Those individuals who came before us and work sod tirelessly to make a difference and create Voting Rights equal. It is truly a privilege for me personally to stand before you as congress recognizes these brave men and women and the historical significance of those marches that forever changed the direction of our great nation. I thank the gentlelady, representative sewell of alabama, for highlighting these Historic Events and urge my colleagues to support h. R. 431. With that, i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves. The gentlewoman from alabama is recognized. Ms. Sewell i rise in strong support of h. R. 431 and yield myself such time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman is recognized. Ms. Sewell thank you, mr. Speaker. I want to thank the gentleman from michigan for joining me on the floor today to support h. R. 43. I have enjoyed our bipartisan working relationship on the House Financial Services committee and i am pleased today 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 who participated in bloody soldier bloody sunday, turnaround tuesday or the final selma to montgomery Voting Rights march in march 1965. This will mark 45 years since that march. Led by Hosea Williams they marched to Alabama State university. They pledged to keep on walking until they secured the fry doms promised them by the u. S. Constitution. As they crass crossed the Edmund Pettus bridge a wall of 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 Hosea Williams, john lewis, f. D. Reese bob lance, and Albert Turner sr. Of perry county and so many others were attacked on Edmund Pettus 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 burdens of second class citizenship. The president of Dallas County Voters League reverend f. D. Reese wasnt going to let nobody turn him around he, told me he feel said that, 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 ensure that people no matter their race, color, or creed, would have the right to vote. He said quote, 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 that whatever it took, even if it meant our lives, we were going to move alabama and the state and this nation forward. Amelia Boynton Robinson literally felt the blows of injustice as she was beaten on the bridge by Alabama State troopers and left for dead. Her will and dignity suffered no damage but made her more resolved than tover continue the fight for Voting Rights. Two days after bloody sunday over 2500 foot soldiers, heeding the call from Martin Luther king came to selma to join the marchers. On march 9 1965, led by dr. King, reverend abernathy and clergy from around the nation they once again left from the brown chapel a. M. E. Church and walked to the bring. Dr. King stopped at the top of the bridge while a sea of state troopers stepped aside. On bended knees, dr. King began to pray as the thousands of marchers joined 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 attempt was known as turnaround tuesday. The fight for Voting Rights was fought both in the streets and in the courtroom. Attorney fred gray helped pave the way for the final selma to montgomery march. He was a member of the legal team that represented Hosea Williams john lewis and amelia bointon robinson in williams vs. Robinson. Federal judge Frank Johnson ruled the foot soldiers had a First Amendment right to petition the government through peaceful protest and ordered federal agents to move full protection to provide full protection to the foot soldiers during the selma to montgomery march. Under court order, the u. S. Army, the federalized Alabama National guard and countless federal agencies and marshals escorted more than ,000 foot soldiers on march 2 , 1965. As these brave men and women began their historic 5 mile journey from selma to the steps of the Alabama State capitol 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 served as a catalyst for congress to pass the Voting Rights act of 1965 which president Lyndon Johnson signed into law on august 6 1965. Mr. Speaker as alabamas first black congresswoman, i know that the journey that i now take was only made possible because of the courage and bravery of the foot soldiers of the Voting Rights movement. As a native, a proud native of selma and the 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 1965, it is fitting that this august body would bestow on the foot soldiers of the voting right movement 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, martha roby, and the entire alabama congressional delegation representatives aderholt rogers, brooks, burn and palmer, as original cosponsors of this congressional gold medal bill. I want to thank the 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 and whip hoyer for their support in getting this legislation on the floor today. This would not have been possible without the help and support of chairman hensarling and Ranking Member waters of the House Financial Services committee. Today gentleman from michigan, mr. Huizenga, thank you. It is han an honor to stand with you today to pay tribute to the foot soldiers of the voting 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 to h. R. 431, a bill to honor the foot soldiers who participated in bloody sunday, turnaround tuesday, or the final selma to montgomery Voting Rights march the congressional gold medal, the highest honor we can bestow. Ethe foot soldiers of the Voting Rights movement paid the ultimate price so this nation could live up to the ideals of equality and justice for all. This nation should thever never forget those who marched, prayed and died in the pursuit to have 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 speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman reserves the balance of her time. The gentleman from michigan is recognized. Mr. Huizenga i yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from alabama, mrs. Roby, the lead cosponsor of this legislation. Mrs. Roby i thank the gentleman. Thapping you, mr. Speaker. I i too, want to echo the septemberment of my colleague from alabama, ms. Sewell, in thanking leadership and all the members on both sides of the aisle for their willingness to jump right on this so that we could achieve passage both here if the house and in the senate in time for this most important anniversary, the 50th anniversary of bloody sunday. Im so proud just standing here listening to my colleague speak im so proud to have the privilege and opportunity to cosponsor this bill to award a congressional gold medal to the brave men and women who not only changed alabama and america, but they changed the world. And so as we look toward the 50th anniversary of bloody sunday, it is certainly fitting to honor the brave individuals who, against brutality and oppression, took a stand for their godgiven rights and so thank you to my colleague terri sewell, for all your hard work on this very important, worthy legislation. Ive also been honored, mr. Speaker, to serve alongside my colleague from alabama, miss sewell ms. Sewell, in recruiting members of this body and the senate to join us in p the pilgrimage led by john lewis to alabama for the anniversary on the 6th 7th, and 8th of next month. Im proud to say we have a Record Number of colleagues that are willing to participate because of the obvious significance of this important day. I look forward to alongside all my colleagues in the alabama delegation, who again i thank, as well as ms. Sewell, for their willingness to host our colleagues from all over the country in birmingham and montgomery and selma and other places important, very important places to the civil Rights Movement. And to hear from those who lift it. Lived it. One of the things that we did alongside this congressional gold medal, mr. Speaker, was to invite our colleagues to come to a screening of the movie selma, and i have to say, from a girl growing up in montgomery alabama, that did not live through this very important time in our history, it was honestly one of the more moving moments in my time in congress to sit in the room with our colleague, mr. Lewis, and experience through that visual on the screen what he lived in his life. It was a unique and special moment and one that i will personally treasure for a very long time. So, mr. Speaker, it is to mr. Lewis and all those that joined him in standing up for justice that we seek to honor with this congressional gold medal. And there is no higher honor that we as members of congress can bestow, yet it seems such a small token of gratitude compared to the magnitude of the endeavors of those who lived through those days. My daughter margaret, mr. Speaker who you often hear me talk about, margaret and george, but margaret is in fourth grade, and like in a lot of states, in fourth grade in alabama you learn about alabama history. 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 very important part of our history. So shes coming with me on the pilgrimage next month, and shell be able to meet and know first hand the people that fought to change the world. Its difficult for those of us who werent allowed during the civil Rights Movement to wrap our minds around it, but i alongside my daughter and very much am very much looking forward to this special time as members of congress that we have to reflect on the importance of this history. I am, again, honored, mr. Speaker, to be a part of this bill. And i just thank, again, all of my colleagues who very quickly joined with us so that we could get this done to honor those brave foot soldiers that changed not just our country but the world. I, too, ask that all of my colleagues join me in voting in favor of h. R. 431. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman from alabama yields back the balance of her time. The gentleman from michigan reserves. The gentlewoman from alabama is recognized. Miss sewell i yield one minute to the gentleman from tennessee. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from tennessee is recognized for one minute. Mr. Cohen thank you, mr. Speaker. I want to thank ms. Sewell for having the foresight to bring foresight to bring this proposal. This is fitting we honor the foot soldiers, they were americans, all races, who came together and saw injustice and wanted to right it. They risked their livesers some died in the efforts. Ms. Leos. So was killed after the march. Thousands of people came to the south to see the people got the right to vote. Its hard to believe that people were denied the right to vote in this country but they were. And i was touched by the remarks of my colleague from alabama. It was historic, but you dont just have to see the movie and experience it to honor these people and give them a gold medal. 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 recently. It needs to be reinstated. There are civil rights that can be performed and enacted in america today, the movement isnt over. The movement continues. A medal is good. But the spirit must continue on this floor to see that all people have their rights to vote, their right to participate, and their rights not to have federal judges, state judges with the speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. Mr. Cohen tell probate clerks not to enforce federal law. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman from alabama reserves. Gentleman from michigan is recognized. Mr. Huizenga with that i yield two minutes to the gentleman from florida mr. Ross, a member of the Financial Services committee, which has been dealing with this issue. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from florida is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Ross thank you, mr. Speaker. Today i rise in strong support of this Bipartisan Legislation that will award a congressional medal, gold medal to the civil rights leaders who he so bravely marched for Voting Rights and equality from selma, alabama to the state capital of montgomery in march of 1965. As an donted ston son of the great state of alabama, having been educated at both auburn it is an honor to wreck knees these peace loving, god fearing patriots. These marchers led by civil rights leaders such as reverend Martin Luther king jr. And my colleague from georgia, representative john lewis, changed the course ever our nations history. Ultimately their fearless efforts led to the enactment of the Voting Rights act of 1965. The congressional gold medal is the highest civilian award presented by congress and i can think of no better time than the 50th anniversary of this moment in our nations history to honor and recognize the civil rights leaders who sacrificed so greatly to bring equality to the voiceless across the united states. May their sacrifice diligence, and dedication to this cause stand as an example to all of us as we continue to serve in this chamber and in every aspect of our lives. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from florida yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from michigan reserves. The gentlewoman from alabama is recognized. Ms. Sewell i yield one minute to mrs. Adams, the gentlelady from North Carolina. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman from North Carolina is recognized for one minute. Ms. Adams 00 than ms. Adams thank you, mr. Speaker. A bill to award a congressional gold medal to the foot soldiers and the final march from selma to montgomery which was a catalyst for the Voting Rights act of 1965. Im proud to cosponsor this bill and stand with congresswoman sewell and her delegation and one of the greatest leaders in the civil Rights Movement, congressman john lewis. Its important that we recognize the civil rights titans whose sacrifices and essential part of mesh history. As we honor yesterdays foot soldiers with a congressional gold medal, let us remember that we are still in the fight. In my hometown state of North Carolina we are battling a new rollback on voters rights. One of the most regressive laws we have passed. Toe fully honor the foot soldiers sacrifice, we must keep fighting and restore the important protections that have been stripped from the Voting Rights act. Thank you for joining me in honoring these american heroes. Mr. Speaker, i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman from North Carolina yields back the balance of her time. The gentlewoman from alabama reserves. The gentleman from michigan is recognized. Mr. Huizenga thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield one minute to the gentleman from california, mr. Mccarthy, the distinguished House Majority leader. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from california is recognized for one minute. Mr. Mccarthy i thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker i do want to thank the authors of this bill. Congresswoman roby and congresswoman sewell for their work on this. I appreciate it. We are blessed in this nation to enjoy the privileges of democracy and to exercise our freedoms without fear. But sadly for millions of africanamericans in our history, that has not been the case. James cooper author of the American Workers like the last of the mohicans and american democrat once said. The man who can right himself by a vote will seldom resort to a musket. The opposite is also true. People denied their rights might well resort to violence. Its not difficult to see why. With no established form of recourse, what choice do those denied their freedoms have . The people we honor today chose a different path. These nonviolent, civil rights activists did not take the road of hate. Their generations quest for freedom, they didnt corrupt themselves with the sins of those who worked against them. They fought for the rights due to every person, not with weapons, but with the force of rhetoric and virtue of peace. I remember just a few years ago i was walking with my friend, congressman john lewis, through selma, alabama. We walked on the same path of the selma to montgomery march that john led 50 years ago. We crossed the Edmund Pettus bridge in peace that day, but when john led the march across the same bridge in 1965 he was beaten by a mob of state troopers and deputized citizens. John cannot remember who carried him, but wounded and bloodied as john told it to me, he was taken away to a church with a head injury. He did not know if he would even live. Those marchers at 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 nanded peace 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 to be discarded. But instead realized by being purified in practice. They held america to its promise 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 activists who suffered violence while standing for peace. We honor them for holding our nation to the highest ideals, ensuring the true existence of liberty and justice for all, and making this country keep to its promise. That all men
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