Shomari Figures

Mr. FIGURES

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, as we bring this Special Order to a close, I again highlight the fact that the celebration of Black history is not a celebration of just a few individuals who did some notable things. Black history is about celebrating the faith that an entire people, an entire culture had and the potential of what this Nation could be: A faith that was unshakable. A faith in their God. A faith in this Nation. A faith that America could be America for them, too. They held on to this. We still hold to it. Through the darkest days of this country, when Black people could literally only hold onto the security and four walls of a church, where they could sing hymns like ``I Will Trust in the Lord'' or ``Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior'' or ``Take My Hand, Precious Lord.'' Precious Lord, take my hand Lead me on, let me stand I am tired, I'm weak, I am worn Through the storm, through the night Lead me on to the light. That is where we come from. I stand here before you just three generational lines removed from slavery, and I know that sounds crazy. That is how close we are from where we came from. The faith that my great-grandparents had at that same generational line, where we had people born in my family into slavery, to come just three generations, it is that same faith that leads me here. It is that same faith that led my father to break down those color barriers at an institution where just a few years before a Governor stood and declared that segregation today, segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever. It is that same faith that led him to apply to that law school where just a few years before his older brother applied and was told send us a picture. He refused to do so. We celebrate that faith. We celebrate that resilience, that resolve, that perseverance. That is what Black History Month is about, and that is why we continue to hold on to that faith, because we, too, believe that America is still America for us, too. It is America for all of us. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FIGURES

Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay honor and respect to all those who paved the way and had a hand and responsibility for me standing here today as a Member of Congress, a place where I could not stand in this capacity when this building was constructed, both those historical figures as well as those who more presently were actively involved in supporting and praying for and campaigning for us to be here. That includes my wife, Dr. Kalisha Dessources Figures. I certainly would not be here without her support. Mr. Speaker, I rise to say happy birthday to my mother, who I call Mama. She celebrated a birthday while we were not in session, and I both literally and figuratively would not be here without her. I thank her and love her, and I wish her a happy birthday. Mr. Speaker, it could not be more fitting for me to be here and to discuss my mother because one of the lessons she repetitively ingrained in us as children was the concept of treating others the way we would want to be treated, treating others how we would like to be treated in the same or similar circumstance. Unfortunately, we find ourselves in a predicament as it relates to wildfire aid to California, where too many colleagues and our President are not abiding by that baseline principle. I am just a freshman here. There is the question of what I know about how things work here. I am still learning where the bathrooms are, as they say. I don't have the relationships. I don't understand the dynamics. I don't know how things move here yet. Here is what I do know. I know about decency. I know about compassion. I know that when someone comes from a community like mine on the Gulf of Mexico, names like Camille, Frederic, Ivan, Danny, and Katrina mean a little something different to us. I know that I come from a community where the average individual median income is just south of $32,000. People cannot afford to just rebuild their lives without disaster aid. I know when people come from where I come from, it is not a question of if we will be hit by disaster. It is a matter of when. It is not a matter of if our community will need Federal disaster aid. It is how much we will need and how fast we can get it there. I stand here today in support of California because I know that by standing for California, I am standing for Alabama. By standing for Los Angeles, I am standing for cities like Mobile, Leroy, Jackson, Evergreen, Monroeville, Montgomery, Tuskegee, Eufaula, Phenix City, and Union Springs. I know enough, even as a freshman, to know that, one day, the shoe will be on the other foot. I know that we will not always find ourselves in the dynamic as we are now where Republicans are in control of the House. One day, Democrats will be in control, a Republican community will be in need of disaster aid, and not a single Republican now that is supporting applying restrictions and conditions onto the aid will then stand up and say that we should apply conditions to that aid. It is not right, it is unnecessary, and quite frankly, it is un- American. It is not who we are. We pride ourselves on those cornerstones of the religion that most of us claim to abide by in this House. Those cornerstones are grace, mercy, and compassion. We pride ourselves on being able to say that we live in a country where we have the backs of the people that call themselves Americans as well. This is not like us. It simply is not. California pays the most in Federal taxes of any State in this Union. They subsidize most of the States, or many of the States, rather, including the State of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Alabama. We need to be there for them. I know that today the L.A. that needs help stands for Los Angeles, but tomorrow that LA could be Louisiana or it could be lower Alabama, as some people call back home. It could be FLA as in Florida. We have to stand up for California now. We have to do better. As a freshman, I don't know much, but I know what my mama taught me. I know this ain't it, and I know this is not what the mothers of my colleagues taught them. We have to put aside the partisan nonsense and do right by the American people because one day your community will be in need as well.