[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.

                          ____________________