[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 157 (Wednesday, September 28, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H8193-H8195]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 2110
JOHN LEWIS CIVIL RIGHTS FELLOWSHIP ACT OF 2022
Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 8681) to establish the John Lewis Civil Rights
Fellowship to fund international internships and research placements
for early- to mid-career professionals to study nonviolent movements to
establish and protect civil rights around the world, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 8681
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``John Lewis Civil Rights
Fellowship Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. JOHN LEWIS CIVIL RIGHTS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.
The Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961
(22 U.S.C. 2451 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 115. JOHN LEWIS CIVIL RIGHTS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.
``(a) Establishment.--There is established the John Lewis
Civil Rights Fellowship Program (referred to in this section
as the `Fellowship Program') within the J. William Fulbright
Educational Exchange Program.
``(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Fellowship Program
are--
``(1) to honor the legacy of Representative John Lewis by
promoting a greater understanding of the history and tenets
of nonviolent civil rights movements; and
``(2) to advance foreign policy priorities of the United
States by promoting studies, research, and international
exchange in the subject of nonviolent movements that
established and protected civil rights around the world.
``(c) Administration.--The Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs (referred to in this section as the
`Bureau') shall administer the Fellowship Program in
accordance with policy guidelines established by the
Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, in consultation with the
binational Fulbright Commissions and United States Embassies.
``(d) Selection of Fellows.--
``(1) In general.--The Board shall annually select
qualified individuals to participate in the Fellowship
Program. The Bureau may determine the number of fellows
selected each year, which, whenever feasible, shall be not
fewer than 25.
``(2) Outreach.--To the extent practicable, the Bureau
shall conduct outreach at institutions the Bureau determines
are likely to produce a range of qualified applicants.
``(e) Fellowship Orientation.--The Bureau shall organize
and administer a fellowship orientation that shall--
``(1) be held in Washington, DC, or at another location
selected by the Bureau;
``(2) include programming to honor the legacy of
Representative John Lewis; and
``(3) be held on an annual basis.
``(f) Structure.--
``(1) Work plan.--To carry out the purposes described in
subsection (b)(2)--
``(A) each fellow selected pursuant to subsection (d) shall
arrange an internship or research placement--
``(i) with a nongovernmental organization, academic
institution, or other organization approved by the Bureau;
and
``(ii) in a country with an operational Fulbright U.S.
Student Program; and
``(B) the Bureau shall, for each fellow, approve a work
plan that identifies the target objectives for the fellow,
including specific duties and responsibilities relating to
those objectives.
``(2) Conferences; presentations.--Each fellow shall--
``(A) attend the fellowship orientation described in
subsection (e);
``(B) not later than the date that is 1 year after the end
of the fellowship period, attend a fellowship summit
organized and administered by the Bureau, which, whenever
feasible, shall be held in a location of importance to the
civil rights movement in the United States and may coincide
with other events facilitated by the Bureau; and
``(C) at such summit, give a presentation on lessons
learned during the period of fellowship.
``(3) Fellowship period.--Each fellowship under this
section shall continue for a period determined by the Bureau,
which, whenever feasible, shall be not shorter than 10
months.
``(g) Fellowship Award.--The Bureau shall provide each
fellow under this section with an allowance that is equal to
the amount needed for--
``(1) the fellow's reasonable costs during the fellowship
period; and
``(2) travel and lodging expenses related to attending the
orientation and summit required under subsection (e)(2).
``(h) Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
completion of the Fellowship Program by the initial cohort of
fellows selected under subsection (d), and on an annual basis
thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report
providing information on the implementation of the Fellowship
Program, including on--
``(1) the demographics of the cohort of fellows who
completed a fellowship during the preceding 1-year period;
``(2) a description of internship and research placements,
and research projects selected, under the Fellowship Program,
including participant feedback on program implementation and
feedback of the Department on lessons learned;
``(3) a plan for factoring such lessons learned into future
programming; and
``(4) an analysis of trends relating to the diversity of
the cohorts of fellows and the topics of projects completed
over the course of the Fellowship Program.''.
SEC. 3. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS TO THE MUTUAL
EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE ACT OF 1961A.
Section 112(a) of the Mutual Educational and Cultural
Exchange Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2460(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (8), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a
semicolon;
(2) in paragraph (9), by striking the period and inserting
``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(10) the John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship Program
established under section 115, which provides funding for
international internships and research placements for early-
[[Page H8194]]
to mid-career individuals from the United States to study
nonviolent civil rights movements in self-arranged placements
with universities or nongovernmental organizations in foreign
countries.''.
SEC. 4. SUNSET.
The authority to carry out the John Lewis Civil Rights
Fellowship Program established under section 115 of the
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (22
U.S.C. 2451 et seq.), as added by section 2, shall expire on
the date that is 7 years after the date of the enactment of
this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Castro) and the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
General Leave
Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 8681, as amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise today in strong support of H.R. 8681, the John Lewis Civil
Rights Fellowship Act of 2022, and I thank Ms. Williams for authoring
this important bill.
I want to begin with a passage from an essay written by
Representative John Lewis before his death, which was published on the
day of his funeral.
Representative John Lewis, in reflecting on the past and looking to
the future said: ``You must also study and learn the lessons of history
because basic humanity has been involved in this soul-wrenching,
existential struggle for a very long time. People on every continent
have stood in your shoes, through decades and centuries before you. The
truth does not change, and that is why the answers worked out long ago
can help you find solutions to the challenges of our time. Continue to
build union between movements stretching across the globe because we
must put away our willingness to profit from the exploitation of
others.''
These words are a call to action and H.R. 8681, the John Lewis Civil
Rights Fellowship Act, seeks to meet that call, to learn from history
and find solutions to the challenges of our time.
The John Lewis Fellowship will be part of the Fulbright Scholarship
Program administered by the State Department and will advance the
teaching of the history of nonviolent movements around the world by
fostering research and international exchange.
The fellowship supports 25 young scholars in studying the history of
nonviolent civil rights movements around the world and improving the
understanding of nonviolence as a critical tool for change.
Fostering constructive methods of civic expression is vital for a
healthy, flourishing society. Thanks to John's leadership by example,
thousands of people around the world over have learned how to confront
the injustices of their own societies through nonviolent means. Now,
the duty of honoring his legacy and shepherding a new generation of
leaders falls on our shoulders.
I can think of no better time than now to pass this bill that honors
the legacy of the great John Lewis. I strongly urge all Members to vote
in support of this important legislation, and I reserve the balance of
my time.
Mrs. KIM of California. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the John Lewis Civil Rights
Fellowship Act. John Lewis was a powerful, tireless advocate for
equality and justice all his life.
Along with his mentor and friend, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he put
his life and personal safety on the line as a leader in the nonviolent
civil rights movement that profoundly changed our Nation for the
better.
His boldness in pursuit of justice was powerfully rooted in faith and
love. As he himself described it: ``At a very early stage of the
movement, I accepted the teaching of Jesus, the way of love, the way of
nonviolence, the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation. The idea of
hate is too heavy a burden to bear. It is better to love.''
To help pass these values on to future generations, this bill
establishes the John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship within the Fulbright
Program at the Department of State.
The Fulbright educational exchange program has enjoyed bipartisan
support for over 75 years. As part of Fulbright, the stated purpose of
the John Lewis Fellowship is ``to advance foreign policy priorities of
the United States by promoting studies, research, and international
exchange in the subject of nonviolent movements that established and
protected civil rights around the world.''
This bill is a worthy way of honoring a great man who sacrificed so
much to make America and the world a better place. I support the bill,
and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to yield 3 minutes
to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Ms. Williams).
Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding.
I rise today in support of H.R. 8681, the John Lewis Civil Rights
Fellowship Act of 2022.
Following in the footsteps of Congressman John Lewis is no easy feat.
He was a friend and a mentor to many of us. He was known as the
conscience of this body. I often tell people that while I will never
fill his shoes, I strive daily to carry out his legacy.
It is my honor to ensure that my friend and my mentor and my
predecessor's legacy lives on through the John Lewis Civil Rights
Fellowship within the Fulbright program, which will give scholars an
opportunity to study both the inspiration and the impacts of the civil
rights movement internationally.
The John and Lilian Miles Lewis Foundation has been working hard to
launch this program as a tribute to Congressman Lewis' impact on social
and political change around the world.
Congressman Lewis himself was shaped by his study of nonviolent civil
rights movements from around the world, most notably, the philosophy
and tactics of Mahatma Gandhi, whose very words were ``it is either
nonviolence or nonexistence.''
Of course, people across the globe have been inspired by the tactics
of the United States' civil rights movement, many led by Congressman
John Lewis himself. From the lunch counter sit-ins of the early 1960s,
to the 1961 Freedom Rides, to the 1965 march across the Edmund Pettus
bridge, Mr. Lewis taught the world that the most powerful way to bend
the moral arc toward justice is rooted in the discipline of
nonviolence.
But for all of his experiences and impact at home, Congressman Lewis
always wished that he would have had the opportunity to study abroad.
Creating the John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship is a full-circle
tribute: sending scholars to study Congressman Lewis' inspirations and
impacts around the world in his name. We hope this program will unlock
a powerful opportunity for students who, like Congressman Lewis, would
not otherwise have an opportunity to do research across the globe.
The John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship will be a beacon for the
importance of nonviolence, and I look forward to the incredible
academic work and exchange this fellowship will support.
Mrs. KIM of California. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of
my time.
Madam Speaker, John Lewis lived a life profoundly dedicated to
pursuing equality and justice for all, rooted in love and nonviolence.
The part he played in the brave struggle against racial injustice
changed the course of American history and inspired many around the
world.
This bill to create a Fulbright fellowship program in his name is a
fitting tribute to his legacy. I support this bill, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
{time} 2120
Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume for the purpose of closing.
Madam Speaker, I want to reiterate my staunch support for the John
Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship Act of 2022.
This legislation encourages the values of peaceful expression and
invigorates a new generation of leaders with
[[Page H8195]]
the same spirit that drove John in his lifelong advocacy for civil
rights. His leadership during the civil rights movement was pivotal for
extending the American promises of life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness to all Americans. Many of us may not be standing here before
this Chamber but for his contributions to racial equality.
This legislation seeks to instill that very same drive and purpose in
the leaders of tomorrow, promoting the use of nonviolent civil rights
as a tool for change around the world.
Madam Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me and support this
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Castro) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 8681, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. CLYDE. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
____________________