Carolyn Bourdeaux

Ms. BOURDEAUX

Ms. BOURDEAUX. Mr. Speaker, this week, as February becomes March, Black History Month comes to an end. But I want to be clear, every month is Black History Month because Black history is American history. Today, I am thinking of the amazing Black women and men who inspire us daily and who changed the world. I am thinking of Ruby Bridges who, at only 6 years old, became the first Black student to integrate a southern elementary school. I am thinking of Gwinnett's own Beauty Baldwin, the first Black woman to be a school superintendent in Georgia. I am thinking of Hank Aaron, who showed the world the meaning of Black excellence when he broke Babe Ruth's home run record, and he was a proud Georgian. I am thinking of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an Atlanta preacher who shared his dream with the world and, in the process, changed it forever. And I am thinking of Senator Raphael Warnock, who preached from the same pulpit as Dr. King, and who now follows in his footsteps as an advocate for change. I am thinking of Kamala Harris, our Nation's first Black and first female Vice President, and of all the Black and Brown girls around the country who are finally able to look at the White House and see themselves reflected there. Finally, I am thinking of our beloved Georgia friend, mentor, and colleague, John Lewis. Congressman Lewis would have turned 81 this weekend. Congressman Lewis spent his life getting into good trouble. At 21, he was one of the original 13 Freedom Riders. At 23, as the chairman of SNCC, he spoke at the March on Washington. At 25, he led the march from Selma to Montgomery, in the process withstanding all the violence and hatred local and State officials could throw at him. Congressman Lewis went on to serve Atlanta on both the city council and in Congress for more than 35 years, becoming the conscience of the Congress. The tireless work of heroes like John Lewis pushes me to continue pursuing equitable and just policies. Over the past 2 years, our country has had a much-needed awakening to the systemic inequality people of color face every single day. I promise to continue using my privilege as a Member of Congress to try to break down that inequality wherever it is found. In that spirit, I am proud to be cosponsoring some critical pieces of legislation being considered in Congress: H.R. 1, the For the People Act, a transformational bill that seeks to ensure free and fair elections and easy access to the ballot box, to secure nonpartisan redistricting, and to put people over dark money and special interests in elections; the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, the first-ever bold, comprehensive approach to holding police accountable, changing the culture of law enforcement and building trust between law enforcement and our communities by addressing systemic racism and biases in order to help save lives; H.R. 40, which creates a commission to study reparations; H.R. 55, the Emmett Till Antilynching Act; H.R. 959 to address the Black maternal mortality crisis in America; a resolution to recognize the difficulty Black veterans face when returning home after serving our country; and a resolution to award the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress' highest honor, to the Freedom Riders. Of course, while it hasn't been introduced, you can be certain my name will be one of the first ones signed up to cosponsor the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which will restore and modernize portions of the Voting Rights Act scrapped by the Supreme Court. The right to vote is sacred. John Lewis knew that better than most, and we must protect it. Nor is it enough to sign on to these pieces of legislation and call it a day. Just as Black history should be celebrated every month, every piece of legislation we consider must also be looked at for how it will impact our Black communities. Mr. Speaker, as I deliver remarks today in celebration of Black History Month, I would be wrong to not acknowledge that yesterday was the 1-year anniversary of the murder--yes, the murder--of Ahmaud Arbery. A young man from my State of Georgia, Ahmaud was killed while going out for a jog, a simple luxury that so many of us enjoy without fear of harm. Ahmaud's case and the way it was handled continue to show us all that inherent biases and systemic racism remain prevalent in our society. We here on this floor must do everything we can to break those barriers down. You have my word, I will continue to do so.

Ms. BOURDEAUX

Ms. BOURDEAUX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, as we celebrate Public Schools Week, to talk about the urgent need to protect our teachers, educational support staff, all of their families, and the community at large in our schools. While the national debate has centered around schools that are closed, in many States, such as Georgia, school districts with high COVID transmission rates are back to in-person teaching, but often without basic safety standards in place, such as requiring students to wear masks on school property. Teachers and staff in Georgia do not enjoy the protection of strong teacher unions, and the State has exempted schools from liability around COVID. A teacher recognized for excellence in Forsyth County, in my district, chose to quit her job. She wrote me, saying: Fortunately, my family earns enough money for me not to return to teach, but there are some others who don't have this blessing and are forced into dangerous circumstances. They can't speak up. They know their employment would be on the line if they did. So unless others like me speak up and out, this mess will continue. Mr. Speaker, I join this teacher in speaking out. We owe our educators the courtesy of basic public health protection. We owe them prioritization in receiving the vaccine.

Ms. BOURDEAUX

Ms. BOURDEAUX. Madam Speaker, I teach a class called Public Service and Democracy where often I point out that our democracy is not self- executing, it requires people of good faith and ethics to make it work. Our President and those who enable him are not operating in good faith. I come from Georgia, one of the most contested states during this election cycle and I'm no stranger to fighting for voting rights or concerns about election results. I've fought for years to protect our elections in Georgia and expand access to the ballot box--so I know a thing or two about free and fair elections. Let's be clear: Georgia's elections were administered by Republicans who themselves voted for and campaigned for President Trump. So if there was fraud, I'm sure they would have found it. At the request of the President and his surrogates, Republicans have looked high and low for voter fraud and have found nothing. Georgia officials, at significant cost to the taxpayers I might add, have counted the five million votes in Georgia three times, once by hand, and only found minor errors that would not change the outcome of the election. They have audited 15,000 voter signatures and again only found the most trivial of problems, and nothing that would indicate voter fraud. They have investigated every charge, every conspiracy with diligence and have come up with nothing. The idea that Georgia's vote was illegitimate is a lie. There is no way around it. But the President didn't like the results, so he tried to extort, bully, and threaten our Secretary of State to change the election results. Now, we actually have attempted election fraud--but from our President. And we have his conversation on tape. When his plan to solicit fraud failed, the President then incited a violent mob on the basis of lies to come to the Capitol and try to disrupt the constitutionally required certification of the election. This was a mob with zip tie handcuffs, tactical military gear, and weapons. A mob that hung a noose on the mall for Vice President Mike Pence. Then as the Capitol Police made desperate pleas for the deployment of the national guard to help respond to the insurrection, their request was denied by the President. A democracy requires people of good faith and ethics to make it work. I ask my colleagues to reject the lies and to support the article of impeachment against President Donald Trump.

Ms. BOURDEAUX

Ms. BOURDEAUX. Madam Speaker, I teach a civics class where I point out that our democracy is not self-executing. It requires people of good faith and ethics to make it work. The President has repeatedly challenged Georgia's election results. But, despite three recounts and many investigations, the results are clear: Joe Biden won Georgia. The idea that our election was fraudulent is a lie. Our President used this lie to incite a violent mob to attack the Capitol. I ask my colleagues to act with ethics and good faith, to reject these lies, and, in this case, to support the Article of Impeachment.