[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 150 (Monday, September 19, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H7948-H7956]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS
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.
General Leave
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam 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. Madam Speaker, I rise to begin the discussion that I
think we will continue in days to come and even into the new year, and
that is to discuss the Congressional Black Caucus' accomplishments in
this Congress, the 117th.
By its very nature, the tenure and the breadth and depth of members
of the Congressional Black Caucus, I believe that we can be talking for
a very long time, and so this will probably be a continuum to tell the
American people how we have been helping to ensure that they have a
better quality of life.
I am very proud to join with the chairwoman of the Congressional
Black Caucus, Joyce Beatty, who has led us, in the 117th Congress, to
be instrumental in the lives of intergenerations, across generational
lines, and to ensure that those who are at the beginning of life, and
those at the end of life, and those in between raising their families,
know that the Congressional Black Caucus is standing with them.
One particularly unique example of that is, of course, the HBCU
conference that is going on this week, where HBCUs are coming from all
over the country. And it is interesting to be able to associate, not
only our colleague, Alma Adams, as the chair of the HBCU Caucus, of
which I am a member and many of our colleagues are members, including I
see on the floor, Chairman Scott.
Under his leadership, the HBCUs have gotten more money--than I
believe in the history of many of our tenure here in the United States
Congress--working with President Biden. This is the leadership of the
Congressional Black Caucus.
So let me quickly begin my comments, and I will look forward to
yielding to my friends who are here, including my colleague and friend
from Louisiana, Mr. Troy Carter, Congressman Carter, who is the new
vice chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus. And I know that we
are looking forward to many days of action on behalf of the children of
America and on behalf of children of color and African-American
children.
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus strongly support the
President's goal of passing legislation that will significantly reduce
healthcare costs for all Americans.
The Inflation Reduction Act will significantly reduce, and has
significantly reduced, prescription drug costs and expanded healthcare
coverage for millions of Black Americans, relieving financial strains
on individuals and families.
What I think is most important is the work that many of us on the
Congressional Black Caucus did, including the work that I advocated
with our whip, Jim Clyburn, and Senator Warnock. We were on it for the
$35 cap on insulin, along with our colleagues. It was driven and
inspired by members of the Congressional Black Caucus to ensure that
insulin, which now is one of the driving forces of creating a better
quality of life for our seniors--you can say that the Congressional
Black Caucus was intimately involved in that.
We were intimately involved in ensuring that it has a fair response
to climate change around the issue of bringing down the cost of energy
for our families in America. And of course, that impacts Black
families.
This new law will help bring down energy costs for millions of Black
Americans, and it includes very strong protections and programs to
promote environmental justice.
Of course, we worked extensively on the bipartisan infrastructure
law. That was, of course, a very pivotal role for those of us in the
Congressional Black Caucus. Black, Hispanic, Asian American, Pacific
Islander, Native Americans, especially those who reside in urban
communities, are more likely to be negatively impacted by pollution.
Black people are almost three times more likely to die from asthma-
related causes than their White counterparts.
And, of course, the Congressional Black Caucus led in negotiations to
assure that this was a balanced bill.
In particular, my constituents have already seen the magnificent
results of the once-in-a-generation piece of legislation. Houston METRO
was granted a $21 million grant to buy battery-powered electric buses,
and it has helped it move to the next level, next generation of rapid
transit, and plans to go to the airports, both Hobby and Bush
Intercontinental, in my district, with bipartisan infrastructure
dollars.
And as a hurricane-prone community, as many of the Gulf States are,
from Louisiana to Texas and Mississippi, the bipartisan infrastructure
bill will help us work on those flood-
[[Page H7949]]
prone areas and ensure the safety and life of so many.
I am excited about how the Congressional Black Caucus gravitated
around the Juneteenth legislation, the first bill in almost 40 years
that created a Federal holiday which was signed on June 17, 2021. I am
very pleased to be the first Member to introduce legislation to ensure
that there was a holiday after 10 years of introducing the resolutions,
and the culmination of all of these years, and particularly, the
culmination of Opal Lee, who came on a hot day in 2019, and brought us
a million petitions--she was in her nineties--to ensure that Juneteenth
could become a Federal holiday.
Her work in getting all those petitions, the introduction of the
legislation that I was proud to introduce, and ultimately presiding
over the floor--all of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus
were strong proponents of this, and we could not have done it without
their leadership and urgency.
Many of you know that Juneteenth represents two more years of slavery
for those west of the Mississippi, until General Granger came with
Order Number 15 to announce that the slaves were free, because the
South had not adhered to the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation. So he came
to Galveston, Texas, General Granger, announcing the end of the Civil
War and the freedom of the last Americans enslaved in the Confederate
States.
Since the 1800s, Juneteenth has been an important commemoration to
African Americans. Even as Frederick Douglass and W.E.B. Du Bois
reminded us that--Frederick Douglass, in particular--there is no power
with struggle. And, of course, W.E.B. Du Bois talked to us about ``The
Talented Tenth.''
That means that the work of the Congressional Black Caucus is keen,
and we are keen to make sure that the work that is done continues to
emphasize what is best for them.
Let me also take note of the support of African Americans in helping
to assure--and the Congressional Black Caucus, with the leadership of
Chairwoman Beatty, and working with the Judiciary Committee, the
chairman of the full committee, Nadler, subcommittee, Cohen and myself,
and the members of the Congressional Black Caucus on the Judiciary
Committee, we were able to mark up for the first time in history, H.R.
40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for
African Americans Act.
What a powerful experience, first, with two hearings, bringing people
from all over, including the author and proponent of the 1619 Project,
and leaders and scholars who understood that this is simply restoration
and repair, and this must be created as a commission by law, by vote,
or executive order.
In addition, glad to have the help of the Congressional Black Caucus
on the passage of the Violence Against Women Act, a reauthorization act
that I introduced. And in it were many aspects of work or language for
people of color for the first time; training for young men and boys on
how to deal with the issue of violence, and also the question of rape
and how we should be working on that.
We followed with massive work on education, as I indicated, doing
more for primary and secondary education than could ever be imagined,
under the leadership of Chairman Bobby Scott.
I will conclude my remarks in order to yield to my friends. I want to
be able to say that during the midst of the pandemic, there were
several things that the Congressional Black Caucus led on. One, to push
testing into our community where there was none; to push vaccines and
vaccinations into our community where there were none; and to ensure
that we focused on lost learning and our children who did not have
access to broadband.
It was our voices that made it loud and clear. Ultimately, broadband
access has been put more and more into the bipartisan infrastructure
bill. But during the pandemic, it was the voices of the Congressional
Black Caucus that insisted that we do better with respect to these
children who had no access. The stories were large and looming. They
were frightening, and I am glad that our voices continue.
There are many other litanies of issues dealing with climate change,
dealing with criminal justice reform. It was because of us that
ultimately we introduced the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, one
of two bills named after George Floyd.
Because of all the work we did, with Karen Bass and all the members
of the CBC, all the work that we did ultimately resulted in an
executive order that we do know, as indicated by executive order, that
you will have no more choke holds, no more no-knocks, and more that
we hope to put into statutory law. We are excited that the bill did
include large aspects of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
With that in mind, I am delighted to be able to yield to--as I talk
further about some of these important elements of the work of the
Congressional Black Caucus, but I am pleased now to yield to the
chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee so that he can
evidence the Congressional Black Caucus' 117th Congress accomplishments
through the works that he has done on his committee, the Education and
Labor Committee.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott),
chairman of the Education and Labor Committee.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for
yielding, and I thank her for her good work.
Madam Speaker, the people, the American people deserve a government
that puts people over politics and protects hardworking families, not
billionaires and special interests. That is why, throughout the 117th
Congress, the House Education and Labor Committee has advanced
legislation that meets the needs of students, families, workers, and
our economy.
Over the last 2 years, Congressional Democrats and the Biden-Harris
administration have made historic progress to rescue the American
economy, create good-paying jobs, get students back on track, fight
child hunger, and boost access to healthcare.
Just in the Education and Labor Committee, there was a lot that was
done. We helped create over 10 million jobs in our economy since
January 2021: the most jobs in history for 20 months. We recovered all
of the jobs lost during the pandemic. We reduced unemployment to
historically low levels.
We saved the pensions of over 1 million workers, and protected
thousands of businesses by saving the multiemployer pension fund.
We delivered the largest one-time Federal investment to K-12
education in the United States history. And we delivered that money and
distributed it according to the Title I formula where poverty is the
main factor, meaning that the districts that need it the most got the
most. Those that are traditionally overlooked got more money than they
have ever gotten before.
{time} 2000
We put money into school lunches so that students didn't go hungry
during that period of time. We made sure that, with that money, the
schools could open safely, stay open safely, and make up for lost
learning. During that period of time, during the COVID relief bills, we
had more money for historically Black colleges and universities than we
ever have in history.
Now, we also made sure that the number of Americans without health
insurance, because of the actions that we have taken, is now the lowest
it has ever been. We have made sure that they can get vaccines, and
those vaccines were distributed equitably. That is not always the case.
We made sure that drug prices were down, particularly insulin for
seniors, no more than $35 per month for insulin. A lot of people right
now before this bill were paying a lot more than that.
That is just the kind of legislation that came through the Education
and Labor Committee. But House Democrats and the Congressional Black
Caucus are committed to continuing this historic progress and building
back a stronger economy for all Americans. That is why we passed the
bipartisan infrastructure law, which not only modernized roads,
bridges, and waterways, but will also create millions of good-paying
jobs and will deliver broadband to areas that don't have broadband
today. We will invest in neighborhoods that were destroyed by previous
transportation plans going right down the middle of African-
[[Page H7950]]
American neighborhoods, and we will invest in those neighborhoods to
try to make up for that devastation.
Moving forward, we are committed to committee work, advancing
policies like the Raise the Wage Act, the Protecting the Right to
Organize Act, the Equity and Inclusion Enforcement Act, the Strength in
Diversity Act, and the Rebuild America's Schools Act to ensure that
every worker, student, and family has the opportunity to succeed.
We have done a lot. We haven't finished.
Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for her leadership
and the opportunity to remind the American public of what we have
already accomplished.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his
remarks. It is clear that there is a new day on the Committee on
Education and Labor. That committee, led by Chairman Scott, has shown
itself to be the people's committee, and I am delighted that his
longstanding membership with the Congressional Black Caucus has shown
that his work is for all of America. But through the Congressional
Black Caucus he has helped and elevated families who have suffered
because of racial discrimination and because of economic inequities. He
has been focused.
Certainly, I credit him again with the work that has been done on
HBCUs. I can assure you, with HBCUs in Texas, everywhere I go, they are
taking note of the increased funding that has allowed them to do issues
or handle matters with physical infrastructure, scholarship, the new
Pell grant executive order, student loan executive order that is
allowing for those with Pell grant loans making $120,000 to get $20,000
in relief. The Congressional Black Caucus worked extensively to ensure
that those people with student loans were not forgotten.
Let me say it again. We work without ceasing to ensure that
individuals who were overburdened with student loans, couldn't get down
payments for housing and other matters for their quality of life--we
were ensuring that we were in the front, if you will, to continue to
advocate for student loan reduction.
Let me just say this, as I prepare to yield to my dear friend on the
floor here.
As poet Langston Hughes reminds us, in his famous poem ``Mother to
Son,'' life in America for African Americans ``ain't been no crystal
stair.''
The goodness of this message is that in spite of it all, African
Americans have put on uniforms and fought their battles on behalf of
this Nation. African Americans are great lovers of this country, and
they are great patriots. African Americans have worked in every level
of government. They have, of course, been individuals who have worked,
as some will say, at the bottom of the totem pole, meaning every manner
of work they have done.
There have been African Americans who were enslaved who helped build
the White House and the very building that we are in, never to hold the
anger of their station in life but continue to work to insist on a
better quality of life for their families.
It is very much important to take note of the bills that we have been
able to do as individual Members of Congress.
I am just going to cite H.R. 7566, stops human trafficking in
schools, that I introduced; working with an amendment to the Workforce
Innovation bill; ensuring HBCU's full access to job skills training;
amendment to H.R. 8294, the Transportation, Housing, and Urban
Development appropriations bill to ensure that HBCUs had specific
work--it supports the work of the National Institute of Food and
Agriculture by increasing the funding by $2 million.
Then I will finish more deeply on H.R. 40. That bill is much
exhibited, as I have been on the floor before, with this slave and his
back and the welts on his back from a whip. This was the life of
slavery in America.
I just read recently of Germany's response to aging holocaust
victims, which I applaud, providing millions of dollars to respond to
their pain, just recently. In the course of the commission to study
slavery and develop reparation proposals, it would give America a
moment of healing. We have been hearing this discussion across the
Nation and across the world, most recently, of course, in the halls or
the places in Great Britain.
But for America to take that stand that the discussion is worthy,
that the study is worthy, that the idea of what kind of proposals would
come about, what inclusive ways would we deal with the recognition of
over two centuries of slavery--unpaid, no insurance, no workers' comp,
no days off, from sunup to darkness, beat by the whip, as the slave
narratives in 1939 told us. The stories are powerful. Ripped away from
our families. Made families, husband and wife and children. Then you
would hear the pleas in the slave narratives when they say, ``Come
home, husband. They are about to sell me and the children in different
ways and different places.'' It happened to slaves all the time.
I was honored and humbled to meet the survivors of the Wall Street
massacre. It happened in 1921. Those people were, in actuality, some
even former slaves, but mostly descendants of the most recent people
who were slaves, the most recent, their ancestors or their mother might
have been a slave. But they built a Wall Street, but yet it could not
survive because of racism and discrimination.
So to heal our land, the Congressional Black Caucus has worked in
many ways to heal our land, and I am grateful for their advocacy for
just a fair and simple study and assessment of what we should do to
repair what occurred two centuries and continues even today.
The story is long about the inequities of the GI Bill, redlining,
discrimination in voting, in the criminal justice system, the basis of
wealth, so distinctive between other populations in this country.
So I thank the Congressional Black Caucus for the extensive
legislative history that it has had over the 117th Congress.
It really is my privilege, Madam Speaker, to yield to the gentleman
from Louisiana (Mr. Carter) to speak about the accomplishments of the
Congressional Black Caucus, my dear colleague and friend who has shown
himself a leader.
Mr. CARTER of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, a huge thank you to our
incredible leader, my neighbor, my friend, my colleague, my leader, the
honorable Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who has the pulse of our
country firmly in her grip.
I have watched this woman go from country to country fighting for
justice and what is right and what is pure. We can't thank her enough
in recognition of the great work she does.
She stands at this rostrum, and she talks about the atrocities in our
country while she continues to fight for atrocities in other countries.
I applaud her. I thank her for her incredible leadership. It has been a
pleasure to work with her, and America has been a better place because
of her.
For decades, the CBC has fought for justice, truth, and equality.
From within the halls of government that once permitted our ancestors
to be enslaved, Congress after Congress, the CBC is at the center of
many negotiations and conversations to better the lives of the American
people.
The 117th Congress was an exceptional example of CBC's leadership.
The CBC led the fight for a national infrastructure investment, so that
instead of bridges on the brink and toxic sludge, Americans will have
resilient infrastructure and clean, safe, reliable drinking water.
Today, the CBC leads the fight to reduce child poverty. Through
policies like the expanded child tax credit and SNAP, we know that
instead of setting kids up to struggle, we are setting them up to
succeed.
Through policies like the bipartisan Safer Communities Act, we can
improve public safety and help prevent terrible, hate-driven crimes
like we saw in Buffalo, Uvalde, or any city in the U.S.A. It seems to
happen far, far too often.
In Louisiana, because of the actions of the CBC and great leaders in
this body, we have been able to have kids not have to sit outside of a
McDonald's to use the internet. Since Katrina, since the hurricanes
that have wrecked our community, since COVID that has wrecked our
world, we know that things like broadband are no longer a luxury but a
necessity.
[[Page H7951]]
Yet, in many impoverished communities in my district, people would
not have access. Many rural areas would not have access to the internet
for telehealth, for education, for business purposes, for everyday
life, for shopping. These things would not exist. But I am proud today,
because of the efforts of this body and because of the CBC, we are able
to deliver and bring those things home to the people of Louisiana and
America.
We know that because of the infrastructure bill that is now signed
into law, Louisiana is seeing dollars flowing that they have never seen
before. Bridges that have been on the brink of disaster are being
repaired. The opportunity for us to have transportation between New
Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, and beyond is now a reality.
The ability to invest money in areas in my State that have been
plagued with chemical poisoning, have been plagued with disease,
because of the placement of these facilities that have historically
settled themselves in communities of Black and Brown. No longer will
our communities be the path of least resistance. No longer will people
have to literally die for their jobs.
We can have coexistence, but coexistence begins with everyone
recognizing that the single most important commodity that anyone has is
its people. Making sure that we have safe environments and clean
environments where our children can be educated, where families can
live, where families can earn a good living and enjoy clean air, that
is what we fight for at the CBC every day.
Louisiana will be the beneficiaries of such efforts. We will continue
to fight to make sure that this caucus and this body understands and no
longer looks away and says, ``business as usual.'' No longer can we
afford to watch children go without. As my dear colleague and chairman
of the Education and Labor Committee said moments ago, more money has
been invested in HBCUs under this 117th Congress than ever in the
history of our country.
More money has been put into infrastructure, since the very creation
of the Interstate Highway System, under this Congress, and this CBC has
played a pivotal role in making these things happen.
But it doesn't stop here. We must continue to fight. We must continue
to go out and make sure that we tell our story: That we are here, we
are working, and we will not let anyone turn the clock back on the
efforts that we have fought so valiantly for.
I am so proud to serve with giants in the CBC, people that have
worked tirelessly for decades to make a difference in our community.
There is a lot of work yet to be done. With the leadership of Chair
Beatty, Whip Clyburn, and many others, the CBC will continue to secure
major wins for the American people, because they deserve it.
Madam Speaker, we will continue to fight. Failure is not an option.
Madam Speaker, as a senior member of the Committees on the Judiciary,
Homeland Security, and the Budget, as well as the Congressional Black
Caucus, I am proud to stand beside my sisters and brothers to explore
the achievements of the Congressional Black Caucus throughout the 117th
Congress.
I would like to thank Congresswoman Beatty, the Chair of the
Congressional Black Caucus, for organizing this Special Order today. I
would also like to thank Speaker Pelosi for her outstanding leadership
throughout this Congress.
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus have been at the forefront
of every major legislative achievement this 117th Congress. These
achievements have pushed for an increase in equity for African
Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and
people from all backgrounds in the United States.
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus strongly supported the
President's goal of passing legislation that will significantly reduce
healthcare costs for all Americans and address the very real climate
crisis we are all facing.
The Inflation Reduction Act will significantly reduce prescription
drug costs and expand health insurance coverage for millions of Black
Americans, relieving financial strains on individuals and families.
Among adults 65 and older, Black Medicare beneficiaries are 1.5 times
more likely than their white counterparts to have trouble affording
medications. They are also 2 times as likely to not fill needed
prescriptions due to high drug costs.
5.8 million Medicare beneficiaries are African American, which
amounts to 10 percent of all beneficiaries.
Altogether, 5-to-7 million Medicare beneficiaries will see their
prescription drug costs go down because of the provision allowing
Medicare to negotiate prescription drug costs.
3.3 million Medicare beneficiaries will have their insulin costs
capped at $35 a month.
Seniors will also have their yearly prescription drug costs capped at
$2,000.
The Inflation Reduction Act will enable free or low-cost health
insurance to remain available, allowing over half a million more Black
Americans to have health insurance coverage next year, compared to what
the situation would be without the IRA.
The Inflation Reduction Act is also the most aggressive legislation
on climate change and clean energy in American history.
This new law will help bring down energy costs for millions of Black
Americans, and it includes very strong protections and programs to
promote Environmental Justice.
The average American family is estimated to see an annual $1,025 in
energy savings, as the Inflation Reduction Act tackles one of the
largest drivers of inflation--oil and gas prices--by lowering fuel and
electricity costs and improving energy efficiency.
This bill will prevent thousands of premature deaths by improving the
air we breathe, with communities most burdened by pollution enjoying
disproportionate health benefits.
The Inflation Reduction Act alone will help get America 80 percent of
the way to achieving its share of greenhouse gas reductions, and the
majority of the way toward President Biden's goal of cutting carbon
pollution in half this decade.
The members of the Congressional Black Caucus were also leaders in
the passage of the Presidents Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The once-in-a-generation investment into our nation's infrastructure
addresses the disparate impacts of pollution on communities of color.
Black, Hispanic, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native
Americans--especially those who reside in urban communities--are more
likely to be negatively impacted by pollution. Black people are almost
three times more likely to die from asthma related causes than their
white counterparts.
My constituents have already seen the magnificent results of this
once-in-a-generation piece of legislation.
Houston METRO was granted a $21 million grant to buy battery electric
buses and charging infrastructure to replace aging diesel buses that
have exceeded their useful life.
The electric buses will improve air quality and health--for riders
and residents in Houston's historically disadvantaged communities by
eliminating nearly 18,000 tons of greenhouse gases over the next 20
years.
The passage of the law also allowed me to work closely with Secretary
Buttigieg to secure $40 million dollars in funding for Bush
Intercontinental Airport. IAH's terminal redevelopment program is the
largest project in the airport's 53-year-history.
I am very pleased and proud that the CBC's priorities for the 117th
Congress included some of my legislation, including the creation of the
new Juneteenth federal holiday.
On June 17, 2021, President Biden signed into law the Juneteenth
National Independence Day Act, establishing June 19th as an annual
national holiday.
Since I had placed the creation of a Juneteenth federal holiday on
the national agenda--introducing H.R. 7232, on June 18, 2020 and
reintroducing the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act in the 117th
Congress--witnessing it become law was a true honor and an exhilarating
occasion.
It was the culmination of years--even decades--of efforts to have the
nation formally recognize the importance of Juneteenth and inculcate it
into the pantheon of landmark national occasions with profound
significance for the country and all Americans.
That day at the White House, I celebrated the joyful, yet tearful
signing ceremony joined by my congressional colleagues, members of the
Congressional Black Caucus, representatives of the numerous
organizations who toiled in the vineyards for so long, and the first
African American Vice-President.
It spoke volumes that the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act
had overwhelming bipartisan support, passing by unanimous consent in
the Senate and a 415 to 14 vote in the House the next day.
Although I had introduced resolutions recognizing Juneteenth since
2013, establishing Juneteenth as a national holiday was a quantum leap
further. Enacting the holiday into law was much more than commemorating
the historic events associated with Juneteenth.
Making Juneteenth a national holiday asserts that the historic
occasion is a fundamental part of American history. It elevates
Juneteenth into the consciousness of all Americans. It reinforces the
point that Black history is American history.
[[Page H7952]]
National recognition of Juneteenth creates a channel for teaching and
learning the truth about slavery which preceded it and both
Reconstruction and the Jim Crow era that followed it. Amid this era of
misinformation, having the national imprimatur on Juneteenth will
launch discussions and awareness of the Black experience in America
that will add to multi-ethnic cohesion and mutual respect.
Since the 1800s, Juneteenth has been as important to African
Americans as July 4th is to all Americans. Consider also that, at the
end of the Revolutionary War, while patriots were celebrating the end
of colonialism and subjugation, 450,000 African-Americans were trapped
in chattel slavery: our country's original sin. Black Americans were
considered and treated as property, not as people.
Juneteenth is special because, on June 19, 1865, General Gordon
Granger, the Commanding Officer of the District of Texas, rode into
Galveston, Texas, announcing the end of the Civil War and the freedom
of the last Americans enslaved in the Confederate states.
The announcement of freedom belatedly freed 250,000 slaves in Texas
months after the end of the Civil War and two and a half years after
the Emancipation Proclamation, signed by President Abraham Lincoln,
went into effect.
Texas's newly freed men and women reacted first with shock and then
with jubilation when General Granger read these words of General Order
No. 3:
``The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a
Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are
free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of
property between former masters and slaves, and the connection
therefore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired
laborer.''
Until then, slave owners withheld freedom by not informing those whom
they enslaved and who enabled their wealth. It was necessary for the
Union Army to take control of an area and announce freedom for it to
take effect. Because of Galveston's remote location, it was not until
June 19, 1865, that the Union Army arrived.
General Granger's reading of General Order No. 3 ended chattel
slavery, the institutionalized system of perpetual servitude that held
generations of Africans in bondage in the our country for 248 years.
No longer would human beings be forced into a legalized system of
unending, lifelong slavery that was known for gruesome murders,
dehumanizing rapes, and tortuous beatings and floggings with leather
whips tipped with metal to rip flesh from bone. No longer would the
atrocities of slavery be permitted by federal laws.
Juneteenth was first celebrated in 1866 under the direction of the
Freedmen's Bureau and was often called ``Jubilee Day''. As freed men
and women left Galveston to begin their lives anew in other states, the
retelling of their Juneteenth memories led to annual celebrations in
many other states.
Recognizing the importance of this date, former slaves coined the
word ``Juneteenth'' to mark the joyous occasion.
Yet, in some cases, white officials outwardly resisted the holiday,
barring the use of public property for the festivities. So, church
grounds were used for the festivities, and, as freed men and women
achieved upward economic mobility, some communities purchased land for
Juneteenth celebrations.
One of the earliest documented land purchases in the name of
Juneteenth was organized by Rev. Jack Yates. This fundraising effort
yielded $1,000 and the purchase of Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas.
In the town of Mexia, Texas, the local Juneteenth organization
purchased Booker T. Washington Park, which became the Juneteenth
celebration site in 1898.
Along with parades, prayer readings, performances and cookouts among
finely attired attendees, Juneteenth community-centric activities
informed Black Americans about voting, promoted education, and
showcased the achievements of African Americans and the community.
Perhaps because the holiday carried the message of empowerment,
Juneteenth activities were sometimes interrupted and halted by white
landowners demanding that their laborers return to work.
Juneteenth continued to be highly revered in Texas decades later,
with many former slaves and their descendants making an annual
pilgrimage back to Galveston to celebrate June 19th.
Juneteenth remains the oldest known celebration of slavery's demise,
commemorating freedom while acknowledging the sacrifices and
contributions made by courageous African Americans towards, in more
recent years, making our great nation the more conscious and accepting
country that it has become.
Juneteenth was, and is, a living symbol of freedom for people who
were denied hope of being free.
It serves as a reminder that, as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
said, ``Freedom is never free,'' and as African American labor leader
A. Phillip Randolph often said, ``Freedom is never given. It is won.''
Truer words were never spoken.
We should all recognize the power and truth of those guideposts.
Juneteenth calls upon us to pause to remember the enormous price paid
by all Americans in our country's quest to realize its promise.
Juneteenth honors the end of the 400 years of suffering that African
Americans endured under slavery and celebrates the legacy of
perseverance that has become the hallmark of the African American
experience in the struggle for equality.
As the poet Langston Hughes reminds us in his famous poem, ``Mother
to Son,'' that life in America for African Americans ``ain't been no
crystal stair.''
The Jim Crow era in America was marked by violence and terrorism
against African Americans as our ancestors sought to activate the
promises of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Juneteenth celebrations declined in the 1920s and 1930s partly due to
the Great Depression's severe economic difficulties, but mainly because
of the resurgence of heinous hate crimes perpetrated by the Ku Klux
Klan to derail African Americans from advancing in society politically
and economically.
Despite the New Deal's progress and post-WWII economic policies,
discrimination and the lingering impact of slavery largely excluded
African Americans from the creation of the modern middle class.
However, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, and its
legal framework for equality, led to a resurrection of Juneteenth
celebrations that celebrated the achievements of Black Americans,
reinforcing our community's sense of identity and pride.
Juneteenth became an opportunity for us to showcase our successes and
our contributions to society, while providing the government with a
mirror into demographic disparities and a demand to recommit itself to
serving all Americans.
Amid this renewed spirit of identity, pride, and equality, Texas
state representative Al Edwards introduced a bill, H.R. 1016, to make
Juneteenth a state holiday. The bill became law, and on January 1,
1980, Juneteenth officially became a Texas state holiday, making Texas
the first state to officially recognize this celebration of
emancipation.
Representative Edwards actively sought to spread the observance of
Juneteenth across America. In the two decades after Texas acted, only a
few other states did so. But in the past twenty years, a wave of states
followed Texas's lead. By 2021, 49 states and the District of Columbia
had commemorated or recognized Juneteenth.
Nonagenarian activist Opal Lee, affectionately known as the
``Grandmother of Juneteenth,'' also deserves much credit for the
federal holiday. Lee pressed for the holiday for years, and in 2016 at
age 89, walked from her home in Fort Worth to Washington, DC, to
deliver a petition and raise attention to) the holiday's importance.
Today, after decades of rallies, petitions, editorials, and
legislation calling for Juneteenth to be a national holiday, we
celebrate the 2nd Juneteenth National Independence Day.
The transformative significance of Juneteenth since the first
celebration in 1866 is a remarkable tale in American history.
Though it is now recognized at the national level, it does not erase
our nation's racist history in straying from its original promise that
``all men (actually, people) are created equal.''
Every Juneteenth, I return to Frederick Douglass' speech best known
as ``What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?''
The answer to this question is Juneteenth. In 2022, we can affirm
that June 19, 1865, signifies the start of the American Promise that
must be fulfilled and made real for all Americans, including the
descendants of slaves.
To say 1776 marks the beginning of our free nation begs the question,
``What does freedom mean if we are not all free?''
Juneteenth remains a pivotal moment, signifying the starting point in
the emergence from racial oppression that was endured by generations
with perseverance, resilience, and determination.
This vision is shared by millions of Americans who have held fast to
the promise of freedom in our nation while fighting for basic human
rights. We know that the struggle which began in 1619 did not end with
the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.
The fight did not end two years later in 1865, nor 100 years after
that with the passage of the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts.
The fight for our freedom continues as a common thread in the fabric
of this country. But we also recognize the lack of freedom that
persists for many, as well as the injustices, abuse, and discrimination
that continue in today's America.
[[Page H7953]]
The true power of Juneteenth lies both in the commemoration of the
past and the possibilities of the future.
When VAWA first became law in 1994, it represented a historic shift
in the federal government's role in combating violent crimes committed
against women.
Due to the importance of the legislation and resulting success, VAWA
was reauthorized on an overwhelming bipartisan basis in 2000, 2005, and
2013.
Recognizing the importance of the law and knowing that the law was
set to expire at the end of the year, I introduced the ``Violence
Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2018'' in September of 2018.
The reauthorization strengthened and enhanced the vital services
provided under the law to victims of domestic violence, dating
violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
Despite our best efforts, the bill was not brought to the floor, and
VAWA was allowed to expire at the end of 2018.
I continued to work, along with other members, victims, survivors,
experts, and advocates, to ensure not only that VAWA would be
reauthorized but that we enhanced the law and made it better, more
effective, and more responsive to the needs of those seeking to heal
after suffering trauma.
Therefore, I introduced the bill, HR 1620, the ``Violence Against
Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2021''.
This version of the reauthorization represented countless hours of
discussions to ensure that we refined and improved upon the earlier
iteration of the bill.
H.R. 1620 passed in the House and served as foundation for the bill
that was introduced in the Senate and was eventually included in H.R.
2471, the ``Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022'' (the Omnibus) and
signed by the President.
Thankfully, after many hard-fought battles, we were finally able to
get the VAWA Reauthorization across the finish line this year.
Many of the provisions I included in my bills in 2018 and 2021
carried over to the Senate version of VAWA as well as the Omnibus, such
as:
The reauthorization of vital grant programs like the Services
Training Offices Prosecutors, or STOP grants, administered by the
Department of Justice, which allows the use of STOP grants to develop
the most effective law enforcement tools and protocols for preventing
domestic violence homicides and requires state, territorial, local, and
tribal governments to certify that they have established and
implemented such programs to be eligible for grants.
Creating Hope through Outreach Options, Services, and Education, or
the CHOOSE program, which clarifies that funding under the CHOOSE
program for children and youth is being provided for the core areas of
VAWA--domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and
stalking--and that services that target youth should also incorporate
youth in underserved communities and sex trafficking and bullying as
elements when part of a comprehensive youth violence response program.
The preservation of funding for sexual assault services programs,
transitional housing grants for victims, grants to states territories,
and Indian tribes in rural communities, and grants to support families
in the justice system with a history of domestic violence, dating
violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
Just today, the House passed my bipartisan bill, H.R. 7566, the ``No
Trafficking Zones Act.'' The bill would ensure that schools across the
country, including institutions of higher education, are safe spaces
for learning and academic exploration--free from the menace of sex
trafficking.
As predators often prey on communities of color, this bill is a
strong measure to fight against sex trafficking that often targets
young African Americans and other people of color.
H.R. 7566 would establish a sentencing enhancement of up to five
years in several instances:
First, in the case of any person who commits the offense of sex
trafficking within a primary or secondary school zone or on or within
1,000 feet of the premises of a school-sponsored activity or premises
owned by an institution of higher education;
Second, for any person who commits the offense of coercion and
enticement of a minor enrolled in a primary or secondary school or a
person enrolled in an institution of higher education--to travel in
interstate or foreign commerce and engage in criminal sexual activity--
while the minor is in a school zone, or on, or within 1,000 feet of,
premises where a school-sponsored activity is taking place or while the
person is on, or within 1,000 feet of, premises owned by the
institution of higher education;
And, third, for any person who commits the offense of coercion and
enticement of a minor using the mail or facilities of interstate or
foreign commerce--such as text and instant messaging or social media
platforms--while the minor who is enrolled in school or an institution
of higher education, is in a school zone, or on, or within 1,000 feet
of, premises where a school-sponsored activity is taking place or
premises owned by an the institution of higher education.
Human trafficking is one of the greatest threats to human rights in
the United States. In 2020, 11,193 instances of potential human
trafficking were reported to the United States National Human
Trafficking Hotline with at least 70 percent of those instances
involving sex trafficking, while an estimated 25 percent of all human
trafficking victims in the country are in my home state of Texas at any
given time--many of whom are minors.
At least 5,359 of trafficking victims and survivors identified
through the hotline in 2019 were under the age of 18, and in 2021, the
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received more than
17,200 reports of suspected child sex trafficking.
Many of these young victims of sex trafficking are students in school
systems, colleges, trade schools, and universities across the country.
A 2018 survey reported that in Texas--where No Trafficking Zone
legislation passed with bipartisan support earlier this year--55
percent of young sex trafficking survivors were trafficked while at
school or school activities and 60 percent of trafficked adults said
they were first groomed and solicited for trafficking while on school
campuses.
Members of this body know all too well that children are sexually
exploited in many ways. Some young people are trafficked by their
schoolmates or people they once considered friends.
While traffickers seek out young people who have noticeable
vulnerabilities--including problems at school, conflicts at home, or
even the need to fill in a tuition gap caused by the loss of a
scholarship--no child or young person is truly safe from the schemes of
charismatic traffickers bent on exploiting and destroying young lives.
With the proliferation of social media and the myriad ways in which
we communicate with one another, traffickers have put these same means
of communication to their own use--to find, target, lure, groom,
victimize, and exert control over their victims. While buyers are using
technology to find and purchase sex anonymously.
Traffickers have infiltrated every known form of communication--
especially the sites, messaging apps, and social media platforms our
children use most frequently--leaving young people more vulnerable to
manipulation.
Access to the internet, cell phones, and smartphones makes it easier
for traffickers and buyers to communicate with children and youth--even
when they are at school, in class, or attending school-sponsored
activities.
As a result, trafficking has reached the halls, lunchrooms, gyms,
dormitories, and classrooms of schools, colleges, and universities in
every corner of this nation.
These staggering facts and statistics led me to introduce this
bipartisan legislation which the House passed today to protect young
Americans from predators.
Last week, the House passed H.R. 8326, the Ensuring a Fair and
Accurate Census Act. By reforming the operations of the Census Bureau,
this bill--which includes my amendment--would ensure that racial and
ethnic equity in the decennial count will be a priority in future
Census counts.
My amendment would enhance the bill's operational impact by
specifying that the deputy director appoint an official with
responsibility to optimize racial and ethnic equity in the Census
count. To ensure that equity be a priority, this official would report
directly to the director and deputy director.
In light of the decennial count's extremely consequential impact in
terms of funding allocation formulas, political district apportionment,
and other uses, it is imperative that the Census Bureau elevate racial
and ethnic equity to a top priority in its counting strategies and
procedures.
My amendment directs the equity official to engage and collaborate
with organizations that have influence with racial and ethnic groups,
develop strategies and tactics to maximize participation of these
populations, and rectify the undercount that has been typical of recent
Census counts, especially among immigrants and homeless people.
The status of the efforts to optimize racial and ethnic equity will
also be included in the Census Bureau's biannual reports to Congress,
to ensure accountability and bolster the likelihood of progress.
Optimization of racial and ethnic equity in the Census count requires
designation of a high-ranking official with direct responsibility for
achieving this goal and reports directly to the Census leadership.
My amendment establishes that role, makes racial and ethnic equity in
the decennial count a priority, specifies key strategies that must be
applied, and ensures that Congress receives regular reports about the
progress toward the goal.
H.R. 8326 is an excellent bill with vital reforms that uses this
opportunity to advance
[[Page H7954]]
equity in the Census count. My amendment creates a framework for
achieving this objective.
In May of this year, the House passed HR 7309, the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022.
This bill would ensure that more institutions will be able to provide
education and job training services; a wider range of curricula will be
available that enables learners to become job-ready; and more Americans
will be equipped with skills that will jump-start long-term careers.
It would extend the reach of job skills training and employment
preparation to all corners of the country and all segments of society.
It does so by creating vital national programs and instituting
accountability systems that will monitor program operations and
success.
One of my two amendments to this bill would ensure that this
legislation helps all Americans, specifically communities of color that
historically did not benefit equally from workforce development and job
skills training programs.
My amendment ensures that HBCUs and other minority-serving
educational institutions are eligible and encouraged to apply for
maximal benefits under the bill's programs.
My amendment clarifies that, beyond equality, the job training and
workforce development programs at HBCUs and minority-serving
institutions should be given priority in order to promote equity for
students whose ancestors were denied that right. It can be the impetus
for a fresh start.
By including and prioritizing HBCUs and other minority-serving
institutions, the institutionalized barriers which 1 impeded
generational prosperity will be eroded, even if only incrementally and
over time. By leveling the playing field, the imbalance of generational
wealth will also be rectified.
Diversity and inclusion must always be a priority particularly in
future high-growth industries that are essential to our nation's long-
term economic growth, success, and job creation strategy.
The Transportation, Housing & Urban Development, Agriculture
Appropriations Act passed the House in July of this year with many
amendments that I offered.
One of my amendments to this bill specifically benefits HBCUs. It
supports the work of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture
(NIFA) by increasing its funding by $2,000,000 for use in agriculture
research programs at 1890s Institutions, which are land grant colleges
at 28 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), as well as
Hispanic-serving institutions, and other educational institutions that
benefit underrepresented communities.
This amendment promotes NIFA's work at HBCUs with agricultural
experiment stations, cooperative forestry, and other innovations to
improve our nation's food production through agricultural research,
economic analysis, extension, and higher education.
One of ways NIFA achieves its mission is by providing research grants
to education institutions, which include 1890s institutions created by
the Morrill Act of 1890.
Today, land-grant colleges and universities can be found in 18
states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The list
includes:
Alabama A&M University
Alcorn State University
Delaware State University
Florida A&M University
Fort Valley State University
Kentucky State University
Langston University
Lincoln University
North Carolina A&T State University
Prairie View A&M University in Texas
South Carolina State University
Southern University System
Tennessee State University
Tuskegee University
University of Arkansas Pine Bluff
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
University of the District of Columbia*
University of the Virgin Islands
Virginia State University
West Virginia State University
HBCUs annually enroll 40 percent of all African American students in
4-year colleges and universities. HBCUs are prominent among research
institutions in fields such as:
animal sciences
sustainable agriculture and agriculture economics
toxicology and waste management
conservation and environmental management
business and industrial development
biomedical science
food and nutrition
plant and social sciences
international development
Agricultural research programs at HCBUs help people living in densely
populated areas learn ways to eliminate food deserts, increase public
education about farming, bolster appreciation for our nation's farmers,
and provide new avenues to careers for graduates with degrees in
agriculture who seek to enter cutting-edge agricultural research.
This amendment promotes NIFA's work with HBCUs on agricultural
experiment stations, cooperative forestry, and other innovations to
improve our nation's food production through agricultural research,
economic analysis, extension, and higher education.
The funds provided by my amendment supports research and education
for helping urban and suburban communities maximize their green space
by turning it into productive farming resources to support access to
affordable foods.
Since 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the country, wreaking its
most bitter toll on communities of color.
Early in the pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control found
that Black Americans were infected with COVID-19 at a rate nearly one
and a half times higher than that of whites, were hospitalized at a
rate nearly four times higher, and were three times as likely to die
from the disease.
On February 8, 2021, I introduced H.R. 936, the ``COVID-19 Delivery
Act,'' which strengthens FEMA's role in vaccine distribution.
Specifically, this legislation: (1) authorized FEMA as the National
Coordinator of vaccine transport and delivery; (2) supported the safe
and effective supply chain transport, delivery, and site use of
vaccines; (3) implemented the Center for Disease Control and prevention
COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations.
To date I have opened 96 COVID-19 testing sites and 88 vaccination
sites in some of the most underserved communities in my district and
Houston as a whole.
As an original cosponsor of H.R. 1652 the ``VOCA Fix to Sustain the
Crime Victims Fund Act, I helped lead the passage of the bill in the
House and on June 22, 2021, President Biden signed the bill into law.
VOCA grants are the primary source of federal funding for thousands
of victim service providers around the country, including programs
serving victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse,
trafficking, and drunk driving.
This critical piece of legislation supports vital victim service
programs by preventing future cuts to already diminished federal victim
service grants.
H.R. 1652 requires the Department of Justice DOJ to deposit all
monetary penalties, including from deferred prosecution and non-
prosecution agreements, into the Crime Victims Fund. This simple fix
prevents future funding cuts that jeopardize programs' ability to serve
their communities.
Although the Congressional Black Caucus has had many legendary
achievements this Congress, our work is far from done. We will continue
to fight for equality and justice by pushing legislation that will
better the lives of African Americans, and indeed all Americans around
the nation.
Now more than ever, the facts and circumstances facing our nation
demonstrate the importance of H.R. 40, which I introduced, and the
necessity of placing our nation on the path to reparative justice, as
well as providing accountability for injuries inflicted.
H.R. 40 establishes a national commission to examine slavery and
discrimination in the colonies and the United States from 1619 to the
present and recommend appropriate remedies.
H.R. 40 was first introduced by Congressman John Conyers in 1989.
Though many thought it a lost cause, Conyers believed that a day would
come when our nation would need to account for the brutal abuse of
African Americans during slavery, Jim Crow segregation and the enduring
structural racism endemic to our society.
With the rise and normalization of white supremacism during the Trump
administration, the discussion of H.R. 40 and the concept of
restorative justice gained urgency, garnered attention from mainstream
media, and illustrated the need for a national reckoning.
Eradication of structural institutionalized racism requires it. Full
empowerment, enfranchisement, and inclusion require it. Genuine
equality and equity to overcome injustices require it.
A vital step is an official acknowledgment that Black history IS
American history and the Juneteenth holiday has achieved that.
Another key step for reconciliation is the development of a factual,
historical record that illuminates the truth about the African American
experience amid slavery, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, legalized violence,
exclusion, and inequality.
The factual, truthful record will expose the fallacies of revisionism
and misinformation which, in recent years, have become the favorite
tools of those with racist motives and agendas. Vilification of the
collegiate study of critical race theory is a typical example.
The role of federal, state, and local governments at each stage in
the nefarious chapters of history must be revealed and recognized.
The next step must be a national apology for governmental actions
that legalized oppression, violence, inequality, and exclusion
[[Page H7955]]
from the means toward socioeconomic mobility and generational wealth.
Reconciliation requires an apology--an acknowledgment of government
collusion in past ignominious eras--for three reasons: to provide
accountability for past wrongs, to heal the national soul, and to
confer official validation of the plights of its victims. Without an
apology, there can be no closure; there can be no justice for our
ancestors who suffered hideous torment.
With those steps addressed, the focus turns to what can be done to
right the wrong. Reparations in various forms are needed to instill
equity and create a level playing field for African Americans who are
still disadvantaged by the aftershocks of previous eras.
The commission created by H.R. 40 would start by identifying (1) the
role of federal and state governments in supporting the institution of
slavery; (2) forms of discrimination in the public and private sectors
against freed slaves and their descendants; and (3) lingering negative
effects of slavery that impact today's African-Americans and society.
The goal of the historical investigations that H.R. 40 mandates is to
bring American society to a new reckoning with how our past affects the
current conditions of African Americans and to make America a ``more
perfect union'' by helping the truly disadvantaged.
Consequently, the reparations movement does not focus on payments to
individuals, but rather, on remedies that can be created in as many
forms as necessary to equitably address the many kinds of injuries
sustained from chattel slavery and its ongoing vestiges.
To merely focus on finance is an empty gesture and betrays a lack of
understanding of the depth of the unaddressed moral issues that
continue to haunt this nation.
Reparations can have wide-ranging positive effects, for example, a
recent peer-reviewed study from Harvard Medical School suggests that
reparations for African Americans that narrowed the wealth gap could
have cut COVID-19 transmission and infection rates both among Blacks
and the population at large.
While it might be convenient to assume that we can address the
current divisive racial and political climate in our nation through
race neutral means, experience shows that we have not escaped our
history.
Though the Civil Rights Movement challenged many of the most racist
practices and structures that subjugated the African American
community, it was not followed by a commitment to truth and
reconciliation.
For that reason, the legacy of racial inequality has persisted,
leaving the nation vulnerable to a range of problems that continue to
generate division, racial disparities, and injustice.
By passing H.R. 40, Congress can start a movement toward the national
reckoning that we need to bridge racial divides.
Reparations are ultimately about respect and reconciliation--and the
hope that one day, all Americans can walk together toward a more just
future.
In his famous Second Inaugural Address, President Lincoln spoke of
the profound moral debt owed for ``all the wealth piled by the
bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil.'' He
asserted that the Civil War was the judgment of the Lord, which was
``true and righteous altogether.''
That debt remains to be paid, which is why African Americans always
peacefully petitioned the government for the redress of grievances.
As the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King said at the 1963 March on
Washington:
``In a sense, we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check.
When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the
Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a
promissory note to which every American was to fall heir.
``This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as
white men, would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness.
``It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory
note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of
honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a
bad check, a check which has come back marked `insufficient funds.' But
we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to
believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of
opportunity of this nation. So, we have come to cash this check--a
check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the
security of justice.''
Official slavery ended with the Civil War and the ratification of the
Thirteenth Amendment.
But unofficial slavery continued by: (a) newly instituted share-crop
farming; (b) a criminal justice system that pressed convicts into work
that was once done by slaves; and (c) labor policies that dictated
income for work done based upon skin color.
This, of course, was reinforced by the systematic disenfranchisement
of black Americans, the ``discrete and insular minority'' excluded from
``those political processes ordinarily to be relied upon to protect''
them, to quote Chief Justice Hughes' famous Footnote 4 in United States
v. Carolene Products Company, 304 U.S. 144 (1938).
These are just some of the many reasons that the history of the U.S.
is intertwined with the history of enslaved Africans in the Americas.
But to reach redemption and reconciliation, we must have the complete
truth and lay our history bare. It is the light that sheds the way to
the more perfect union all Americans desire.
The Commission that would be created and empowered by H.R. 40 is a
vital first step in the effort to attain truth and reconciliation about
the Original Sin of American Slavery that is necessary to light the way
to the beloved community we all seek.
We witnessed nightly peaceful civil disobedience in the streets of
America in solidarity with countless victims of injustice and cruelty.
Young African American men and women no longer with us in body but
forever with us in memory.
We demanded justice and equity that starts with policing reform yet
extends far beyond. It's not just about police conduct toward us. It
starts with the predisposition of police about us, before interaction
occurs. Police biases, implicit and explicit, can forecast a propensity
for violence toward us and the denial of our civil rights.
In addition to criminal justice reform, we demanded the full
eradication of structural and systemic institutionalized racism. Since
then, confederate statues were removed, newly developed factual
curriculum has begun to educate all students about the actual truth of
Black history, and millions of Americans learned about the Juneteenth
holiday.
Once again, I would like to thank Chairwoman Beatty for giving me and
my CBC colleagues the opportunity to shine a light on all our
accomplishments this Congress.
I am so proud to be a part of such a dedicated and hardworking group
of people. I look forward to continuing to work with all of you on
legislation that will make America a more equal and just place.
Madam Speaker, I include in the Record an ABC News article entitled:
``Congress passes legislation to make Juneteenth a federal holiday.''
[From ABC News, June 16, 2021]
Congress Passes Legislation To Make Juneteenth a Federal Holiday
(By Libby Cathey)
For the first time in nearly 40 years, Congress has moved
to establish a new national holiday, this time for
Juneteenth, and just in time for Saturday's 156th anniversary
of the day that marks the last African American slaves being
freed in Texas in the wake of the Civil War.
The House voted Wednesday night to pass the legislation. It
heads next to President Joe Biden's desk for a signature.
When Biden signs it, as he's expected to at 3:30 p.m. ET
Thursday, according to the White House, Juneteenth will
officially become a federal holiday--the first since Martin
Luther King Jr. Day was signed into law in 1983.
Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, a fierce
advocate for the Black community who sponsored the
legislation in the House, proudly announced from the podium
the ``bill is passed'' before bringing the gavel down.
One Republican, Rep. Matt Rosendale of Montana, said in a
charged statement ahead of the evening vote that he opposed
the legislation that was ``an effort by the Left to create a
day out of whole cloth to celebrate identity politics.'' Sen.
John Cornyn, R-Texas, a lead sponsor of the Senate bill,
called the statement ``kooky'' in a tweet.
Other House Republicans who voted no on the legislation
include Reps. Thomas Massie, Scott DesJarlais, Mo Brooks,
Andy Biggs, Tom Tiffany, Doug LaMalfa, Tom McClintock, Mike
Rogers, Andrew Clyde, Ralph Norman, Chip Roy, Paul Gosar and
Ronny Jackson of Texas.
The House vote came after the Senate--in a surprise move
Tuesday--passed the measure by unanimous consent following a
single Republican senator dropping his opposition.
Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who opposed the
legislation last year, said in a statement that he would no
longer raise his objections on the floor, though, as of last
week, the bill already had the support of 60 cosponsors to
overcome a filibuster.
``Although I strongly support celebrating Emancipation, I
objected to the cost and lack of debate,'' Johnson said,
referring to his previous stance. ``While it still seems
strange that having taxpayers provide federal employees paid
time off is now required to celebrate the end of slavery, it
is clear that there is no appetite in Congress to further
discuss the matter.''
Biden will be accompanied for the signing by Vice President
Kamala Harris, who was one of the Democrats to introduce the
legislation in the Senate last year alongside Cornyn.
Steve Williams, the president of the National Juneteenth
Observance Foundation, thanked lawmakers in a press
conference on Capitol Hill earlier for, he said, ``put(ting)
that exclamation mark on the fabulous work.''
[[Page H7956]]
``The Juneteenth nation is ecstatic,'' he said.
What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth--also known as Freedom Day, Liberation Day and
Emancipation Day--marks the day when federal troops arrived
in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, to ensure that African
Americans still enslaved were freed following both the
signing of the Emancipation Proclamation and end of the Civil
War.
The advance by Union Army Gen. Gordon Granger came 30
months and 19 days after President Abraham Lincoln signed the
Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, which had
declared, ``all persons held as slaves within any States, or
designated part of the State, the people whereof shall be in
rebellion against the United States, shall be then,
thenceforward, and forever free.''
But with the seven Confederate states operating under their
own president, slaves in the South weren't exactly free to
go. It would take another two months after Robert E. Lee
surrendered at Appomattox Court House in April 1865 that
troops would arrive in Galveston to free the final 250,000
people enslaved there. Most left the area despite a message
from Union troops that they could stay and work for their
owners as employees.
A few months later, in December 1865, the 13th Amendment to
the Constitution was ratified and abolished slavery.
Where is it celebrated?
Like most holidays, Juneteenth is recognized in gatherings
across the country, predominantly in the Black community.
With the help of social media to spread awareness on a
holiday not always taught in school, it has become more
mainstream in recent years.
Celebrations can include reflections, parades, food and
drink, music--and even advocacy.
For instance, in 2016, Opal Lee of Texas, a now 94-year-old
activist, walked from her home in Fort Worth to the nation's
capital in an effort to get Juneteenth named a national
holiday.
It was in 1979 that Texas became the first state to
officially establish Juneteenth as an official holiday. Now,
49 states and the district separately recognize the day, with
South Dakota as the only outlier, despite legislative
attempts earlier this year.
What's next?
The legislation has passed just in time for the holiday
Saturday. Biden is scheduled to sign the bill into law
Thursday afternoon.
Despite the bipartisan victory, advocates said they are
still far from repairing the wounds from American slavery.
Some point to HR 40, which specifically calls for the
creation of a commission to study ``and consider a national
apology and proposal for reparations for the institution of
slavery, its subsequent de jure and de facto racial and
economic discrimination against African Americans, and the
impact of these forces on living African Americans, to make
recommendations to the Congress on appropriate remedies, and
for other purposes.''
A version has been introduced in every legislative session
since 1989, but passed out of a House committee for the first
time this year.
``We're giving America the opportunity for redemption, for
repair, for restoration, for also understanding the new
America, which is so multicultural,'' said lead sponsor,
Jackson Lee, in April after it passed.
That legislation is still awaiting a full House vote and is
expected to face an uphill battle in the Senate.
Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, another lead Democrat to
sponsor the legislation making Juneteenth a federal holiday
also highlighted in a tweet Wednesday that even with its
passage, Republicans still attack critical race theory which
would allow students to study the roots of events, such as
Juneteenth, in school.
``Even today, as conservatives try to erase history with
their attacks on critical race theory and understanding the
impacts of systemic racism, we stand here acknowledging the
truth. We will make #Juneteenth a federal holiday,'' Markey
said in the tweet.
Speaking at a press conference earlier Wednesday in front
of the Capitol, a group of lawmakers including Jackson Lee
and other Democrats supportive of the Juneteenth legislation
said there is still work to be done.
``Of course today is not enough, there's so much more work
left to be done, but this is an important day because it is a
piece of pavement on that path towards justice,'' said Sen.
Tina Smith, D-Minn. ``This is not a moment for complacency,
this is a moment to rededicate ourselves to that work.''
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
____________________