[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.

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