[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 4453-4457]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




CELEBRATING THE 140TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION AND 
          COMMENDING ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S EFFORTS TO END SLAVERY

  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 36) 
encouraging the people of the United States to honor and celebrate the 
140th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and commending 
Abraham Lincoln's efforts to end slavery.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 36

       Whereas Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the 
     United States, issued a proclamation on September 22, 1862, 
     declaring that on the first day of January, 1863, ``all 
     persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of 
     a State the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against 
     the United States shall be then, thenceforward, and forever 
     free'';
       Whereas the proclamation declared ``all persons held slaves 
     within the insurgent States''--with the exception of 
     Tennessee, southern Louisiana, and parts of Virginia, then 
     within Union lines--``are free'';
       Whereas, for two and half years, Texas slaves were held in 
     bondage after the Emancipation Proclamation became official 
     and only after Major General Gordon Granger and his soldiers 
     arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, were African-
     American slaves in that State set free;
       Whereas slavery was a horrendous practice and trade in 
     human trafficking that continued until the passage of the 
     Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution ending 
     slavery on December 18, 1865;
       Whereas the Emancipation Proclamation is historically 
     significant and history is regarded as a means of 
     understanding the past and solving the challenges of the 
     future;

[[Page 4454]]

       Whereas one hundred and forty years after President 
     Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, African Americans have 
     integrated into various levels of society; and
       Whereas commemorating the 140th anniversary of the 
     Emancipation Proclamation highlights and reflects the 
     suffering and progress of the faith and strength of character 
     shown by slaves and their descendants as an example for all 
     people of the United States, regardless of background, 
     religion, or race: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) recognizes the historical significance of the 140th 
     anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation as an important 
     period in the Nation's history; and
       (2) encourages its celebration in accordance with the 
     spirit, strength, and legacy of freedom, justice, and 
     equality for all people of America and to provide an 
     opportunity for all people of the United States to learn more 
     about the past and to better understand the experiences that 
     have shaped the Nation.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Davis) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann 
Davis).


                             General Leave

  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and 
extend their remarks on the concurrent resolution now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), 
the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Civil Service, Census and 
Agency Organization of the Committee on Government Reform, introduced 
H. Con. Res. 36 on February 12, 2003. I am honored to be an original 
cosponsor of this legislation.
  Abraham Lincoln, our 16th President, issued a preliminary 
proclamation on September 22, 1862, granting freedom to slaves in 
territories that were in rebellion. The official Emancipation 
Proclamation was issued on January 1, 1863. It was a straightforward 
document, much like the President himself, and was based on his right 
as the Commander in Chief during the Civil War.
  Though the Emancipation Proclamation was limited in scope, acclaimed 
by some, and denounced and condemned by others, ultimately it was a 
landmark as expressed in the 13th amendment: ``Neither slavery nor 
involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the 
party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United 
States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.''
  Historians report several revisions and compromises of the 
proclamation, but Lincoln's personal wish, as expressed in his letter 
to Horace Greeley, editor of the New York Tribune, had always been that 
all men everywhere could be free.
  Much has been accomplished in our Nation since 1863 by freed men and 
women and their descendents in every sphere of our national life; this, 
in spite of great adversity, but with utmost determination of spirit 
and soul. History has shown us that to surge to greatness, as a Nation 
or as an individual, humans must be free.
  We must never forget our history, we must never forget the 
steadfastness of the President who was rightly called the Great 
Emancipator. We must never tolerate mental or physical slavery in our 
Nation or any nation.
  Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res. 36 has been cosponsored by 115 cosponsors 
from both sides of the aisle. I believe this bill, introduced by our 
colleague, the gentleman from Illinois, the Land of Lincoln, to be 
representative of the conviction of this body and I, therefore, urge 
our colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 36. Again, I thank the 
distinguished gentleman from Illinois for his work on bringing this 
meaningful resolution to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as ranking member of the Subcommittee on Civil Service, 
Census and Agency Organization, I want to first of all thank the 
gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis), the chairman of the 
subcommittee, for her cosponsorship of this resolution and for helping 
to quickly move it to the House floor for action.
  House Concurrent Resolution 36 encourages the people of the United 
States to honor and celebrate the 140th anniversary of the Emancipation 
Proclamation and commends President Abraham Lincoln's efforts to end 
slavery.
  Though a man of humble beginnings, Abraham Lincoln rose to become the 
16th President of the United States of America and became the man who 
attempted to end the heinous act of slavery while preserving the Union.
  On January 1, 1863, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation 
Proclamation. It was an historic act, because it freed many slaves and 
made a statement about the cruelty of slavery. The premise of the 
Emancipation Proclamation can be linked to a speech Lincoln made at 
Gettysburg in which he stated, ``Four score and 7 years ago our fathers 
brought forth upon this continent a new Nation, conceived in liberty 
and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.''
  President Lincoln's proclamation did not end slavery. The 13th 
amendment to the United States Constitution did that on December 18, 
1865. The 14th amendment established Negroes citizens of the United 
States, and the 15th amendment granted Negroes the right to vote. It 
was the Emancipation Proclamation, however, that paved the way for 
these amendments to the Constitution.
  Our citizenship and privileges of blacks were always questioned and, 
in many situations, denied until passage of the Civil Rights Act of 
1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This was 39 years ago that Jim 
Crow laws were subjugating and denying Negroes the right to vote in 
certain southern States, the imposition of poll taxes, the segregation 
of schools, housing, bus and train transportation, restrooms, and other 
public accommodations. Since the struggle of the civil rights movement 
in the 1950s and 1960s, many African Americans are still seeking 
economic emancipation, equality in education, employment, business, 
housing, health care, and access to capital. Although African Americans 
as a people have made great strides in America, we still have a long 
way to go to achieve and live up to the creed of America's Founding 
Fathers that all men are indeed created equal.
  When it comes to equality in homeownership, the rate among white 
households is about 74.2 percent, compared to 47.1 percent for African 
Americans. This huge gap between white and black homeowners will 
continue to be the primary factor that will undermine the growth of 
African Americans and their family structure to obtain wealth, capital 
assets, and better neighborhoods.
  When it comes to equality in education, the number of whites who 
possess bachelor's or higher degree is about 34 million compared to 2.6 
million for blacks.
  For post-secondary education, whites are about 72 percent compared to 
11 percent for blacks who are attending degree-granting colleges and 
universities.
  As for poverty, there are 32.9 million poor people in America. The 
poverty rate is about 22.7 percent for blacks compared to 9.9 percent 
for whites. The unemployment rate for whites is 3.3 percent compared to 
6.3 percent for blacks who are continuing to seek employment.
  When it comes to crime and justice, America is 5 percent of the 
world's population, but 25 percent of the world's prison population is 
in U.S. jails and prisons. The United States incarcerates 2,100,146 
persons. Whites are about 36 percent compared to 46 percent for blacks 
in prisons. As some of us know, about 70 percent of the prison 
population is attributed to drug convictions. The law is not equally 
applied

[[Page 4455]]

when it comes to drug offenses involving crack and powder cocaine. Five 
grams of crack cocaine brings a mandatory sentence of 5 years, compared 
to 5 grams of powder cocaine which has no sentencing requirements, and 
the possessor of powder cocaine may get probation. Mr. Speaker, 89 
percent of the blacks are sentenced for crack cocaine possession, 
compared to 75 percent for whites who possess powder cocaine. Yet, 59 
percent of the users of crack cocaine are white.
  Equality is the principle and spirit of the Constitution where all 
men and women are seen as God's children created in His image. And if 
this was accomplished, then African Americans would have 2 million more 
high school diplomas, 2 million more college degrees, nearly 2 million 
more professional and managerial jobs, and nearly $200 billion more in 
income. And if America practices equality in housing, then African 
Americans would own 3 million more homes. If America had equality in 
access to capital and wealth, then African Americans would have $1 
trillion more in wealth.
  Mr. Speaker, although we passed the Emancipation Proclamation and 
although we have come a great distance, there are still some roads to 
travel. So I encourage all of my colleagues to embrace and support this 
resolution as a tool to reflect the spirit, strength, and legacy of 
freedom, justice, and equality for all people of America and to provide 
an opportunity for all people of the United States to learn more about 
the past and know how we can build a better future.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 
minutes to the gentleman from Illinois, the Land of Lincoln, (Mr. 
LaHood), my distinguished colleague.

                              {time}  1315

  Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time to 
me, and I thank the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis) and 
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) for this important concurrent 
resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great enthusiasm that I rise in support of 
House Concurrent Resolution 36 offered by my friend and colleague, the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis). The Emancipation Proclamation 
transformed the Civil War into a war of liberation, and changed 
American history forever.
  140 years ago last month the United States took the first bold step 
towards a new birth of freedom. Abraham Lincoln was well aware of the 
epic importance of the Emancipation Proclamation. Before signing it in 
his office in the White House on January 1, 1863, he looked at those 
around him and remarked: ``I never in my life felt more certain that I 
was doing right than I do in signing this paper.''
  His hand was sore from greeting thousands of guests at the annual New 
Year's reception; and he took a moment to steady his hand, unwilling to 
have his signature appear wavering or hesitant. Finally, he signed the 
document with his full name, as he very rarely did.
  Lincoln's issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation was a remarkable 
act of political courage. After the preliminary proclamation was 
released on September 22, 1862, reaction in the North was harshly 
critical. The Republican Party lost seats in the congressional 
elections that year, and New York City later erupted into riots, partly 
as a result of the outrage over the proclamation. The year after the 
proclamation was issued, President Lincoln wrote: ``I am naturally 
antislavery. If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong.''
  It was this core principle, combined with enormous courage, that led 
the President to draft and sign the historic document we celebrate 
today. One of Lincoln's most distinguished biographers has called the 
proclamation the single most revolutionary document in our history 
after the Declaration of Independence.
  Yet Lincoln clearly defined the Emancipation Proclamation as a war 
measure justified by military necessity. He knew that the permanent 
destruction of slavery would require more than a proclamation signed by 
the President. Therefore, he labored mightily to ensure the passage of 
the 13th amendment abolishing slavery forever. Lincoln had so 
identified himself with the cause of freedom by the end of the war that 
he signed the 13th amendment, though not constitutionally required to 
do so.
  The legacy of Lincoln as the emancipator will be among the subjects 
addressed by the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, on which I am 
honored to serve as co-chair. Created by the Congress, comprised of 
scholars, collectors, political leaders, and jurists, the commission is 
charged with planning the annual celebration of Lincoln's 250th 
birthday.
  Therefore, as a representative of the same district that sent Abraham 
Lincoln to Congress for one term, and as the co-chair of the Abraham 
Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, I urge all of my colleagues to support 
this important continuing resolution.
  Again, I thank both the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis) 
and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) for this important 
concurrent resolution brought to the House floor today.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I do not believe that I have any other requests for 
time, but I would indicate that I am again pleased and proud to live in 
the State of Illinois, the home of Lincoln, the man who signed the 
Emancipation Proclamation and made a great movement towards freeing the 
slaves in this country.
  I also want to thank my colleague, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
LaHood), for his comments, and again thank the gentlewoman from 
Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis), the chairman of the subcommittee, for her 
co-sponsorship and swift action on moving this resolution to the floor; 
and I urge all of my colleagues to support this concurrent resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 
minutes to my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Rohrabacher).
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding 
time to me.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 
36, which encourages the people of the United States to honor and 
celebrate the 140th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, and 
commend President Abraham Lincoln's efforts to end slavery in the 
United States.
  140 years ago a bloody war still raged across our land, a war that 
cost the lives of more Americans than all other wars in our history 
combined. This summer will mark the turning point of that war as we 
celebrate the 140th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.
  Earlier, on September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln took the 
first step toward establishing as the object of the Civil War the total 
abolition of slavery. He and his political party, the Republican Party, 
had made as their first goal the restriction of the expansion of 
slavery. Now he would make the Nation's goal the abolition of slavery 
itself.
  Boldly, Lincoln declared free all those persons held as slaves within 
the insurgent States as of January 1, 1863. This was a daring political 
move which was strongly opposed by the Democratic Party of that day. 
After the end of the Civil War and Lincoln's assassination in 1865, his 
fellow Republicans in Congress and in State legislatures got passed and 
ratified the 13th amendment to the Constitution, totally abolishing 
slavery in the United States.
  Our Civil War was turned by President Abraham Lincoln, it was turned 
from just a civil war between States into a moral crusade against the 
abomination of human slavery. President Lincoln knew that all war 
brings suffering, and he knew that we had to make sure that the ends of 
any war must justify the suffering that war entails. As a Republican, I 
am proud to claim Lincoln's legacy for the Republican Party and the 
principles of liberty for all Americans, regardless of race and color.

[[Page 4456]]

  Recently, I had the opportunity to appear in the Civil War movie 
``Gods and Generals.'' I portrayed an officer in the Union Army staff 
of Colonel Joshua Chamberlain, and I was proud to wear that blue Union 
uniform that fought for the noble cause of ending slavery and freeing 
those held in human bondage.
  Today our Nation stands on the brink of another war, a war that will 
also bring suffering, like all wars do, but will, like our Civil War, 
have noble ends. The liberation of people and destruction of evil are 
indeed noble ends.
  In the movie ``Gods and Generals,'' Colonel Joshua Chamberlain 
understood that principle, and understood that these principles are 
worth fighting for and dying for. In one scene, he turns to his brother 
and observes: ``I will admit it, Tom, war is a scourge, but so is 
slavery. It is the systematic coercion of one group of men over 
another. It is as old as the Book of Genesis, and has existed in every 
corner of the globe, but that is no excuse for us to tolerate it here 
when we find it before our eyes and in our own country.''
  The Civil War still has the power to stir modern-day controversy. 
Nevertheless, I hope that 140 years after the issuance of the 
Emancipation Proclamation that all Americans will join us in 
celebrating President Lincoln's efforts to end slavery; and this 
legacy, this legacy should unite all Americans as we strive to make 
this a country, even though we still have faults, though we have many 
things to overcome, to try our best to correct those faults that we 
have; but we can be united to try to make this a country with liberty 
and justice for all.
  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would again like to thank my distinguished colleague, 
the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Civil Service and Agency 
Organization, for introducing this important piece of legislation.
  Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my support for H. Con. 
Res. 36, a resolution encouraging the people of this nation to honor 
and celebrate the 140th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation 
and commending President Abraham Lincoln's effort to end slavery. In 
issuing the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862, President 
Lincoln performed one of the most important and far-reaching acts that 
our nation has ever undertaken.
  Following the Union's costly victory at the Battle of Antietam, 
President Lincoln concluded that the emancipation of slaves was not 
only a military necessity, but more importantly, a moral imperative. 
Thus, President Lincoln issued his landmark decree. He was aware of the 
historical significance of this action, but with victory in the war 
still very much in doubt, was unsure of its ultimate consequences. In 
closing the Proclamation, Lincoln wrote, ``And upon this Act, sincerely 
believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution upon 
military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind and 
the gracious favor of Almighty God.''
  By issuing the Emancipation Proclamation, President Lincoln made it 
clear to Americans and the rest of the world that the Civil War was not 
about simply preserving the Union; in fact, the Civil War was now being 
fought to bring an end to the evil of slavery. Further, the 
Proclamation reconciled one of the fundamental dichotomies of the early 
American experience; the self-evident truths outlined in the 
Declaration of Independence and the existence of the institution of 
slavery.
  In closing, it is fitting that we pause to remember this watershed 
moment in our nation's history. We shouldn't, and I don't believe we 
ever will, forget the horror of slavery. On the same note, I doubt we 
will ever forget the lessons of the years that have followed the 
Emancipation Proclamation and the end of the Civil War--the struggle 
for equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal treatment under the 
law for all women and men, regardless of religion, race, or political 
beliefs.
  I am grateful for this opportunity to honor President Abraham Lincoln 
and the brave men who fought to ensure that the Emancipation 
Proclamation applied to the whole nation. May God continue to bless 
America and help us spread worldwide the knowledge that all men are 
created equal and should be treated as such.
  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support H. Con. Res. 36. 
Friends of human liberty should celebrate the end of slavery in any 
country. The end of American slavery is particularly worthy of 
recognition since there are few more blatant violations of America's 
founding principles, as expressed in the Constitution and the 
Declaration of Independence, than slavery. In order to give my 
colleagues, and all Americans, the opportunity to see what President 
Lincoln did and did not do, I am inserting the Emancipation 
Proclamation into the Record.
  While all Americans should be grateful that this country finally 
extinguished slavery following the Civil War, many scholars believe 
that the main issue in the Civil War was the proper balance of power 
between the states and the federal government. President Lincoln 
himself made it clear that his primary motivation was to preserve a 
strong central government. For example, in a letter to New York Tribune 
editor Horace Greeley in 1862, Lincoln said: ``My paramount object in 
this struggle is to save the Union, and it is not either to save or 
destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I 
would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others 
alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored 
race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union.''
  In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I encourage all freedom-loving Americans 
to join me in celebrating the end of slavery.

                     The Emancipation Proclamation

       By the President of the United States of America:
       A PROCLAMATION
       Whereas on the 22nd day of September, A.D. 1862, a 
     proclamation was issued by the President of the United 
     States, containing, among other things, the following, to 
     wit:
       ``That on the 1st day of January, A.D. 1863, all persons 
     held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State 
     the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the 
     United States shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; 
     and the executive government of the United States, including 
     the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and 
     maintain the freedom of such persons and will do no act or 
     acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts 
     they may make for their actual freedom.
       ``That the executive will on the 1st day of January 
     aforesaid, by proclamation, designate the States and parts of 
     States, if any, in which the people thereof, respectively, 
     shall then be in rebellion against the United States; and the 
     fact that any State or the people thereof shall on that day 
     be in good faith represented in the Congress of the United 
     States by members chosen thereto at elections wherein a 
     majority of the qualified voters of such States shall have 
     participated shall, in the absence of strong countervailing 
     testimony, be deemed conclusive evidence that such State and 
     the people thereof are not then in rebellion against the 
     United States.''
       Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United 
     States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-In-
     Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States in time of 
     actual armed rebellion against the authority and government 
     of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure 
     for suppressing said rebellion, do, on this 1st day of 
     January, A.D. 1863, and in accordance with my purpose so to 
     do, publicly proclaimed for the full period of one hundred 
     days from the first day above mentioned, order and designate 
     as the States and parts of States wherein the people thereof, 
     respectively, are this day in rebellion against the United 
     States the following, to wit:
       Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana (except the parishes of St. 
     Bernard, Palquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. 
     James, Ascension, Assumption, Terrebone, Lafourche, St. Mary, 
     St. Martin, and Orleans, including the city of New Orleans), 
     Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North 
     Carolina, and Virginia (except the forty-eight counties 
     designated as West Virginia, and also the counties of 
     Berkeley, Accomac, Northhampton, Elizabeth City, York, 
     Princess Anne, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk 
     and Portsmouth), and which excepted parts are for the present 
     left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued.
       And by virtue of the power and for the purpose aforesaid, I 
     do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within 
     said designated States and parts of States are, and 
     henceforward shall be, free; and that the Executive 
     Government of the United States, including the military and 
     naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the 
     freedom of said persons.
       And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free 
     to abstain from all violence, unless in necessary self-
     defence; and I recommend to them that, in all case when 
     allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable wages.
       And I further declare and make known that such persons of 
     suitable condition will be received into the armed service of 
     the United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and 
     other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said 
     service.
       And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of 
     justice, warranted by the Constitution upon military 
     necessity, I invoke the

[[Page 4457]]

     considerate judgment of mankind and the gracious favor of 
     Almighty God.

  Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 140th Anniversary 
of the Emancipation Proclamation.
  On January 1, 1863, as the nation approached its third year of the 
Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation 
Proclamation to grant freedom to all slaves. The proclamation declared 
``that all persons held as slaves . . . shall be then, thenceforward, 
and forever free''.
  Not only did the Proclamation liberate the slaves, but it announced 
the acceptance of black men into the Union Army and Navy. By the end of 
the war, almost 200,000 black soldiers and sailors had fought for the 
Union and freedom.
  Mr. Speaker, the Emancipation Proclamation can be considered one of 
the greatest documents of human freedom. I am honored to speak on the 
House floor today with my highest regards to President Lincoln's 
actions and accomplishments.
  I am proud to say that Abraham Lincoln was elected to the state 
legislature in my home state of Illinois in 1834. He served the 
wonderful people for four successive terms until he was later elected 
in Congress in 1846.
  Mr. Speaker, I applaud and commend Abraham Lincoln's efforts to 
abolish slavery and I would like to encourage the citizens of the 
United States to celebrate the 140th Anniversary of the Emancipation 
Proclamation. Thank you.
  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I have no further 
requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Terry). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis) that the 
House suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. 
Res. 36.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas 
and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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