Scandal from tiger to gm, how damage control is done. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon. We will see you next time. [applause] thank you, both. It has been a pleasure. [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2015] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] you are watching American History tv, 48 hours of programming of American History every weekend on cspan3. Follow us on twitter at cspan history. For information on our schedule of incoming programs and to keep up with the latest history news. On wednesday, february 11, members of the u. S. House of representatives introduced a bill on the floor to award a congressional gold medal to the participants in the march selma to montgomery Voting Rights marches street next, a debate. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of this very important bill, h. R. 431, a bipartisan bill to award a congressional gold medal to the foot soldiers, the courageous men and women who were dissipated in historical days like bloody sunday, turnaround tuesday, and the final march from selma to montgomery to march for Voting Rights for africanamericans. Mr. Speaker, sometimes it is hard for people in Todays Society to realize the historical significance of the events that took place in the past, or for younger people, it may seem like a lifetime ago, but for those who lived through those experienced, it might feel like it just happened yesterday. One series of events that we cannot and must not allow to fade away are the historic marches that began in selma in march 19 the five. Led by two fearless men, mr. Williams and representative john lewis, 500 of those brave soldiers, determined to have their voices heard and their right to vote he recognized as they lined up. These initial marchers were then rudely assaulted and then beaten by Alabama State troopers as they attempted to cross the bridge seeking to have their constitutional right to vote. That became known as bloody sunday. If you years later, foot soldiers led by dr. Martin luther king jr. Peacefully assembled and again attempted to cross the bridge. The group marched to where the attacks occurred a few days before on bloody sunday, and at dr. Kings request, they stopped and knelt in prayer. Following the prayer, the marchers turned around and returned to selma. Then on march 21, under the protection of federal troops and the Alabama National guard, that group has to 8000 foot soldiers who were escorted safely for 54 miles from selma to montgomery, and by the time it reached the State Capitol steps, that group had grown to approximately 25,000 people strong there on the steps in montgomery. Mr. Speaker, instead of bringing the campaign for the surge of Voting Rights to a halt, 50 years ago the photographs from blurry Television Images of that attack of letting sunday on that bridge galvanize the National Attention. In fact, the first march was a catalyst for action. Just five short months after the first march congress had passed and president johnson has signed into law the Voting Rights act. Mr. Speaker, we as a nation must assure that Voting Rights are protected for all americans, and in doing so, we must remember the sacrifices of those individuals who came before us and who worked so tirelessly to make Voting Rights equal. It is truly a privilege for me personally to stand before u. S. Congress recognizes these brave men and women and the historical significance of those marches that began in soma and forever changed the direction of our great nation. I pay our great lady and representative for highlighting the historic events, and i urge all of my colleagues to support h. R. 431 and with that, i reserve the balance of my time. Ask the gentlewoman from alabama is recognized. Mr. Speaker, i rise in strong support of h. R. 431 and yield myself such time as i consume. The gentlewoman is recognized. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I want to thank the derailment from michigan on the floor for support of h. R. 431. I have enjoyed our bipartisan working relationship on committee and am pleased to share this debate time with him. Mr. Speaker, i rise today in support of h. R. 431, a bill to award a congressional gold medal to the foot soldiers super dissipated in bloody sunday, turnaround tuesday or the final selma Voting Rights march in 1965. March 7, 2015, will mark 50 years since the courageous foot soldiers of the Voting Rights Movement First attempted to march from selma to montgomery to protest the denial of their Voting Rights. Led by our colleague and the reverend williams of the southern christian leadership conference, these put soldiers began the march towards the Alabama State capital in montgomery. They pledged to keep on walking until they secured the freedom promised to them by the u. S. Constitution. As they crossed the bridge, a wall of Alabama State troopers were waiting at the foot of the bridge. News stations from across the country televised the brutality that followed as foot soldiers like williams, lewis robinson, botnets, and albert turner, senior, and so many others were attacked on the bridge on what has become known as bloody sunday. The journey of the foot soldiers we honor today was not an easy one. They were discriminated by whites and ostracized by blacks who were afraid to join them, but still they persevered because they could no longer bear the burden of secondclass citizenship. The president of the Dallas County Voters League was not going to let nobody turn him around, he told me. He said given the conditions that existed in selma and the south at the time, he wanted to make sure that things were different. He was willing to do whatever was necessary to assure that people, no matter their race color, or creed, would have the right to vote. He said the lord gave us determination to keep moving forward. We were determined to let the lord lead us and direct us so that all people, regardless of their color, would have access to the political process. We were not at all afraid he went on, because we were determined whatever it took even if it meant our lives, we were going to move alabama and the state and this nation or word. Robinson literally felt the blows as she was on the bridge by Alabama State troopers and left for dead. Some suffered no damage that may more resolve than ever to continue the fight for equal Voting Rights. Two days after bloody sunday more than 2500 foot soldiers heeded the call when dr. Martin luther king came to selma to join the marchers. In 1965, led by dr. King and many clergy from across this nation, the foot soldiers once again left from the Historic Brown Chapel Church and walked to the Edmund Pettus bridge. Dr. Kings stopped while a sea of state troopers stepped aside. On bending knees, dr. King began to pray. As thousands of marchers join him. As if moved by the spirit, dr. King turned around and walked back to the church. Tuesday was not to be the day to complete the 54mile journey. The second march was known as turnaround tuesday. The fight for Voting Rights with white both on the streets and in the courtroom. Attorney fred gray helped pave the way for the final selma to montgomery march get he was a member of the legal team who represented williams, john lewis, and robinson in williams versus wallace. Because of his work and the courage of an alabama federal judge, federal judge Frank Johnson ruled that the foot soldiers had a First Amendment right to petition the government through peaceful protests and ordered federal agents to move full protection, to provide full protection to the foot soldiers in the selma to montgomery march. Under court order, they had the National Guard in countless federal agencies and marshals who escorted more than a thousand foot soldiers on march 21, 1965. At these brave men and women began their historic 54mile journey from selma to the steps of the Alabama State capital in montgomery, alabama. The extraordinary bravery and sacrifices these foot soldiers displayed in pursuit of a peaceful march from selma to montgomery brought National Attention to the struggle for equal Voting Rights, and Congress Passed the Voting Rights act of 19 to five, which president lyndon b. Johnson signed into law in 1965. Mr. Speaker, as alabamas first lap congresswoman, i know that the journey i take was only made possible because of the courage and bravery of the soldiers of the Voting Rights movement. As a native, a proud native of selma, and a u. S. Representative who now represents selma and parts of montgomery, i am the direct beneficiary of their sacrifice. During this 50th commemoration of the Voting Rights movement and the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Voting Rights act of 19 five, it is fitting that this august body would give them our highest civilian honor, a congressional gold medal for their valor and determination in relentlessly pursuing the promise of our great constitution. That all men and women were, indeed, created equal. I am proud to be joined by my colleague and the entire alabama congressional delegation, the representatives, as original cosponsors of this congressional gold medal bill. I want to thank be more than 300 colleagues who also signed on to the bill. A special thanks to the leadership of both parties Speaker Boehner majority leader mccarthy, and minority leader pelosi for their support in getting this legislation on the floor today. This would not have been possible without the help and support of the chairman and Ranking Member waters of the House Financial Services committee. To the gentleman from michigan thank you. It is an honor to stand with you today to pay tribute to the foot soldiers of the Voting Rights movement. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on h. R. 431, a bill that honors the foot soldiers who participated in bloody sunday turnaround tuesday, and the final march from selma to montgomery with a congressional medal, which is congresss highest civilian metal, a powerful reminder of the many sacrifices that were made. You know, they say that the price of freedom is never free. Well, the foot soldiers of the Voting Rights movement take the ultimate price so this nation could live up to the ideals of equality and justice for all. This nation should never forget those who marched, prayed, and die in the pursuit of civil rights, Voting Rights, and social change. I urge my colleagues to join us in voting in favor of h. R. 431. Mr. Speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. The gentlewoman from Alabama Reserve the balance of her time. The representative from missouri. The lead cosponsor of this. The gentleman from alabama. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I, too, want to echo the sentiments of my colleagues from alabama in thinking leadership and all of the leadership on both sides of the house for their willingness to jump right on this so that we could achieve passage both here in the house and in the senate in time for the anniversary, the 50th anniversary, of bloody sunday. I am so proud, just standing here listening to my colleagues speak. I am so proud to have the privilege and the opportunity to cosponsor this bill to award a congressional gold medal to the brave men and women who not only changed alabama in america but to change the world. As we look to the 50th anniversary of bloody sunday, it is certainly fitting to honor the brave individuals who addressed brutality and took a stand for their godgiven right s, so thank you to my calling for your hard work on this very important legislation. I have also been honored, mr. Speaker, to serve alongside my colleague in recruiting members of this body and the senate to join us in the pilgrimage led by john lewis to alabama for the anniversary on the sixth seventh, and eighth of , and i am proud to say we have a Record Number of colleagues who are willing to participate because of the obvious significance of this important day, so i look forward to alongside all of the colleagues who, again, as well as my coworker willing to host colleagues from all over the country in birmingham, in montgomery, in selma, and other places very important places to the civil Rights Movement, and to hear from those who lived it. One of the things that we did alongside his congressional gold medal, mr. Speaker, was to invite our colleagues to come to a screening of the movie selma, and as a girl growing up in montgomery, alabama, who did not live this very important time in history, it was honestly one of the moments in coming to congress to sit in the room with my colleague mr. Lewis and experience through that newsreel on the screen like he lived in his life, and it was a unique and special moment and one that i will personally treasure for a very long time. Mr. Speaker, it is to mr. Lewis and all of those that join him in standing up for justice that we seek to honor with this congressional gold medal. And there is no higher honor than we, members of congress can bestow. Yet, it seems like such a small token of gratitude compared to the magnitude of the endeavors of those who lived through this day. My. Or margaret, mr. Speaker who you often hear me talk about, both margaret and george but margaret is in the fourth grade, and like a lot of dates in the fourth grade, you learn a lot about alabama history, and this is such an important time in her life as she learns about our state and its history, and the civil Rights Movement is certainly an integral part, a very important part of our history, so she is coming with me on the pilgrimage next month and she will be able to meet and know firsthand the people who fought to change the world. It is difficult for those of us who did not live through the civil Rights Movement is sometimes wrap our minds about it, but alongside my daughter, i am very much looking for to this special time that we as a congress, have the opportunity to reflect on this important history. I am honored, mr. Speaker, to be a part of this bill, and i just think, again, all of my colleagues who very quickly joined with us so we could get this done to honor those brave foot soldiers that changed not just our country but the world so i, too, asked that all of my colleagues join me in voting in favor of h. R. 431. Thank you, mr. s. I yield back. The lady yields back. Mr. Speaker, i yield one minute to the gentleman tennessee. The gentleman from tennessee is recognized for one minute. Thank you, mr. Speaker, and i thank the representative for bringing this amendment. It is important we recognize the foot soldiers. They were americans who came together and saw injustice and wanted toight it. One person was killed right after the march 2 montgomery, another in mississippi in conjunction with this, and thousands of people came to the south so that people got the right to vote. It is hard to believe that people were denied the right to vote in this country, and they were, and that was touched on by the words of my colleague from alabama. That was historic, but you do not only have to see the movie. You need to live it, and people are being denied Voting Rights today in this country and the Supreme Court emasculated the Voting Rights act. It needs to be reinstated. There are civil rights that can be reformed and enacted today. The movement is not over. The movement continues. A metal is good, but this must continue on the floor to make sure that all people have their rights to vote, their right to participate, and their rights not to have state judges tell probate clerk not to enforce them. I yield back the balance of my time. The gentlemans time has expired. Thank you, mr. Speaker, and i now yield two minutes to the member from florida but the Financial Services committee which has been dealing with this issue. The gentleman from florida is recognized for two minutes. Thank you, mr. Speaker. Today, i rise in support to this that would give the metal for those who march from selma alabama, to the state capital in montgomery in march 19 six five. As an adopted son, educated at Auburn University it is an absolute honor to recognize these peaceloving, godfearing patriots. These marchers led by civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther king jr. In john lewis changed the history. Ultimately, their fearless efforts led to the Voting Rights act of 19 d5. The congressional gold medal is the highest civilian award presented by congress, and i can think of no better time than on the 50th anniversary to honor and recognize the civil rights leaders who sacrificed so greatly to bring equality to the voiceless across the united states. May their diligence and sacrifice to this cause stay an example to all of us as we continue to serve in this chamber and in every aspect of our lives. I feel that. The children from florida yields back. The gentlewoman from alabama rises. Mr. Speaker i yield one minute. Thank you mr. Speaker. Today, i rise in support of h. R. 431 a bill to award the gold medal to the foot soldiers. The final march from selma to montgomery, which was a catalyst for the Voting Rights act of 19 d5. I am proud to have cosponsored this though and you stand with the delegation, and one of the greatest leaders in the civil rights leaders, john lewis. It is important that we recognize the civil rights titans who sacrifice is a central part of American History, and as the award of the congressional gold medal let me remember we are still in the fight. In north carolina, we are battling a blowback on one of the rights. To fully honor the foot soldiers and their sacrifice, we must keep fighting and restore the important protections that have been stripped from the Voting Rights act. Thank you for joining me and honoring these american heroes. Mr. Speaker, i yield back. Yields back. The gentleman from michigan is recognized. Thank you mr. Speaker. I now yield one minute to the derailment from california, the distinguished House Majority leader. The gentleman from california is recognized for one minute. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I do want to thank the authors of this bill for their work. I appreciate it. We are blessed in this nation to enjoy the privileges of democracy, to exercise our freedoms without fear. But, sadly, for millions of African Americans in our history, that has not been the case. James cooper, the author of works like the last of the mohicans and the american democrat once said the man who can write himself will seldom resort to a must. The opposite is often true. Those denied their rights might often resort to violence. It is not difficult to the wide. With no established warm of records, what choice do those denied their freedoms have . But the people we honor today chose a different path. These nonviolent civil rights activist did not take the road of hate. Their generations quest for freedom, they did not corrupt themselves with the sins of those who worked against them. They fought for their right to bash for every person with the force of rhetoric and the virtue of peace. I remember just a few years ago i was walking with my friend congressman john lewis from selma, alabama. We walked on the same path of the selma to montgomery march that john led 50 years ago. We crossed the bridge in peace that day, but when john led that march across the same bridge, he was beaten by state troopers and deputized to since. John could not remember who carried him, but he was taken away to a church with a head injury. He did not know if he would even live. Those marchers in selma demonstrated physical courage but they also demonstrated the highest moral courage. Under the onslaught of brutality and uncertainty, they did not match violence with violence. No, they demanded peace in the face of war. Solidarity in the face of division and love in the face of hate. For all of americas shortcomings, these brave men and women demanded that the promise of america not be discarded. But instead realized by being or five in practice, they held america to its promise, and by doing so, they put their lives at risk, suffered ridicule and bodily harm, and yet, in history, they were vindicated. We are gathered today in honor of those civil rights activist who suffered violence while standing for peace. We honor them for holding our nation to the highest ideal assuring that you existence of liberty and justice for all. And making this country keep to its promise, that all men and women are created equal. I yield back
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