.
Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and
giving me an opportunity to say a few words about our extraordinary
colleague, the late John Lewis.
John Lewis is someone who had such an enormous impact on this
country, someone who risked his life and endured violence and
intimidation to help create a more beloved community and a better
country. John was a gentle man who continued his fight for equality and
justice and dignity for every single person in this country.
Many of us had the privilege of crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge
with John Lewis, but for me what was particularly helpful and memorable
was that John Lewis was a champion in the fight for LGBTQ and the
Equality Act. At a very critical moment, he became part of that effort,
and I thought to myself: Here is a man who has already done more than
anyone could imagine one person could do for human dignity, for
equality, and for justice, and he was still in the fight for the LGBTQ
community.
One of the most extraordinary honors of my life is having served in
Congress and, certainly, having the friendship of the extraordinary
John Lewis, someone who was beloved by everyone here.
I will end with this. When I first met Mr. Lewis, he called me
brother. That went on for about 6 months. I thought to myself, well, he
doesn't remember my name. You know, that is just the way it is. But I
soon learned that he called everyone brother and sister because, in
John's heart, we were all part of a common family.
So this post office--and I thank Congresswoman Nikema Williams for
her sponsorship--will be a permanent memorial to the extraordinary
contributions of the life of John Lewis to our country.
Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am
prepared to close.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, as I have said, nearly all the
Members of this body who had the privilege to get to know Congressman
Lewis would count among their finest honors the chance to serve in this
esteemed institution with him.
John was really the embodiment of goodness. John Lewis was someone
who I never heard cast aspersions, who I never saw angry or directed
anger at someone else. He certainly had anger toward injustice and
really channeled that energy and his passion to make sure that everyone
in the United States had an opportunity to live and experience justice
as his life's work.
There were so many times that John's rallying cry for Members of this
institution was that we needed to stand up and speak out and make sure
that we did not remain silent. That is absolutely essential and is as
important today as it was back in the 1960s and before that when he was
walking across the Edmund Pettus Bridge and leading the fight for
voting rights. We carry on that fight for him to this day in his
memory.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms.
Pelosi), the distinguished Speaker of the United States House of
Representatives.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for bringing this
important legislation to the floor of the House in such a bipartisan
way.
I rise today in support of legislation to honor the leadership and
legacy of Congressman John Robert Lewis.
I thank the gentleman, who is also from Georgia, for presiding. It
makes it very special to all of us.
I support this legislation officially and personally, as our beloved
John Lewis was the conscience of the Congress and a dear friend to many
of us who served with him.
I came in with the same class as John Lewis, so I served with him for
decades, and I had the benefit of seeing up close and personal on a
daily basis the special nature of this man.
Let us salute Congresswoman Nikema Williams, who has the awesome
privilege of serving in John Lewis' seat for Georgia, for her committed
leadership in making this legislation possible.
John Lewis was a titan of the civil rights movement--we all know
that--a moral giant on Capitol Hill and in the country, and a hero of
American history who transformed our Nation with his vision, his
persistence, and his courage.
John offered our Nation a clarion voice for freedom and justice from
lunch counters in Nashville to the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, from
the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to the floor of the House. On the
floor of the House, John led a demonstration in support of gun violence
prevention that was historic.
John's extraordinary sacrifice, indomitable spirit, and endless
generosity in the face of unimaginable adversity made him revered in
both Houses of Congress, on both sides of the aisle, and across the
country.
It was my solemn honor to welcome John back to the Capitol a final
time in July 2020 to lie in state.
Then, in July 2021, I had the great privilege of leading a
congressional delegation to San Diego to christen the formidable USNS
John Lewis.
Today, we again honor John by affixing his name upon a post office in
the heart of his beloved Atlanta, another fitting tribute that will
inspire generations of Georgians.
It is appropriate we do so today as Americans across the Nation mark
the beginning of Black History Month this very day.
As we do so, let us pledge to continue to carry on John's mission to
strive for a more perfect Union and to work to build a world worthy of
John Lewis' legacy.
Mr. Speaker, I also proudly honor a pioneering spirit and a friend of
John Lewis', a progressive champion and a dear longtime friend of so
many of us, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, with legislation to rename the
Petaluma downtown post office in her honor, which I am proud to
cosponsor as a Californian.
We pay a proper tribute to an inspiring leader who has improved the
lives of countless working families in the bay area and beyond.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Jared Huffman for his committed
leadership to bring this legislation to the floor and for carrying on a
great legacy that he and Lynn Woolsey shared of leadership on behalf of
the families of the north bay.
During Lynn's two decades in the House on the Education and Labor
Committee and as co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, she
was a leader on welfare reform in the nineties, opposing the war in
Iraq since day one, working relentlessly on ending gender
discrimination, championing fervently our environment, and, again,
bravely protesting the genocide in Darfur.
So the Congress will salute her instrumental leadership. She was one
of the leaders who established Women's History Month, an important
tradition allowing us to pay homage to the extraordinary women on whose
shoulders we now stand.
For two reasons I come to the floor. Of course, one, to share in
honoring John Lewis in the naming of the post office, and to honor Lynn
Woolsey. I hope we have a strong bipartisan ``aye'' in both cases.
Mr. Speaker, I again thank Chair Wasserman Schultz for affording me
this opportunity to speak on behalf of two great champions of the
Congress, and I urge an ``aye'' vote.
{time} 1430
Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I support this bill, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, it is an incredible privilege to
be able to manage the time on this legislation to name the main post
office in the city of Atlanta after the great and late Honorable John
R. Lewis.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by
[[Page H315]]
the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5577.
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. ROSENDALE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
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