Jim Clyburn

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins) for yielding me the time. I have been thinking a lot this morning about my growing up in South Carolina. I still remember as a young man driving in a driving rain from Charleston, South Carolina, going up to the little town of Kingstree in Williamsburg County, which I now represent here in this body. On that day, Martin Luther King, Jr., was coming to Williamsburg County to extol the necessity of voting to all of us. I will never forget his theme that day, ``march to the ballot box.'' It was just a few months after the 1965 Voting Rights Act had been passed into law, and that law has been renewed time and time again throughout the years. But several years ago, the Supreme Court took a look at the law and decided that the formula that had been used in section 4 should be updated. This bill, thanks to the work of Terri Sewell from Alabama and Marcia Fudge from Ohio, we have had 17 hearings around the country, eight by the Judiciary Committee--I thank Chairman Nadler so much for that--and nine by Marcia Fudge's committee. We have wrapped all of those findings into one bill because we are adhering to what Chief Justice Roberts asked us to do: update the formula. We have updated the formula. We are putting it on the floor today, and I do believe that this piece of legislation is deserving of bipartisan support. I can remember when this voting rights bill would pass both houses unanimously. Let's do that today and demonstrate that we are making this democracy work for all.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the chair of the HBCU Caucus for yielding to me this evening. Madam Speaker, we usually approach almost everything in this body by looking at the economic impact that it may have on the budget, on our economy, and sometimes on just a small community. So let's take a look at the economic impact that HBCUs have on our Nation's economy: $15 billion annually goes into the national economy as a result of the more than 100 HBCUs that exist in the country. These colleges provide pathways of opportunity for millions of Americans, many of whom are first-generation college students. So investing in HBCUs is something that could be very important for our Nation. And that is why I am a little bit concerned tonight that the FUTURE Act, a piece of legislation that passed this House unanimously, is now sitting in the Senate. We made some attempt when we passed this current continuing resolution to attach that act to the continuing resolution, but for some reason, the Senate, in its wisdom, has decided not to attach that deal to the continuing resolution. This continuing resolution will expire on December 20. I have no idea what we will do after that to fund the budget. Will there be another continuing resolution? Will we do an omnibus? Will we do a series of minibuses? Whatever the vehicle may be, I call upon the Senate tonight to attach the FUTURE Act to whatever the next vehicle may be because HBCU's funding of $255 million under title III is wrapped into that act. If it is not enacted, we will see many of these colleges and universities lose their funding. Irrespective of what the economic impact might be, I want to spend a few minutes talking about the personal, human impact of HBCUs. Our illustrious chair of the task force, as mentioned, graduated from North Carolina A&T. She graduated two times, as a student and as a professor. I often tell the story of someone most people in this country either knew or knew about, Ronald McNair. Ron McNair was from the little town of Lake City, South Carolina, in my congressional district. I just happen to have a congressional district that contains seven HBCUs. Ron and I were pretty good friends, and as he was about to go up in his final, fatal flight, he stopped by my office. We talked that day because he was talking with the people at the University of South Carolina, who were hopeful that when this flight was over, he would be joining their faculty. Well, we all know that it was a fatal flight. Ron said something to me on that day that I talk about very often. He said to me: Every time I go someplace to speak or am in attendance, people always talk about my Ph.D. in physics from MIT, but that is not what made the difference in my life. He said to me that when he left Lake City, South Carolina, and Carver High School, he went to North Carolina A&T. It was on that campus that those professors who had similar backgrounds and experiences that he had, who understood what it was to come from a little rural community, took the time to nurture him and to prepare him for his journey through life. I told the story to the current president of South Carolina State University, from which I am a graduate. He said to me that he knew Ron McNair up at MIT, where he graduated. He said to me that of all the students on that campus, Ron McNair was better prepared for the journey at MIT than anybody else. That is because these HBCUs take the time not just to explore what may be in the textbooks, but they look at what may be in the life experiences of these students who come there. I think about those students growing up on the Sea Islands of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, in what we call Gullah Geechee country, who come to colleges and universities not knowing a whole lot about what we call common English, but they know the Gullah Geechee language. They are very smart students who know what to do with calculus and math, and sometimes, they may have problems making a subject and verb agree because of their experiences. They go to these colleges and universities where the teachers, professors, and other students have a similar background. I know so well because that day that Scott just mentioned, I met my spouse of 58 years on that campus. She was a Gullah woman, but she went on to get a master's degree in library science. When she passed away a couple of months ago, no one in the State of South Carolina ever got the send-off that she got. Why? Because of the contributions she made. Come January or February, I believe, whatever the date may be, they are naming the Honors College at South Carolina State University in her honor. Why? Because she demonstrated in her life pursuits that she was worthy of such recognition. Through our family foundation, she left an endowment at her alma mater of $1.7 million, that for a little Gullah woman who went to an HBCU that took her from where she was and made her what she could be. That story is repeated time and time again all over this country. Madam Speaker, I want to say to my friends in the other body, the FUTURE Act is all about the future of people whose experiences may be different from theirs but whose intelligence may even surpass theirs. Let's do what we can to make sure that this country continues to benefit from their life experiences. They are willing to give back if only given the opportunity.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Over the last month, the impeachment inquiry has built a powerful body of evidence around President Trump's call with President Zelensky of Ukraine when he told a foreign leader, ``I'd like you to do us a favor, though.'' We have learned so much about that call and things that followed it because some dedicated public servants have demonstrated patriotism to this great country by coming forward and testifying and giving us the information as they know it. These brave patriots, career diplomats, have been called ``radical unelected bureaucrats.'' They have been called that by a group of people who Thomas Paine would call summer soldiers and sunshine patriots. He warned us that these people will, in a ``crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.'' We are here today because brave, dedicated public servants and patriots are standing up for their country.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for leading this Special Order. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman 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 Carolina soil. I happen to represent the county in which his parents were born. They came north to Baltimore, seeking a better life for their children. They were sharecroppers in the county that gave birth to Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. The interesting thing about the people of that community who formed the movement that spurred a national and, I dare say, international movement was the simplicity of their lives and their aspirations. The Brown case was not about integrating schools; it was about getting a schoolbus for their children. The people who came together were people of modest means. The case got the name of Briggs v. Elliott. Harry Briggs was an ordinary man working at a filling station making $23 a week; his wife, Eliza, making $18 a week as a chambermaid in a motel. That is the community that Elijah Cummings' family left. 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. Elijah took on the mantle of an evangelist. He didn't work to prepare people for the hereafter. He worked to prepare people for the here and now. I have been approached by various media sources with the question: What is the legacy of Elijah Cummings? It is a simple legacy that I hope all of us will remember. First 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 into a body where people stood on the shoulders of giants. He didn't 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 Elijah and I had over near the wall. He told me, one day, about being placed in special education as a child. 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 people, and they thought, to get rid of him, they would put him in special education. This teacher took him out of that class, and Elijah Cummings went on to graduate college Phi Beta Kappa, to finish law school, to become the first African American to head a position in the House of Delegates of Maryland, and to come here to this body and to chair a committee, a committee that he chaired with distinction and reverence. We are going to miss Elijah Cummings. All of us in this body will stand upon his strong shoulders. Thank you, Elijah. Thank you.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding South Carolinian and a proven health care champion for the people of South Carolina and the nation. Lathran Johnson Woodard has devoted her career to promoting the health and well-being of South Carolinians, especially those who struggle to access quality health care. A Columbia, South Carolina native, Ms. Woodard received her primary and secondary education in Richland County public schools, graduating from C.A. Johnson High School in Columbia. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Southern Wesleyan University and began her career at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). Over the course of her fourteen-year tenure, she was promoted to various positions at the agency. Her hard work and dedication earned her the position of Deputy Director for the Division of Maternal Health. While at DHEC, Ms. Woodard helped write and initiate the state's Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program and led initiatives to ensure access and improve the quality of services provided to mothers and children in South Carolina. Ms. Woodard has achieved over 30 years of service in the health care field. In 1987, she became the Assistant Director for the South Carolina Primary Health Care Association (SCPHCA), where she now serves as the Chief Executive Officer. As CEO of SCPHCA, Ms. Woodard has worked relentlessly to ensure the strength and capacity of the state's primary care safety net, focusing primarily on assistance to those health care centers that provide vital services to medically underserved communities. Her primary interests are community systems design, the development of integrated systems of healthcare, and youth self-enhancement. Beyond her work in South Carolina, Ms. Woodard has promoted health care on a national level as well. She is currently the Chair-Elect of the National Association of Community Health Centers. She holds membership in the National Association of Female Executives, the National Rural Health Association, the American Society of Association Executives, and the South Carolina Public Health Association. She has earned several awards and honors. Most recently, Ms. Woodard was a recipient of the Order of Palmetto, the highest honor a civilian can receive in the State of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in offering congratulations and sincere gratitude to Ms. Lathran J. Woodard for her unwavering service to the people of South Carolina and the nation. Her many contributions have improved the quality of life for so many South Carolinians and helped advance healthy communities throughout the country. I am pleased to honor her for exemplifying what it means to be a true public servant.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I was unable to cast my votes on the following dates, September 24, 25, and 27, due to a family emergency. Had I been present, I would have voted: ``yea'' Roll Call No. 541; ``yea'' Roll Call No. 542; ``yea'' Roll Call No. 543; ``yea'' Roll Call No. 544; ``nay'' Roll Call No. 545; ``yea'' Roll Call No. 546; ``yea'' Roll Call No. 547; ``yea'' Roll Call No. 548; ``yea'' Roll Call No. 553; ``yea'' Roll Call No. 554; and ``yea'' Roll Call No. 555.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Frank B. Washington in honor of his 90th birthday. Frank B. Washington was born on September 5, 1929 in Estill, South Carolina. He was raised in Columbia, South Carolina, in the Waverly and Allen Benedict Court communities. Frank attended public schools in Richland School District One, graduating from the historic Booker T. Washington High School in 1945. A 1949 graduate of Allen University with a degree in Psychology, he later pursued graduate studies at my alma mater, South Carolina State University as well as Catholic University and Bradley University. Frank began his professional career at the South Carolina Department of Education in 1951, serving as the state's Speech Therapist. He served in various roles including State Supervisor and Chief Supervisor of the Audit Division where he became the first African American to hold an administrative role within the department. Frank retired in June 1986 after an illustrious 35 years of service. Devoted to advancing social justice, Frank joined the Columbia Chapter of the NAACP, and was elected President in 1970, a position he held for sixteen years. Frank held multiple leadership roles within the NAACP including State Vice President for eight years and a member of the National NAACP Board of Directors for four years. His leadership within the NAACP was critical during the civil rights movement and resulted in the advancement of equal opportunity and access. Frank was directly involved in the court decisions that reapportioned the South Carolina Legislature leading to the first three African Americans being elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1970. Also, he participated in the federal lawsuit that created the 42-1 districting plan for the City Council of Columbia, South Carolina allowing the election of two African Americans to the City Council. The morals and values that are the foundation of his life are rooted in Frank's faith in God. Since 1965, he has been a member of St. Luke's Episcopal Church, where he has been a member of the Vestry, and served as Senior Warden. Throughout his journey he has been empowered by the encouragement and support of his beautiful family. Frank has been married to the former Vivian Deloris Wingard for 69 years. They are parents of three adult children: Carla Washington, Kent Washington, and Robin Major. They are also proud grandparents of three grandsons. Madam Speaker, Frank B. Washington has spent his lifetime as a selfless leader and humble servant to his fellow citizens of the great state of South Carolina. I ask you and my colleagues to join me in celebrating the 90th birthday of Frank B. Washington and wishing him continued good health and great prosperity in the days ahead.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I was unable to cast my votes on the following dates, September 17-20, due to a family emergency. Had I been present, I would have voted: ``nay'' Roll Call No. 531; ``yea'' Roll Call No. 532; ``yea'' Roll Call No. 533; ``yea;'' Roll Call No. 534; ``yea'' Roll Call No. 535; ``yea'' Roll Call No. 536; ``yea'' Roll Call No. 537; ``yea'' Roll Call No. 538; ``nay'' Roll Call No. 539, and ``yea'' Roll Call No. 540.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I was unable to cast my votes on the following dates, September 9 through 12, due to a family emergency. Had I been present, I would have voted: ``yea'' roll call no. 515; ``yea'' roll call no. 516; ``yea'' roll call no. 517; ``yea'' roll call no. 518; ``yea'' roll call no. 519; ``nay'' roll call no. 520; ``yea'' roll call no. 521; ``nay'' roll call no. 522; ``nay'' roll call no. 523; ``nay'' roll call no. 524; ``yea'' roll call no. 525; ``nay'' roll call no. 526; ``nay'' roll call no. 527; ``nay'' roll call no. 528; ``nay'' roll call no. 529; and ``yea'' roll call no. 530.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a woman whose bravery and perseverance exemplify a significant American story. It is fitting that during this July 4th, as we celebrate our nation's birthday, citizens of South Carolina and the descendants of Molly Graham will be dedicating a bridge over the Combahee River in Colleton County, South Carolina in her honor. Although seven generations removed, Molly Graham's story is inspiring and instructive for all of us. Molly Graham was enslaved on the Cypress Plantation in Green Pond, South Carolina during the Civil War. Her husband and brother were killed during the final months of the war when Confederate soldiers executed male slaves to prevent them from enlisting in the Union Army. Ms. Graham and her daughters escaped after Confederate troops raided their plantation and threatened to burn it to the ground. She and her daughters traveled 16 miles on foot to the safety of a Union camp in Beaufort. Along the treacherous journey, they had to crawl across a plank over the Combahee River because the bridge had been destroyed by fire. They hid from Confederate troops during the day and traveled under the cover of darkness at night. Ms. Graham let faith, ``the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen,'' guide her. After spending several months in the refuge of the Union camp, Ms. Graham and her daughters returned to Green Pond. The daughters eventually married, and they worked together, pooled their resources and bought several hundred acres of land. The family raised chickens, turkeys and vegetables on the farm and sold their goods at the Walterboro farmers market. Ms. Graham also served as a naturopathic herb doctor who treated both former slaves and plantation owners without prejudice or malice. She added rooms to her home to treat patients overnight, that served as the only ``hospital'' to ever exist in Green Pond. Today, she and many of her progeny are buried at the historic Hickory Hill Cemetery close to the banks of the Combahee River. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in celebrating the life of Molly Graham and the contributions of seven generations of her offspring in the Bryant, Pinckney and Singleton families. Theirs is a true story of resilience and triumph that exemplifies the diversity of the American experience. I applaud the descendants' efforts to dedicate the Molly Graham Memorial Bridge that crosses her beloved Combahee River and to continue her legacy of giving back to the community through their family's non-profit foundation.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 1959 class of Burke High School of Charleston, South Carolina as they celebrate their 60th class reunion. On June 29th and 30th, classmates and friends will travel to ``the Holy City'' from all around the world to take part in this significant celebration. Burke High School, located on the west side of the Charleston peninsula, was the city's oldest and largest public high school serving African American students prior to the desegregation of public schools in Charleston. Founded in 1894 as the Charleston Industrial Institute, the original name and history of the school reflect the racial divisions and popular perceptions both students and teachers had to overcome in pursuit of State supported public education. I personally remember some of these struggles. My wife, Emily and I shared college experiences with many of them and were a part of the Charleston community during the 1960s and 1970s; she as a librarian at Simonton school and Burke and I as a social studies and history teacher at Simonton and Charles A. Brown High School on the east side of the Charleston peninsula. During the Civil Rights activities of the 1960s, many students from Burke became local activists in pursuit of social justice in Charleston. The class of 1959, along with many of their schoolmates, took part in many local demonstrations and sit-ins. Many of them became active statewide as well. The class of 1959 left a lasting impression and everlasting legacy on Burke High School students and citizens of the city of Charleston. They led by precept and example. They also gave back to the community by donating college scholarships to young graduates. Many of them are still actively providing leadership in communities throughout the country. As they gather this year to celebrate their 60th reunion, I want to commend the class of 1959 for their continued dedication to their alma mater. The shared experiences amongst this class have served as an inspiration to residents of Charleston, their families, and the thousands of Burke students who have followed them. Having been a part of some of their activities, I know that all of their experiences have not been pleasant, but I think they would consider all of them to be blessings and they have been blessings to many. Madam Speaker, it is my great honor to represent this fine institution and many of its graduates in this august body. I ask you and my colleagues to join me in congratulating the 1959 class of Burke High School on their 60th class reunion and wishing them continued good health and great prosperity in the days ahead.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Chair, I rise as the designee of Chairwoman Lowey, and I move to strike the last word.

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Chair, I am a strong supporter of H.R. 3055, an appropriations package that makes essential investments in economic development, the rule of law, agriculture, our public lands, the environment, our military servicemembers, and our veterans. I rise today to highlight one particular set of provisions in this appropriations package that are critical to the communities that I represent, the 10-20-30 formula. This formula requires that at least 10 percent of the funds in the designated accounts be spent in counties with a poverty rate of at least 20 percent for the past 30 years. The Census Bureau has labeled nearly 500 counties as persistent poverty counties. They are both geographically and ethnically diverse: largely Black in the Deep South, White in Appalachia, Hispanic in the southwest, and Native Americans all across the West. They are politically diverse as well, with nearly three-fourths of them represented by Republicans, one-fourth by Democrats. The appropriations bills reported by the Appropriations Committee apply the 10-20-30 formula or similar funding set-asides to 17 different accounts, three more than in fiscal year 2019. Sixteen of these accounts are in the package we are considering today, ensuring persistent poverty counties receive much-needed funds for rural development. This 10-20-30 formula has worked well. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the first time it was enacted in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, where it was applied to three accounts. In the decade since, thanks in no small part to former Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers and former Speaker Ryan, 10-20-30 accounts have made thousands of investments in persistent poverty counties, totaling billions of dollars. One of these investments was in brownfields cleanup at the Mack Theater in Irvine, Kentucky, which is in Estill County, Kentucky, in the Sixth Congressional District of Kentucky, represented by Mr. Barr. Community groups have long sought to restore this theater, which closed in 1993, but previously were unable to address the contamination. Thanks to 10-20-30, the River City Players, a community theater group, is working to reopen the venue, which has the potential to contribute to the revitalization of the entire area. In addition to the expansion of the 10-20-30 formula in the bill, I also appreciate the language in the committee reports, which expresses support for new targeted funding for high-poverty census tracts that may not be in persistent poverty counties but are often just as much in need. I look forward to working with the Appropriations Committee to build upon this progress to include high-poverty census tracts in fiscal year 2021 and working with my friends Barbara Lee and Stacey Plaskett to ensure all of the necessary communities and territories are included. Madam Chair, there are many reasons to support this appropriations package. I thank the committee for its longstanding collaboration on 10-20-30, and I am hopeful that Members on both sides of the aisle will support these targeted investments in persistent poverty communities by supporting this bill.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a dedicated public servant and dear friend, Roger Cleckley. Roger is a man driven by faith, duty and honor. He has spent most of his career in public service and all of us are the beneficiaries of his tremendous commitment to building a better community, state and nation. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, ``everybody can be great . . . because anybody can serve . . . you only need a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love.'' By that definition, Roger Cleckley is among the greatest among us. Roger is a native of the Cope-Cordova community of Orangeburg County, South Carolina. He was the third of four children born to Solomon and Celia Mae Cleckley. He attended G.W. Carver High School and Voorhees College both in Denmark, South Carolina. He has also earned a Certificate of Leadership Training from the University of South Carolina. He began his commitment to service by joining the United States Army. He served a tour of duty in Vietnam as a combat infantryman. His distinguished service earned him numerous awards and medals. After two years on active duty, Roger received an honorable discharge with the rank of Sergeant (E-5). A veteran of the Civil Rights Movement, Roger never shies away from standing up for what he believes is right. After returning from Vietnam and a year in Washington, D.C., he took a job with Tepeck Industries in St. Matthews, South Carolina, and quickly discovered that racial injustice in his home state were still prevalent. He fought against these injustices in his workplace, which ultimately resulted in his dismissal from the company. Undeterred, Roger found work selling insurance at the A.L. Williams Insurance Company and became active in the NAACP. In 1986, he felt the call to public service and ran for Orangeburg County Auditor. His hard- won victory made him the first African American elected to serve in this capacity in South Carolina since the post-Reconstruction era. When I offered for Congress in 1992, Roger and his wife hosted my maiden community event in their home and he became my Orangeburg County Chairman. When Roger retired he held the distinction as the longest serving local elected official in Orangeburg County. Over the years, Roger has tirelessly worked for his church and community and has been a relentless voice for the voiceless. He is presently Chairman of the Forfeited Land Commission, Secretary of the Orangeburg County Fiscal Education Commission, and Chairperson of the County Democratic Party Nominations Committee. Roger has held many positions in the African Methodist Episcopal Church from Sunday School, Steward Board, Class Leader, and the Lay Organization. He is currently the outgoing Seventh Episcopal District Lay Organization President, which comprises the entire state of South Carolina. His wife, Bessie Idella Cleckley, has been his partner and soul mate for fifty years. She has always been a tremendous source of encouragement to him as he served the people of South Carolina. They are the parents of sons, Roger ``Al,'' Adrian, and Kendrick, and the grandparents of five. Madam Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in offering congratulations and sincere gratitude to Mr. Roger Cleckley on the occasion of his retirement. His extraordinary work has had a profound impact on all who have been touched by his selfless service. I believe he exemplifies the sentiment found in Matthew 25:23, ``well done, my good and faithful servant,'' and I offer my best wishes as he embarks on this new phase of his life.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted: ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 210; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 211; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 212; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 213; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 214; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 215; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 216; and ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 217.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Mr. Chairman, today, I stand for the American people and the voters of South Carolina's Sixth Congressional District who spoke loud and clear last November, demanding that Congress defend and uphold the right to have access to affordable care. This is an effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, and we stand ready to defend every aspect of this legislation. We will not stop our efforts to hold this administration and my Republican colleagues accountable as they continue misrepresenting and undermining the Affordable Care Act. The work of this body, a coequal branch of our government, to conduct legitimate and lawful oversight in order to protect Americans' access to healthcare will not be deterred. Today, this House will vote on a package of seven bills that will halt the administration's sabotage of the Affordable Care Act, improve the act's implementation, and lower the cost of prescription drugs. This legislative package, titled the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act, prevents the substitution of junk policies that take advantage of unsuspecting citizens, and it protects against discrimination for preexisting conditions.

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Chairman, this legislation takes meaningful steps to control prescription drug costs by expanding access to generic drugs so patients don't have to choose between lifesaving medications and other necessities, like rent or food. Mr. Chairman, Democrats are addressing crucial healthcare needs. We stand to protect the healthcare of American citizens.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Judge James Dingle. Judge Dingle's life exemplified Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s admonition that ``everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.'' Judge Dingle was great because he spent most of his life serving the people of South Carolina. Born November 14, 1929 in Alcolu, South Carolina, Judge Dingle often described himself as a ``down home country boy who went off and made good and came back home to work in my community.'' Before returning to his hometown, Dingle attended Midlands Technical College in Columbia, South Carolina and continued his education at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg. He spent 30 years as a high school teacher at C.E. Murray High School in Greeleyville, South Carolina. During his tenure at the high school, Dingle strived to positively impact the lives of as many students as he could by working in various capacities--an industrial arts teacher, head football coach, athletic director, and an administrative assistant. Dingle was appointed as a magistrate judge in Clarendon County in 1983. He was one of the first black magistrates in the state of South Carolina. Dingle loved his job and the people of Clarendon County, where he served for 12 years. Following his retirement as a magistrate judge, he became a city judge in Manning. As a community leader, Dingle was a constant voice of encouragement for the youth in his community realizing that many of them were not surrounded by the best environments. He motivated them to receive an education and to be productive citizens. Dingle became widely known as always putting ``service before self.'' Judge Dingle passed away on April 29, 2019. He will be greatly missed by family, friends, and the many people he has influenced during his lifetime. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of this servant leader and teacher and recognizing the positive impact Judge James Dingle made in Clarendon County, South Carolina and surrounding areas.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor 36 individuals of African descent whose remains were unearthed at Gailliard Center in Charleston, South Carolina in 2013. These souls, whose stories are unknown, were buried in unmarked graves and their resting site was later buried under construction as the city grew. While they may have been forgotten in their time, they are not forgotten today. I commend the Gullah Society and the City of Charleston for honoring these individuals by holding a naming ceremony and ancestral reburial celebration to honor these souls and recognize their contributions to Charleston's history. What we do know is that these 36 individuals--men, women and children--were either born in Africa or were of African descent. Thanks to the efforts of the Gullah Society, analysis has been done that dates the original burial of these souls to between 1750 and 1800. Yet the site was never recognized as a burial ground. These souls were almost certainly enslaved people and endured prejudices and abuses throughout their life. Alexis de Tocqueville wrote in his great work Democracy in America; ``The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.'' The reburial celebration is one step towards acknowledging this important part of history and repairing this fault. We have an obligation to preserve the rich history of this country. Celebrations like this provide an opportunity to rejoice in the continued preservation of not just historic events but of the people who made this country what it is today. Madam Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in celebrating this historic occasion that recognizes the contributions of these 36 souls and all of the similarly situated that they represent. Without the vigilance of the Gullah Society and the City of Charleston this recognition would not be possible; and I add my enduring gratitude for the tremendous work they have done to make this day possible.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the legacy of Mt. Rona Missionary Baptist Church in Effingham, South Carolina. This historic church has served its faithful congregation and the community for 150 years. During its remarkable history, Mt. Rona has seen tremendous change and growth and provided extraordinary service to those in need. The founders of Mt. Rona began meeting in the small community of Friendfield under a bush arbor in 1869. The congregants continued this tradition until in 1905 when they were given the former Mt. Hebron Church as its congregation moved to a new sanctuary. Reverend J.R. Brooks led the transition to Mt. Rona's new home, and the congregation flourished. Over the years physical improvements were made to the church. Reverend Frank Ham oversaw the installation of a steeple and bell tower with a chime. He also added new pews and electricity. Reverend James Hall, Jr., created the first pastor's study and an inside baptismal pool. Reverend J.L. Lewis and Reverend James Anderson led the bricking of the church, and installed carpet and an intercom system. When Reverend Tart became the church's leader, he changed the worship service from twice monthly to every Sunday. The church purchased additional land, built the T.C. Tart Fellowship Hall, added stained glass windows, paved the parking lot, and added new restrooms. His vision was to build a new church, and in July 2010 construction began. Reverend Tart passed away before he saw the church completed, and Pastor Parrish Brown saw the project through to completion and became the first to serve as the leader of the new Mt. Rona. It was dedicated on April 10, 2011. Throughout the physical and leadership changes Mt. Rona Missionary Baptist Church has held true to its mission to be an outreach ministry that provides support and relief to the disheartened, disadvantaged, and disenfranchised. I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating the tremendous role Mt. Rona Missionary Baptist Church plays in the community and in the lives of its parishioners. The church's dedication to help the least of these is a reflection of the Biblical teaching that ``faith without works is dead.'' I congratulate the Mount Rona Missionary Baptist Church on this landmark 150th anniversary and know that the church will continue to be a beacon in Florence for many years to come.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Trinity Baptist Church in Florence, South Carolina as it celebrates its 150th anniversary and to congratulate Reverend Dr. Calvin E. Robinson, Jr. and his congregation on this significant milestone in the life of the church and congregation. This historic congregation was founded during the Reconstruction Era and throughout its history has been a beacon in times of joy and sorrow for the Florence community. Trinity Baptist Church had its humble beginnings in a home on Front Street. Thereafter a group of faithful Christians came together and purchased the lot adjoining the present edifice and the first framed building was constructed. The structure allowed the church to continue to grow and flourish under the leadership of Reverend Wesley J. Parnell. After a period of significant growth, the church moved to its current location where membership nearly doubled in the first few years. On one occasion two hundred members were baptized on the same day. Under the pastorate of Reverend Charles T. Taylor the church organized the Missionary Society and an outstanding field effort to establish Morris College in 1908, which is owned by the Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of South Carolina--an organization that Trinity Baptist helped to found and organize. I am particularly pleased with this effort because both my parents obtained degrees from Morris. Under the leadership of a previous pastor, Reverend William P. Diggs, the church experienced unprecedented growth, greatly increasing its giving to missions, benevolences and education. In 1968, the church was expanded to include an education building and the sanctuary was extensively renovated. This new renovation and expansion helped the church to grow its education mission. It also provided the church with a choir room and a fellowship hall. The church has grown other missions including the Junior Missionary Society, Gospel Choir, Sunday School, and the Young Women's Auxiliary. Madam Speaker, I invite you and my colleagues to join me in commending Trinity Baptist Church for one hundred fifty years of faithful service. Its members continue to be beacons of hope in Florence, providing compassion and care for, not only its members, but also the least among us. I congratulate Trinity Baptist Church for its rich history and look forward to continue witnessing the good works of the church as it continues to grow and serve.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, it is with mixed emotions that I stand in the well here this evening with my colleagues from South Carolina. We are here because our State and our Nation has lost a giant of a man, one whom I call a one-of-a-kind statesman, Ernest ``Fritz'' Hollings. A native of Charleston, South Carolina, he graduated from The Citadel in 1947, and the very next year, 1948, he was elected to the South Carolina Legislature. There, he served until being elected Lieutenant Governor in 1954. I am pointing out some years here because I want to make a statement about the man Fritz Hollings. He was elected Governor in 1958. Now, in 1947, some interesting things were taking place in South Carolina at the time Ernest Hollings graduated college; and, in 1948, when he was elected to the legislature, a very significant court decision was handed down. The court case was Elmore v. Rice, the 1948 court case that opened up the South Carolina Democratic primary to people other than Whites. This was the atmosphere within which Fritz Hollings was first elected. And, of course, in 1954, when he was elected Lieutenant Governor, I need not tell anybody what Court decision came down that year. That was the year that the Supreme Court ruled that school desegregation had to take place. That was the atmosphere. So, 4 years later, Fritz Hollings gets elected Governor. I was a student on the campus of South Carolina State when he was elected, and in 1960 is when I first met Fritz Hollings. He was Governor, and I was organizing sit-ins in Orangeburg, South Carolina, and he had invited us to the State house. He gave me a great lesson that day in politics, so much so, that what we talked about in his office on that day I still have not told anybody. Well, fast-forward. Fritz Hollings, Governor of a State with tremendous challenges. So what did he do? Did he just meander through time, as so many did in those days? No. Fritz knew what the challenges were, and he put forth trailblazing legislation to create the South Carolina Technical Education System. That was a big deal in those days. In fact, it became a national model. But he didn't stop there. He blazed another trail, creating the South Carolina Educational Television Corporation. That was really a big deal, and it was viewed as trailblazing innovation, like no other State had made up until that time. But that was not his last test. In 1962, just before he was to finish his term as Governor, the courts ruled that Clemson University had to accept another Charlestonian, Harvey Gantt, as a student. Of course, there was much resistance. Fritz spoke to the legislature and said to them on that day: We have run out of courts, and we are going to be a nation of laws. And he called upon all South Carolinians to set aside the acrimony and accept the fact that it was a new day in South Carolina and the Nation. And, of course, Harvey Gantt peacefully integrated Clemson University. All of that was because Fritz demonstrated the kind of leadership that we would expect any public servant to give. Fritz and I became fast friends after I came here in 1992. Of course, we interacted quite a bit down in Charleston. Of course, he got elected to the United States Senate in 1966. We interacted quite a bit. Fritz had a tremendous wit, and I remember when I first came up here, 1993, there was a reception held because I had become, with his help, the first African American to represent my State in the Congress in 95 years. So there were somewhat interesting kinds of interactions taking place. We go to this reception, Fritz Hollings along with then-Senator Strom Thurmond, and I was being presented to the group. One of them made a joke out of the fact that I had met my wife in jail when Fritz was Governor. I guess I brought it upon myself because I reminded him of our first meeting and the fact that we were not exactly on the same page in those days. So, when I yielded the mike to him, he told the group about my meeting my wife in jail when she brought a hamburger and shared a hamburger with me, and he said to the crowd: ``And he has been eating out of her hand ever since.'' It brought a great chuckle in the crowd, and I was reminded never to get smart in front of Fritz Hollings again. Well, we have lost Fritz. But just before he really began to fail in health, Fritz called me and said he wanted me to do something for him. He said he wanted me to put in a piece of legislation to remove his name from the Judicial Center in Charleston. I asked him: Why do you want me to do that? He said, because Judge J. Waties Waring was the judge who made that decision in 1948 to open up the Democratic primary to people of color, he thought that J. Waties Waring, because of that decision and others-- equalizing teacher pay between Black and White teachers, writing a dissenting opinion in Briggs v. Elliott that became the foundation for the 1954 United States Supreme Court decision--he said to me: J. Waties Waring is the one who is deserving of having his name on that courthouse. That is the courthouse where the Briggs case was decided. And I said to him: Now, maybe this would pass in the House, but what would happen over in the Senate? And he told me that he had already talked to Senator Graham, and he wanted this done. I told him I would get back to him because it is not something that I wanted to do. Well, I called Senator Graham. He told me that Senator Hollings had called him. But I still would not do it. I called Senator Hollings back and I asked him, in a second conversation, was I going to be able to depend upon him to hold when the bill was introduced because I anticipated some reactions that would be unfavorable, and in his Gullah-throated way, he assured me that he would stand firm. I then called the Congressional Research Service and I asked them: Has anything like this been done before? Has anyone in the history of this great country ever asked that his or her name be removed from a Federal building in order to accommodate someone else? They came back to me several weeks later and said, no, that had never been done before. We put forth the legislation. It passed the House and the Senate, and I joined with Senator Hollings and others at the ceremony removing his name from the Judicial Center in Charleston, South Carolina. Today, the name of J. Waties Waring is on that building. Fritz Hollings, a one-of-a-kind statesman. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson).

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Horry County, South Carolina (Mr. Rice).

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Duncan).

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Cunningham).