oil and water which fundamentally duma -- do not mix. we need not entertain old school conversations about overthrowing regimes. simply need to stand with the iranian people and their struggle. that has not just moral and political diffidence, it will have policy and strategic dividends down the line. since 2009, not lebanon, not my life, iran, that means if you get a government in iran in line with the views and values and wishes of the iranian people, you would have a fundamentally different kind of foreign and security policy in iran, not one about exporting the revolution, but one when you hear the slogan , forget assad, think about us, is about iran first, iran, come home. pulling becky's architecture, proxy network sent threat that have made the middle east this instable, chaos led region where the islamic republic has been bashing nearly armed -- nearly

every armed group for four plus [captions copyright nationalcab] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] >> we're going to leave this now and take you to the house floor for votes. electronic votes will be five-minute votes. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the unfinished business is the vote on the motion of the gentleman from illinois, mr. bost, to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 1226 as amended on which the yeas and nays are ordered. the clerk will report the title. the clerk: h.r. 1226, a bill to amend 1228 united states code to allow for electronic records and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill as amended. members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a 15-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

.the speaker pro tempore: on ths vote the yeas are 422, the flais are -- nays are zero. zero recorded as present. 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and, without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. the house will be in order.

the speaker: the house will be in order. if members will take their seats. sshh. still works. sshh. the house will be in order. members take their seats, please. the chair lays before the house a communication. the clerk: the honorable the speaker, house of representatives, sir. i have the honor to transmit

here with a copy of a letter received from ms. susan j. bills, commissioner, commonwealth of virginia, department of elections, indicating that according to the unofficial results of the special election held february 21, 023, the honorable jennifer mcclellan was elected for representative to congress for the fourth congressional district, commonwealth of virginia. signed, sincerely, cheryl l. johnson, clerk. the speaker: for what purpose does the gentleman from virginia, mr. scott, seek recognition? mr. scott: i ask unanimous consent that the gentlewoman from virginia, the honorable jennifer l. mcclellan, but permitted to take the oath today. her certificate of election has not arrived but there's no contest and no question has been raised in regard to her election. the speaker: without objection. will representative-elect mcclellan and members of the virginia delegation present themselves in the well.

all members will rise and the representative-elect will please raise her right hand. do you solemnly swear or affirm that you will support and defend the constitution of the united states against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that you will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that you take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that you will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of which you are about to enter, so help you god. ms. mcclellan: ido. the speaker: congratulations, you're a member of the 118th congress.

the speaker: without objection, the gentleman from virginia, mre minute. mr. scott: i rise today as the dean of the congressional delegation, who you see in the well, to introduce and welcome to congress the newest member noaf commonwealth of virginia, jennifer mcclellan. representative mcclellan was born in petersburg, virginia, and is the daughter of educators

at virginia state university, an hbcu in virginia's fourth congressional district which she now represents. she is a garage twheeft university of richmond and received her law degree from the university of virginia. a dedicated public servant, representative mcclellan has represented the richmond area in the house of delegates and senate of virginia for the last 17 years. through her time in the virginia general assembly he's been a committed and principled legislator working to expand access to voting rights, reproductive rights and environmental protections in the commonwealth of virginia. she has successfully sponsored more than 350 piece of legislation during her tenure in the virginia general assembly. she lives in richmond with her husband, david mills, and two children, jackson and samantha. and with her victory in last

month's special election she made history as the first black woman ever elected to the congress from virginia. i know she will continue making history with her steadfast commitment to the fourth congressional district, fighting for their voices to be heard in this chamber and i know she'll car roin the legacy of her predecessorring our dear late friend, the congressman from the fourth district, donald mceachin. it is my honor to now yield to the gentlewoman from virginia, ms. mcclellan. ms. mcclellan: thank you. thank you, mr. speaker. thank you, representative scott, for your introduction. thank you to the members of the

virginia delegation and my new colleagues. i rise as the newest member of virginia's fourth congressional district. and the first african-american woman elected to this body from the commonwealth of virginia. i thank the voters of the fourth congressional district for placing their trust in me to serve in this, the people's house. today, i succeed, but can never replace, donald mceachin. who was a friend, mentor and colleague whom i served with in the virginia house of delegates and succeeded in the senate of virginia. i stand on his shoulders. i stand on the shoulders of john

mercer langston, the first african-american to represent virginia, also from the fourth district. i did not make this journey alone and thank the friends, family and supporters who have supported me along the way. first and foremost, i thank my husband, david mills. i thank my son, jackson, who is excited to show off his dance moves, and my daughter samantha. i thank my mother, lois mcclellan -- she will be the first to tell you that she is half responsible for me.

and she and my late father, dr. james f. mcclellan jr., on whose bible i took the oath of office are why i'm here. i grew up listening to their stories of their childhood during the depression, coming of age during world war ii and its aftermath and raising a family through the tumult of the 1960's and 1970's. they saw the best of government in the new deal. they saw the worst of government in jim crow. their stories and a love of history that they sparked in me taught me at a young age that at its best, government is a force for helping people and solving problems. at its worst, government is a force that oppresses some for the benefit of a few. their stories sparked a desire to dedicate myself to making government by, of, and for the people actually work for the people. solving problems and making

their lives and communities better. that desire led me to serve in the virginia general assembly for 18 sessions. where as the daughter and granddaughter of men who paid poll taxes and the great granddaughter of a man who took a literacy test and had to find three white men to vouch for him to be able to vote, and yet i was able to pass over 370 pieces of legislation, including the voting rights act of virginia. i stand on the shoulders of my parents, grandparents, and great grandparents. recognizing that in a lot of ways i am fighting the same fights that they did. and i stand here to ensure that my children and yours don't have to fight those same fights. i am honored, humbled and excited to get to work with you for the people of virginia's fourth congressional district and this great nation of ours.

mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker: under clause 5-d of rule 20, the chair announces to the house that in light of the administration of the oath to the gentlewoman from virginia, the whole number of the house is 435. pursuant to cl clause 8 of rule, the unfinished business is the vote on the motion of the gentleman from ohio, mr. latta, to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 1123 as amended on which the yeas and nays are ordered. the clerk will report the title. the clerk: h.r. 1123, a bill to

direct the assistant secretary of commerce for communications and information to submit to congress a report examining the cyber security of mobile service networks and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill as amended. members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a five-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

on this vote the yeas are 393, the nays are 22. 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and, without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. the house will be in order. the chair will now entertain requests for one-minute speeches.

for what purpose does the gentleman from georgia seek recognition? mr. carter: i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute, to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from georgia is recognized for one minute. the house will be in order. mr. carter: mr. speaker, i rise today to honor george schwartz who was chosen to be the grand marshall for this year's savannah st. patrick's day parade. mr. schwartz, a graduate of jenkins high school, has spent his entire life living in and serving savannah. his dedication to his hometown is matched by his pride in his irish heritage. mr. schwartz has served on the parade council for almost 40 years. a council that his father and grandfather served on as well. being chosen to be the grand marshall for this parade is the highest honor for any civilian with irish -- is a vannan with irish -- savannahan with irish

blood. it is in recognition of years of hard work. he knows this parade so well, i have even heard that if he's given a rands dom parade float -- a random parade float number, he can tell you what floats will come before and after that one. i know that mr. schwartz will make a great grand marshall and i look forward to seeing the parade he puts on. thank you, mr. chairman, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from north carolina seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i ask for unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from north carolina is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise to ensure sara keysesquans' name -- keysesquans' name keys evans' name is engraved in history forever. we're taught about rosa parks

but sara keys evans' story occurred before rosa parks. it was august 1, 1952, when ms.esqueans -- ms. evans boarded a bus for washington, north carolina, on leave from fort dix to visit her parents. it was a long trip so she took the most comfortable seat she could find. however, the bus driver demanded ms. evans give up her seat and when she refused, the please took her into custody where she spent 13 hours in jail in roanoke rapids, north carolina, and paid $25 for disorder conduct. mr. davis: i recently introduced a bill that would honor sara keys evans with the congressional gold medal, an honor she's more than deserving of. indeed, she's a trail blazer and this is a significant part of not only women's history, but american history. i yield back.

the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from texas seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i rise today to welcome and recognize and well -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman will suspend. does the gentlewoman seek unanimous consent? >> i seek unanimous consent to address the floor today, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman from texas is recognized. >> you are so kind. thank you very much. mr. speaker, i rise today to recognize and welcome to washington, d.c., a group of dedicated nursing and respiratory therapy students and professionals from west coast university and american career college. west coast university first opened in dallas, texas, its campus in 2012, and has since established a state of the art facility in richardson, providing important education to thousands of students. these colleges play a vital role in expanding access to nursing education and addressing work force shortages among health care professionals across the united states.

they are committed to preparing the next generation of health care professionals to meet our country's rising demand for care. as a daughter of a nurse, i know first-hand that our health care workers are our heroes. my mom worked the grave yard shift so that she could be there to tuck my brother and i into bed and be home for us when we woke up. mr. van drew: please join me in well -- vanned vanld please welcome -- ms. van duyne: please welcome me in joining these fine students to capitol as they provide their perspective on providing quality health care. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new jersey seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute, revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from new jersey is recognized for one minute. mr. payne: mr. speaker, i rise today to celebrate women's history month. it is important to celebrate contributions women have made to

our country. for example, katherine johnson, dorothy vaughan and mary jackson helped put a man on the moon. mary mcleod ma than was an -- mathune was an educator and served as advisor to three u.s. presidents. dorothy height was considered the godmother of the women's movement for her work to advance gender equality. charlotte ray was the first female african-american lawyer in the united states. ida wells was born into slavery and became an outspoken advocate for women's issues. and dr. rebecca lee crumplier dedicated her life to caring for low-income women across the east coast. these women are a few of the many talented ones who have benefited our country and i get the honor of seeing their legacy in work of the many brilliant women making history in the u.s. congress today. and with that, i yield back.

the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from florida is recognized for one minute. >> thank you mr. speaker. i rise today to congratulate and commend fort myers southwest florida international airport, better known as r.s.w., for being ranked the number one airport in the united states of america, according to travel lens u.s.a. airport report. as a member of congress that proudly represents r.s.w., i'm excited to stand here today to shine light on this distinct accolade within my district. mr. donovan: they set a record -- -- mr. donalds: to be frank, there are many reasons why a record number of americans are visiting and moving to southwest florida. the inherent beauty of r.s.w. speaks for itself. now imagine the stunning beauty throughout my entire district. i can confidently say that i

have the most beautiful district in the country and the best district overall, especially considering how many members come and visit my district. finally, i want to share a few quick statistics. the average wait time at r.s.w. is 16 minutes. it is second in the nation for the lowest amount. of carbon emissions per passenger and it halls the fourth highest passenger satisfaction rating in the united states of america. once again, i want to congratulate r.s.w. for receiving this great honor, for being ranked america's best airport. with that, mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from new mexico seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous con sent to address the house for one -- consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman from new mexico is recognized for one minute. ms. leger fernandez: 50 years ago today new mexico walz the first state to adopt a law that recognizes language and culture are inseparable. that students learn better if they take the language from their kitchen into their

classroom. 50 years ago my parents helped write and pass the bilingual multicultural education act so apache, sunni, spanish and a.s.l. would be taught in our schools. like many new mexicans, they understood the importance of culturally relevant content. today 70% of new mexico school districts have bilingual multicultural instruction. bilingualism is a treasure. nearly 22% of the u.s. speaks a language other than english at home and roughly 245 indigenous languages are spoken across the country. studies have shown that having a second language helps students be better problem solvers, more creative, able to concentrate and communicate better. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new york seek

the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new york seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> i rise to call on this body to work in a bipartisan way to preserve social security and medicare. as i've said time and again when meeting with constituents i'm fully committed to not only protecting social security and medicare for current and near-retirees but also strengthening and prestherveg programs for future generations. i was proud to sign on to house resolution 109 which reaffirm this is commitment and to co-sponsor h.r. 82, the social security fairness act. another important measure. those who paid into social security should not have their benefits reduced, especially given the problems affecting those across the country including our senior who are

hardest hit by inflation and rising costs. it is incumbent on all of us to never cease fighting for millions of americans who pay into and fight for the crucial programs. we must we serve them for future generations. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from texas seek recognition? for what purpose does the gentleman from indiana seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from indiana is recognized if were money. -- for one minute. >> i rise in support of h.r. 20, the richard l. trumpka right to organize act of 2023, legislation that honors the name and tireless advocacy of my friend who passed away all too soon. throughout my career in public office i was been proud to stand with organized labor and american workers. unions are the backbone of

northwest indiana's economy and we must do all we can to fight for the rights to collectively bargain. the pro act improves thible for all workers to form the union and improve their ability to collectively bargain for fair wages, safe working conditions,ing a syces to health care benefits and a secure retirement. mr. mrvan: i appreciate the continued leadership of ranking member bobby scott and my colleagues on the education and work force committee and i encourage all my colleagues to join me in standing with our works for the supporting the pro act. i thank you and mr. speaker, i yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from texas seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman from texas is recognized for one minute. ms. jackson lee: just a few weeks ago i declared this year the year of the child. in the course of that moment i

have seen the abuse of children around the world. in ukraine, russia has stolen 700,000 children, all the way to the united states of america, and the state of texas where the state education agency is is attempting to take over the seventh largest school district in the nation, houston independent school district where children have been performing at their very best even in spite of the the pandemic. there's been a law that was passed, that suggested if the schools had a number of years of what we call failing grades, then it would immediately throw them into the hands of the state agency that has no capability of running a school system. no capability of dealing with teachers, raising their salaries no capability of dealing with parents, support staff, excellent children and their performance. siem asking the u.s. department of education and president bide ton step in to protect school districts akoss america. and to keep them from political

footballing that happens in republican governors who are attempting to make and example of these school districts. these children are brilliant. they can learn. they're majority minority and they can learn. i believe it is important that school districts be allowed to teach what teachers and parents lead and not to be taken over by a board or manager that answers to no one. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: under the speaker's announced policy of january 9, 2023, the gentlewoman from florida, mrs. cherfilus-mccormick is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader. mrs. cherfilus-mccormick: i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on today's special order which is on voting rights. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mrs. cherfilus-mccormick: it is with great honor i rise to

co-chair this special order hour along with my co-lead, representative jackson. members will have the opportunity to speak to the american people on voting rights, an issue of great importance to the congressional black caucus, congress, the constituents we represent and all americans. in 2018 florida voters overwhelmingly approved amendment 4 with more than 64% of the voters. this historic constitutional amendment automatically restored voting rights to most floridians with past convictions who had completed the terms of their sentence. before this vote, florida was one of only four states that enacted permanent felony disenfranchisement that affected about 1.7 million felonies. however, in june of 2019, governor ron desantis signed a misguided law that prohibited returning citizens from voting unless they pay off certain

legal financial obligations imposed by a court pursuant to a felony conviction. this undemocratic law has created a pay to vote system in the state of florida which overwhelmingly targets black and brown communities. florida has no centralized system santa maria to tell what a person might owe is it is often impossible for people with past convictions and elections officials to know who is eligible to vote. last year they started prosecuting who made honest mistakes about their eligibility and undermining the right of amendment 4 given to millions of floridians. many of the people arrested were told by local election officials that they were eligible to vote. due to the confusing law that tallahassee republicans put into law these officials mistakenly misled these individuals by telling them they were eligible to vote. armed with this new election

police unit, desantis administration arrested 20 people who were along the 11 million floridians who voted in 2020 elections. the republicans in tallahassee and washington are using fear and misinformation to disenfranchise millions of voters because they know their policies are not popular. it is time that governor desantis and the florida legislature honored the will of our constituents and implement amendment 4 as it is written. it is now my privilege to yield to the honorable ms. terri sewell from the state of ala alabama. ms. sewell: today i rise to join with my c.b.c. colleagues in commemorating the 58th anniversary of bloody sunday and call on my colleagues to take action to protect our most valuable and sacred right to

vote. as the daughter of selma, alabama, it was in my home top of selma, exactly 58 years ago, where john lewis and the foot soldiers shed planned parenthood on the edmund pettus bridge for the equal right of all americans to vote. it was in selma where ordinary americans peacefully protested so that every american could enjoy the full promise of our democracy. and it was in selma where these brave foot soldiers were met with tear gas and unspeakable violence. but we know that our sacrifices -- their sacrifice was not in vain. indeed it was the courage and the tenacity of those brave foot soldiers that brought us the voting rights act of 1965 and provided federal oversight to ensure that no state could restrict the right to vote based on the color of a person's skin. this past weekend i was proud to welcome president biden and a

bipartisan delegation of congressional colleagues to alabama to commemorate the anniversary of bloody sunday. i applaud the president for his appearance at the edmund pettus bridge and his dedication and recommitment to ensuring that our history is never forgotten. coming to lay eyes on the faces and places of the movement is indeed a brave and powerful thing to do. i also want to acknowledge that this year was different. it was different not only because the president came to visit us, but also because on january 12, my hometown of selma suffered a major disaster with a tornado that destroyed thousands of properties in selma. so the president's visit was two-fold. it was an acknowledgment of the importance of voting rights, but also an acknowledgment that he and the federal government will be there to help my hometown rebuild. after all, selma is a custodian

of america's history. we are merely the custodians of that history. i want to honor my -- and applaud my colleagues of the c.b.c. were doing the special order hour on voting rights and i want to say that it was -- it's very important that we not only talk about voting rights but that we do something about voting rights. we passed the john robert lewis voting rights advancement act which i'm so proud to sponsor and be the author of twice out of the house of representatives. but both times it languished over in the senate because of an archaic procedural rule called the filibuster. we need to not give up and be tireless in our efforts to ensure that every american has the right to vote. after all, we in the c.b.c. understand all too well that we would not be here if it western for the sacrifices of those who came before us, who laid their lives on the line so that this country could live up to its highest ideals of democracy and equality for all. so again, i commend the c.b.c.,

my colleagues tonight, i'm honored to join you in making sure that we keep this alive. you know, it was john lewis who said that the vote is the most precious, fundamental right in our society. and he also reminded us that our struggle is not a struggle for one day, one week, or one year. our struggle, the struggle for voting rights, is a struggle of a lifetime. and we in the c.b.c. are committed, we are committed to making sure that we pass the voting rights advancement act named after our beloved john lewis. i thank you for allowing me to begin this special order hour and again commend my colleagues for joining us in the fight to make sure that all americans have access to the ballot box. ms. tier flus mccormick: thank you, representative sewell. it is my honor to yield to mr. horsford of nevada, chair of the congressional black caucus.

mr. horsford: i want to thank my colleagues in the congressional black caucus and this evening representative sheila cherfilus-mccormick and representative jonathan jackson for organizing this special order hour and leading as co-anchors this evening. as chairman of the congressional black caucus, i rise today to join my colleagues in this hour focused on the push for voting rights. today, march 7, is the 58th anniversary of bloody sunday. which occurred in selma, alabama, at the edmund pettus bridge. that day, people gathered to march to the capital of alabama, but they only made it a few miles before state troopers beat the protesters and shed blood on the bridge and streets of selma. among the marchers was a

25-year-old young man named john lewis. years before he would come to join us here in the halls of congress, he was a civil rights leader and activist. some today might call him woke by their standards. and he was in fact woke. woke to disenfranchisement of black men and women in the south. woke to the fact that in dallas county, alabama, where he marched and where the police beat him, black folks made up more than half of the population, but yet somehow only made up 2% of the registered voters. when the late dr. martin luther king jr. was arrested in selma a few months earlier, he wrote in the "new york times," quote, this is selma, alabama. there are more negroes in jail than on the voting roles. unquote. in the nearby town of marion, tensions hit a fever pitch when

on february 18, 1965, state troopers clubbed protesters and fatally shot 26-year-old jimmy lee jackson, an african-american demonstrator trying to protect his mother who was being struck by police. civil rights leaders planned to take their cause directly to alabama governor george wallace on a 54-mile march from selma to the state capital of montgomery. although wallace ordered state troopers to use whatever means are necessary to prevent a march, approximately 600 voting rights advocates set out from the brown chapel a.m.e. church on sunday, march 7. i was honored to join my colleague, representative teri sewell, and other members at brown chapel a.m.e. church just this sunday. the demonstrators marched the demonstrators marched

peacefully through downtown selma as they began to cross the bridge spanning the alabama river, the marchers who gazed up could see the name of a confederate general and grand dragon of the alabama ku klux klan, edmund pettus, staring right back at them in big block letters emblazoned across that bridge. soon after, the mele began. and the police took out their batons and tear gas to attack the peaceful marchers. john lewis later testified in court that he was knocked to the ground and was hit in the head with a night stick by a state trooper. what was different from this march and this fight was the many television cameras that captured the brutal moments on film and aired them across the country. it was a turning point in the fight for civil rights and for voting rights. just months after the civil

rights act of 1964 had been signed into law. i had the opportunity, as i said, to join some of my colleagues in selma, in birmingham and in montgomery this weekend, which i may add is now represented by our colleague in the congressional black caucus, congresswoman terri sewell. and i was pleased that president biden was there with us, recognizing the need for our renewed action on voting rights for all. the john r. lewis voting rights advancement act would ensure every american can exercise their vote. and as the conscience of the congress, the congressional black caucus has always held voting rights at the forefront of our efforts in congress. and let me just say this. this is the first time in nearly 40 years that re-authorization of sections of the voting rights act has not been passed in a bipartisan way.

in nearly 40 years. there have been previous congresses where this was never controversial. the idea of re-authorizing one of our most fundamental rights as american citizens, the right to vote. and so my question to my colleagues on the other side is, why we're calling on you today to join with us, to protect and restore the sacred right to vote. we understand that this legislation must be passed. this is not a republican or democrat or independent issue. this is not a black, brown or white issue. this is a fundamental issue around voting rights. so, mr. speaker, i want to thank you for the time for the congressional black caucus today and again to thank all of my

colleagues who have joined us on the floor this evening and to our great co-chairs, representative cherfilus-mccormick and representative jackson, for leading this special order hour. let's pass the john r. lewis voting rights advancement act this congress. i yield back. >> thank you, chairman horsford, for spear heading our special order today. and now i would like to -- the privilege of yielding to my co-anchor, jonathan jackson, from the state of illinois. mr. jackson: i thank the honorable sheila mccormick from the state of florida. there are too many people who believe that what happened in selma is about the past. when really it is about the future. that city, this movement, and perhaps most of all, all of this dedication to freedom, to equity and equality, is not, nor has it ever been merely a moment in time. let us be very clear.

we do not go to selma every year to remember. there's nothing wrong with remembering. in fact, america would be a better place if she was willing to get over her historical amnesia. there is a place in the body politic of this nation for the act of remembering. no doubt about it. but what happened in selma on this date, it's not some fossilized moment in american history. what happened there was that ordinary people decided that they wanted their country to be a better place. they decided to dig again the wells of democracy, which had been severely tampered with by racism, sexism, poverty, anti-blackness and anti-semitism. and everything else that made america woeful in the eyes of the marginalized and the oppressed. the founding fathers had their role and their place. but everyone could not drink from their wells.

those were privileged wells. the wells that they dug had pretty stones, but the water was muddy. and what happened in selma is that an entire generation decided to clean up the well. they decided to dig deeper wells. the people who marched there were of the opinion that everybody has a right to drink from the great springs of democracy. they fundamentally believed that if you are a citizen of this country, then no one has the right to tell you that you don't have access to the constitutional ideals that make democracy worth the trouble of being democratic. amelia boynton and jimmy lee jackson took democracy in america in their own hands and saved america from americanism. my father's famous for saying that hands that used to pick cotton are now picking presidents. and he's absolutely right. but today we need to understand that those same hands are the only reason that democracy survives in this country.

do you think the insurrection of january 6 was the first time democracy was in trouble in this country? as the bible says, be not deceived. when women are not safe and black people cannot vote and jewish people are put upon and poor people are denied dignity and resources, the fact of the matter is this democracy in this country was already on life support and has been for so long a time. but in 1965 ordinary people pumped life back into this democracy. reverend martin luther king worked on the heart. reverend howard therman and reverend benjamin mace worked on the minds -- mays worked on the minds. diane nash worked on its bones and everyday people, before those names, some of which you don't know, breathed life back into the american experience, and the matter of speaking told lazes remain to -- laz russ to rise up from that grave. the selma movement took an emaciated commitment to its

constitution and an anemic political system and dared to put meat on the bone. in 2023 the fight for democracy is not over. as of january 25, at least 150 proposed restrictive voting bills have been introduced in 32 states, threatening to disenfranchise millions of voters. in texas, five election interference bills have already been introduced this year alone and in north carolina the supreme court of the u.s. has heard disturbing arguments in the moore v. harmer case. this case seeks to establish the independent state legislature theory, which would prohibit state supreme courts from interrupting -- interpreting whether laws passed by the state legislature or constitutional -- or are constitutional under their constitution. these efforts to limit access to the ballot box and undermine the will of the people underscored the commitment -- the importance of continuing the fight for democracy and upholding the values that we were defending in

selma. when we go to selma, we go not to simply show up to remember, we go every year to renew our commitment to america that was created by freedom fighters. the america created not in the purity of the hall in philadelphia, but on a bridge in alabama dripping with blood. we show up every year to let it be known that we are not going back, we are going annually to leave no room for doubt. this is our country. we were born here. and until all of us are free, none of us can make a claim for freedom. we go to selma every year so that the bigots and the racists and the sexists and the supremacists will know that we will not be moved. we don't show up in selma every year for reverend martin luther king. we come for our children and our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren and generations yet unborn. we go to selma to make it clear that as long as we have anything to say about it, a government of the people, by the people and

for the people and for all people shall not perish from the earth. i yield my time back to the honorable sheila mccormick. mrs. cherfilus-mccormick: thank you, representative jackson. it is now my privilege to yield to the honorable donald payne jr. from new jersey. mr. payne: thank you, mr. speaker. and to the gentlelady from florida, thank you for the opportunity to speak here tonight. and as i knew before, i just learned again, you should not follow any speaker with the last name jackson. mr. speaker, i rise today to commemorate the 58th anniversary of the march from selma to month. comry -- montgomery.

and support the needs to pass critical ledge legislation to protect the right to vote for all americans. in 1964 our nation passed the civil rights act. it established clearly that the rights described in the u.s. constitution applied to all americans, regardless of color. the question i have, though, and i will raise in the future is, why do we have to continually ask for that right every 25 years? that right should have been given in 1964 and been a permanent right. so as we get through this piece of legislation, i will start to raise that question. why is it we have to come every 25 years and ask for a right that we deserve? but there's still, you know, political structures in place

that denied african-americans the right to vote. african-americans mobilized and promoted the voter registration throughout the country. especially in the southern u.s. states. few places in the country were as segregated as the state of alabama. in some alabama counties, african-americans represented half of the population, but they only represented 2% of registered voters. at the time, activists engaged in peaceful protests to attack the jim crow laws that kept african-americans off the voter rolls. they were arrested and beaten for their efforts. when famed civil rights leader dr. martin luther king jr. was arrested during one of these protests, he said that there were more african-americans in jail than on the local voter rolls. finally, 600 brave americans,

led by 25-year-old hero, john lewis, planned to march from selma to alabama -- from selma, alabama, to montgomery. they wanted to discuss voter segregation with the alabama governor, and renowned racist, george walz. they -- wallace. they marched across the now famous edmund pettus bridge in selma in the hopes that they could find justice. instead they were beaten by white state troopers and sheriffs department -- deputies in a day known as bloody sunday. we have come a long way in this country from the evils of that era. but there are some people that are looking to set the clock back. but the forces of racism and prejudice have found new voices these days. and they are trying to undo the

work that we have done to create an equal society. in 2022 there were 11 laws passed in eight states to restrict voting rights. in another 4 -- and another 408 bills to restrict voting rights were considered in 39 states. in georgia you're not even allowed to provide water to hot and tired voters waiting in line. right now there's a battle to secure voting rights for every citizen in our country. there are still people who think all americans do not deserve the right to vote. and they target our african-american communities directly. it makes me furious that we have to go through this cycle every 15 to 20 years, as i stated, to keep our right to vote. that is why we must pass the john r. lewis voting rights

bill. this bill puts people over politics to protect their voting rights. establishes election daa national holiday. it allows voting to be more accessible for all americans. and it ends partisan jerry manderring of congress -- jerry manderring of congressional -- gerrymandering of congressional districts. stateses with a history of votesser restriction -- voter restriction and oppression would need federal approval before they could change their voting laws. there has never been a more important time to pass this bill than right now. i am fighting to secure the right to vote for all americans, especially african-americans. that is why i that is why i helped to pass the john r. lewis bill in the previous congress and i am

hoping to pass this now. mr. speaker, let us put people over politics and pass this bill now. and with that, i yield back. mrs. cherfilus-mccormick: thank you representative donald payne. and i yield to the honorable carter from louisiana. mr. carter: mr. speaker, distinguished the gentleman from illinois, thank you for the opportunity. the late congressman john lewis once said, your vote is precious, almost sacred and almost nonpowerful nonviolent tool we have to create a more perfect union. over the weekend i joined president biden and my colleagues in alabama to commemorate the 5th anniversary

of bloody anniversary and traced the steps of incredibly brave soldiers and what a blessing to feel their heartbeats in the winds. we must protect the right to vote. fair representation is a cornstone of our democracy. a spot to give every american of every race, one vote. for voters today, voters tomorrow, and all of those who sacrificed for the sacred right to vote, we must pass the john lewis advancement act to restore the vote for all. and every fashion and every avenue, we will continue to battle to protect this sacred right and strengthen the very foundation of our democracy. i yield back.

mrs. cherfilus-mccormick: thank you so much. it is my privilege to yield to mark veasey from texas. mr. veasey: i thank the gentlelady and the gentleman from from illinois to talk about something that is very important and that is voting rights in this country on the anniversary of blood sunday that happened 58 years ago when a group of courageous activists were attacked on that bridge as they marched against legalized voter suppression and one of those activists was our friend and late colleague john lewis. now, nearly six decades later i'm very sad to report to you that a lot of these attacks are starting to take place again but

in a different type of a way. because people are clever. you heard lee atwater that if you say it tay way, people will stop listening to you. and people have become clever how they unveil and i start in my home state of texas. after the voting rights act was passed we were the leaders in expanding voting rights for citizens in the state of texas. we had a generous vote by mail period and easy to vote. fell objects could vote and it was a place that enfranchised lots of people. now the right to vote in texas is under attack. there are six bills that are moving through the legislature,

one to make it illegal for people to vote on college campuses where they can't hold elections on college campuses. that is how crazy and desperate and i'll talk about that cleverness and people say things differently and blurt it outright, they will get completely taken to task on that. in my home county where forth worth, our county judge and district attorney had a press conference said they were going to create a voter integrity employee to find someone black or hispanic and showcase committing voting fraud. this is how crazy that people would be so desperate and find somebody that they can hold up as a political ploy to further

advance their careers. it's crazy and unjust and we can't let this happen. and sadly, republican-led states are following texas' dangerous lead. i founded the congressional voting rights caucus and i urge us to do everything we can to pass the john lewis voting rights advancement bill and get it signed into law. this cleverness that is happening right now, it's going to increase and increase and increase. and people are go to go say it doesn't mean that. like lee atwater said, you have to change the wording because if you don't, people will stop listening to you. that is what is happening now. we have to do that all americans not just people supporting us,

because that what is what we are fighting that crazy. people who are going to be for us and against us to have the right to vote in this country because that's what this constitution is all about and if you believe in that, you will uphold that. mr. speaker, i yield back. i thank the gentleman and gentlelady. mrs. cherfilus-mccormick: thank you representative veasey from texas. it is my my privilege toll yield to representative sykes from ohio. ms. sykes: let my acknowledge my colleagues from the great start from. i rise today to emphasize the most sacred right as cornstone,

the freedom to vote. you may know that on january 6, 2023, exactly # two years after the snarks on this nation's capitol, my state enacted most restrictive voting laws. this law silences in the 13th congressional district and reducing the number of early voting hours and photo i.d. and just a few weeks ago, the largest county in ohio's 13th congressional district has the fourth highest amount of names, 5,000 over 525,000 statewide. this attack on the freedom to vote is not a phone no, ma'am, since 2022 election, 19 states

have enacted laws for americans to cast their ballot. it was the voting rights act a bipartisan piece of legislation that states who are happy to disenfranchise had to take additional steps and it i is our duties to put people over politics and do everything we can to strengthen our deem depp and protect the sacred right to vote. we must secure the voting rights act and ensure access to the ballot bypassing the freedom to vote act. i urge my colleagues to rise to the urgency by using every tool to protect the right to vote. our democracy cannot wait. equal access to the ballot must be for every american.

i yield back. mrs. cherfilus-mccormick: thank you. it is my privilege to yield to the representative from pennsylvania. >> duringal time when plaque history is under attack, which will give a brief course. today on march 7, 1965, 58 years ago and two decades before i was born, john lewis risked their

lives and what is known as blood sunday. and civil rights organizers celebrated and they demanded more, the right to vote. 58 years ago, john lewis joined 600 others and marched across the edmund pet is bridge and brutalized demanding access the right to voigt. a right that is under attack once again today. the right to vote is incomplete. there are multiple impediments today, access to our democracy. we must fight to modernize voting and fight against unduly burdensome i.d. laws and gerry meandering and get money out of

politics, money out of politics that locks us out. a racial justice of lgbtq rights and women rights and all our rights are at stake when we are denied. it is my ancestors died but that doesn't paint the entire picture. they died for our right to participate in society and not only vote and self-determine to run, to serve, to leave. i wasn't able to call john lewis a colleague but i feel a sense of urgency. support the john lewis voting rights act and wake up or move out of the way. mr. speaker, i yield the remainder of my time. mrs. cherfilus-mccormick: thank

you. it is my privilege to yield to the honorable sheila jackson sheila jackson lee from texas. ms. jackson lee: i thank the gentlewoman from from florida and the gentleman from illinois for their distinguished leadership of the c.b.c. special order and acknowledge our leadership of steve horsford and to acknowledge a very important moment, mr. speaker. this isal time that draws

memories, it draws emotions and draws a lot of tears. i am privileged to have worked for the southern christian leadership conference in a program called scope, how fortunate i was in the aftermath of the assassination of dr. king to meet his foot soldiers which included john orange, jose williams, ade young and reverend abernathy and privileged and honored to be able to not only know but to have his wisdom, his bril answer and leadership with us today. amongst those great leaders was a young man by the name of john lewis, who continued in his admiration for dr. king, his own journey of fight.

he was on the freedom riders, beaten at that time as fellow riders who did not look like him, who were beaten and lost their lives. americans don't recall that history. some call it the second civil war. and mrm people who were willing to sacrifice their lives because of the right to vote. it was nonviolent. they trained extensively to suffer at lunch counters, spit upon, beaten, hit in the head, pulled off the stools. so there were multiple of movements that could contribute to this issue of civil rights and voting rights.

. . . .

ms. jackson lee: all from alabama and the surrounding south. we gathered together and members of congress and cabinet officers and cabinet of the united states to say that congress has not done its job. you see the minds of the voting rights act started with the shelby case in 2013 in alabama. and simply a case of a city

council person to make sure he had fairness of having a right to vote. it was, why do we need this? we have thousands of african-american elected officials. yes, they had been gained by the 1965 voting rights act. but it was clear that if you are able to get rid of polio, because you have the polio vaccine as one justice said, as i recall, it was justice ginsburg, then why would you get rid of the polio vaccine just because you've been able to get rid of polio because of the vaccine? so why would you get rid of the voting rights act, in particular section 5, just because you have found some progress? well, mr. speaker, i can tell you that as we have seen the loss of the voting rights act in

2013, we have not been able to re-authorize a simple bill that was four or five pages long. that simply says, you have the right to vote unfettered. it doesn't have color in it. it indicates no person can be discriminated against. and yet we've seen a mountain of discriminatory laws, voter suppression, perjurying, injury manderring -- purging, injury manderring, not getting a -- gerrymandering, not getting a drink of water, cutting out hours, if you will, with respect to voting. making sure that people who work night shifts can't vote. people who work hourly wages can't vote. no same-day registration. here we are in 2023 and i would offer to say that we are long overdue with the voting rights act. it is really crafted in the constitution because the 15th amendment said, we have the

right to vote unfettered. without discrimination. the 14th amendment, equal protection of the law, and of course the 13th amendment, so personal to many of us of african desent. and those who are -- descent. and those who the are the desent dents of enslaved after -- descendents of enslaved africans, when it said slavery was over. voting rights capture the very essence of who we are as a democracy. and to selma, i want to thank you for being another cradle of democracy. for those marchs of those individuals and children, mr. speaker, were utilized. it was a children's march that was utilized in order to ensure that we could vote. as a member of the united states congress in the judiciary committee, i've been part of a bipartisan re-authorization of the voting rights act. it was in 2006. it extended the voting rights act for 25 years, when we passed

the public law, 109-246. h.r. 9. and it is well known that large numbers of members of the house, bipartisan, voted for the voting rights act. 98 members of the senate, and this is the re-authorization, we also renamed it the fannie lou hay monday, rosa parks, coretta scott king voting rights act re-authorization. we ultimately at a later time added the honorable barbara jordan and a number of other texans who were engaged in voting empowerment. we did it in a bipartisan manner. so it troubles me that we cannot come together and pats a voting rights bill that does nothing but allow americans to vote. in the shelby case -- and the shelby case has dismantled safe voting. constitutional privileges of equal protection of the law. and of course the fear of voting. people being arrested just for

activating the right to vote. not being cautioned that they may not have had their registration right, but put in jail, outright intimidation. and so it's important for us to be on the floor today, to be able to reinforce and to extend the hand of friendship and partnership. why can't we re-authorize this bill? why can't the senate accept the john robert lewis voting enhancement act with a new formula dealing with section 4 that deals with the formula under section 5? i am pleading with our colleagues to do so. it is important, as i conclude my remarks, to recognize that voting is unfettered and it is a choice of the american people. and in this democracy two-party system most often, though there are other parties, we are either elected or unelected.

that's the greatness of america. and over the years we have accepted the peaceful transfer of power. until that day, january 6, 2021. i hope we'll never see that day again. but that is no excuse for not passing a voting rights act. it is no excuse for not recognizing that the importance of the voting rights act is wrapped up in the history of african-americans. even though voting is for everyone. but it is wrapped up in our basic history of not being counted as a whole person in the constitution. and so as slaves we were never even able to muster that sacred right to vote. landed people voted, unlappedded people did not. white women didn't have the right to vote. and unlanded people did not have the right to vote. if i might categorize that term. and over the years things chap -- changed. a brief moment in reconstruction, what was just like the blink of an eye, it barely even saw it. and then we went into the

darkness of jim crowism and the viciousness of the clan, which -- klan which lasted into the 20th century. america is the greatest country in the world, it has overcome so much. you would think we would want to be the bright and shining city only the hill, to show the world what democracy really is. and what voting really is. and that you can oppress people at one point and lift them up at another point. you can oppress the desent dents of enslaved -- desent dents of en-- descendents of enslaved africans. you can do it into the 1800 and the 1900's and yet you can do better. i would also say in my closing that we must not be afraid of the kinds of words that make us a great country. let us not be afraid of diversity, equity and inclusiveness. when has that ever hurt anyone? it only says that all of us, whether you're a person of faith or otherwise, i say all of god's children, but if you're not, it

just says all americans, patriots, have every right to be in this country with all the benefits of the constitution. i do believe in the declaration of independence, that we all are created equal with certain inalienable rights of life and liberty and the p the pursuit of happiness. let me also say to you, as we look at this idea of voting. african-americans and others, americans, have fought in every war. we have been in every war. from the revolutionary war. we have shed blood in every single war and conflict. alongside of our brothers who don't look like us. but yet in my final words, we have not been able to study slavery the way we should have. we did have juneteenth. i hope that we will have the whole nation celebrating juneteenth, now a federal holiday, that acknowledges the time of slavery and the late time of release out of texas, two years later. but what we have not done, we've not passed h.r. 40, a simple

bill, just a commission to study slavery and develop reparation proposals. and what would that be? just an analysis of the economic, social, psychological, health, educational impact of slavery in this nation. and why the trajectory shows that the -- of how african-americans are today in america is connected to slavery. every discipline you show that our numbers are down. we should not be judged by wealthy this person, wealthy that person. you need to look at the respective communities, rural and urban, and you'll find black people without health care, large numbers, education, large numbers without wealth, large numbers, without psychological, scientific and sociological analysis. we could do something and bring this country together. i believe that reparations in the legislature of h.r. 40, on the executive order that the president could do tomorrow,

would be a healing, restoring and repairing time in our life. i conclude my remarks by citing harriet tubman. one of the great estrogens we ever had -- one of the greatest generals we ever had, who freed many slaves, risked her life to go back to get those who were not free. she was part of the underground railroad and it keeps me going, just like the words of john lewis, never give up, never give in, never give out. but harriet tubman said, in the framework of freeing the slaves, if you hear the dogs, keep on going. if you see the light, keep on going. if you hear the noise, keep on going. if you want a taste of freedom, mr. speaker, we need to keep on going. that's america. and i hope tonight that my colleagues and those who are viewing us will keep on going for freedom is before us and we need to keep on going. i yield back. mrs. cherfilus-mccormick: thank you, representative jackson lee. mr. speaker, i'd like to inquire how much time is remaining.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman has eight minutes remaining. mrs. cherfilus-mccormick: i would like to yield to -- i would like to yield to representative jackson from illinois. mr. jackson: thank you, congresswoman mccormick. thank you, my dear colleague, congresswoman sheila jackson lee. on this day, march 7, i'd like to also share reflections that i've had upon with the house regarding mrs. maimy till, the mother of emity till, -- emmett till, resident of the first congressional district of illinois. i'd like for this to be entered into the record. i had the privilege of three weeks ago attending a screening of the "till" movie in the white house under the presidency of joseph r. biden. my remarks are as follows, mr. speaker. i rise today to give special recognition to mr. andy gentleman'sy, chief executive officer of amazon, for his inspiring contribution to the making of the major motion

picture "till." a movie about the life and martyr dom of emmett till. mr. gentleman'sy's participation is of special importance to me. not only as an african-american, but as a representative of the first congressional district of illinois as well. emmett till lived and is now buried in the first congressional district. and were he alive today, i very well could be his constituent in the first district or he could have been mine. but sadly we live in a world where the prospects of black life continue to diminish. emmett till never got to live out his days in peace. he never got to pursue the best of what he had to offer the world. and it is out of this -- it is important that we remember that emmett till was actually a human being. emmett was not first and foremost a victim, nor was he merely a symbol of racial antipathy in america. he was a young man of tremendous

compassion. and compassion not just for his family, but for his community as well. emmett dreamed of becoming a motorcycle policeman. it is said by those who knew him well that emmett had a joy for life and, an infectious personality, and a remarkable sense of humor. in the eyes of those who loved him, emmett was a boy who knew no limitations. he was what we should be and what we should value in all children in america, namely limitless. subsequently, and all things more tragic that such a bright light should be buried needlessly extinguished and a crime against humanity to have put such a treasure in the ground. i remember having been with i remember being with rosa parks and why didn't she get off that bus in 1955 and she saw emmet's picture and could not go back and that was the resurgence of

the civil rights. and he lived his life and where his mother slept over the memory and body of her son. and mrs. till not just for her child alone. ma'am yes lived her life dedicated to the proposition that all children have the right to be safe and be protected, without title or position. the mother committed to eradication of hate red, the kind of hatred that is millions of blacks. she wasn't only a member of the 1st congressional district and taken a moral stand she was the american mother, fearless,

tenacious and endowed with the general ross right of spirit and the on solemn of spirits could meet her was to meet her someone dedicated to equality that one could not be in her presence without being transformed. i am proud that mamie till was a close friend and i have known her. my mother and father admired her and she must not never be. the murder of emmett till is not only tragic but the truth of the american experience. from the years 1882 to 1968, 4, 442 people were lynched in america, most of them were african americans.

murdered without provocation and perhaps most importantly and all of them american citizens to secure the benefits of america. but because we live in a nation preoccupied, over 4,000 of its citizens, emmett till lost their lives in the shadows of hatred. the film is critical importance. given the fact we are living in a time when institutions are trying to erase american history, cultural artifacts must be rendered beyond the reach of curriculum. as it was said, the center must hold and the truth must be present seived and everything else is a lie. and nations are not worth of the

future they preum. about when we tell the truth and moment of a better nation, this is what mr. gaff yes has done. this is what the movie "till." best of the nation's creative forces has given us to remember, left we fall victim to the infractions. and while it is true that no company is without spot or blemish and there is no immaculate corporations, mr. gaff yes' commitment to this cultural artifact is a watershed moment and it raises the bar on how we might judge the bar. remped martin heughter kick said

is it safe, ex speedens will ask, is the popular. i long for the day we look upon the corporate collaboration and emergence of consciousness. it is not a stretch to suggest that more american companies need to align themselves. mr. gaff yes has done that. and the inherent value -- we must put aside making a profit to do what is right. i yield back my time to the honorable. >> i ask that we secure the voting rights act and john lewis and those who came before us by standing strong.

every america has to vote freely. i yield back the rest of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. mrs. cherfilus-mccormick: i move the house do now adjourn. the speaker pro tempore: those in favor, say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes have it. the motion is adopted. ♪