Congressional Record, Volume 168 Issue 105 (Tuesday, June 21, 2022)

[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 21, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H5726-H5731]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

CARIBBEAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 4, 2021, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) is
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to rise as the
anchor of the CBC Special Order addressing Caribbean American Heritage
Month and to welcome my colleagues to the floor to be able to engage in
a very important and provocative discussion.
Let me just say that last weekend, in fact, yesterday, was the
national holiday, the Juneteenth independence day. All over America
this commemoration brought about knowledge, understanding, jubilation,
and honor. So we are delighted to be on the floor today to, in fact,
provide an opportunity to expand and to talk about the heritage of so
many in this Nation.

General Leave

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include any extraneous material on the subject of this Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. It is my privilege now to, first of all, thank the
Honorable Joyce Beatty, who is the chairwoman of the Congressional
Black Caucus, for her continued efforts to ensure that the American
people know our message and our power, know the work that we are doing,
know the success that we are having, and also give us an opportunity to
articulate the historical record of African Americans and those who
have heritages from elsewhere.
I also take a moment to congratulate her for receiving the Juneteenth
honors in Washington, D.C. last Thursday from the Juneteenth
Foundation. It was a privilege not only to be with her and to
acknowledge many others who received those honors but to be there on
such a special night. She was well-deserving.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Beatty), who
is the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, as we commemorate June as Caribbean American Heritage
Month, I am proud to stand with our Special Order champion,
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who herself is a woman of Caribbean
heritage. She is from the great State of Texas, and her parents were
immigrants from Jamaica. So I thank Congresswoman Jackson Lee again for
leading our power, our message, and also I thank her for acknowledging
the great honor I received last week.
But, Mr. Speaker, the Congresswoman did not tell you that she too was
on that same program as we commemorated and celebrated Juneteenth. She
had the distinct honor to present an award to an icon, Maxwell, who is
so great he only needs one name. To see her walk across that stage
along with another one of our colleagues, Congresswoman Frederica
Wilson, made me proud to share the stage with her, our other
colleagues, and so many icons who have fought for justice. That ties
into what we are talking about today. You will hear many of our members
come and talk about the beauty of diversity, culture, and their
heritage.
I also want to take a moment to celebrate the dedication and all of
the work of Congresswoman Barbara Lee who led the effort to designate
the month of June as Caribbean American Heritage Month. You will hear
from her today, Mr. Speaker.
Congresswoman Barbara Lee is always out in the forefront when we are
talking about fighting for justice or when we are talking about making
sure that we educate our constituency, and, yes, America, on any topic,
but tonight this is a topic she knows all so well.
You see, Mr. Speaker, when I think about Congresswoman Shirley
Chisholm in Congress and Members like vice-chair of the Congressional
Black Caucus Steven Horsford, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke,
Congressman Anthony Brown, Delegate Stacey Plaskett, Congressman G. K.
Butterfield, Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, and so many
others, it is a rollcall of our Members of Caribbean heritage.
So when we think of this great legacy that we are leaving, Caribbean
heritage is one of the most resilient and excellent, and it is full of
the tenacity of the people who come to this Congress to be the voice
for the people whom they know need us most.
The Congressional Black Caucus has been a longtime fighter for the
protection of immigrants of color and for the rights of people of
Caribbean descent, such as the Haitian Family Reunification Parole, or
better known as HFRP program, which allows eligible United States
citizens and lawful permanent residents to apply for parole for their
family members in Haiti.

[[Page H5727]]

Just think about this, Mr. Speaker, think about this: Some 50 years
ago, one woman and 12 men, the founders of the Congressional Black
Caucus, one woman making history, the same woman who ran for President
of these United States, Shirley Chisholm. So from Shirley Chisholm to--
think about it--today in modern times Delegate Stacey Plaskett to
chairwoman of the CBC's Task Force on Immigration, and the only Black
woman in the New York congressional delegation, Congresswoman Yvette
Clarke, the contributions of Caribbean-American heritage to this
democracy is alive and well, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to also take a moment to commemorate the decades of work
that a Dr. Claire Nelson has displayed on behalf of the Caribbean
diaspora. Dr. Nelson is the founder and president of the Institute of
Caribbean Studies, ICS, the Nation's leading Caribbean-American
advocacy group and a good friend to the Congressional Black Caucus and
our dear friend, Congresswoman Barbara Lee. She fearlessly led the
advocacy efforts that accompany Congresswoman Barbara Lee's legislation
that was signed into law that we are celebrating tonight. I thank
Congresswoman Barbara Lee. I remember when she came to us in the
Congressional Black Caucus meeting and said: We want to make this
happen.
So tonight we made it happen.
I thank the gentlewoman, and I thank all of our other Members for
being here tonight.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Beatty for laying
the framework of how enriched the Congressional Black Caucus is with
the vast diversity of Members who have these enormous connections and
heritage and to honor the leader of this legislation making June
Caribbean American Heritage Month and to be astute enough to continue
her work as the chair of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related
Programs Subcommittee on Appropriations. She has been a lifeline to the
Caribbean and astute on many issues from immigration to disasters to
the issues of dealing with democracy and humanity.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership. Might I add
that she also has a strong heritage in Texas and was a very powerful
contributor to our celebration of Juneteenth in Texas. Along with her
relatives she was at the Ashton Villa site where General Granger came
to announce the freedom of the slaves. She did that during Juneteenth
in Texas. We were glad to have her.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).
Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I thank
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee for that very warm and gracious
introduction. But also let me just thank the gentlewoman for her
steadiness, her persistence, and her perseverance and for bringing the
truth about so many issues about Black people in the diaspora in our
own country to the forefront and providing a moment and, yes, being in
Galveston for the first time where my grandfather W.C. Parish was born.
My great-grandmother was enslaved in Galveston, and I had never been to
Galveston except for this weekend. So I thank Congresswoman Sheila
Jackson Lee for her hospitality.
I also thank her--and I must mention this--that after my friend
championed the legislation for a national holiday, all of the polls,
all of the surveys, and all of the news reports indicate that twice as
many people in our country know about the African-American culture,
history, and what took place before 1865. So that is in large part due
to the tireless effort of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. She said
over the weekend that Juneteenth provides for a moment of unity and for
a moment of healing.
As we move forward now, and the gentlewoman knows I have got to
mention H.R. 40 because that is next in terms of understanding and
developing the commission to study and develop reparations. But I think
this weekend really put us on another path, a more aggressive path now
to get that done. So I thank the gentlewoman very much.
Also, let me thank our chair, Chairwoman Joyce Beatty, for her kind
remarks, but also for really making sure that our message and our power
is brought to the forefront in the United States as it relates to the
Congressional Black Caucus. I know of no one who really understands the
historical context of African Americans and Black people in the
diaspora than Congresswoman Chairwoman Joyce Beatty.
When I think about Chairwoman Beatty, I always think about this bird,
and I mentioned it to her, the sankofa bird in the language of Ghana,
the Ghanian people. It is a beautiful bird with an egg in her mouth
looking backwards and beginning her move forward. Congresswoman Beatty
always works to give reverence and give credit to those who came before
us and remind us of our history looking back, knowing how we got here,
but also reminding us all that we must move forward until this country
provides liberty and justice for all.
So I just have to thank Chairwoman Beatty for always through her
leadership making sure that the whole country understands the sankofa
moment for us as African Americans in our country.
Also, all of our Caribbean Members, I see Congresswoman Yvette Clarke
come in. Her ancestors are from Jamaica, her mother and father. She has
contributed to this Congress, to her constituents, to the country and
to the Caribbean. She is an example of how Caribbean Americans bring
forth their wisdom, their passion, and their brilliance, never
forgetting their heritage. We have to thank them also for their
tremendous leadership here in this body because they have truly made a
major contribution to the United States House of Representatives.

{time} 2030

Yes, almost three decades ago, I really fought hard, and we did do
this in a bipartisan way, passing legislation to designate June as
Caribbean American Heritage Month.
President Bush actually signed this into law in 2006. Since then,
June has given us the opportunity to celebrate the tremendous impact
that the people of the Caribbean have made on the United States.
Let me also acknowledge Dr. Claire Nelson, who is a great Caribbean-
American leader, for inspiring this effort.
Since the founding of this country, Caribbean Americans have
contributed to every aspect of our society, including greatly to the
fine arts, education, business, literature, journalism, sports,
fashion, politics, government, military service, music, science,
medicine, engineering, technology, and many other fields.
We enjoy the richness of Caribbean-American culture through the
festivals, carnivals, music, dance, film, food, and literature, which
can be found across the United States.
Most importantly, a number of Caribbean Americans have been leaders
in the civil and human rights movement and other social and political
movements in the United States.
It is not surprising that people from the Caribbean are so connected
to our country, those who now live in the Caribbean, who are Caribbean
residents.
The countries of the Caribbean represent the United States' third
border. These countries are important economic and cultural partners of
the United States. We share parallel histories informed by struggles
against slavery and colonialism and for independence, democracy, and
shared prosperity.
We all share the same hopes and aspirations for peace and prosperity
throughout the Western Hemisphere and the rest of the world.
In fact, for these reasons and many more, the Congressional Black
Caucus and I have been pushing hard for the United States to engage
more deeply with our Caribbean neighbors.
We were, a couple of weeks ago, recently, at the Summit of the
Americas in Los Angeles. Several members and our chairwoman--
Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee,
Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett, and others--were in Los Angeles
participating at the summit, making sure that the word went out that we
are here to do more engagement and work and bring more parity and more
focus on the Caribbean.
As chair of the Appropriations' State, Foreign Operations, and
Related Programs Subcommittee, I have been

[[Page H5728]]

working with the CBC and the Caribbean Caucus, led by, of course,
Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, to increase our dialogue and investment in
the people and countries of the Caribbean.
As the House takes up the FY23 SFOPS bill, I say to Congresswoman
Jackson Lee that we are working to include further measures to deepen
the United States-Caribbean relationship.
Many influential Caribbean Americans are playing key roles in shaping
the history and future of the United States. Of course, they include
the late beloved Colin Powell, the first African-American Secretary of
State; Eric Holder, our first African-American Attorney General; Karine
Jean-Pierre, the first African-American White House press secretary;
Patrick Gaspard, labor union organizer and social justice advocate; Dr.
Garth Graham, public health leader and healthcare expert; Sherrilyn
Ifill, social justice advocate; the great Patrick Ewing, star of the
NBA's New York Knicks; Harry Belafonte, musician, actor, and activist,
and a very good friend to myself and this caucus; Roberto Clemente, the
first Latino introduced into the Baseball Hall of Fame; and let us not
forget Vice President Kamala Harris, the first African-American Vice
President and the highest ranking Caribbean American even in the United
States Government.
Finally, I cannot neglect to mention my friend and mentor,
Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, as Joyce Beatty, our chair, mentioned,
who was the first African-American woman elected to Congress and also
to run for President, and the first African American to run for
President.
Born in Brooklyn, of Guyanese and Bajan descent, she spent part of
her childhood in Barbados and always considered herself a Bajan
American. I had the privilege to go see her schoolhouse very recently
in Barbados, and it was quite moving to see where she was raised by her
grandmother to be the great woman she became.
With her brilliance and tenacity, she broke through multiple barriers
for Black Americans and for women, and I am here today, in part,
because of her example. I am proud to celebrate her legacy on this 50th
anniversary of her groundbreaking campaign for the President of the
United States.
Again this year, I have introduced a resolution, H. Res. 1161,
honoring these great Americans and the history Caribbean Americans have
contributed to our country. I am honored that several of my colleagues
here have joined as cosponsors in celebrating this rich history.
Let us use this month of June to pay appropriate tribute to the
breadth and depth of Caribbean-American contributions to the United
States. But let us also recommit ourselves to a closer and stronger
engagement with countries in the Caribbean. They are our allies. They
are our friends, and they deserve more support and more engagement
through trade, investment, development assistance, you name it. There
is a lot to do to catch up in the Caribbean.
I thank our Vice President and President Biden, and I thank the
Congressional Black Caucus, our Speaker, and many Members here who have
been so supportive over the years in increasing this engagement. We see
a lot of progress, but we have a long way to go.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee for her
leadership on so many fronts and for helping us educate the public
about the unfinished business of America.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman for capturing so
well the unfinished business as it relates to the Caribbean and
overall, and I thank her for being the leader of the resolution to
establish Caribbean American Heritage Month that we now are able to
commemorate year after year.

It is appropriate that the gentlewoman is the chair of the State,
Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee because she can
have a very large voice on the changing of our treatment of the
Caribbean, along with the leadership of our chair of the CBC and CBC
members. I thank the gentlewoman so much for that.
Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege, of course, to now yield to the
gentlewoman who hails from Brooklyn that has such a sizable
representation of Caribbean Americans. She is a senior member and vice
chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee and the founder of and
collaborator with the Caribbean-American Caucus here in the United
States Congress, and she has worked on a number of immigration issues
that really impact our brothers and sisters in the Caribbean.
I must say that, just a few years ago, I think we were shuttling
during the Christmas holiday--it seems like it was near the Christmas
holiday--from the Hill to the World Bank, trying to work on redoing the
treatment that they were giving to Jamaica. I thank the gentlewoman for
that leadership. I was pleased to join her in that effort, and we were
successful.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Clarke),
and I better say Brooklyn, New York.
Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentlewoman
from Houston, Texas, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, for anchoring us
this evening as we commemorate Caribbean American Heritage Month.
Let me acknowledge our chairwoman, Joyce Beatty, and, of course,
Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who speaks for me.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a proud Caribbean American and on behalf
of my fellow Americans of Caribbean descent in celebration and
recognition of the National Caribbean American Heritage Month.
Let me take this opportunity to thank Congresswoman Barbara Lee for
her vision in establishing this designation of Caribbean American
Heritage Month in June 2006.
I rise today to honor the tremendous contributions Caribbean
Americans have made and continue to make in the building of our great
Nation.
Mr. Speaker, our contributions are not just reflected in the tapestry
of American culture. They are brightly reflected in the heritage of
this Nation's first woman Vice President, Kamala Harris. It is
reflected in the first African-American woman to serve in Congress, my
predecessor, the Honorable Shirley Chisholm.
Mr. Speaker, the list of noble Caribbean Americans is too long to
list, and so I rise today as a proud Caribbean-American representative
of our sheer glory and significance in American history.
I rise today to remind the world of the continued excellence
demonstrated by Caribbean Americans in every sector of our civil
society. From government to the private sector, to entertainment and
sports, Caribbean Americans continue to exemplify a unique distinction
of creativity, innovation, and excellence that engenders a deep sense
of pride in our accomplishments.
Let me be clear: We essentially represent our homes of origin as de
facto goodwill ambassadors while, simultaneously, we represent some of
the best talent that the United States has to offer.
Having a month to highlight our tremendous contributions gives us a
special perspective on the collective benefit of such a diverse people
of African descent, Latin, Asian, and the European diaspora.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give honorable mention to one of the
Founding Fathers of our Nation, Alexander Hamilton, born in the
Caribbean nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
I rise today to sanctify the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey, a proud
Caribbean man from the island nation of Jamaica who formed one of the
largest Pan-Africanist movements in our Nation's history. I rise today
to call for justice, his exoneration, and his rightful place in our
American history.
I rise today on behalf of our ancestors of Caribbean descent, in
recognition and in celebration of National Caribbean American Heritage
Month.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to mark this moment on June 22, 2022, to honor
and reflect on the lives and contributions of all those who planted the
seeds of freedom and prosperity, knowing that they would never live
long enough to feel the liberating power of the freedom they fostered.
Their fight, now our fight for justice, fairness, equality, and equity,
is certainly not over, but thanks to their legacies, the perpetual
contributions of Caribbean Americans manifested through us in this
generation, we are on our way to fulfilling the American dreams of our
ancestors.

[[Page H5729]]

Mr. Speaker, as we mark the 16th anniversary of the National
Caribbean American Heritage Month, it is with a profound sense of
gratitude that we will finally have this opportunity to celebrate our
history, heritage, and unique place on our American journey and in our
American journey.
During the month of June, we are blessed to celebrate the freedom of
Juneteenth and commemorate the lives sacrificed through the indignities
of human bondage. But we reclaim the human dignity afforded to the
waves of Caribbean immigrants who have been a beneficiary and
significant part of the battle from the very foundation of our Nation's
existence.
We use the month of June to educate and acknowledge our rightful
place in American history.

{time} 2045

Ms. JACKSON LEE. I thank the gentlewoman from Brooklyn, New York.
What a powerful display of the richness of the Caribbean, the family
connections, her pride for this wonderful opportunity to speak about
the people in the Caribbean. I am very grateful to you for relating
both your familial connections but your predecessor.
So we all have stakeholders in Shirley Chisholm. I guess my pride is
as a very young person having introduced her at a church program and
then as a lawyer at a lawyer's program, those moments were very
special; working in her district for, you might remember her, Carol
Bellamy, and getting to know and be around her during that time.
I am delighted to make mention at this point of Representative Jamaal
Bowman, who will be presenting his statement into the Record, a very
strong, new Member who has exhibited such leadership. He will be one of
those that will submit statements into the Record along with
Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. She will likewise present
her statement into the Record.
I will proceed now to make my concluding remarks as I celebrate
Caribbean American Heritage Month. I thank Congresswoman Barbara Lee
for H. Con. Res. 71. I think it was introduced at that time in 2006,
and she has done that every single year. She has made the Congressional
Black Caucus better for being worldly enough to acknowledge the
connection.
I will build on what you have said, Congresswoman Lee. As a member of
the Homeland Security Committee, we considered the Caribbean, just a
few years back, after 9/11 as the third border of the United States,
and it had key importance for the role it played in the security of the
United States.
We have not continued that. And I believe as we look to reenhancing
our communications and collaboration with the Caribbean, it is to
recognize the important role that they are in securing America and
securing the Caribbean and the work that they have done with our
military, but also our drug enforcement, in a way that protects them
and protects the United States.
Millions have emigrated from the Caribbean to the United States since
our Nation's founding. Congress should continue to recognize the
important contributions of Caribbean Americans to our Nation's history
and their role in our Nation's future. Those were the words from that
legislation and from Barbara Lee as this bill was introduced.
Today, we celebrate the vibrancy and diversity of the Caribbean-
American communities as well as the strong ties reinforced between the
United States and our Caribbean neighbors.
We certainly recognize Cuba and know that there are immigration
policies that apply to Cuba.
I think at this point, I want to make that sure that all of us in the
Congressional Black Caucus continue to work on the issues dealing with
Haiti, in particular: The natural disasters, the issues of democracy,
the fact that they are a strong and resilient people, that they have
many, many needs, but we also want fairness.
As the former ranking member on the Subcommittee on Immigration,
Citizenship, and Border Safety, working with the Caribbean Caucus, we
are looking forward to the administration working on humanitarian
parole on some of the persons here of Haitian decent, so there is a
balance and a fairness of their immigration status with others.
These are things that we, in the Congressional Black Caucus, are
looking to work on as we cite the very strong ties that we have.
Shirley Chisholm certainly represents sort of an iconic figure. Most
persons see her from Brooklyn. I remember her saying as she was
appointed to the Committee on Agriculture, a tree does grow in
Brooklyn.
She was not going to let herself be denied the status of importance,
Mr. Speaker, when this urban member was appointed to the Committee on
Agriculture as a point of, you better sit here. She made much out of
that and was a great leader on food stamps and other issues dealing
with the urban community.
We might not know that W.E.B. Du Bois, a prominent African American,
the first to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard. And, of course, Vice President
Kamala Harris, the First African American of Jamaican heritage to serve
as Vice President of the United States. Supreme Court Justice Sonia
Sotomayor, a Latina of Puerto Rican heritage and the first to serve in
the United States Supreme Court.
We have noted Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the
Treasury. James Weldon Johnson, the writer of Lift Every Voice and
Sing, and a key figure of the Harlem renaissance. I can assure you that
he was very prominent. This song was very prominent during the
Juneteenth celebrations.
Gloria Estefan, one of the best-selling female artists of all time
from Cuba with the hit songs ``Conga'' and ``Rhythm is Gonna Get You.''
Then a name that we might not be familiar with: Bad Bunny, Spotify's
most streamed artist and album globally of 2020, and the first time a
non-English language music artist topped the year-end list.
The history, however, of the Caribbean is many. It is filled with
natural resources, natural beauty. It is, along with CARICOM, a perfect
partner to the United States.
In addition, I too want to applaud President Joe Biden and Vice
President Kamala Harris at the Summit of the Americas. We understand,
as we were participating as Members of Congress with Speaker Pelosi,
that there was an outstanding meeting that went on with CARICOM to re-
cement the relationship between the Caribbean and the United States.
That is important because, as I said, natural resources, natural
beauty, a third border against terrorists and against other aspects of
danger to the United States, but a partner so that the Caribbean is
secure as well as the United States. A bastion of democracy.
That is why we must continue to fight for Haiti as it restores
itself, rebuilds itself. We met with the Haitian president there to try
to find a pathway for that country to restore itself. As indicated, we
can be on the front line working with our Members of Congress, both
Democratic and Republican.

I believe that there are a number of codels that have recently gone
to the Caribbean, including one led by the chairwoman of the Committee
on Financial Services, Maxine Waters, who, in fact, is a member and co-
chair of the Caribbean caucus.
But as we study the history, let us realize there is much more
synergism than one might imagine, because as we celebrated Juneteenth,
it is important for America to remember that slaves were also in the
Caribbean.
It was a tragic experience. Over 40 percent of all Africans who were
enslaved were sent to the Caribbean islands; estimated at 5 million
enslaved Africans beginning as early as the 16th century.
Within the Caribbean, the death rates of enslaved populations were
extremely high. It was very hot, and there were a lot of insects, if I
might say, that took a toll on many, but they kept on surviving. Untold
numbers, however, suffered from inhumane working conditions.
However, the rise of abolitionist movements, coupled with anti-
slavery sentiment, and several military and political crises, sowed the
seeds for prohibition against slavery in the Caribbean countries.
In fact, I believe Haiti was one of the first free countries,
securing independence from France at a very, very early stage.

[[Page H5730]]

We honor Caribbean heroes who rebelled against slavery which led to
official emancipation in anglophone countries in 1823. Major revolts
shocked the world: The Tacky's Rebellion in the 1760s in Jamaica; the
Haitian Revolution; Fedon's Revolution in the 1790s in Grenada; the
Barbados slave revolt in 1860; and the slave revolt in Jamaica led by
Sam Sharpe.
What a unique difference and experience, but yet there was slavery.
Emancipation was achieved because of the movements and the legal
efforts within respective Caribbean countries.
Those revolts inspired the abolitionists in the United States. The
parallel histories of Caribbean countries and the United States are
rooted in oppression and the ongoing struggle for lasting true
liberation, justice, equality, and freedom.
What is good about this discussion is to reflect on the fact that
those enslaved Africans that were in the Caribbean, now, their
descendants are the heads of state of all the Caribbean countries and
our leaders in the CARICOM.
This is an important partnership for the United States, and it is one
that we must utilize and teach our children. We embrace them as our
ancestors who suffered in hopes that future generations would not;
supporting their children so that a time would come when freedom would
reign.
We now have the responsibility as we deal with the Caribbean to
reflect on the Caribbean immigrants who have come here to the United
States. It has already been noted how they have achieved and succeeded.
We mentioned members of our caucus who are Members of the United
States Congress who have that heritage. Since 1820, people of the
Caribbean descent have immigrated to the United States.
We want to make sure that the process is fair. We want to make sure
that these individuals are not deported randomly.
As I said, we hope to have a response to the Haitians as to the
Cubans, those who come from Cuba and have the wet foot, dry foot effort
that are not Haitians. We see them being deported from the Mexican-U.S.
border. That is not fair.
We have had a relationship with Haiti for centuries. Haiti fought
alongside of Americans in the Revolutionary War. They came to be at our
side.
Since 2000, the population increased 26 percent to 3.7 million
Caribbean-Americans in 2010 and grew another 18 percent to 4.4 million
in 2017. Today, there are 13.4 million Americans of that heritage;
always hardworking, ready to serve, ready to serve in the United States
military, and often found at the front line of aid here in this
country.
The fight reached its apex with the Haitian Revolution in 1804. As I
indicated, the fight did not end with Britain's Slave Trade Act of 1807
that sought abolish the British slave trade.
The point of my comments is to make sure everyone knew that they were
always fighting for justice, they were fighting for equality, and their
history is worth studying.
I do want to draw to our attention the connection of H.R. 40, the
commission to study slavery and develop reparation proposals.
Juneteenth: Healing, restorative, repair as well. Know the story.
I can tell you, across America, I heard one colleague, if I might,
from Chicago who said there were so many moments of celebration.
Our majority leader indicated in his own home State, there was one
event, Mr. Speaker, that had 6,000 people celebrating Juneteenth. It
warms my heart. It was a decade-long fight, and here we are today,
really in the eye-opening experience of Juneteenth.
I had the privilege of speaking at the Ashton Villa, the place where
General Granger came to make that announcement of the No. 3 order. And
to have, as well, the statue of Al Edwards, a State representative who
was the first probably in the Nation to drive a State holiday in the
State of Texas. He achieved that more than 20 years ago.
Being trained up under that kind of leadership, it was instilled in
me that we should have a national holiday, a national Independence Day
on the Juneteenth basis. I am so excited about the overwhelming
support, unanimous in the Senate, 415 votes in the House, if anyone can
imagine.
So, as we talk about these issues, I want the world to see and the
Nation to see that over this weekend, the Juneteenth events all over
the Nation reflected people coming together from many different
backgrounds.
There was a degree of excitement. There were children there, families
there, and our celebrations were focused around peace and unity, and
they were focused around prayer.

That is what we did in Houston, Texas, at the historic--historic--
Antioch Baptist Church founded in 1866 by Jack Yates. Can you imagine,
only 1 year after the Emancipation Proclamation that was issued in
1865, after 2\1/2\ years when the South did not pay any attention to
Abe Lincoln's order, President Lincoln's order, that he had to dispatch
this general, a West Point grad, a hero on the battlefield, to announce
in Texas--I can remember the words. It seems like they are loud in my
ears.
To the people of Texas, I now declare that the slaves are free, and
they are free to be able to achieve property, they are no longer
property, and they are citizens of the United States.
Slavery had not been abolished, but he indicated that the slaves were
free and that they could maintain themselves as employer and employee.
I would venture to say that even with that pronouncement, most of them,
uneducated, had ever heard the words employer and employee. It was
master and slave.
The one thing they knew, they were not staying. They were leaving and
going up the trail, the Emancipation Trail, into the areas of La Marque
in Texas and in Houston, a place called Freedmen's Town and
Independence Heights.
They were going under the leadership of Jack Yates, when they got to
Houston, who bought in 1872 the first park ever bought in Texas. It was
bought by freed slaves, and it was a place where the emancipation
Juneteenth celebrations would go for decades and decades and decades.
That history should allow us to pass with ease the commission H.R. 40
that has been percolating now since 1989 and the commission to study
slavery and develop reparation proposals. It was modeled after the
Civil Liberties Act that was passed in 1988 and signed by Ronald
Reagan.
We championed that for the Japanese Americans. It was based on the
internment that had happened wrongly of Japanese-Americans, patriots
who love the country, who were rounded up, belongings left, take what
you can take, properties left to their own devices, if you will, and
held in an internment camp.

{time} 2100

To this day, the Japanese-American association is a strong advocate
for H.R. 40 because of the friendship and collaboration and the work we
did, in particular the late John Conyers, who worked with them and then
introduced H.R. 40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation
Proposals for African Americans Act.
I would imagine most people would wonder where that name came from.
It came from General Sherman, who wanted to give 40 acres and a mule to
the freed slaves. Unfortunately, this is what happens. Elections count,
and the next President after the assassination of President Abraham
Lincoln did not hold to that commitment.
With that in mind, just know that we have built this Nation on that
labor; built this Nation on making cotton king; providing resources to
the enriched South, the landed South; creating the Wall Street banks,
if you will; and providing an economic engine that propelled this small
country into a growing international force.
Mr. Speaker, I think that H.R. 40 is a perfect complement because one
of the things it does is it gets a study just to look at the landscape
of how slavery impacted this Nation and how it impacted the people, how
it impacted New England, the Midwest, California, the South, the Deep
South, and the southeastern region where African Americans began to
move all across this Nation.
Interestingly enough, California, of course, has already implemented
this bill, H.R. 40, and a task force is now working to do enormous
work. I refer everyone to a Harvard University medical study that
indicated that if reparations had been given preceding COVID-

[[Page H5731]]

19, that horrible pandemic would not have so lopsidedly impacted the
African-American community.
Let me be very clear that this idea of reparations is a sense of
looking systemically at what would be the solutions. The commission is
to be able to hear from people across America and to be able to
recommend and to engage with people from all backgrounds, not just one
background, not just African Americans. I am excited about that
dialogue. I think it will be a powerful dialogue.
As we celebrated Juneteenth, as we had this memorial service at the
Antioch Baptist Church, what an emotional time we had with song and
words and dance and prayer. People left there saying that they were
more inspired than they have ever been before to bring us together. It
was a diverse audience of people who came even from out of town to do
something that was part of my vision that on Juneteenth, and that was
happy Father's Day, we would take a moment to honor slaves who were
born, who lived and died as a slave and never knew freedom, to give
them the honor that they never got.
As I reflect on how this Nation was built by immigrants and how it
was built by the ancestors of African Americans today, I do want to
continue to emphasize the Members of Congress who have this wonderful
heritage and to honor the late Shirley Chisholm, who both became the
first African-American woman in the United States Congress and as well
became the first African-American person to run for President.
As I do so, let me cite my relatives, Sybil Gooden, Willie Gooden,
they excelled as leaders coming from the Caribbean; the Lockets; the
Rashfords; and, of course, my grandparents, Olive Clarke Jackson and
Albert Jackson, who worked on the Panama Canal. It was so powerful to
go to the Panama Canal and see his name written there. It was an
emotional experience. Eric Jackson, Allen Jackson, Charles Jackson all
served in World War II; Ezra Jackson, my father; and his older brothers
who served in World War II. Elaine Oliver and Ollie Oliver, both of
those individuals came and made great strides. Their son served in the
United States Air Force. An outstanding daughter, Elaine Oliver, worked
for me. Of course, Eric Holder, Colin Powell, Patrick Gaspard, Harry
Belafonte, many others, our outstanding communications director.
Tonight, we have had a storytelling night of truth. We have had a
great celebration of Caribbean American Month, and we have told the
history and story of the powerful connection between the Caribbean and
the United States of America. That should be a moment of celebration,
friendship, unity, heritage, knowledge.
I am delighted to have anchored the Congressional Black Caucus
Special Order hour on the Caribbean American Heritage Month, and I
thank the chairwoman and the officers of the Congressional Black Caucus
and all of our members for continuing to tell the truth.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my sincere
gratitude to those who came before me who made it possible for us to
honor Caribbean Heritage Month in the United States Congress. Today, we
celebrate the 16th year anniversary.
June is Caribbean Heritage month, where we celebrate the
extraordinary contribution of people of Caribbean ancestry. According
to the U.S. Census, almost 13.4 million Caribbean Americans live in the
U.S. In Florida's 20th Congressional District, the two largest groups
are Haitians and Jamaicans.
These are cab drivers, doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, and
nurses, who, without, our economy cannot thrive. Immigrants found one
quarter (25 percent) of new U.S. businesses.
Despite our contributions, we see the mistreatment of Black and Brown
migrants who are merely seeking refuge in the U.S. due to political
persecution and insecurity.
Since my arrival at the United States Congress, I have called out the
Administration for its disparate treatment of Black migrants. We have
all seen the influx of Haitian migrants at the Florida shores and the
U.S. Mexico border. Many of these migrants are merely seeking refuge
and cannot return to their native country due to fear of persecution
and immense violence.
I wanted to see the treatment of migrants in detention centers, so I
visited the Broward Transitional Center, where I spoke with migrants
from Central America, Haiti, and other parts of the world to better
understand their journey. I was devastated. My Congressional colleagues
and I have since written letters to the Administration to not use
private facilities for any detention, including the detention of
undocumented immigrants.
Unfortunately, the Administration regularly sends pregnant women,
babies, and children to Haiti and other parts of the region without the
right to due process or undergo a credible fear interview to determine
their eligibility for asylum. As of today, more than 300 flights have
landed in Haiti. This Trump-Era public health authority cannot continue
to be used as an excuse to turn away and repatriate migrants. It is
illegal and unconscionable to repatriate Haitians under these
circumstances.
While the Biden Administration did listen to our plea to rescind
Title 42, there is now a legal battle. I pray that the upcoming court's
ruling will not continue to violate U.S. asylum law and evade U.S.
treaty obligations by blocking and returning asylum seekers to places
where their lives and safety are in peril.
We have also called on the Administration to invite families to apply
for the Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program, which the
Administration announced during the Summit of the Americas that the
program would no longer exist only on paper. I have demanded that the
Administration also enforces provisions in the Immigration
Naturalization Act (INA) and provide Humanitarian Parole to Haitian
nationals at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Last month, I requested more than 300 million dollars from the House
Appropriations Committee to provide pro bono legal services to
immigrants from the Republic of Haiti, Jamaica, Guatemala, Honduras,
and nationals from other parts of Central America.
While there's a great need for comprehensive immigration reform, and
the House has passed the Dream and Promise Act, which would create a
pathway to citizenship for millions of DACA and TPS recipients, the
Senate has failed to vote on the legislation.
In the interim, I understand the economic challenges impacting
countries in the Caribbean and Latin America, which is why I co-
introduced the Opportunities in Americas Act.
This legislation also represents my unwavering commitment to my
constituents from the Caribbean and Latin America, many of whom
frequently engage in commerce in the region and need policies that
support their expansion and foster business growth. Low-interest loans
are vital to promote innovation and competition and eliminate barriers
that prevent businesses from developing.
I remain committed to working with the Caribbean community and
congressional colleagues to create a more fair and just immigration
system and draft robust legislation that can yield economic prosperity
across the Caribbean and the diaspora.

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