Transcripts For CSPAN U.S. House Of Representatives U.S. House Of Representatives 20240713

The speaker pro tempore on this vote the yeas are 218 and the nays are 185. The motion is adopted. Without objection, a motion to reconsider is laid on the table. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the Unfinished Business is the vote on the motion of the gentlewoman from new york, ms. Velazquez, to suspend the rules and pass h. R. 4406, as amended, on which the yeas and nays are ordered. The clerk will report the title. The clerk h. R. 4406. A bill to amend the Small Business act, to improve the Small Business Development Centers program 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 fiveminute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc. , in cooperation with the United States house of representatives. Any use of the closedcaptioned 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 this vote the yeas are 389, the nays are eight. 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. He house will be in order. He house will be in order. Please take your conversations off the floor. He house will be in order. For what purpose does the gentleman from maryland seek recognition . Mr. Hoyer madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent to take from the speakers table Senate Concurrent Resolution 27 and ask for its immediate consideration in the house. The speaker pro tempore the clerk will report the title of the concurrent resolution. The clerk Senate Concurrent Resolution 27. Concurrent resolution providing exhibition of the hall of the Capitol Visitors Center to be conducted in the house wing of the capitol for the honorable elijah e. Cummings, late representative from the state of maryland. The speaker pro tempore is there objection to the consideration of the concurrent resolution . Without objection, the concurrent resolution is agreed to. And the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. He house will be in order. For what purpose does the gentleman from alabama seek recognition . Madam speaker, i ask for unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Madam speaker, i rise today to join my alabama colleagues in remembering the extraordinary life of alabamas great Public Servant, the late congressman jack edwards. Jack served alabamas first Congressional District in washington for 20 years. He was a great friend and mentor to me and countless others and he was a true leader here in congress where he led the rebuilding of our military under president reagan. Jacks service continued after congress. He was chair of mobile chamber of commerce during a period of remarkable renaissance. Mr. Byrne he also served as chair of the board of trustees for the university of alabama. Jack was a born leader who loved his country and never failed to answer the call of service. He helped create the america we know today and we owe him a great debt of gratitude. In remembering jack edward, we all should emulate his example and the principles he stood for. Unquestioned integrity, commitment to others and respect for all. With that, madam speaker, i ask that all members and guests of the gallery rise for a moment of silence and honor the late jack edwards. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The chair will now entertain requests for oneminute speeches. For what purpose does the gentleman from maryland seek recognition . I ask for unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Madam speaker, i rise today in honor of a good friend, patriot and one of the most principled, passionate men ive ever known. That is Elijah Cummings. Elijah cummings is an individual who has done so much for his community, has done so much for his country, and his state. Mr. Ruppersberger i had the honor of serving with Elijah Cummings for over 25 years. We also went to the same high school, city college. Congressman cummings received attention on the National Stage as chairman of Government Reform Committee and as such he was fighting for our democracy every single day. Signing subpoenas in the hours before his death. He spoke truth to power and was taking on what many of us see as dangerous threats to our system of government, divided by our forefathers into three equal branches. But even as he commanded a gavel, as chairman, he never stopped fighting for baltimore and the little guy. Chairman cummings can rest easy knowing that he did everything he could in his time to restore the principles of our democracy and equality. His passing is a tremendous loss to myself, personally, the city of baltimore, our state and our country. My heart goes out to his family and friends and staff during this time of grief. I yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. For what purpose does the gentlewoman from North Carolina seek recognition . The gentleman from North Carolina seek recognition . Without objection. Madam speaker, the United States marine corps is characterized by their values of honor, courage and commitment. Asthma are ins would say, semper fi. Madam speaker, i rise today to recognize Major General herbert loyal wilkerson on his 100th birthday. A decorated veteran who per son fice these values of the United States marine corps. He felt personifies these values of the United States marine corps. He felt this in 1941. Still three hours short of graduation, he enlisted as a private. He would go on to serve our country in world war ii, the korean war and vietnam, soon becoming chief of staff and base commander for camp lejeune. Mr. Walker his unrelenting commitment to serve the United States of america will inspire generations to come, just as it inspired his own son, Major General tom wilkerson. Please join me in celebrating Major General wilkersons 100 years of being always faithful to our country, serving with relentless patriotism and valor. Thank you, madam speaker. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. For what purpose does the gentlelady from texas seek recognition . I ask to address the house for one minute. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Ms. Johnson thank you, madam speaker. I rise today to memorialize the life of our honorable statesman and dear friend, congressman Elijah Cummings. During his tenure in the house of representatives, congressman cummings championed issues including civil rights, access to Affordable Health care, transportation, and congressional oversight. He was irritated when i pushed him to take an office in the Congressional Black Caucus until he went home that weekend and he came back with a big smile and said that the people at home had noticed it. He also succeeded me as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. Madam speaker, i join members of the congress in extending our sympathies to congressman cummings wife, maya, his family, and to all who had the great pleasure of knowing him. The legacy of congressman cummings will endure in this great institution. As those that live in the hearts of others never truly perish. Thank you, and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. For what purpose does the gentleman from georgia seek recognition . Mr. Carter i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Carter madam speaker, i rise today to recognize this past september 29 as gold star mothers day. Originally dedicated in 1936, the last sunday in september each year honors mothers who have lost a son or daughter while serving in the United States armed forces. Service and sacrifice for our nation is not only a personal commitment, but one that involves the sacrifice of entire families and even whole communities. In gold star mothers, we can see one of the most important reminders of this sacrifice. Thank you to the gold star mothers for your own service to our nation. I understand that a day of recognition will not bring back the lives of your children, but you continue to be an inspiration to us all. With national conventions, fundraising events and federal advocacy, you continue to move forward and make our world a better place to live. Thank you, madam speaker. And i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. For what purpose does the gentleman from michigan 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 is recognized. Madam speaker, i rise today to recognize National Disability employment Awareness Month and to celebrate the enormous contributions people with disabilities have made and will continue to make throughout the American Work force. Mr. Levin i especially want to highlight the work being done in michigans ninth district, by the commission on disabilities, to promote inclusion in warren, michigan. On october 23, the commission is cohosting a Disability Awareness fair, to commemorate this month and connect workers with disabilities to important resources. America is strongest when we harness the talents and creativity of all of our people. I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating National Disability employment Awareness Month, and the indisputable contributions of americas workers with disabilities. Thank you, and i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. For what purpose does the gentleman from tennessee seek recognition . Mr. Roe i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Roe thank you, madam speaker. I rise today to bring attention to an important Veterans Initiative that im proud to lead with chairman takano. Its essential that we recognize and commend the selfless sacrifice veterans have made to protect our most precious freedoms. Thats why chairman takano and i have challenged all members of congress to participate in the library of Congress Veterans history project by submitting at least one of their veteran constituent stories. The project gives our nations heros a platform to share and preserve their heroes a platform to share and preserve their personal stories to help americans understand military service and its importance to our countrys history. We can think of no better way to honor the men and women who fought for our freedoms in the weeks leading up to veterans day, than by ensuring that their unique stories of service are forever memorialized for future generations of americans. Madam speaker, id also like to associate my remarks with those about Elijah Cummings and wish his family gods blessings. With that, i yield back. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from indiana seek recognition . To address the house for one minute. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mr. Speaker, i rise to commemorate the extraordinary life of congressman Elijah Cummings. Mr. Carson he was a trail blazer for civil rights, a fierce advocate for equal justice, a defender of good government, and a friend and mentor to countless people, especially to members of the Congressional Black Caucus. He was born the son of sharecroppers and rose to incredible heights, but he never forgot his roots. Elijah cummings never stopped striving to ensure every american could reach his or her potential. The way he did. He understood that were all in this together. That as a nation, we rise and fall as one. Ill never forget those values, which he taught, lived through his own example each and every day. We will always treasure the time we spent together and the less o lessons he taught all of us. When chairman cummings spoke, we listened. He helped so many of us. But his work is far from done. Its up to us to keep marching on his behalf and carry on the iconic legacy he has entrusted in us to carry us forward. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition . I ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise to bring attention to october being Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence is a terrible reality for far too many women, men and children. By the time i finish this speech, roughly 20 people will fall victim to abuse at the hands of an intimate paetsch. This is ashley hall partner. This is ashley hall. She was a dance instructor, a teachers aide, and she had a heart for those who struggles. She was also a victim of Domestic Violence. Mr. Spano she lost her life at the hands of her husband. A tragedy that will impact her daughters for the rest of their lives. This month, let the stories like ashleys be shared as a way to help others, take time to reach out to those you think may be in need. Get involved by supporting local shelters and speak out against this tragic issue. Resources are available for those in need. The national Domestic Violence otline can be reached at 18007997233. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from new jersey seek recognition . Mr. Speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the gentleman is ecognized for one minute. Cody grew up in mays land, south jersey. He graduated from oak Crest High School in 2012 where he played baseball for the falcons and went on to attend Cumberland County college for two years where he played baseball as well. Moved on to the our jersey district where he went to st. Johns, now hes moved to the major leagues. He was drafted to the Minnesota Twins in 2015 where he was mainly used as a relief pitcher. This year he made his Major League Debut in a recent game against the new york yankees where ehe allowed only four hits nd struck out three. Cody, your talent and dedication are admirable and we are so impressed with how far youve come. You may be in minnesota now but we know youre south jersey through and through, and your south Jersey Community is rooting for you. Im happy to say ive known codys father and grandfather through the years and i know how proud they are and how proud southier see is of its star. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from texas 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. Today i rise to con gradge late principal Jill Stafford for being named prince neefl year by Texas Association of secondary school principals. Having dedicated 27 years to her students she has displayed her passion for education and commitment to her community. For the last seven years shes served as principal of Lowry Freshman Center in allen, texas. Ms. Stafford goes above and beyond each and every day for both ore students and her colleagues. As students face the daunting transition into high school its critical they have the unmatched esupport of strong leaders like principal stafford to keep them motivated and on track. Mr. Taylor i ask my colleagues in the house of representatives to join me in thanking principal Jill Stafford for her hard work and congratulate her on this wellearned recognition. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from maryland seek recognition . I ask unanimous consent to address the house and revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise to remember a Great American patriot, Elijah Cummings. On behalf of the people of baltimore, i want to thank him for his incredible leadership, for his the community, and to me. I had the privilege for almost 12 year the last 12 years of elijahs life, to sit a few feet away from him in the Oversight Committee, to see what a leader he was, how he foughter if left out and locked out. Mr. Sarbanes i also had the opportunity to be with him on many occasions in baltimore. To see how people responded to him. How they invested in his leadership. Nd we will miss that dearly. I was thinking today as i drove from baltimore through west baltimore, the community he loved, about his fight for the soul of our democracy and i had anxiety, can we finish that fight without him . But it occurred to me that elijah would not have left us when he did if he didnt believe that we had it within ourselves to finish that fight. Thank you, elijah, for your inspiration. May your memory be eternal. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania seek recognition . Mr. Speaker, 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 today to recognize the students of the stall Pennsylvania Institute of science and technology. Mr. Thompson recently i had the pleasure of joining several students back in Center County for a special project theyre working on called heroscaping. Students are building a memorial at the Center County Public Safety Training Center to honor first responders, particularly those who answered the call to serve when the World Trade Center was attacked on 9 11. The project was recently finished and it was an honor to join them when i was back in my district. One of the students was just 3 months old when the planes crashed into the twin towers. The others had not been born yet. Thats why projects like these are so important, to honor the men and women who rose to the occasion to protect our nation and to ensure that the younger generations never forget their sacrifices. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentlewoman from ohio seek recognition . To address the house for one minute. The speaker pro tempore without objection the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. Ms. Kaptur earlier this month, three of the House Committees investigating President Trumps deal wgs ukraine subpoenaed administration officials. They seek answers as to why President Trump would purposefully with hold Critical Military assistance from ukraine. Such a request is well within the committees constitutional powers and it is central to establishing whether President Trump knowingly with held military assistance to coerce Ukrainian Government officials into creating a false narrative on his political rival, Vice President joe biden. On october 15, the committees received a letter if the Vice President , the office of management and budget and the department of defense, rejecting the house subpoena. One letter even indicated the administration was unable to comply with your request for documents at this time. Well, mr. Speaker this is unconscionable. As cochair of the bipartisan congressional ukraine caucus and senior move the house defense appropriations subcommittee, i am greatly disheartened that the u. S. Ukraine relations could be put at risk just to advance and cover up President Trumps malfeasance. America deserves transparency and truth. And the Trump Administration must work with congress or face constitutional justice. Thank you and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the president. For what purpose does the gentleman from new york seek are recognition . I ask unanimous cob sent 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. Thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today i rise to honor bill winkie who recently celebrated his 80th birthday. Bill is the son of mary ellen and robert, was brn in 1939. Many his 80 years of life hes been a mentor, a friend, a father, a husband and an allaround good man that deserves to be recognized. In 1963, bill married Charlotte Summerfield and has remained by her side for the past 56 years. Mr. Reed he has such dedication to his wife and family, it is heart warming to see. Yet his family is not the only thing hes been dedicated to over the years. He was a teacher, dedicating 32 years to enriching the lives of youth he taught. He coached several sports including football, wrestle, swimming and track. The hoirs spent dedicated to young people were well spent and he ha had a profound impact on his students. He also served as the veteran superviseor and continues to hold this roll now. Its not often you meet a man as dedicated to helping others as bill winkie. Hes given so much of himself to our youth through his coaching and teaching. He continue to do a great deal as the town superviseor. Im proud to know him. And gacy of hard work honor his service here today. I ask that the house pause with me to wish bill winkie on his 09 birthday. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman rom michigan seek recognition . Without objection, the gentleman s recognized for one minute. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise today to celebrate three west michigan schools that have been reck nizzed for Academic Excellence an high student achievement. Its an honor to represent lake woo elementary and paetsch press academy. Each of the schools were awarded the prestigious blue ribbon award by the department of education. Each year the streamed recognition is presented to k through 12 schools throughout the nation which show outstanding gains in student achievement or demonstrate Academic Excellence that goes above and beyond. In west michigan we have a legacy of offering our children excellent educational opportunities. These three schools in Ottawa County join a Wonderful Group of west michigan schools already that have earned this distinction in the past. This award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and entire communities which have dedicated themselves to creating a learning environment where students can thrive and achieve academic success. Congratulations to eagle crest charter academy, Lakewood Elementary School and paetsch plains elementary and the students, patients, and staff for their hard work, dedication and commitment to improving educational outcomes in our communities. With that, i yield back. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania seek recognition . Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise today to condition garage late and thank an educator from my district who recently received a president ial award for excellence in mathematics and Science Teaching from the National Science foundation. Mr. Speaker, Elizabeth Brun of southern york county was a chemistry, physics and Forensic Science teacher at north Harper High School in maryland. As a teacher, she started a women in science luncheon to support young women interested in careers in science. Beth currently has left teaching but is working to help other science, technology, engineering and math or stem teachers by writing next generation Science Standards curriculum. Mr. Speaker, im incredibly thankful for the passion which beth shared with her students, instilling in them an appetite for learning that they will carry for the rest of their lives. Congratulations to ms. Brown on receiving the president ial award. I would like to thank Elizabeth Brun for her hard work and thank all the teachers across southern york and lancaster counties who do great work educating our students every day. With that, mr. Speaker, i yield back. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from york seek recognition . From arkansas seek recognition . The gentleman is recognized for ne minute. Mr. Speaker, i rise today to bring awareness to dyslexia, a learning disability that affects as many as one in five people. October is dyslexia Awareness Month which is why ill be introducing a resolution this week calling on congress to formally recognize it. Those who have dyslexia struggle with language skills, making reading more difficult. While this is a serious problem it is a solveable one. If educators identify dyslexia early on and teach children proper techniques, students can use these tools to succeed. Reading is foundational to education. As we first learn to read and then read to learn. Dyslexia affects students equally regardless of intelligence, sosea economic status or gender. Many famous people including albert einstein, steve jobs and George Washington had dyslexia. They were able to achieve incredible things, despite their learning disability. However, 74 of children who are poor readers in third grade remain poor readers by the time they reach ninth grade. This is why as cochair of the bipartisan house dyslexia caucus im working to increase awareness. Ien encourage my colleagues to join the dyslexia caucus so we can ensure children with dyslexia have every opportunity to succeed. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the chair lays before the house of the lays before the house the following personal requests. The clerk leave of absence requested for mr. Danny davis of illinois for today, ms. Hollande of new mexico for today and mr. Mccutchen of virginia from september 9 through october 23, 2019. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the requests are granted. Under the speakers announced policy of january 3, 2019, the gentleman from nevada, mr. Horsford is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader. Mr. Horsford thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise today to anchor this Congressional Black Caucus special order hour and i would like to thank our c. B. C. Chair, congresswoman karen bass, for her leadership in organizing this effort. For the next 60 minutes, we want to pay a special tribute to congressman elia e. Cummings. The Congressional Black Caucus and the entire country than institution suffered a great loss. As a lifelong advocate for justice, equality and the truth, congressman cummings was the true definition of a leader and Public Servant. To many, chairman cummings was a friend and mentor. But to the members of the Congressional Black Caucus, chairman cummings was family. Last week, Congress Lost a fierce leader, a tireless champion of the people, and my friend, chairman Elijah Cummings. It is a sad time for congress, for maryland, and in fact, for the entire country. So for the next 60 minutes, we will hear from members of the Congressional Black Caucus and other colleagues as we pay tribute to a great man. So i yield first and foremost to the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, the honorable aren bass. Ms. Bass thank you, mr. Chair. I rise today to pay special tribute to congressman elijah e. Cummings. A man of great honor and a giant within the house of representatives. Congressman cummings was born in baltimore on january 18, 1951. He was one of seven children of robin and ruth robert and Ruth Cummings and although his family struggled financially, they always found a way to help others in their community. Representative cummings and his family, like thousands of other africanamericans, had to face the brutal experience of the jim crow period. When representative cummings was a child at 11, he was attacked while trying to swim in the neighborhood swimming pool. Racist adults threw rocks and bottles that resulted in injuries. But left him with a determination to study law and to become the fighter for social justice that characterized his life. He would go on to receive his bachelors degree in Political Science from howard university. And while at howard, he served as Student Government president. After gragg graduating from howard university, he obtained his law degree from the university of Maryland School of law. Congressman incumbentings practiced law in Baltimore Cummings practiced law in baltimore and was elected to the maryland house of delegates where he served for 14 years and ascended to become the first africanamerican speaker pro tempore. In 1996, congressman cummings won a special election to congress. He immediately demonstrated his leadership talent and won the respect of his colleagues. In 2003, he was elected as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, where he served with distinction. In 2011, he was elected by the Democratic Caucus as the Ranking Member of the committee on oversight and reform, and in january of this year, he became the chair of the committee. At this difficult time in the history of our country, we were so fortunate to have had representative cummings and the leadership of in the leadership of such an important an contentious committee. He fought passionately for the rights of children separated from their families. He fought for everyone to have health care and medications that were affordable. He fought for everyone to have access and the right to vote. And anyone who attended a Committee Hearing could feel his passion and even if they disagreed with him, they knew his passion was based on his belief in a commitment to fight for justice. The respect he afforded his opponents demonstrated for everyone to see how to lead with integrity and humility. Chairman cummings once said, im not trying to do anything extraordinary. Im trying to do what the constitution says im supposed to do. Representative cummings passing is a loss to the entire nation, especially at this moment in history, where he provided for us all an example of true leadership. Leadership for the people, not leadership for selfadvancement. He provided an example for us all to emulate. His memory will forever be in our hearts and his legacy is secured in history. Because in spite of his word, he was in fact extraordinary. I yield back. Mr. Horsford i thank the chair for her timely remarks. And for her leadership and compassion for our entire Congressional Black Caucus membership during this very difficult time. I would like to yield now to the majority whip, congressman james e. Clyburn from south carolina. Mr. Clyburn thank you very much. I thank you so much for yielding the time. I thank the chairlady of our caucus for giving us somewhat of a resume of the life of Elijah Cummings. Most people know that Elijah Cummings roots were deep in south carolinas soil. I happen to represent the county in which he was born. Or which his parents were born. Ey came north to baltimore seeking a better life for their children. They were sharecroppers. In the county that gave birth to brown vs. The board of education of topeka, kansas. The interesting thing about the ople of that community, that formed that movement, that spurred a national, and i dare say an international movement, was the simplicity of their lives, their aspirations. The brown case was not about integrating schools. It was about getting a school bus for their children. The people who came together. Ere people of modest means mr. Briggs, harry briggs, was an ordinary man working at a filling station making 23 a week. 18 a week making motel. Ir lady in a that is the community that Elijah Cummings family left. And he came back to that community often. And we would talk about it. The dreams and aspirations of his parents. And what they instilled in him. They were both evangelicals. Of elijah took on the mantle an eadvantage list. Evangelist. He didnt work to prepare people for the hereafter. He worked to prepare people for he here and now. I have been approached by the s media sources with question, what is the legacy of Elijah Cummings . Its a simple legacy that i hope all of us would remember. Rst of all, it matters not where you come from. What really matters is how far you go. He came to this body knowing full well that he was coming to a body where people stood on the shoulders of giants. He didnt set out to be a giant. But he became one. And we today are much better off because of Elijah Cummings. I often think about a long conversation elininga and i had over elijah and i had over near the wall. About being day placed in special education as a child. And he told me what it was like when a teacher saw him and decided that the only thing special about Elijah Cummings was his inquisitiveness. He was inquisitive. A little bit too much for some. Ople and they thought to get rid of him, to put him in special education. This teacher took him out of that class. And Elijah Cummings went on to graduate college Phi Beta Kappa. Finish law school to become the first africanamerican to head a position in the house of delegates of maryland. Nd to come here to this body and to chair a committee, a committee that he chairs with distinction and reverence. Were going to miss elijah this bodyall of us in will stand upon his strong shoulders. Thank you, elijah. Thank you. Mr. Horsford i thank the majority whip for his heartfelt marks and for sharing your personal reflections on your friendship and service with chairman cummings. At this time we have a number of our colleagues who will speak. And in order to give ample time to all the members, were asking that if the members can please keep their remarks to a minute, a minute and 30. Now id like to yield to a civil rights icon, a man who im very honored to serve in this body with each and every day, the great congressman john lewis from the state of georgia. Louis riddick i rise to pay tribute to mr. Lewis i rise to pay tribute to a close, dear and beloved friend. Almost like a brother. Congressman Elijah Cummings. This great man, this brother, spent 36 years in Public Service to his people, his home state, and to our country. He was the leader who loved this nation, all of its people, and fought until his very last breath for those who had been left out and left behind. He dedicated every single moment of his life to strengthening and preserving our union. He spent every waking moment thinking of those who were hurting and suffering. He focused all of his energy into this congress and the people we represent. I tell you, it was an honor to know and to love him. It was an honor to serve with him. It was a great honor to consider him my brother and my friend. Sometimes people would confuse us. And say, hello, elijah. Or hello, john lewis, to hip. Him. And we would joke about it. We would laugh about it. And i would tell the people in maryland, and people around our , weon, and around the world have lost a warrior. And i dont think well be so lucky or so blessed to see the ikeness of this man again. As a nation, as a people, we owe chairman cummings a debt, a debt of gratitude. There are no words to describe the loss of our brother, our friend and our colleague who lived up to this great and powerful name. It hurts so deeply that all i can do is keep his wife, his family and all who knew and love im in my constant prayers. Elijah, we hope to see you again one day. Blessed be your name. I yield back. Mr. Horsford i thank the gentleman from georgia. And we do, as a body, extend our sincerest condolenessences to chairman cummings condolences to chairman cummings wife, dr. Maya moore, chair children, grabbed children, friends, grandchildren, friends, staff and all those who he positively impacted in his life and work. I now would like to yield to the gentlelady from the district of columbia, congresswoman eleanor mahomes norton. Eleanor holmes norton. Ms. Norton i thank my good friend for yielding. , my good ke these friend cho chaired the oversight and who chaired the oversight and Government Reform Committee on which i also served, serve, was compelled to be a strong leader. But thats who elijah was anyway. Elionela cummings was Elijah Cummings was known for calling out his republican colleagues on countless issues, from the cummings census to the treatment of children coming across the order. Yet always chairman cummings took a principled stand whenever he saw the strong against the weak. Elijah cummings strong sense of principle was reinforced by his commanding presence, booming voice, and convincing sense of rectitude. Yet the presence of the passing of chairman cummings drew widespread sympathy and comments from the very republicans in this house he most opposed. It is republicans who give the best witness to chairman cummings resolute fairness. Even as he held the gavel, he always let his adversaries have their say. Fterwards, he took them to the cleaners. We have lost aligea cummings when the house needed his premmed leadership. Our committee on oversight and reform is one of the committees deeply involved in the impeachment inquiry. Almost every day, republicans and democrats are sitting in to hear testimony and ask questions of witnesses during this investigation stage of the impeachment inquiry. Ijah cummings is legendary evenhandedness will be most missed by all who are looking for a role model and for best practices for the rare impeachment inquiry and for that moment and for that matter hereafter. Lets is all remember our good friend. Mr. Horsford thank you for sharing your remarks and reflections. E definitely had a presence as a dignified leader and chairman and what it means to oversee his committee with stability and respect for each member. I had served on that committee and i learned a lot. At this time, i would like to yield to sanford bishop, from the great zate of state of georgia. Mr. Bishop i thank the gentleman for yielding. This is the day the lord has made despite the fact that our hearts are heavy, we must rejoice and be glad in it because we celebrate the life of life. G time as you have heard, elijah became one of the greatest public serve vants that our country has seen. He did what he believed was right to earn respect and friendship on both sides of the aisle. Is courage, his passion, his integrity were unden ible. He inspired regularly as one of the greatest servers in this house. He came to georgia as a guest speaker and when he finished, everyone was in awe. Elijahs powerful voice made everyone take notice. Listen intently and then act. America has host a fierce warrior who was committed to doing the right thing regardless of politics. We will truly feel his absence in this house, where he spoke truth to power and advocated for justice and equality for all. Y wife and i send out our done dollenses to his wife and children as we mileanhour this great man. Winston churchill once said, you make a living by which you get o make a life by which you give. Elijah cummings gave so much to so many for so long. He made his life. But even greater, he made a life for his constituents and for countless others all across this nation. Truly, this world is a better place because of the life and legacy of Elijah Cummings. To god, be the glory, our riend, our colleague and the legacy of elijah d. Cummings. I yield back. Lors horse i thank the gentleman heartfelt your remarks. This body tonight is very humbling to be each with the members great in their own way as one of the new members, it gives me a great provided to be a part of the Congressional Black Caucus and you made significant contributions not only to our districts to but to the entire country. Bobry to the honorable rush. R. Rush the lord says that in psalms 15 and 16, precious in lord. Ght of the with that in mind, the people of the first Congressional District of illinois send me to send their condolences to the family and friends to Elijah Cummings and to the citizens of the great 7th district of maryland. Elijah loved the lord because the lord first loved elijah. How do i know this . I know this for the many times that we have had many discussions. Rarely in those discussions did we talk about anything other han the gospel of jesus christ and how good the lord has been been to both elijah and to myself. I just stopped by the u. S. House of representatives this evening. To tell somebody to tell everybody that the lord is good forever. Ures thenation shall surely miss love, the compassion, the strength, the brilliance, the tireless dedication and the mazing work of Elijah Eugene cummings. Proclaims now to all ho are here, is praising for elijah and for elijahs work. The lord proclaims, well done, faithful servant. Well done. Mr. Horsford thank you for your encouraging words. The word we needed not the day we heard of the passing of chairman cummings but the word that sustains us each and every day. I would like to yield to the chairman of the education and labor committee, one of the big five as we call him in the Congressional Black Caucus, the congressman from the great state of virginia, congressman bobby scott. Mr. Scott thank you mr. Speaker. I join the chorus and to mourn the passing of our distinguished colleague. He served with passion with the rule of law and gomped in a respectful manner even dealing with the most controversial issues dealing with congress today. Is rightly noted, when he spoke, he spoke with moral authority reminding us we are better than that. He believed in the promise of america and served as an example of it every single day. We are better off from his leadership and the contributions he made over his life of service. I send my concxds con dolenses to his wife and three children. I hope they find comfort in knowing that people are mourning his loss with him and i yield back. Mr. Horsford i thank you. Another great chairman who gomps with the steady happened and another example of the wonderful leadership that we have in this body, the chairman of the Homeland Security committee, chairman thompson from mississippi. Mississippi mississippi im mr. Thompson i join my tribute to Elijah Cummings, we have one one story, some of us have a lot more. But more importantly, its how elijah lived that we have to pay tribute to. Elijah demonstrated every day not only that he loved the people of baltimore, but he loved this great country. And if we can pattern our lives after aligeave cummings pass, we will be fine. So to a great warrior, a great patriot, a great leader, who obviously in a lot of our mind was taken too short, we say god bless you, we understand that if we had anything to do with it, we would have kept you here, but it just wasnt in the plan. So, parting, i say to you, as well as my colleagues, elijah, we appreciate you. Your job here in this Congress Speaks volumes. God bless you. I yield back. Mr. Horsford i thank the chairman for coming to the floor and speaking on behalf of your experience and friendship with chairman cummings and as you said, he really demonstrated a life worth living and example and embodiment for young people and Young Leaders of what they ould do to exemplify a young role model. I yield to representative jackson lee of the state of texas. Ms. Jackson lee to elijahs wonderful wife, my friend, his children and family, we have said over and over again how much we will miss him but how much we will miss him. Elijah cummings was my classmate. He came in during a special election that we always viewed each other as classmates coming in in in the mid1990s. His spirit was so strong that he as able to provide his own internal strength and also to provide strength to others. I think we knew about elijahs parents more than anyone else. He talked about robert and Ruth Cummings, not only as share croppers but as preachers and how they poured into his life. Elijah was a successful man though he started with a designation that he was slow in chool and becoming the first africanamerican speaker pro tempore. But what i notice most about him, he probably wouldnt even want us to talk about him being chairman of the oversight and ban the box of what we worked on and took a whole group of members over to baltimore because of the scourge of hivaids. He wanted us to see it and stand with him and wanted to show his community he was going to fight. What i loved him about him, he could metropolitanor people. We joined each other to mentor time ng interns and every we spoke to the interns, it was a time when we spoke to the lass and elijah lifted them to anyones expressional belief. I want to give his words when he first came to the United States congress, when i saw these, i said, how powerful and potent. Elijah cummings i only have a minute, forced upon me. I did not choose it but i know i must use it give account if i abuse it. Only a tiny little minute but aterpt is in it. I close my being reminded that elijah wouldnt want to us give the whole litany of his success, im reminded of the speech of dr. Martin luther king the night before his death, when he reminded people that he wanted to be known as someone who tried to help someone. He said, he feared no man. And when elijah spoke and worked and when he worked with republicans, he did not fear them. But he brought them to him. He made peace while he also fought for justice. In the words of dr. King, in that last speech, he said, when people get caught up with that which is right, they are willing to sacrifice, for there is no stopping the point of a real victory. I believe in this life our dear friend secured real victory, a victory for his people and his constituents, a victory for those who believe in just and equality, and a victory for the people of the United States of america. And so, elijah, minute you had, the minute that was given to you, you did not waste it, and you have gained eternity. As dr. King said, you are the orchestrater of letting justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream. You were part of that justice, part of that victory. You didnt stop short, you only had a minute. But, boy, what did you do with that. May god bless your soul. May you be in peace. May you rest in peace. And we love you until we meet again. I yield back. Mr. Horsford i thank the gentlelady for your remarks. I now would like to yield to another great leader. She is one of the cochairs of the steering and policy committee for the house, a democrat and a true champion on so many issues, particularly for women, children and families, i yield now to congresswoman barbara lee from the state of california. Ms. Lee thank you very much. I first thank i thank the gentleman for yielding. Also to yourself, congresswoman, our chair, karen bass, and stacey plaskett, for leading this beautiful tribute tonight. I rise tonight in honor of the life and legacy of chairman Elijah Cummings, who was a great statesman and leader. But also a kind and gentle human being who led with both his head and his heart. My heart is heavy tonight, as i offer my deepest condolences to y friend, dr. Maya, the entire family, his staff, the people of baltimore who he loved and served with courage and boledence boldness. And, yes, he was a person of deep faith. Which was that Guiding Light in everything that he did. Elijah was the son two son of two passers to and he took care of his mother and his father in their last years on earth. Elijah has been a friend and advisor to me since i first came to congress. When i was first elected, he gave me muchneeded encouragement, knowing that i had come in a special election, replacing my mentor and my friend, the late great congressman ron delms, who had some big shoes to fill. But elijah told me early on, he said, hey, youve got to step out there, carve out your own agenda, and get out there and do your job. What you need to do to serve the people of your district. And he wanted to help me. And we talked about how he could do that and he was the first member of congress, and he was so eager to do this, to visit my district early on in my tenure. And we had a town meeting on gun safety, mass incarceration and criminal Justice Reform. I have to tell you, my constituents were in awe. And they also send their condolences this evening. But this was a defining moment for me. As he lifted me up, as a new member of congress, and my district, in a way that no one had. And he continued to support me and advise me on many important decisions. Also like congresswoman jackson lee, i had the privilege to be with congressman cummings in his district several times. The first time was when he invited members, c. B. C. Members, to visit his hivaids clinics, and other community organizations. It was so remarkable to see how people not only respected him as a great member of congress, but how they loved and connected with him as their brother, who never lost touch with the people. So elijah will be remembered as a man who pulled no punches, was authentic to the core, and a champion for our democracy. The greatest tribute to his work will be for all of us to continue to stand and defend our democracy with the same passion, vigor and determination that he had. I will miss elijahs wise council counsel, his words of encouragement, his support and his leadership. May his legacy live on, may he rest in peace and power. I will miss you so much, elijah. May god bless. Mr. Horsford i thank the gentlelady for her, again, heartfelt remarks. Each one of us can tell our own story of our experiences and opportunities that weve had to share with chairman cummings. And thats really the opportunity that we have tonight during this special order hour. Another person with a great legacy, who continues to serve his constituents with dignity, is the gentleman who i will yield to now, congressman lacy clay jr. From the state of missouri. Mr. Clay i thank my friend from he was r yielding and my chairman, my colleague and my friend, the late great Elijah Cummings. I not only had the good fortune of serving with chairman cummings, i also was blessed to get to know him well over the years. He was a powerful and passionate advocate for the city of baltimore, which he loved so dearly. And i want to say that thousands of my constituents back in st. Louis have posted messages of condolence for chairman Cummings Family. And one of the most moving messages simply said this, one of the nicest things that can be said about a man is that we believed him. And thats the truth. Chairman cummings fearlessly spoke truth to power. Not to defeat an opponent, but to challenge us, to lift up this institution, to give the American People a government that is as good and decent as they are. I think the true measure of what Elijah Cummings meant to us was that early last thursday, when word of his untimely death began to spread, there were Many Republicans there were as Many Republican tears as democratic tears, mourning the passing of this very good man. In the spirit of compassion and reconciliation that the lord has endowed within each of us, if we have the wisdom to seek it. And i want to extend my deepest sympathy to chairman Cummings Family, and i want them to know that i share their grief. I have lost a brother, an american hero, and a true, a true leader of this house. So, mr. Speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. Mr. Horsford i thank the congressman for coming to the floor to share his remarks. Many experiences from the oversight and Government Reform Committee, those who served on that committee, those who worked with chairman cummings on his staff, he is known to have one of the best staffs here in the house of representatives. And its partly because they got to work with such a great chairman. Id now like to yield to former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, congressman g. K. Butterfield from the state of North Carolina. Mr. Butterfield let me thank you, congressman horsford, for yielding time this evening. And thank you for your extraordinary leadership. Elijah cummings was my friend. Nearly every legislative day for the past 15 years we talked about every subject you can imagine. Some of it consisted of small talk. But very often it consisted of serious conversations about our families and about our communities. And so on behalf of my family, on behalf of the 750,000 people of the first Congressional District of North Carolina, i extend condolences to the Cummings Family and to the good people of baltimore. You know, mr. Speaker, several years ago i shared with congressman cummings a very sad situation in my district involving an africanamerican attorney who had suffered a debilitating stroke and was having financial problems. Immediately, immediately mr. Cummings said, you know, i have great affection for black lawyers who have served their communities. And im going to send him some money. And he did. From time to time i would see mr. Cummings on national television, on the talk shows, and i would come back to the floor on monday night or tuesday night and i would sit next to him and i would compliment mr. Cummings about his appearances on television and how he handled himself. And i recall one day he told me that every minute that hes on television, he spent one hour preparing for that one minute. He was one of preparation. I sat next to congressman cummings as he cast his last floor vote several weeks ago. He didnt know it was his last, but it was. As his staff assisted in getting him out of the chair, and he was seated right over where ms. Clark is seated right now, as his staff assisted in getting him out of the chair, he looked at me that day and said, im so sick. I love you, man. Well, i say to you tonight, congressman cummings, i love you. We love you. America loves you. Mr. Speaker, we celebrate a life well lived. Elijah Eugene Cummings belongs to the ages. Rest in peace, my brother. Rest in peace. Mr. Horsford thank you, congressman butterfield. Stories r sharing your of friendship and how chairman cummings really touched your life, as an example to so many here in this body. Id now like to yield to my good friend, the congresswoman from the great state of new york, yvette clarke. Mr. Clarke i thank my colleague, our chairwoman, ms. Bass ms. Clarke i thank my colleague, our chairwoman, ms. Bass, and our coleaders for this evenings special order hour, for providing this moment for us to reflect. Let me start by saying, on behalf of myself, the clarke family, and the people of the ninth Congressional District of new york, i rise today to reflect upon the life and the legacy of the great chairman of the House Oversight and reform Government Reform Committee, chairman Elijah Cummings. And express my heartfelt and deepest condolences to his wife, maya, his family, friends, constituents and staff. Our great nation is mourning, is in shock over the loss of a great man. As one of seven children born to parents who were sharecroppers, and just as important, or maybe more importantly, pastors of the gospel, it is safe to say that chairman cummings embodied the epitome of our ancestors wildest dreams and most fervent prayers. As one of the greatest leaders of the United States congress. Chairman cummings represents represented baltimore, maryland, with devotion, pride, dignity and integrity. And dedicated his career to ensuring that his beloved community was never marginalized. As chairman of the House Committee on oversight and government reform, mr. Cummings used his voice to protect our democracy, to protect our civil liberties, and indeed our humanity and our constitution until his very last breath. And we will forever be indebted to his life long dedication to public lifelong dedication to Public Service. He will be remembered as a steadfast former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, an advocate of the Congressional Black Caucus and black communities across this nation who used his voice to elevate our colleagues in leadership positions, and to make and to mentor black staffers. I recall when elected to the house of representatives in the year 2006, i heard from all of the members of the new york congressional delegation, but got a call from this gentleman from baltimore, maryland, with a thundering voice over the phone. Thats when i knew i had made it. Because i received a call from Elijah Cummings. And he offered his support and encouragement and continued to do that every day that we severed in this body together. Let us all take comfort that his legacy will be engrained in the halls of congress to the next generation of leaders whose work s inspired and all of us who are our leg asy. He is now, as he said, dancing with the angels and go down in American History as preserving our democracy and our core american values. Words could not express that our community feels, but we must lift our head and continue to walk this the light of chairman cummings legacy. We are standing on the shoulders of a giant and we will live out on his mission for a better america for all. One that we pass on to our children and grandchildren, a nation greater than the one we inherited. May Elijah Cummings rest in peace and rise in glory. We will miss you. And i yield back. Mr. Horsford it has been migrate honor to coampinge or his special honor hour and i thank karen bass for her effort in bringing forward this opportunity to share our reflections. I wanted to say, chairman cummings stood up for the most vulnerable in society and ensure that the next generation of americans have access to a clean environment, affordable housing, equality and financial empowerment. The s a Firm Believer in United States constitution and fought for equality and it is certain that he did everything and then some excuse me. O defend our country and its institutions. To keep our democracy alive and thriving despite attacks from within. His legacy of leadership will continue to inspire us all and his presence in congress will surely be missed. I hope now that he is resting in power and dancing with the angels happily with the knowledge that he set an example verns stance and per ser and we will continue on his spirit and carry on his legacy. I would like to turn over the remaining time to the coanchor. This special order hour ms. Plaskett thank you for your support of the Congressional Black Caucus and ensuring that the voices of black america are heard. I would yield to the great gentleman from gentleman, mr. Hank johnson for his reflections. The speaker pro tempore under the speakers announced policy january 3, 2019, the chir ms. Plaskett. Mr. Johnson i thank the gentlelady. Decency, grace ap responsibility and he was committed to his family to whom i offer my deepest condolences and he was committed to his community and he was committed being true to the oath to preserve, protect and defend the constitution. He did so as chair of the House Committee on oversight and reformed and carried out the responsibilities of that office with great ability. Elijah cummings had the ability of a giant. Unafraud touiet and walk alone, he saw more than many will ever see. That is why aligeave will continue to be our north star. His light shines on. His spirit will live on in our hearts to guide us as we live true to the oith. On. E on elijah, shine i yield back. Ms. Plaskett thank you to the gentleman from georgia for your reflections. I yield time to former chairman of the congressional black aucus, a good friend and representative of lea. I thank the the gentlewoman from for cohosting this hour. We always ask this question, thee. Required of walk whombly with our guy. Ta is what chairman elijah did. He fought for justice not just in the halls of congress. Sometimes it was in the streets f baltimore when the muent was protesting and he was out there. He loved mercy and fought for criminal Justice Reform every ounce and minute of his life because he knew that we have to give people a Second Chance and but for the grace of god, who knows where anybody would be. And last, it was to walk hum apply. Many people dont know this, he was one of the first people, members of copping to endorse. He was about lifting up the next generation and dont have to blow out the candle and he lit candles in the next generation and they would find their purpose in life. Would end with this, aligeave Elijah Cummings, it wasnt about partisanship or profits. It was about purpose. And the one thing that comforts me and im sure the entire black caucus is that we know in our hearts that last thursday at 2 30 a. M. We know that Elijah Cummings heard these word, well faithful servant. Ms. Plaskett that happened to be my life scripture that was the scripture that the lord gave me and i had the honor of being a member of the member in which elijah couple ippings sat with the chair and i was on that chair. He was a metropolitanor to me and those who had a chance to interact with him, he was a man of god. He lived and worked on christian values. That exemplifies his life. He exemplifies. He was a man of great wisdom. When i was on the committee, i viewed my role of not being a prosecutor and counselor. I told him i was almost gleeful i that i would be sitting in front of him, but i could watch his back. He would always chucking his at my d shifted his head colorful language and he always counseled me to take care much my children first. Take care of your family and at the end of the day, that is who you are going to have and he coupled to go slow and steady. At this time, i yield time to donald payne, who sits with me on the transportation and infrastructure committee. He represents his home of newark, new jersey and i ask him to reflect on the life and his time with Elijah Cummings. Mr. Payne let me first thank the gentlelady, ms. Plaskett for being here for this special hour order. I first want to offer my condolences to mrs. Maya and her family on this immense loss. I rise to honor a true american ro, congressman aligeave cummings. A strong man, a serious man, a man that was about the business of this nation. Irrespect the oftive of on the streets of baltimore, he never weafered in his plight to make sure that the American People e, e e opportunities that should be afforded in this great nation. It is difficult to state how immense this loss is to the people of his district, the state of maryland and the entire nation. Congressman cummings was a dedicated Public Servant who represented marylands 7th district for 23 years. He was so much more than that. He was an iconcxds con, a leader, a statesman, a patriot and the embodiment of the american dream. Yet, the real legacy of was the connection to the people of his district. Him s quite common to find in the Grocery Store or a Neighborhood Church or neighbor functions. I it gave him a level of respect that made him beloved in his district. Congressman john lewis once said. There is no greater friend to out poor, the loss, the left and the left behind than representative cummings. Never has the truer word been spoken about anyone. He was a great man. Congressman and most of all, a Great America cap. We have some of the same medical issues, so we spent many evenings on the phone talking him through what the next step would be in the process. Me one day. Aid to he said, payne, im scared. But he wasnt just scared about his health issues. He was scared about the direction that this nation was going in. And to his very last existence, he was concerned about the people in his district and this country. So i will miss him dearly. This nation will miss him. And i will just yield back at this time. Thank you. Ms. Plaskett mr. Speaker, how uch time remaining . The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman has 20 minutes remaining. Ms. Plaskett thank you very much. At this time i would yield time to the congresswoman from ohio, joyce beatty. Mrs. Beatty thank you for yielding. I have met many people in my life, but Elijah Cummings was steadfast and unmoveable in his quest to protect our democracy. He was my friend from day one. I was a lost freshman trying to find my way to the rayburn building from cannon. Not only did elijah teach me how to read the numbers, he walked me all the way to the rayburn building. And then he recommended a chief of staff to me. Kimberly roth, who is with me today. He was a mentor to me and so many. We text often and talked about Health Care Challenges and the challenges of our communities and this great nation. He cosponsored and absoluted me for my work saluted me for my work putting hair yet tubman on a 20 bill hair yet tubman on a Harriette Tubman on a 20 bill. He would often say his life was based on pain, passion and purpose, which propelled him forward. A few months ago he keynoted an event in my district for his good friend, the reverend dr. Charles booths program. Bridges to the future, for its 25th anniversary. Although he was not feeling well himself. But elijah was a friend to the end. His unmatched ability to tap into the heart of the matter and find consensus that mattered was elijah. So elionela, my brother, my friend, elijah, my brother, my friend, my mentor, my colleague, i assure you when times get tough, i will borrow your fighting spirit andujar necessary the power to stand firm and harness the power to stand firm in the face of injustice. My heart and prayers are with his wife and my friend, maya, his children, family, constituents and staff. Elijah, my friend, my colleague, rest in peace, rest in power, my friend. I know you are dancing with the angels. God bless you. Ms. Plaskett thank you for those words. I now yield time to the congresswoman, who, like Elijah Cummings, first came to congress in a special election, and im happy to call her my classmate. Ms. Adams thank you, mr. Speaker. I want to first thank the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands and also the gentleman from nevada and chairwoman bass, and all who participated in organizing this event. I rise to join other members tonight to honor the life and career of one of this bodys ost effective lawmakers. One of the most tireless champions of the underprivileged and a close and dear friend to us all, representative Elijah Cummings. The 12th district of North Carolina extends condolences to his wife and his family, his extended family, and to the members of his district. Elijah was one of our best examples of what it means to be a Public Servant. In baltimore, he was not only his communitys member of congress, he was its voice. A recognizable and fervent product of the community that he represented. When west baltimore was hurting after the death of freddie gray, it was representative cummings who spoke the words of a grieving community. And the president of the United States when the president of the United States insulted his city, it was representative cummings who stood up and offered to show the president what baltimore is really about. This was a type of man and member that Elijah Cummings was. An advocate for what was right. He was an advocate for our youth. And he took a sincere interest in their success. I remain personally grateful to him for the support that he gave to my youngest grandson, as he explored entrance and application to howard university. Elijah cummings was always an advocate for what was right. Or as dr. King would call it, he was indeed a drum major for justice. He earned the respect of men, women and little children. And he made this world much better than he found it. Ms. Plaskett thank you, congresswoman adams. I now yield time to my very close classmate from the state of michigan who is herself a tireless fighter for the rights of not only the people of michigan, but of women, and people who are oppressed and who also sat and sits on the Oversight Committee under the tutelage of Elijah Cummings. I want to thank my colleague who has been a very close colleague, as we have sat under the guidance and leadership of Elijah Cummings. I rise today, mr. Speaker, to honor my chairman, Elijah Cummings. This is an extremely difficult time for me because chairman cummings was more than a colleague. He was my mentor. As a freshman, while serving on the House Committee on government reform with chairman cummings, i came to him with a litany of questions. He never turned me away. He was always receptive and always consider at. He would considerate. He would eventually explain to me how much he appreciated that i had put thought into the policies that i wanted to implement while serving in congress. Mrs. Lawrence it was then that this great man actually saw that i really cared for people. And he instructed me to continue doing the work because when you really care, your constituents will see it and they will appreciate it. When i came to him during the flint water crisis and told him we needed to look into this, because people were being hurt, children were being physically damaged, he was so determined to get to the truth. I watched him serve in the majority and in the minority and there are many times when this chairman, my chairman cummings, became the voice of reason within the caucus and at the helm of the Oversight Committee. He was a consensus building. He cut to the chase builder. He cut to the chase. And he was the person who worked across the aisle, never, ever putting anyone before the American People. I will miss this bigger than life his bigger than life presence in our meetings. I will miss that booming voice, heesk incredible words of heaving incredible words of wisdom during our Committee Hearings. I will miss the intelligent and passionate questions and the astute observations that he would hurl at any of the combative witnesses. I will miss the man who believed in the american experience, and he fought for this democracy with his last breath. But most of all, i will miss the gentleman who nt was my mentor, Elijah Cummings. This week, as we bid farewell to baltimores native son, i know hell be dancing with the angels, smiling down on us, saying, continue the fight and keep the faith. Because our democracy is worth the fight. And i yield back. Ms. Plaskett thank you so much for those words. I now yield time to the gentleman from philadelphia, representing the great state of pennsylvania, mr. Dwight evans. Mr. Evans mr. Speaker, i thank our colleagues and members of the Congressional Black Caucus under the leadership of karen bass, and both coleaders here tonight, congresswoman plaskett, and congressman horsford, for their leadership. Last week i lost a friend and a colleague and baltimore, maryland, and the United States lost a civil rights activist and a tireless activist and leader. I had the privilege of knowing the chairman for many years. Since we both served the state legislators legislatures before coming to congress. We represented districts, i represented a district in phil dwreafl, and he represented philadelphia, and he represented a district in baltimore. He got elected about 1982, i got elected in 1981. We both have similar challenges had similar challenges. He did in baltimore and i did in philadelphia. A few months ago i saw the chairman here on the house floor and i complimented him for being relentless in his commitment to civic participation. I had the pleasure of sitting with him on my very first state of the Union Address that day. We had the chance to talk about discussions and challenges that we both faced in major urban cities. Today im glad i said something when i had the chance. I told him that i loved him. Told him i love him for all the things he had been doing and all the relentlessness he has shown. Now its all up to us, who are still in this fight, to carry on, to make a difference. So, mr. Chairman, rest in power. We have to continue this fight. And i yield back the balance of my time. Ms. Plaskett thank you very much, mr. Evans. As one gentleman from a Great American city, paying tribute to another man from a Great American city, as native sons. Thank you for those kind words and for the fight that we all are continuing to undertake. On behalf of the people that we represent in this undertake on behalf of the people that we represent in this great nation. I now yield time to the gentlewoman from florida, congresswoman demings, who had the honor of being on oversight with mr. Cummings, for her remarks about that Great American. Mrs. Demings thank you to the gentlewoman for yielding. Dr. King once said, the true measure of a man is not how he behaves in moments of comfort and convenience. But how he stands in times of challenge and controversy. Last congress i had the honor of serving with chairman cummings on the committee of oversight and reform and he did not look for the easy way out. He never ran from controversy or challenge. You see, mr. Cummings was a true leader. Life is all about choices, mr. Speaker. And true leaders have to make a lot of them. We can live in fear of what man will say or do to us or we can stand up and speak out for what we know in our hearts is right. Elijah cummings never failed to stand up and speak out. You see, he was a true leader. We can follow the crowd no matter how wrong the crowd may be. Or we can choose to be a drum major for justice. Elijah cummings chose to be a drum major for justice. Mr. Speaker, we can close our minds and our hearts, mentor no one and share nothing with anyone. We can make lifes journey all about us. Or we can mentor, impart knowledge and wisdom, and look out for someone else and have their back. Elijah cummings was a mentor, a role model. He cared about us. And every day we knew it. Elijah cummings had the nations back. And for that we are forever elijah to chairman cummings, for a life well lived. Thank you. Ms. Plaskett thank you very much for those powerful words. I now yield to the gentlewoman from georgia, lucy mcbath, for her tribute and words about congressman Elijah Cummings. Mrs. Mcbath i thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Id like to begin by offering my deepest prayers to congressman cummings wife, family and the baltimore community. He was a solid voice of conscience and always offered a steady hand and sound wisdom. He was one of the giants among us here in congress. Congressman cummings was born the son of sharecroppers from south carolina, a county where children were forced to walk miles to attend segregated schools. The refusal of the county to provide buses for the black children in that district became the court case briggs vs. Eliott, one of the five cases that would be decided under the shared designation of brown vs. Board of education. Remarkably, congressman cummings never forgot his roots. He spent his entire life as a fierce champion for justice and humanity. He boldly fought for civil and human rights with the strength given him by god. His humility, his compassion and commitment were nothing short of inspiring. I remember the times i would come in here on the floor and id sit down next to him and hed say, how are you doing today, kid . And id say, well, you know. Its kind of rough being a freshman. And he said, thats ok. Take care of your family, stay focused, stay clean, do your work, stay in the district and youll be just fine. Representative cummings once said, when were dancing with the angels, the question will be asked, what did we do to make sure we kept our democracy intact . Well, representative cummings, you moved mountains for democracy. So now as he dances with the angels in heaven, we honor his lifelong fight for our democracy, his towering legacy and his unwavering dedication to the United States of america and to the world. He will truly be missed. Ms. Plaskett thank you. At this time i yield to the gentlewoman from massachusetts who also sat on the Oversight Committee under mr. Cummings, ayanna pressley. Ms. Pressley thank you to the gentlelady from the Virgin Islands and the gentleman from nevada and our chair, karen bass, for organizing this hour. What an honor and privilege to spend my early months as a freshman member of congress in close proximity to a titan for justice and a force for good. Someone who spent several ecades as a truth teller and a justice seeker, who in his role as chair of the committee of government and oversight reform knew that the best disinfectant is sunlight. And he schoen a light on every injustice. He was a patriot. Tireless in his efforts to preserve our democracy. And a statesman of unwavering conviction. He challenged each of us to appeal to our better angels, to be decent, to be fair. To comport ourselves with the reverence and dignity this institution demands and our country deserves. He was consistent and did that even in the face of great physical fatigue and some days, prance even a weary spirit perhaps even a weary spirit in the face of injustice and indignities. He often reminded us it was our charge on the committee of oversight and government reform to be an effective and efficient seek of truth. His body has transitioned but his words ring resounding and true. He was a selfless servant leader until the end. One of the final pursuits of justice we took on together was to maintain access to rifesaving health care for our immigrant neighbors. His staffer, anthony, drove through the night to baltimore so the chairman could sign subpoenas advancing our fight together. Truly in life all you have is your name and your word. When it comes to Elijah Cummings, both were good. Until the very end, the chairman would stop my staff and i in the hallways and say, are you keeping up the fight . He knew the fight was greater than one man or one mission or one legislative act. The pursuit of justice is not a box you simply check. So we continue in that pursuit following in the footsteps of a giant, noh no one can fill your shoes, so wellic pick up the torch and press forward with moral clarity as the red map and your vision as a charge. We will keep up the fight. To my forever chairman, Elijah Cummings, rest in power. Ms. Plaskett i want to close my portion of this by saying that when it came to a notion of democracy, chairman cummings in his speeches consistently invoked it, not in the inert way elected officials tend to do. He spoke as democracy as something vital and fragile and valuable, an inheritance that had to be safeguarded for future generations. He did that for all of us who sat under him in his chairmanmanship and ensured that we brought that passion and that desire to do the best for this democracy that our bodies could do. So i thank him for that thank him for everything that he has been to all of us. At this time, i would yield to the gentlewoman from new york, ms. Yvette clarke, as we have come to the close of my stewardship on this of this time and shell carry forth for an additional time period for us to continue these tributes. The speaker pro tempore under the speakers announced policy of january 3, 2019, the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from new york, ms. Clarke, for 30 minutes. Ms. Clarke i thank you, mr. Chairman. It is my honor and privilege to continue the c. B. C. s special order hour as were going to call this portion c. B. C. And friends. It is my honor now to bring forth the gentleman from houston, texas, one who has served alongside the honorable elijah e. Cummings throughout his tenure here and i know would like to bring forth his very special remarks and reflections at this time. The gentleman from houston, mr. Green. Mr. Green thank you, ms. Clarke. I thank the speaker as well. I rise, yes, to mourn his death. But i also rise to celebrate his life. Because it was a life worthy of great celebration. I rise understanding that yes he was brilliant, he was a Phi Beta Kappa with some 13 doctoral degrees. But he did not allow his brilliance to outshine his goodness. His goodness was such that he was one who cared for the least, the last, and the lost. Those we re for consider the least among us, those who werent born into plenty, but rather into poverty. He was there for those who were the last. The last hired and first fire. He fought for jobs for them. Are there for those who lost. Lost in poverty. In the richest country in the world. He fought to elevate their lives. Ost in chemical abuse. He was there to help them acquire health care. He was truly a person who made a difference in the lives of people that he never had the opportunity to meet and greet. So i mourn his passing but i celebrate his living. And while im sure there are he left ill say that too soon, i can only say this. We had him for 68 years. And im grateful for that 68 years. God bless you, dear brother. Our wise warrior and the seeker of peace. And while you may not be with us physically, your spirit will endure forever. I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. Clarke i thank the gentleman from houston for sharing those very inspiring, uplifting comments about our dear, beloved colleague at this time. Its important for us as we go through the stages of mourning to recognize as you stated, rightly stated that that we were fortunate to have Elijah Cummings with us for 68 years, his family, his friends, even longer and for the 68 years and we were just fortunate to have him as part of our family here in the Congressional Black Caucus and in the halls of halls of congress and in that time, he was able to accomplish so much through his godgiven talents and abilities that he has become well known not only here in the United States but around the world. Im hearing from members of the Caribbean Community who have read about and heard about the passing of Elijah Cummings, all of whom have reached out to share with us, to share with me, their comments and their condolences because they understand what elijah has meant not only to the United States house of representatives, the United States congress, but indeed, he was a world class leader. Having said that, i have a number of colleagues from the don gregsal black caucus, mr. Speaker, who would like to have their remarks entered into the record. I have a statement from congresswoman stacey plaskett, statement from congresswoman marcia fudge of ohio, a statement from congresswoman terri sewell of alabama. The speaker pro tempore without objection, gentleman leave will be granted. Ms. Clarke thank you, mr. Speaker. We have some friends and colleagues of the honorable chairman of the government oversight and Reform Committee who would like to say a few words, you will, about our great colleague. Its my honor at this time to ask my classmate and colleague, a member of the government reform and Oversight Committee and judiciary committee, the honorable steve cohen of tennessee to bring his remarks and i yield to the gentleman from tennessee. Mr. Cohen thank you, ms. Clarke, and mr. Speaker. I was just walking back to my office and i saw on the video this memorial service, this celebration of life. Immaterialed to come and listen. And its been inspiring for me. So many appropriate remarks made about this great man. I feel privileged just to stand here at the podium where he spoke, next to his photograph, as i felt privileged to know him we ecome a friend, when spoke over here when he was in a wheelchair and in the speakers lobby before votes and during votes. I was home this weekend, more people came up to me in memphis, people on social media, and expressed their condolences, their appreciation of his life. And their knowledge that congress had last a person who was irreplaceable. Elijah cummings was one of the great people i have had an opportunity to interact with in my life, in congress and other places. Truly a giant has fallen. He had grace, he had knowledge. He had judgment. And character. I remember seeing him on Television Walking in baltimore. Some risk to himself during the riots. To help bring calm to baltimore. Leadership, where he put his Community First and his safety second. He talk he talked about, were better than this well, we are better than this hopefully one day well be as good as him. He knew we were only here for a minute and you should make that time worthwhile. And he made it worthwhile. Last friday a week ago, the last friday elijah was in our caucus, we had a caucus conference call. The discussion toward the end was about congress issuance of subpoenas and the attempt to get them enforced through the courts. And i believe elijah was the last person to speak on the call. When he spoke it was like earing the voice of god. He said theyll go through the courts and theyll be appealed and eventually theyll be appealed to the Supreme Court and at that point our democracy will be in the balance. He was right. That was his last words to the caucus. He cared about democracy, he cared about this congress, he cared about the constitution. And even when President Trump degraded his city, he was gracious in his response, never was in any way defensive or attacking the president. Elijah cummings would stop you and give you a word of encouragement. Keep going. He was one of the great people to serve in the congress. Im glessed to have had my life interface with his. I will miss him greatly. I also extend my condolences to his family. I hope i get the chance to serve along with his wife. I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. Clarke i thank the gentleman from tennessee for sharing his insight and his own personal experiences with our dear colleague, Elijah Cummings, who touched so many lives. Members here in congress, members of their family, our own constituents. Like mr. Cohen so many people in my district were reaching out and expressing their condolences and sharing their stories with me this past weekend. I attended a Church Service where, again, people talked about Elijah Cummings. And his influence has gone far and wide. And that should give us all great heart to move forward and press forward as we fight the battle to preserve our democracy in the constitution and rule of law. Having said that. I have another colleague who has joined us and would like to share his sentiments and his insights into the life of alige after cummings and that is a classmate of mine, mr. Peter welch. I yield the floor at this time. Mr. Welch thank you, mr. Speaker. It has been so wonderful to be sitting here and listening to members of the Congressional Black Caucus talk about their work, their friendship, their respect for a giant that walked ng us and that is aligeave alige after cummings. And the Congressional Black Caucus is the conscious of this congress and no better represented than alige after cummings. All of us who severed with elijah are better for it and ve fond memories and great admiration for him. I was quite lucky because i served with him on the committee for 13 years. Face a got to see elijah lot of tough situations. Elijah, getting personal here, he and i worked very hard in the drug bill that is going to be named in his honor to provide the government with the ability to negotiate lower prices so people you represent get the drugs they need. And shortly after President Trump was legitimated, april of invited president elijah to talk about Prescription Drugs. And elijah invited me and i kind of crashed the party. Number one, how many of our colleagues would invite a Junior Member to a white house meeting just because the two of us had been working on this together . I would like to say all of us would. Elijah did. And we went to the white house and we talked a bit about we talked a lot about with the resident good the Prescription Drug bill. The president expressed dismay about where elijah lived. And this is before the president was saying horrible things about that community. That agenuinely dismayed person in congress could live in a community that the president might not think he could ever live. Ap i remember he was dismayed that anyone in the president of the United States could understand how wonderful the people were in that community, how dig any tied they were and dayd diversity every single and get up. Elijah was astonisheds. Oflived in in the best place the world. And he conveyed that he represented the best people in the world. That was Elijah Cummings. And the topic was Prescription Drugs. And the topic is the topic and we get to the business at happened. But the question of voter fraud elijah and om in the way can do. And it is a fine balance. He just said in his direct way. We dont have a problem with oter fraud but voter suppression. Oval office, he there was nothing to elijahs presence. From elijah ense of disrespect enthough he disagreed with the president on so many things, but it was no different than it was in a local diner in baltimore talking to the people he represented, direct, to the point and empathetic to people he represented. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to see a great man in action. Thats how he lived. Was president like he had to think about it or calculate anything. He was present in that moment and in that moment as he was present, every moment of the day , it was there for the people he represented and he conveyed the immemberships appreciation and respect for the dignity of the people he represented and the humility he felt that he had been given their opportunity to be their member of congress, a special, special, man. His life will sustain us through difficult times and may we aspire to follow him. I thank you for our wonderful wonderful life from the Congressional Black Caucus. Led my e i thank you the honorable Elijah Cummings. There are a couple of things at have been a running theme and it is the quiet thunder, the strength, the integrity of the honorable elijah e. Cummings and i thought that stillwaters run deep. He wasnt a boisterous person, but he knew how to command the moral authority that moves a nation, whether it was Voting Rights or civil rights, whether it was the children of flint or children of the border, whether it was preserving this democracy and making sure that the rule of law stands above all else in the constitution of the United States, we could turn to our north star, aligea cummings to compass e, to be the that led the congress into the next level of congress. So we are honored this evening that so many colleagues has taken the time to be here in ribute to the honorable elijah ummings and we express our heartfelt condolences to maya, the family, the constituents of and the 7th district staff and the very dedicated staff. He will never be forgotten, as i stated in my comments we are legacy keepers. Everything we have taught will be applied in the days ahead. Mr. Speaker, i now ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on this special order. The speaker pro tempore without objection, so ordered. S. Clarke i yield back. The speaker pro tempore does the gentlewoman from new york have a motion . Ms. Clarke i have a motion to adjourn. The speaker pro tempore the question is on the motion to adjourn. Those opposed, no. Motion is adopted. Accordingly the house stands the chamber debated and passed for Small Business measures. The house returns tuesday for debate on a measure that aims to curb anonymous Show Companies from hiding assets from criminal investigations and tax officials. Later, work that seeks to prevent foreign interference in u. S. Elections. Cspanthe house live on when members return tuesday at 10 00 a. M. For morning speeches and resume legislative work. Journal, live every day with news and policy issues that impact you. Theng up tuesday morning, Florida Republican congressman joins us to talk about the trump impeachment inquiry in syria. Then the latest on impeachment , and a discussion of how u. S. Troops are being used in syria and saudi arabia. Be sure to watch cspans washington journal, live at 7 00 eastern tuesday morning. Join the discussion. Live body night, two candidates challenging President Trump for the republican nomination. They talk about their plans, strategies, and why they are running against the president. They will also be taking your calls, tweets, and facebook comments. Art of cspans 2020 coverage andh any time on cspan. Org listen anywhere using the free cspan radio app. The Freedom Caucus chair offered a resolution that would center and condemn house intelligence chair adam schiff over the current impeachment inquiry. Look. S a i rise to give notice of my intention to raise a question of the privileges of the house. Is asrm of the resolution follows. Resolution condemning and centering adam schiff, representative of californias 20th Congressional District. Whereas preer 26, 2019, hearing on the whistleblower complaint, House Intelligence Committee chairman adam schiff purported to relay the content of the phone call to the American People. Whereas instead of quoting directly from the available