[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11005]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     SYMBOLS OF HATE IN OUR NATION

  (Ms. JACKSON LEE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, many of us have not spoken on the floor 
of the House on the horrific tragedy that occurred in Mother Emanuel 
Baptist church, our respect for our colleague from South Carolina; our 
respect for our assistant leader, Jim Clyburn; and our respect for the 
families that have buried their dead over the last week. Many of us 
joined the President in Charleston, South Carolina, for the funeral of 
Reverend Dr. Pinckney.
  Today, I rise to ask this body, reflecting on two amendments that 
were offered last night regarding the Confederate flag that were voted 
on by voice vote in the Interior bill, but I ask today the leadership 
to allow this House to look at three legislative initiatives that have 
been offered by Members based upon the Walker III v. Texas Division, 
Sons of Confederate Veterans case.
  I want my colleagues to know that the Supreme Court, including 
Justice Clarence Thomas, ruled that government speech did not warrant 
the utilization of the rebel flag.
  Finally, let me read to you the words about senator Pinckney. This is 
warranted. The President said:

       My liberty depends on you being free, too. History must be 
     a manual for how to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, 
     how to break the cycle, a roadway toward a better world. He 
     knew that the path of grace involves an open mind but, more 
     importantly, an open heart.

  We need to debate on the floor of the House the symbols of hate in 
this Nation, and we need to do it now. I ask my colleagues, Republicans 
and Democrats, to join us in the legislative initiatives we have for 
this to be placed on the floor of the House for all of us to stand and 
debate what is positive about America.

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