[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 150 (Monday, September 19, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H7931-H7932]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ENSLAVED VOYAGES MEMORIAL ACT
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4009) to authorize the Georgetown African American Historic
Landmark Project and Tour to establish a commemorative work in the
District of Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4009
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Enslaved Voyages Memorial
Act''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION TO ESTABLISH COMMEMORATIVE WORK.
(a) In General.--The Georgetown African American Historic
Landmark Project and Tour may establish a commemorative work
on Federal land in the District of Columbia and its environs
to commemorate the enslaved individuals, whose identities may
be known or unknown, who endured the Middle Passage.
(b) Compliance With Standards for Commemorative Works.--The
establishment of the commemorative work under this section
shall be in accordance with chapter 89 of title 40, United
States Code (commonly known as the ``Commemorative Works
Act'').
(c) Prohibition on the Use of Federal Funds.--
(1) In general.--Federal funds may not be used to pay any
expense of the establishment of the commemorative work under
this section.
(2) Responsibility of the georgetown african american
historic landmark project and tour.--The Georgetown African
American Historic Landmark Project and Tour shall be solely
responsible for acceptance of contributions for, and payment
of the expenses of, the establishment of the commemorative
work under this section.
(d) Deposit of Excess Funds.--
(1) In general.--If upon payment of all expenses for the
establishment of the memorial (including the maintenance and
preservation amount required by section 8906(b)(1) of title
40, United States Code), there remains a balance of funds
received for the establishment of the commemorative work, the
Georgetown African American Historic Landmark Project and
Tour shall transmit the amount of the balance to the
Secretary of the Interior for deposit in the account provided
for in section 8906(b)(3) of title 40, United States Code.
(2) On expiration of authority.--If upon expiration of the
authority for the commemorative work under section 8903(e) of
title 40, United States Code, there remains a balance of
funds received for the establishment of the commemorative
work, the Georgetown African American Historic Landmark
Project and Tour shall transmit the amount of the balance to
a separate account with the National Park Foundation
[[Page H7932]]
for memorials, to be available to the Secretary of the
Interior or Administrator (as appropriate) following the
process provided in section 8906(b)(4) of title 40, United
States Code, for accounts established under section
8906(b)(2) or (3) of title 40, United States Code.
SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall
be determined by reference to the latest statement titled
``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act,
submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the
Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such
statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) and the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Carl) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
General Leave
Mr. GRIJALVA. 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 the measure under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Arizona?
There was no objection.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4009, the Enslaved
Voyages Memorial Act, introduced by my colleague, Representative
Eleanor Holmes Norton.
This bill will authorize the establishment of a memorial on Federal
land in the District of Columbia and its surroundings commemorating the
enslaved individuals who disembarked here after forced migration by way
of the transatlantic slave trade.
This memorial will honor the lives of all enslaved individuals,
celebrate their contributions to our history, and recognize their
remarkable resilience and fortitude throughout four centuries of
slavery.
During this time period, enslavers forced the transport of 12.5
million captive Africans to sell in the Americas. The Georgetown
waterfront has an extensive and long-neglected history of involvement
in the slave trade. In fact, 1,475 enslaved individuals disembarked at
the Georgetown waterfront while the institution of slavery grew on this
continent.
Establishing a memorial to honor those who were enslaved will create
a powerful site of truth-telling and remembrance.
I thank my colleague, Delegate Norton, for introducing this important
and significant piece of legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the bill, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CARL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4009 offered by Delegate
Eleanor Holmes Norton, which authorizes the Georgetown African American
Historic Landmark Project and Tour to establish a work on Federal land
in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the enslaved individuals, whose
identities may be known or unknown, who endured the forced voyage
across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States during the Middle
Passage.
This effort is being championed by the Georgetown African American
Historic Landmark Project, a community-based nonprofit organization
dedicated to honoring the enslaved and free African Americans who
worked in, lived in, and built Georgetown.
In 2019, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization designated the Georgetown waterfront as a site of memory
for historical places associated with slavery.
The bill requires the Georgetown African American Historic Landmark
Project and Tour to follow the standard legal framework established by
the Commemorative Works Act Committee. This is a great effort, and I
applaud Delegate Holmes Norton for her leadership.
Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, and I reserve the balance
of my time.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to
the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), who is the
principal sponsor of the legislation.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, Chairman Grijalva,
for yielding, and I thank him and Chairman Neguse for bringing this
bill to the floor.
This bill would authorize the Georgetown African American Historic
Landmark Project and Tour to establish a memorial on Federal land in
the District of Columbia commemorating the enslaved individuals who
endured forced migration to the United States by way of the
transatlantic slave trade. The National Capital Memorial Advisory
Commission unanimously supported this bill, and it passed out of
committee by unanimous consent.
We must not hide this history. Enslaved individuals, known and
unknown, rest at the core of our Nation's history. The atrocities of
the system of chattel slavery shed light on our Nation's central
struggle between slavery and freedom--a freedom under which some could
be owned, beaten, separated from their families, and denied any rights.
This bill provides for the creation of a powerful marker of truth-
telling and remembrance. Let us honor the personhood of these
individuals who were repeatedly assumed to have none so that they will
never be forgotten.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. CARL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Arkansas (Mr. Westerman).
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill along with the other
suspension bills that we have worked with Chairman Grijalva to get on
the floor today.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize the dedicated service of
one of my staff members, Terry Camp, who will be leaving us next month.
Known affectionately as ``Turbo'' by his colleagues, he has certainly
lived up to that nickname. Since starting on the House Committee on
Natural Resources in 2015, Terry has had a hand in nearly 60 bills that
have been signed into law. This total doesn't even account for the
countless bills he has been a part of that have been enacted as part of
various legislative packages.
While this is an impressive total, it doesn't even come close to the
number of now-famous Capitol tours he has given, which he offers in
both English and Spanish.
As our national parks staffer, he has visited numerous national park
units throughout his tenure, frequently stopping by any nearby units on
family vacations. That dedication has led to the creation of many new
bills, including the Save the Liberty Theater Act which was signed into
law earlier this year.
{time} 1730
Terry's passion for public service is perhaps surpassed only by his
passion for the Utah State University Aggies.
Terry exemplifies the guiding principles of my office by always
abiding in love, competing to win, and succeeding through service.
While we will miss him in the Halls of Congress, we wish him, his wife,
Kayla, and their son, Elijah, all the best as they start the next
chapter of their lives back in their home State of Utah.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. CARL. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 4009, as amended.
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. GAETZ. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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