Emanuel Cleaver

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Financial Services be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 4104) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint a coin in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Negro Leagues baseball, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Financial Services be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 6192) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to honor the 100th anniversary of completion of coinage of the ``Morgan Dollar'' and the 100th anniversary of commencement of coinage of the ``Peace Dollar'', and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of the bill (S. 743) to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the soldiers of the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), commonly known as ``Merrill's Marauders'', in recognition of their bravery and outstanding service in the jungles of Burma during World War II, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, for the floor votes on Thursday, September 17, 2020, I regrettably erred when casting my vote for roll call 194, the Motion to Recommit with Instructions H.R. 2694, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. I had intended to vote ``no'' on roll call vote 194, against the Motion to Recommit.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today with profound joy, deep admiration, and endless blessings to recognize the 100th birthday of Mrs. Bernice Todd. One cannot tell the story of America without telling the story of Kansas City Jazz, and one cannot tell the story of Kansas City Jazz without telling the story of Bernice Todd. Mrs. Bernice Todd was born September 8, 1920, and has made significant contributions to the Jazz music and culture of the 18th and Vine District of Kansas City. She performed with many of the big bands and Jazz greats of her day, both as a stellar singer and as a skilled dancer. However, Jazz was not only a career for Mrs. Todd. It was also a family affair. Her husband, Oliver Todd, was a trumpet player and bandleader who would go on to become a fixture of the burgeoning Jazz scene in Kansas City, playing with everyone from Count Basie to Duke Ellington. And when a certain young virtuoso named Charlie Parker still carried his makeshift horn in a cloth sack, he would often come over to the Todds' home to eat lunch and play some music. Mrs. Todd was actually just one week younger than the Bird, and the three of them became close friends. Often, Parker would leave his horn in their living room and ask them to bring it to his performance the next night. Needless to say, the horn bought them free admission. Mrs. Todd is a mother, a grandmother, and a friend to many. She has also been a loyal member of the St. James United Methodist Church, where I was a pastor for thirty-seven years. From personal experience, I can attest that Mrs. Todd keeps us all laughing. Mrs. Todd is also a caretaker of our Jazz history, as well as our Jazz musicians, through her involvement with the Coda Jazz Fund, which pays funeral and burial expenses for area Jazz musicians whose families cannot afford them. As I have said before, a gift is never truly received until you acknowledge the giver. Mrs. Todd has honored so many determined artists with that sacred acknowledgement as they enter the coda of their life. It is an honor to be able to acknowledge Mrs. Todd's legacy while her chorus is in full swing. Since I began thinking about this momentous occasion, there's a song that's been stuck in my head. It is from an old compilation of Jazz standards released December of 1945, just a little over a year after I was born. The album sleeve must have weighed ten tons with heft of the names which graced it: Jay McShann, Nat ``King'' Cole, and of course, Oliver Todd. The song, by McShann, with Mrs. Todd's late husband on trumpet, is an instrumental version of an old standard. Nevertheless, I remember the lyrics well: ``I used to walk in the shade,'' it went, ``With those blues on parade / But I'm not afraid / This rover crossed over / If I never have a cent / I'd be rich as Rockefeller / Gold dust at my feet / On the sunny side of the street.'' Now, as we stand not only at Mrs. Todd's centennial, but Charlie Parker's as well, I cannot help but reflect on our collective good fortune. We lost the Bird in '55, but God has generously allowed us a full century of Bernice. For that, I am immensely grateful. Madam Speaker, please join me, the world of Jazz, and everyone in Missouri's Fifth Congressional District in wishing Mrs. Bernice Todd a happy 100th birthday. Here's to many more years, Mrs. Todd, ``on the sunny side of the street.''

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the lifesaving service of Dr. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. From his youth in Montreal to his football career in Kansas City, Dr. Duvernay-Tardif has proven himself to be a hero in more ways than one. His story is timely; it is instructive; and it is extraordinary. When Dr. Duvernay-Tardif helped bring the Lombardi Trophy back home to Kansas City after fifty long years, I did not think I could gain a deeper sense of admiration or gratitude for the Chiefs. Since then, however, that same sense of gratitude has grown even more profound. Today, it is my honor to join his teammates, Coach Andy Reid, and our great city in saying Merci, Docteur Duvernay-Tardif, for your vital and noble work fighting the deadly coronavirus pandemic on the frontlines. From watching college lectures at half-speed with an English dictionary in hand, to working as an NFL lineman while earning a medical degree, Dr. Duvernay-Tardif has spent his whole life defying expectations. When he graduated from McGill University Faculty of Medicine in May 2018 with a doctorate in medicine and master's in surgery, it had already been four years since he was drafted into the NFL just after assisting an emergency C-section. Since joining the NFL, he has worked overnights at the hospital, slept in the locker room wearing his scrubs, and never stopped putting forth the utmost effort for his team--whether under stadium lights or fluorescent medical lamps. Moreover, he has stepped up to make football a safer sport with his presence on the NFL's Health and Safety Committee and given back to his community through the LDT Foundation. And, of course, he also helped deliver a historic win to a grateful city. As I consider Dr. Duvernay-Tardif's remarkable story, I see an athlete in the O.R. and a surgeon on the field. In both, I see an indomitable spirit. And when the world called upon a new breed of soldier to fight an invisible threat, Dr. Duvernay-Tardif answered that call without hesitation. Even before securing a position at a healthcare facility, he was using his platform and expertise to inform and educate. Now, as an orderly at a long-term care facility, he is doing the unglamorous, lifesaving work of caring for and protecting those most vulnerable to this virus. Recently, in order to continue this critical work, he became the first professional football player to opt-out of the upcoming season. Like him, I support every player's personal decision on the matter. However, l must say that I see in his decision the same young man who, on a year-long sailing expedition, used to be summoned at midnight to take the helm while his family slept. He knows what it means to sail in the darkness of night, when there is nothing to guide you but your own radar. As a Chiefs super-fan, as a citizen, as one of millions across the globe staring down this specter, it is my honor to express in this forum how proud Dr. Duvernay-Tardif continues to make all of us in Kansas City. He guarded Patrick Mahomes, and now, he is guarding all of us. Madam Speaker, please join me and my constituents in Missouri's 5th District in wishing Dr. Duvernay-Tardif safety, health, and good fortune as he serves his community during this pandemic. I also want to assure him and his colleagues across the country that I will do everything I can to be a voice for the urgent needs of the medical community in the halls of Congress. In fact, let us all join in that pledge. Heroes like Dr. Duvernay-Tardif are on the line, helmet-to-helmet with this threat, standing between us and total catastrophe. They are guarding us so that we can do our jobs. It is the end of the fourth quarter, we have no more time-outs, and our team has come to a standstill. We have had a play on the books since May, and it is time to put it in the field because time is running out. Dr. Duvernay-Tardif is fighting for our lives. It is time we had his back.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the life and legacy of Ms. Rosa James: an invaluable leader in Kansas City's African American community who dedicated her life to improving public education issues, encouraging voter registration, and addressing civil and racial injustices. On Tuesday, July 22, 2020, Ms. Rosa James was called home to heaven after a profoundly impactful 86 years of life and service. Ms. Rosa James was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina where she received the bulk of her education. In the early 1960s, Ms. James moved to Kansas City, Missouri where she served as a reading specialist for the Kansas City Public Schools for the next 36 years. Ms. James retired from this work in 1998 but remained committed to serving the education system. Ms. James also befriended and mentored future superintendent Mark Bedell--a testament to her desire to positively shape education in Kansas City for generations to come. Ms. James' retirement would only be the beginning of her journey to solving persistent issues and working to dismantle injustices. Ms. Rosa James also spent many years of her life bridging the racial divides that continue to persist throughout our nation today. As someone who came of age and worked when the African American Civil Rights movement was at its peak, Ms. James dedicated herself to furthering the movement and actively advocated for the adoption of various civil rights bills in the 1960s. Even after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed, Ms. James continued to work toward racial justice, serving as a board member for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and as an executive committee member for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Her work with the NAACP earned her the Kansas City Spirit Award and the NAACP President's award. Ms. James also served as the 7th-ward committeewoman for the Jackson County Democratic Committee, helping distribute ballot information on election days, and would serve as a member of the municipal judicial nominating commission. The profound impacts Ms. Rosa James had on the Greater Kansas City area extended to the citizens and those she worked with and mentored as well, always having a positive effect on everyone with whom she interacted. Dr. Mark Bedell, Superintendent of Kansas City Public Schools, said that Ms. James ``was a great, great lady who genuinely cared about this school district and the children in this community.'' Each and every person that knew Ms. James, even those whom she simply helped register to vote, attest not only to her incredible commitment to bettering the community and the city, but also to her warm-hearted kindness that filled the room. Ms. James was someone who had a passion for public service, positive change, and bringing about that change. In every instance where there was an injustice, she was there, standing alongside others attempting to fix it. Her immeasurable commitment to bettering public schools, registering voters, and addressing racial injustices, along with her cheerful nature and friendly demeanor, left a lasting impact on many Kansas Citians. Her legacy is defined by meaningful change, leadership, selflessness, and compassion. Madam Speaker, please join Missouri's Fifth Congressional District in honoring the life of Ms. Rosa James.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Mr. Bruce Watkins, Jr. Mr. Watkins spent his days on Earth fighting to preserve, honor, and protect the stories of the African Americans who helped build and grow Kansas City, living a life that deserves both recognition and reflection. Mr. Watkins was born in the time of Emmett Till and Rosa Parks, into a family with a profound and unwavering commitment to advancing the cause of civil rights in Kansas City. His father was both a co-founder and the second president of Freedom, Incorporated, Kansas City's local, Black political organization, as well as the first African American elected to the City Council of Kansas City. In 1966, his father was elected a Circuit Court Clerk, making him the first Black person elected to Jackson County government, and would later become the first African American to nearly win a KC mayoral race. As a former city council member and Kansas City's first African American Mayor, I know that the path I walk was planned, plowed, and paved by Bruce Watkins, Sr. It has been an honor to watch Bruce Watkins, Jr. valiantly carry his father's mission into the 21st century. Mr. Watkins grew up alongside the African American Civil Rights Movement, went to Southeast High School, and then studied at University of Nevada-Las Vegas' College of Business, where he graduated in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in Human Resources Management and Services. Thirteen years later, he would return to school to earn his Associate degree at Kansas City Kansas Community College's School of Mortuary Science, before starting his career as a funeral director. Mr. Watkins was a keeper of stories. As a funeral director at the Watkins Brothers Memorial Chapel, Mr. Watkins spent thirty-one years performing the unglamorous but noble work of honoring our community's dead and supporting their grieving families. As a leading member of the Watkins Foundation, he led the campaign to have Kansas City's East Patrol Crime Lab named after prominent civil rights leader Leon Jordon, forty-five years after his assassination. As a member of Freedom, Incorporated, Mr. Watkins aided in the group's mission to register African American voters in Kansas City, elect them to local office, and ensure that the voices of Black Kansas Citians were heard within the halls of government. And as eminent Kansas City leaders, he and his cousin Warren Watkins, Jr. fought to gain recognition for the slaves likely buried at the site of the City's new airport. Mr. Watkins was integral to that continued mission to make sure that those we welcome to our magnificent city also know of its painful past, etching a symbolic headstone of history for his ancestors whose graves remain largely unmarked. I was proud to call Mr. Watkins a dear friend and am humbled not only by his life of service but also by the task of paying tribute to it. On this day, I wonder how to properly honor someone who spent his whole life honoring others--how one can do justice to the story of a lifelong storyteller. Perhaps, the answer lies in not only telling Mr. Watkins' story but also the stories he was passionate about preserving. When we in the Missouri 5th drive on Bruce R. Watkins Memorial Drive or pass by the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Center--when we look upon the Spirit of Freedom Fountain or drive by the Green Duck Lounge--when we tell the stories of Fred Curls or Lucile Bluford or Leon Jordon--we honor the life and work of Bruce Watkins, Jr. May God allow him to continue that work in the company of that other great storyteller, who told us all of the Sower, the Weeds, and the Mustard Seed. I think they'll get along well. As the keeper of a history he helped make, Mr. Watkins continued a four-generation story of a family and a city that loved and challenged one another. Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring the life of Bruce Watkins, Jr. Let us all seek to emulate his example by preserving the stories that tell us who we are as a people and a nation and let one of those stories be his.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Terry Sloan for thirty-two years of federal service, including five years as the National Records Center Director within the Department of Homeland Security's United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Prior to joining USCIS in 2008, Ms. Sloan held various legal and leadership positions within the Department of Defense and the Department of Commerce. Recognized as an outstanding public servant throughout her illustrious career, Ms. Sloan's long list of accomplishments have been celebrated with several prestigious awards, including the Department of the Army Civilian Service Achievement Medal. Once named the USCIS Manager of the Year, Ms. Sloan was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2015, making her a civil- service equivalent to a general officer within the United States military. Having served the US, federal government for over three decades, including a half-decade at the helm of the USCIS National Records Center, Ms. Sloan's example of leadership and public service is well-worth reflecting upon. Lee's Summit, Missouri became home to the USCIS National Records Center in 1999, when the country's most extensive collection of immigrant records was moved to a limestone cave sixty feet below ground. Currently holding nearly sixty-million immigrant files, another one-and-a-half million records are added each year to the countless shelves within this four-hundred-and-fifty-thousand square foot repository. Among these, the National Records Center houses the immigration files belonging to highly acclaimed cultural icons who immigrated to the United States, including John Lennon, Salvador Dali, and Elizabeth Taylor. Receiving over six hundred FOIA requests each day, the USCIS National Records Center documents contain our country's immigration history through the eyes of individual immigrants who journeyed across the globe before stepping foot on American shores, As new files arrive at the National Records Center by the truckload, the eight hundred employees and contractors employed within the vast facility work around the clock to retrieve documents needed to determine immigrant status for granting government benefits. As the Director of the USCIS National Records Center, Ms. Sloan had the profound responsibility of managing this immense, ever-growing repository to ensure that the history of immigration to the United States is properly archived, made accessible to the public, and preserved for future generations. In 2016, while serving as the National Records Center's Director, Ms. Sloan oversaw efforts to locate photographs of five immigrants who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. For fifteen years, it had proved impossible to find images of these five individuals. However, when Ms. Sloan and the team she oversaw was put to the task, portraits of all five victims were quickly discovered and then shipped to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum for public display--a striking testament to the record center's archival excellence. Ms. Sloan has promoted innovation and efficiency through strategic initiatives such as document digitization, the proactive disclosure of records, and the use of modern case-processing technology. Ms. Sloan championed the Freedom of Information Act Immigration Records System, otherwise known as FIRST--the only government-used, end-to-end, automated, electronic FOIA system that allows users to submit and track FOIA requests and receive their documents digitally. Madam Speaker, please join me in commemorating thirty-two years of public service from Ms. Terry Sloan. At the base of the Statue of Liberty, a poem written by Emma Lazarus welcomes people from all lands with the promise of the United States. ``Give me your tired, your poor, / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, / The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,'' the poem reads. Thanks to the service of Ms. Terry Sloan, the millions of people who embraced those words as they made way to America will have their history preserved for future generations of scholars, authors, genealogists, and curious descendants.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I proudly rise today to recognize Mayor Robert ``Bill'' Kolas for his 31 years of dedicated service to the community in his role as Mayor of Higginsville, Missouri. Having been steadfast in his commitment to the betterment of this small, close-knit community, Mayor Kolas undoubtedly leaves behind a legacy of unparalleled leadership. Mayor Kolas was born in Carrollton, Missouri, the son of William and Doris Kolas. Going into his 5th grade year, his family moved to Higginsville, Missouri and established themselves within the community. Mayor Kolas graduated from Higginsville High School in 1957 and went on to work in construction for two years before he joined the United States Navy in October of 1959. After proudly serving a four-year tour, Mayor Kolas returned to Higginsville before taking on a traveling sales position. For the next 20 years, Mayor Kolas represented livestock feed companies, encompassing a Midwest region of five states. In 1977, he made Higginsville his homestead for good, settling in with his beloved wife and daughter, and has remained an active force in the community since then. After a two-year term serving on the Board of Alderman, Bill sought the mayorship, successfully winning his election and serving a two year term. Dedicated to carrying out and directly shaping the community, Bill ran for mayor again in 1991 and has been leading Higginsville as mayor ever since. Mayor Kolas' list of accomplishments is expansive. Under his leadership, the Tax Increment Financing Commission was established, the power plant was expanded, the city took on a sewer improvement project and constructed 3 miles of sidewalks, and a \1/4\ cent public safety tax was passed, just to name a few. Moreover, in addition to mayor, Bill serves his community in many roles ranging from Founding Committee Member of the Lafayette County LEAD 2000 leadership program, Board Member, Vice President, and President of the Missouri Municipal League, Council Chair for the Pioneer Trails Regional Planning Commission, to the President of the Whiteman Airforce Base Community Council. Madam Speaker, please join me honoring Mayor Bill Kolas' 31 years of leading the Higginsville, Missouri community. On behalf of the people of Higginsville and Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, myself included, I thank him for his dedicated service to the public. I wish him the best in this next chapter of his life.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I regrettably missed one vote on Friday, May 15, 2020. I had intended to vote ``yes'' on roll call vote 107.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I proudly rise today to recognize and celebrate the U.S. Navy's newest addition to its fleet, the Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship, USS Kansas City. On September 22, 2018, before a large crowd, the USS Kansas City (LCS-22) was christened in Mobile, Alabama. She was launched on October 19, 2018, into the Mobile River. On June 20, 2020, she will be commissioned in San Diego, California. The Independence variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is testament to the hardworking and highly skilled women and men in the United States Navy and our nation's shipbuilding and manufacturing industries. It is a high-speed, agile, multi-mission ship designed to defeat growing littoral threats and provide access and dominance in coastal waters. The reconfigurability of the ship makes it a force multiplier in any environment for the Navy. She is the third ship to be named for Kansas City, the largest city in the state of Missouri. The first USS Kansas City (CA-128) was to have been a heavy cruiser but was canceled due to the end of World War II, just days after the keel laying ceremony. The second USS Kansas City (AOR-3) was a Wichita-class replenishment oiler and saw service in the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm. What the future holds for the newest USS Kansas City is anyone's guess. What I do know, without a doubt, is that the brave women and men, who took an oath to uphold the constitution and protect you and I and the liberty we hold so dear, are the true heroes and protagonists of this story. They are the ones who will be making history. They are the ones who will serve on this ship and who will make all of us from Kansas City proud as it sails with our city's name. This ship will sail with the support of the entire city. Any sailor who steps aboard the USS Kansas City will find themselves an honorary Kansas Citian and a constituent of mine. I wish to express my sincere and grateful appreciation for the dedicated service provided by all current and future crew members of the USS Kansas City, and for the selflessness and sacrifices they and their families make in order that we may live in safety and freedom. Go therefore, USS Kansas City and make your mark, assume your place in history. Be proud of your accomplishments and make the most of your failures. As President Truman through his wit and wisdom once said, ``Men make history. History does not make the man.'' Madam Speaker, please join me in wishing the women and men of the USS Kansas City fair winds and following seas.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I regrettably missed votes on Monday, February 10, 2020. I had intended to vote ``yes'' on roll call vote 55, and ``yes'' on vote 56.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I regrettably missed votes on Friday, February 7, 2020. I had intended to vote ``yes'' on roll call vote 52, ``no'' on roll call vote 53, and ``yes'' on roll call vote 54

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I regrettably missed votes on Thursday, February 6, 2020. I had intended to vote ``yes'' on roll call vote 38, ``yes'' on vote 39, ``yes'' on vote 40, ``yes'' on vote 41, ``no'' on vote 42, ``no'' on vote 43, ``yes'' on vote 44, ``no'' on vote 45, ``no'' on vote 46, ``yes'' on vote 47, ``yes'' on vote 48, ``no'' on vote 49, ``yes'' on vote 50, and ``yes'' on vote 51.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I regrettably missed votes on Wednesday, February 5, 2020. I had intended to vote ``yes'' on roll call vote 35, ``yes'' on vote 36, and ``yes'' on vote 37.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to honor the life and memory of the late Reverend Dr. Wallace Hartsfield, Sr., a prominent religious and civil rights leader who devoted his life to the uplifting of mankind. Rev. Hartsfield's passion for community was only rivaled by the fierce adoration he had for his wife, four children, and many grandchildren. On Thursday, January 23, 2020, Rev. Hartsfield passed away after a deeply inspiring ninety years of life. Born on November 13, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia, Rev. Hartsfield was an only child, raised by his mother in Jacksonville, Florida. Reverend Hartsfield proudly served his country, completing a three-year tour of duty with the United States Armed Services in the Philippines before going on to attend Clark College, where he graduated in 1954. Rev. Hartsfield later earned his Master of Divinity from Gammon Theological Seminary and went on to serve churches in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Wichita before settling in Kansas City. He served as senior pastor of Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church, one of Kansas City's largest African-American churches, from 1962 to 1968 and again from 1972 until his retirement in 2008. Rev. Hartsfield's son, Pastor Wallace S. Hartsfield, II succeeded his father's tenure at Metropolitan Missionary Baptist and continues the legacy of faith and leadership that his father established. In connection to his lengthy and dedicated career of spiritual work, Rev. Hartsfield played a crucial role in the civil rights movement. Growing up in the segregated south, he was no stranger to the dark and deeply painful realities of our nation's history. Rev. Hartsfield committed himself to the fight for a more just world, using the negative experiences he endured and witnessed as motivation in the fight for equality and a better life for African Americans. Marching alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and working with Reverend Jesse Jackson on the PUSH campaign to improve economic opportunities for African Americans, Rev. Hartsfield embodied true leadership, compassion, and activism. In all that he approached, Rev. Hartsfield did so with a fervent passion and steadfast desire for change. By serving on local, regional, and national boards, including as Chairman of the Congress of National Black Churches and President of the Baptist Ministers Union, creating the Concerned Clergy Coalition in an effort to combat crime, and leading a multi-million dollar campaign for Kansas City health centers, Rev. Hartsfield proved time and time again that he was truly a man of unparalleled dedication. As an unwavering voice for doing what was morally just, Rev. Hartsfield helped to positively shape the future for generations to come. By serving as a beacon of light through dark moments in our history and ushering in hope in times of hopelessness, Rev. Hartsfield leaves behind a monumental legacy of service, courage, and perseverance. Madam Speaker, please join Missouri's Fifth Congressional District in honoring the life of Reverend Dr. Wallace Hartsfield, Sr. Let us carry forth with the same sense of duty and compassion of Rev. Hartsfield, always remembering his profound words: ``I may not have the power to change things, but I can be a voice for change.''

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, our Nation has gone through quite a tumultuous first 15 days of 2020. We marched right up to the brink of war after President Donald Trump authorized the assassination of Iranian General Soleimani. And even though the Iranians did launch a measured attack, it is like the argument that the husband believed he won with his wife. It ain't over yet. Long before the current crisis with Iran, our peerless intelligence agencies began warning us of robust cyberattacks from Russia, China, North Korea, and, of course, Iran. These nations are all hell-bent on doing damage to us and using bots, an online method of passing disinformation to unsuspecting Americans, with the ultimate goal of turning unsuspecting Americans against each other. If we do that, we are repeating or allowing the repetition of what the Russians did in 2016, which is to again meddle in our upcoming quadrennial election. Now, for me, it is difficult to blame our enemies for seeking to exploit the weaknesses in our society, because it is so crystal clear to me that we are doing to ourselves what our enemies have been unable to do in the last 150 years. Our current extreme political partisanship and reliance on social media--which is, by the way, littered with disinformation--but with that, we have allowed a well to be dug into the soul of American democracy. Our Nation is wounded and it is a wound that our enemies will seek to further infect. Sadly, I must give some frightening news to our Nation. This, I guess, is a matter of national security information. Russia has designed and advanced the most menacing, yet non-nuclear weapons on Earth. Every American should know that the blast from this bomb can do greater damage to our Nation than the combined marching armies of Hitler, Mussolini, and Tojo. Mr. Speaker, I say to my fellow Americans: We are now threatened by the big mama of all weapons. It is called disinformation and the delivery system is called Facebook and other forms of social media. In many ways, Congress has been complicit in this tribalistic way in which we conduct business in our Nation. We have opened wide the door to a brazen alien incursion into our elections. Some Members of this august body are actually pushing disinformation into the delivery system. In days gone by, kings and lords built their fortresses around deep wells to provide cool and clear water for those who lived inside the garrison. Strategically, these wells were inside the walls of forts so that at a time of an attack from the enemy, the water supply could never be blocked so that the lifesaving water, in a time of war, would be controlled by those inside the fort. Therefore, the inhabitants would not be at the mercy of invaders. Here is the point: If our great Republic could be led by our leaders into the babbling, cool waters of internal oneness and toleration, we will not be victims of the kind of vicious misinformation that has been flowing across this Nation now for a number of years. We would not be vulnerable to the whims of those who wish to do us harm. Mr. Speaker, I close with an ominous note: Most of the great empires throughout the history of the world fell into decline not because of some new military juggernaut, but because of internal fighting and the failure to appreciate the amazing ethnic and racial mosaic that is uniquely ours as Americans. Will that happen to us? Let me just say that we can only be saved by the well water of civility and decency inside our Nation. We control what is inside our Nation. What we need most is inside our Nation. Mr. Speaker, I ask that we please accept and remember and meditate on this: Under the right conditions, even the most inspirational democracy in the history of the world can wane. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the Missouri Class 3 State Championship won by the Odessa High School football team. Such an achievement is the result of strong leadership and continued dedication by both players and coaches alike. It is truly an honor to recognize this exemplary group of athletes from Missouri's Fifth Congressional District. For the first time in a quarter of a century and only the second time in school history, Odessa High School earned the state championship title in a 49-28 win over Cassville High School at the University of Missouri's Faurot Field on Saturday, December 7, 2019. This victory was the culmination of their unwavering perseverance and excellence on and off the field. Building upon their undefeated record and averaging 55 points per game, the Bulldogs entered the championship game eager and focused. The Bulldogs took the lead, 6-0, in the first twelve seconds after Senior Bryley Ray's 93-yard kickoff return. Capitalizing on their early advantage, Odessa covered 80-yards in six plays on its third drive of the game. Not giving into Odessa's pressure, Cassville brought the score at the end of the first quarter to 14-7. In the second quarter, quarterback, Josey Meirerend and Ray led Odessa to a 21-7 lead before Ethan Uhrlaub's 1-yard score made it 28-7. Leaving nothing to chance, junior Brett Duncan's 27-yard post pattern completed a five-play, 52- yard drive, sending the Bulldogs into halftime with a 35-14 advantage. But the Bulldogs never became complacent and continued to push themselves. Going into the second half of the game, Odessa remained singularly focused on their goal of becoming state champs. Carter Westerhold caught an 18-yard pass for a score to complete their first drive of the half while Luke Malizzi led the way on the second to provide the final margin of victory. In a true display of unity and willpower, the Odessa Bulldogs defeated the Cassville Wildcats 49-28. This momentous accomplishment was achieved not by individuals, but as a united group of young men with guidance from a devoted group of coaches: Mark Thomas, head coach; Barry Blank, assistant head coach; Jeremy Helton, defensive coordinator; Chuck Clemens, special teams coordinator; Kiefer Kratz, JV head coach; and Miles Hoshard, JV offensive coordinator. The accolades of Odessa's football team and coaching staff are a testament to what they have built through their hard work and collaboration. It is my honor to congratulate each member of the team that have helped Odessa High School to claim this prestigious title. I encourage each player to continue challenging themselves to always give their best on and off the field. Madam Speaker, please join with Missouri's Fifth Congressional District in celebrating the Missouri Class 3 State Championship victory of the Odessa Bulldogs, and I encourage all of us to unite together under the same spirit of perseverance, collaboration, and hard work that led this remarkable team to their first state championship win in over twenty-five years.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the victory of the Guadalupe Centers Charter High School Boys soccer team. This victory establishes the team as Missouri's Class 2 Champions--the first championship title in school and program history. The achievement of such a title undoubtedly required strong leadership matched with unparalleled levels of passion and dedication. I am proud to represent the exemplary work of athletes like these in Missouri's Fifth Congressional District. Not only did they finish this season with a winning 22-2 record, the team--comprised of first or second-generation Americans--demonstrates a uniquely American story of hard work, diversity, sacrifice, and perseverance. Embracing both their differences and their similarities, this united identity gave the team a unique sense of purpose and comradery that eventually led them down the path to victory. For many, the struggles along the path to this achievement were symbolic of the sacrifices many of their parents and loved ones made for them to have this opportunity. Under the direction of head coach, Ricky Olivares, the Guadalupe Center Aztecs made their first tournament appearance in school history. They eventually reached the state final by beating Southern Boone High School 2-0 with sophomore Luckyboy Tarley scoring both goals in the shutout. On November 23, 2019, Guadalupe Centers High School went head- to-head with St. Louis Priory School. In a tense game, senior leader David Portillo scored three of the four goals, Tarley scoring the other. With the support of freshman goalkeeper Henry Godinez and the rest of the team, the Aztecs pulled off a 4-3 win over the four-time state champions, Priory. It is my pleasure to congratulate each of the vitally important team members that helped Guadalupe Centers Charter High School claim this title, and I encourage each player to continue challenging themselves to pursue all that they do with the same passion and tenacity displayed in this historic season. Madam Speaker, please join with Missouri's Fifth Congressional District in celebrating the victories of the Guadalupe Centers Aztecs, and I encourage my fellow citizens and constituents to unite together under the same spirit of perseverance, collaboration, and hard work that led this remarkable team to their monumental victory.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, a significant anniversary for two of America's closest allies--the Czech and Slovak Republics. Only eight days after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the same spirit of freedom that overcame Berlin made its way to Prague. On November 17, 1989, the country formerly known as Czechoslovakia freed itself from four decades of a communist totalitarian regime, transforming authoritarian rule of the nation into democracy. Initiated by student protesters in the streets, the protest of the regime and the demand for democracy quickly gained momentum with over a half-million Czechs and Slovaks filling Prague's streets and taking over Wenceslas Square. Soldiers beat protesters, used water cannons on the crowd, and made numerous arrests during this time. However, the demonstrators remained peaceful. By the end of 1989, Czechoslovakia was on its way to holding its first presidential election since 1948. The successful movement is now referred to as the ``Velvet Revolution'' or the ``Gentle Revolution,'' which signifies the idea that the revolution was brought about without violence. The years following the Velvet Revolution brought the ``Velvet Divorce,'' the unofficial name given to the separation of the Czechoslovakia into two nations: the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. Through peaceful mutual consent, Czechoslovakia separated on January 1, 1993. To solidify their places on the world stage and showcase their commitment to democracy, the Czech and Slovak Republics formally became members of the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the United Nations. It is also worth mentioning that the Czech Republic has a local tie to Missouri's Fifth Congressional District. When applying for admission into NATO, the Czech Republic had the official documents signed at the Truman Presidential Library in Independence, Missouri in 1999. The induction ceremony that took place included Poland and Hungary, and marked the first eastward expansion by NATO since the end of the Cold War. Madam Speaker, please join me and all of Missouri's Fifth Congressional District in congratulating the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic for their achievements in independence and their efforts in promoting democracy

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I proudly rise today to recognize the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Jewish Community Relations Bureau of the American Jewish Committee (JCRB/AJC). The American Jewish Committee was founded in 1906 in the wake of the Kishinev programs by Cyrus Adler, Jacob Schiff, Mayer Sulzberger, Louis Marshall, and other prominent leaders of the American Jewish community to advocate for the security of Jews everywhere. AJC eventually became known across the globe for its advocacy, support, and unremitting commitment to the preservation of Jewish communities nationally and abroad. From campaigning against the literacy test for immigrants, calling for more inclusive U.S. immigration policies in the early 1900s, joining emergency relief efforts to assist more than 10,000 European Jews en route to the U.S. in the 1920s, joining NBC in broadcasting the first Jewish religious service from Germany since the rise of Nazism in 1944, and playing a vital role in negotiating the $822 million Holocaust restitution settlement with Germany on behalf of Jewish people in 1952, AJC has worked to not only better the lives of Jews across the world, but society as a whole. JCRB/AJC Kansas City was established in 1944 as a result of merging what was Kansas City's AJC regional office and the local Jewish Community Relations Bureau. Now one seamless organization, JCRB/AJC's mission combines AJC's global reach with the local JCRB's tradition of community relations activities. Serving Kansas and western Missouri, JCRB/AJC advocates and educates to eliminate injustice and discrimination through its community and globally led initiatives, as well as connecting Kansas City with the broader network of AJC's partners. JCRB/AJC's mission reflects the American Jewish Committee's pledge to enhance the wellbeing of the Jewish people and Israel by combatting antisemitism, promoting Israel's place in the world, and countering the spread of radicalism and extremism. The impact of their work has resulted in a plethora of concrete results in the form of government policies, alliances, and legislation that make our world safer and more secure. In line with their historic and deep commitment to interorganization and interreligious cooperation, JCRB/AJC works closely with other faiths, educators, elected officials, and minority communities to pursue justice for all. For seventy-five years, JCRB/AJC has been a pillar of leadership throughout the Kansas City area, leading the way in empowering marginalized communities through unmatched advocacy and community unification. Madam Speaker, please join me and Missouri's Fifth Congressional District in honoring JCRB/AJC Kansas City's seventy-fifth anniversary and their dedication to advancing justice for Jewish and minority communities throughout the world.