Al Green

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairperson of the committee, as well as the ranking member. I am so honored to be associated with this amendment. In Houston, Texas, we have floods that total $1 billion in damages, and it is not unusual for this to occur within a 1-year period of time. We had the tax day flood and the Memorial Day flood. I also would call to your attention that we have lost a total of 17 lives in the last two floods. So this amendment is going to go a long way toward preventing flooding. It won't end it all, but it will help us greatly, and it may save some lives.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I neglected to thank Mr. Culberson. It really has been a pleasure working with Congressman Culberson on this project. This has been something, as the gentleman knows, that our constituents have demanded that we pay some attention to. I hope that this will help to satisfy some of the concerns that have been raised that the gentleman and I have tried to address. So I thank the gentleman.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, this amendment is one that has received bipartisan support. It is supported by Congressman Gene Green of Texas as well as Congressman John Culberson of Texas. This amendment is quite simple. What it does is accord the Army Corps the requirement to prioritize projects wherein we have had a loss of life, a disaster declaration has been issued, there is a partnership agreement in place, and the funds have been authorized for the partnership. In Texas we have had--and across the country, I might add--floods that are no longer classified as 100-year floods. Indeed, they are being classified as billion-dollar floods. We have had the Memorial Day flood, which was more than $1 billion, and the Tax Day flood, which was more than $1 billion. Between the two, we had more than 15 lives lost-- approximately 17 to be more accurate. This amendment would give us the opportunity to have some of the projects on the Corps' docket completed such that we can eliminate some flooding and minimize additional flooding. I am honored to say that the Corps is aware of this amendment, and I am grateful to the Rules Committee for making it in order. I thank the chairperson and the ranking member for assistance given as well. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green).

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank, again, the chairperson, the ranking member, and the Rules Committee as well. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the members of the Ninth Congressional District are in mourning this morning. We are saddened by the passing of our Chief of Staff, Ms. Jacqui Ellis. Mr. Speaker, she was more than a Chief of Staff. She was one of my dearest and closest friends. She was a mentor to many of the people on the Hill and especially those who worked with her in my congressional office. She made a difference in the lives of people. She was there to be of assistance to those who needed help. And 1 minute will never give me enough time to express the love, the affection, and to thank all of the many people who have given their condolences and their sympathies, so we will have a Special Order next week at which Members of the House will be permitted to come to the floor, and we will make our comments then. But I do want to say this: she met the measure of life that Ruth Smeltzer called to our attention: Some measure their lives by days and years, Others by heartthrobs, passions, and tears. But the surest measure under God's sun Is what in your lifetime for others you've done. Jacqui, we love you, and we thank you for what you have done for others in your lifetime. We know that while physically you are not with us, spiritually you will always be with us. God bless you.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I love my country, and I rise today to pay tribute to those who lost their lives on 9/11. It has been a very painful thing for those of us who love our country. But notwithstanding all of the pain that I and the many others endure, it is not the same pain as those who have loved ones who made a transition on that day. So today I rise in honor of those who made the transition, those who went forward when others were running away. I salute those who are willing to stand and secure this country. I salute the police officers. I salute the military. I thank them for their service. I also want to honor those who lost their lives, and I have great sympathy for those who survived and the family members. I ask for a moment of silent prayer. Mr. Speaker, I know that there are still people who are willing to go into harm's way to make the ultimate sacrifice so that we can have a better quality of life in the freest country in the world.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I missed the following votes: Motion to Adjourn. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on this motion. Motion to Adjourn. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on this motion. Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on the Rule providing consideration for H.R. 5538. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on this motion. H. Res. 820, Rule providing consideration of H.R. 5338. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on this rule. Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on the Rule providing consideration for H.R. 4992, H.R. 5119, and H.R. 5631. Had I been present I would have voted ``no'' on this motion. H. Res. 819, Rule providing for Consideration of H.R. 4992. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on this rule. H.R. 5658, TALENT Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on this bill. Johnson (GA)/Conyers Amendment #1. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on this amendment. Meeks Amendment. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on this amendment. Johnson (GA) Amendment #4. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on this amendment. Johnson (GA)/Cicilline Amendment #5. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on this amendment. Democratic Motion to Recommit H.R. 4768. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on this motion. Final Passage of H.R. 4768, Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2016. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on this bill.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, that which has occurred in Dallas, Texas, gives a sad meaning to the term ``in the line of duty.'' In the line of duty, there are husbands who will not return home. In the line of duty, peace officers will not return home. Although I don't know the gender of all of them, I want to make sure I cover them all; so let me say that, in the line of duty, there are peace officers who will not return home. Those husbands and wives and children had every reason to believe that their loved ones would return home. They are in pain, and I want them to know that we suffer together. All of us in this country suffer whenever any one of us is taken by violence. Innocent people in this country are suffering. People of good will are suffering. Families are suffering. My prayer is that, out of this adversity, we can build a unity that will afford us the opportunity to develop the harmony necessary for the people of the greatest Nation in the world to live together. We have to span these chasms that divide us, and forgiveness is in order, but we must also make sure that justice is done. All who are associated with the dastardly deeds that occurred with reference to Dallas must be arrested, convicted, and must be prosecuted to the fullest extent that the law allows. There can be no exceptions. The time has come now for those who are suffering to receive our prayers and our sympathies, and I regret that ``in the line of duty'' has taken on a different meaning for them.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I love my country. No one says the Pledge of Allegiance with greater enthusiasm than I. No one sings ``God Bless America'' with more love for country than I. Mr. Speaker, I consider it a preeminent privilege to stand in the well of the Congress of the United States of America to address some of the great issues of our time. Mr. Speaker, the message that I deliver today has been 68 years in the making. The message that I deliver today had its genesis with my mother, who cautioned me that I must behave a certain way in the presence of the constabulary, the police; a mother who was concerned for her son, who always made it very clear to me that I had to say yes, sir and no, sir, and that I had to always accept whatever the police said to me. This message is 68-plus years in the making, Mr. Speaker. The message is, in part, based upon what my uncle, who was a deputy sheriff, shared with me about my behavior in the presence of the police; that I must always, always yield to the police; submit to the police; never challenge the police. Sixty-eight years in the making, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my heart is heavy after what has happened over the last 2 days to Black men in the United States of America. My heart is heavy. I had the unfortunate circumstance of seeing what happened to that man in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on the ground with his hands flailing, blood flowing from his chest. I heard the young lady this morning pleading to God: Jesus, God, don't let him be dead. Maybe not her exact words, but very much what she said: Don't let him be dead; don't let this happen. Mr. Speaker, we have to do something about the killing of Black men at the hands of the constabulary in this country. If you don't want to investigate the police, if you don't want to investigate the system, the culture that causes it, investigate Black men. Find out why they want to run out in front of bullets. Let's find out why they are the ones who are consistently, and with some degree of systemic order, forcing themselves upon the police such that they find themselves dead. Investigate us. I am a Black man in the United States of America. I have lived what I am saying. Sixty-eight years in the making, that is how long this speech has been made. I don't need a written piece of paper. I know what is going on. I was a judge for 26 years. I saw it. I can give firsthand testimony about what is going on. It is time for us to investigate what is happening to Black men in this country. Black lives do matter. These people are trying to tell us something, these young people. We must listen to them. Let us not ignore what is going on. The camera's eye doesn't lie. If you look at these videos and you use your common sense, you know that there is something going on, and we need to investigate it. And it is pervasive, it is not just one-off circumstances that we are having to contend with. These things are happening across the length and breadth of this country. Every venue has some account that can be called to our attention. It is time for us to do something. Mr. Speaker, I call on you. Mr. Speaker, you are the Speaker of the whole House. Mr. Speaker, I call on you to assemble the House so that we can address the issue of Black men dying at the hands of police in this country. And we ought to investigate it to the extent that we come to conclusions about the people that are involved in these tragedies. We should not have to have another mother to have her child in the car, 4 years of age, when her boyfriend is killed. Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the time, and I thank God for giving me 68 years to develop this message. And I pray, Mr. Speaker, that you will do something about what is happening to Black men in this country.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 1217, the bipartisan expanded background checks legislation to honor the memory of Mr. Rayland ``Ray Ray'' Maryland, a victim of gun violence who never received a moment of silence on the House floor.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I missed the following votes: H.R. 5525, End Taxpayer Funded Cell Phones Act of 2016. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on this bill. H.R. 5388, Support for Rapid Innovation Act of 2016. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on this bill. H.R. 5389, Leveraging Emerging Technologies Act of 2016. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on this bill.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am so honored tonight to mention again that this is a resolution that we have on the floor, H. Res. 772. This is the LGBTQ Pride Month legislation, and I am honored that it is on this day, which is Flag Day, because the flag speaks to liberty and justice for all--not liberty and justice for some, not liberty and justice for some of a certain hue, not liberty and justice for some of a certain religion, but, rather, liberty and justice for all, regardless of your race, your creed, your color, your sexuality, liberty and justice for all, regardless of your religious affiliation-- liberty and justice for all. I assure you that the American people expect no less than what we pledge allegiance to, the flag of the United States of America. So I am honored tonight that we have this resolution. This resolution is one that speaks to the accomplishments and the successes of the LGBTQ community. And there are accomplishments and successes that we should mention, notwithstanding the circumstance that we are, unfortunately, having to deal with at this time. There are these accomplishments and these successes. Let me just name a few of them as we move along. First, I would like to mention the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, a significant piece of legislation, a great success for America. However, the beneficiaries are persons who are discriminated against, who are harmed because of who they are. People do that in this country. We have people who will hurt you and take your life, as has been evidenced recently, because of who you are. This Congress took action and passed this law to say that, if you do this, whatever the punishment was, we will enhance it. We will make this punishment greater because you ought not target people because of who they are. Someone would say, well, why would we want to enhance the punishment for this reason? Here is the response. Here is the retort. Because we do it if you are a person in a blue uniform. You hurt a peace officer in the State of Texas, because he or she is a peace officer, your punishment is going to be enhanced. There is nothing wrong with that. I celebrate that. That is why I celebrate the passage of this piece of legislation, the Matthew Shepherd and James Byrd Hate Crime Prevention Act. This is an accomplishment that the LGBTQ community as well as other communities and all should celebrate. Of course, there is Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Can you imagine, as a heterosexual person, having to hide who you are every day of your life, having to be incognito in a sense, under an assumed identity, cannot be authentic, cannot be yourself? Can you imagine what that would be like? That's what Don't Ask, Don't Tell was all about, asking people to hide your identity. Don't tell anybody who you are. And if you don't tell anybody who you are, we will let you die for the country. We will let you go into harm's way and die as long as you won't tell people who you are. And I thank President Obama. When we eliminated Don't Ask, Don't Tell, we liberated a lot of people. One in particular that I am sure felt liberation was the Honorable Eric Fanning, because he now is the first openly gay Secretary of the Army. Can you imagine how many persons with talents that could have benefited our country were overlooked as a result of Don't Ask, Don't Tell? Some people refused to participate in that kind of system. So I am proud that this country has stepped away from this, because every person ought to be allowed to be himself or herself. Every person was created by the same Creator. We know the Creator by many names, but by any name, the Creator is the one that created all that is and ever shall be. And each one of us is a creation of the Creator of the universe, and we all should be proud of who we are because we all owe allegiance to the same Creator. I am proud to announce that 2012 was the first year that all 50 States had at least one LGBTQ elected official. I remember many years ago, as an African American, how proud I was when I could read annually that we had persons who were getting elected across the country to various positions who were of African ancestry. I was so proud that they were getting elected because I knew that we were making progress; I knew that there was a certain amount of acceptance taking place. This is what is happening with the LGBTQ community by having elected officials in all 50 States who can say ``I am proud to be who I am,'' who can be authentic. This is what America is all about, liberty and justice for all, pledge of allegiance to the flag, Flag Day. That is what this is all about: this country honoring who you are, letting you succeed on your merits and fail on your demerits, not based upon who you are. Unfortunately, I will tell you this, there are still some places in this country where members of the LGBTQ community are discriminated against openly and notoriously. Twenty-eight States still allow someone to be fired for being gay--for that alone. Show up and tell, show up and don't pretend, show up with a friend, and you could be fired in 28 States in this country. I think that, among all of the legislation that we talk about, this is something that the Congress ought to address. No one should be fired because of who you are, because of what God has made you. You ought not be fired for that. In 30 States, you can be fired for being a transgender person. In 28 States, you don't have protections for sexuality under housing discrimination laws, meaning, if someone believes or concludes or has evidence that you are a part of the LGBTQ community, then you can be discriminated against in housing. Is that the way a great country that I love, that has the notion of liberty and justice for all in the pledge of allegiance behaves? Do we allow this to continue? America stands for justice, stands for liberty, and it stands for it for all. It is time for us to extend all of the liberty and justice that I and others might have to the members of the LGBTQ community. I am an ally of this community, and because I am an ally, I am proud that the Supreme Court decided that marriage between same-sex couples should take place. The Constitution of the United States of America was not written for heterosexuals only. The 14th Amendment applies to people, not to sexuality. The 14th Amendment and the Constitution is something that is precious for all of us, and the Supreme Court has so said that these marriages between couples of the same sex have to be recognized and the licenses have to be issued. This is what allies of the LGBTQ community will call to the attention of persons on occasions such as this. I am also proud to tell you that we who are allies of the LGBTQ community are of the opinion that we can make some of these changes. We know that we can make these changes because we have done so before. We have passed legislation after horrific events in this country. Because we have done it before, we can do it again; because we did it with the Civil Rights Act of 1968. It took us 7 days in the Congress of the United States of America to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1968 after the assassination of Dr. King. We had 49 people assassinated in Orlando, Florida. Something can be done. People, some would say: Well, what can be done? That is what we can debate on the floor of the Congress. Let's debate it. Rather than conclude that whatever is said is wrong and you don't deserve a hearing because what you have said is wrong, let's debate it. We have bills to come before this Congress that we vote up and down on a daily basis. We vote them up or we vote them down. Why not have regular order apply to hate crime legislation? Why not have regular order apply to gun safety legislation? Not gun control--I don't buy into that terminology--gun safety. But if you think otherwise, then come to the floor, stand in the well, and state your position so that all can hear. The Gun Control Act of 1968 passed after the assassinations of President Kennedy, Dr. King, and Robert Kennedy. That legislation, I am sure, could have passed at other times, but it didn't. It was after a horrific act, or horrific acts, that it passed. I think that these lives were important. But the lives of the 49 people who died at Orlando are just as important as these lives that I call to your attention. Every life is precious. We should not allow ourselves to wait until it happens to be somebody that we perceive as being somebody. We ought not have to wait until someone who happens to hold public trust is harmed before we decide we are going to do something. Every person who is in this country is under the protection of the Constitution of the United States of America. We can debate our issues, but we ought to at least bring them to the floor and let's have a vote on them. I will accept, by the way, the vote. I always do. But I don't accept the notion that you can never have a vote on something because someone else happens to think that it is not worthy of voting on. I think all opinions have some value, and I think whether bills are presented by the Democrats or the Republicans, they are bills that have merit and bills that ought to receive consideration. Let them go through regular order. Let them come to this floor, and let's debate them. Of course, the one that many people will remember is the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1994. This was passed following the shooting of President Ronald Reagan. By the way, I am pleased that we passed all of these things. I believe that we did the right thing. Someone might argue that we could have passed this without the shooting of President Reagan. Thank God the person who attempted to assassinate him was not successful. I am so grateful that he was able to live and serve out his Presidency. But that shooting, that act alone, allowed this Congress to act. It is a known fact that you cannot have an act of Congress if you don't have a Congress willing to act. I am grateful that the Congress was willing to act after the shooting of a President of the United States. So, because we have done it before, I am convinced that we can do it again, and I am convinced that we should do it again. I believe that this is a seminal moment in time. We have these seminal moments in time--seminal moments, moments that impact all time. Rosa Parks, when she took that seat, ignited a spark that started a human rights-civil rights movement. That was a seminal moment in time. But there were also people who helped her at that time, which is one of the reasons why we come to the floor tonight, because we are allies of the LGBTQ community. The African American community at that time had allies. We had people who were willing to stand up for us and stand up with us. When Rosa Parks went to jail, there were people who came to post her bond. The people who bailed Rosa Parks out of jail: Mr. Nixon was African American, but Mr. and Mrs. Durr were not. Mr. and Mrs. Durr were people of goodwill who understood that an injustice was taking place. In fact, Mr. Clifford Durr was a lawyer, and his wife was a noted person in the community. The people who posted the bail to get Rosa Parks out of jail were not all of African ancestry. So we all have a debt that we owe. I am grateful to Rosa Parks. I wouldn't be here but for the efforts of the Rosa Parks of the world. So I have to repay that debt, and tonight I stand here to give an additional down payment on the debt that I owe that allowed me to be a part of the Congress of the United States of America. There was the crossing of the Edmund Pettus Bridge on what was known as Bloody Sunday. Many people lost blood at the Edmund Pettus Bridge. If you haven't been to the Edmund Pettus Bridge, I would invite you to go. Every person ought to see the Edmund Pettus Bridge, because if you can see the Edmund Pettus Bridge, you will understand the level of angst and consternation that persons marching forward had to have as they were going up, knowing that on the other side was the constabulary prepared to do whatever was necessary to force them to go back to their starting point and not to proceed with the march. Many of the people there with Congressman John Lewis, who said he thought he was going to die, were not African Americans. There were people of all hues at the Edmund Pettus Bridge there to see that justice was done. I owe a debt to the people who were willing to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge on that fateful day. I come to the floor tonight because I understand that I owe this debt. I believe that we owe a debt to those who have made it possible for us to be here, regardless of our hue. And believe me, regardless as to who you are, you owe a debt too. It may be to Patrick Henry: ``Give me liberty or give me death.'' It can be to any number of the Founding Fathers. But you owe a debt to people who made it possible for us to be here in the Congress of the United States of America and to have the liberties and freedoms that we have in this country. We ought to repay the debt so that we can pass on to others what has been passed on to us: a greater sense of freedom and a greater sense of belonging in the greatest country in the world. I am honored to tell you tonight that this resolution will not pass. I am honored to tell you this, that it will not pass this Congress. But I must be quite candid and tell you that we rarely pass any resolutions in Congress now. So I want to be fair to my friends who are in leadership to let them know that I respect the fact that any resolution, not just this one, would probably get the same results. But I do believe this: I am honored to tell you that it will pass some Congress. I hope I am here to see it pass. I hope I am here to cast my vote that will have it pass the Congress, that will give it a chance to be heard, and that will let people debate the issues of our time as they relate to this resolution. I hope I am here. But whether I am here or not, I believe that, at some point, we will look back through the vista of time, and we will reflect upon this time. We will ask ourselves: Who was there? Who was there to stand up for people other than themselves? I want the record to reflect that there were a good many people of goodwill who said to the LGBTQ community: You are not alone. You are not alone. We are with you. We will stand with you, and we will fight injustice with you. In the end, as Dr. King put it, ``though the arc of the moral universe may be long''--the arc of the moral universe may be long--``it bends toward justice.'' We will bend the arc of the moral universe toward justice. There will be justice for the LGBTQ community. Mr. Speaker, in addition to the comments that I have given tonight, I have a statement that I will be submitting for the Record, a statement that speaks to the tragic circumstances that occurred in Orlando, Florida. I will be submitting this for the Record because I want the Record to show that I, along with many of my friends, took a stand. By the way, many of my friends who are taking a stand are Republicans. Many of my friends who are taking a stand are conservatives, and many of my friends who are taking a stand are persons of goodwill who happen to be Muslims. By the way, the Muslim community in Houston, Texas, took a stand at the iftar that I attended. The Honorable M. J. Khan, former city council member, was loud and clear. He explained that the Muslim community respects the LGBTQ community, supports that community, and wants to fight for the community to have justice. Also, I would add that Saeed Sheikh Muhammad was there. He too made similar commentary. So there are persons across the spectrum who are supporting the LGBTQ community. I respect all of these persons, and I appreciate them for what they are doing. I want my statement to reflect that there are those of us who came together and said to the LGBTQ community: You are not alone. Mr. Speaker, you have been more than generous. I greatly appreciate it. I want to thank my colleague who appeared. I want to thank the many colleagues who could not appear because of circumstances associated with an event that is taking place tonight. But I know that their hearts are here, and I know that they will do what they can at an appropriate time to make sure that the LGBTQ community understands and knows that the community is not alone. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the leadership on both sides of the aisle for extending the time tonight. I am very grateful to the staffs who have helped us with the preparation for this evening's activities. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to be here this evening for many reasons. One of the reasons has to do with today being a very special day. Today is Flag Day. Flag Day is a day for us to honor the flag of the United States of America, which is one of the reasons I am wearing my flag tie. I want people to know that I am proud to be an American, and I am proud to honor the flag and to salute the flag. Flag Day is a date that we honor the flag for its adoption back on June 14, 1777. I say the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag, and I say it proudly. I say it proudly because it means something to me--each word means something to me--to pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. ``With liberty and justice for all'' are words of great importance tonight, and they are important because of some circumstances that have occurred in other parts of our country. We have had some tragic circumstances to befall some persons in Florida. I was reared in Florida. I went to Florida A&M University. I went to elementary school and high school in Florida. Florida means something to me, but the people there are most important, because the people of Florida are people of goodwill, people who mean well, people who enjoy themselves. Florida is a vacation spot, if you will. Because so many people come there to vacation, it is expected that they would have the opportunity to enjoy themselves, to go out and be a part of the nightlife. We have Disney World in Florida, many attractions to attract people from around the country to Florida. Unfortunately, some things have happened there recently that are going to cause us to pause for a moment as we, tonight, will celebrate, to a certain extent, commemorate, LGBT Pride Month. LGBT Pride Month, celebrate and commemorate this month. But we will also memorialize some of the things that have happened in terms of lives that have been lost. I am proud tonight to note that there will be a Member joining me who has had some circumstances occur in his State that he will call to our attention that will have to be memorialized, and persons will have to be remembered for the services that they have given, but also because they lost their lives. I am proud to ask my colleague to come over now, the Honorable Jim Clyburn, and ask him to give his comments. He is a leader in this Congress. He is a person who stands for justice for all, as is indicated in the flag, ``liberty and justice for all.'' He stands for this. After the incident that took place in Mr. Clyburn's State, I remember a lady who lost her child indicating at the probable cause hearing, ``I forgive you. I forgive you,'' speaking to the person who had committed this deed. ``I forgive you.'' She lost her child, but she forgave. But I believe that people who forgive still have an expectation that things will be done. Mr. Clyburn, I am proud to say, is one who has legislation that can be of benefit to all. Not to some, but to all. I am proud to yield the floor now to our leader, the Honorable Jim Clyburn.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. I will add to what you have just said, Mr. Clyburn. When you are not alone and you have some people to show up, it means something. But there are people who believe that everybody has to show up for something significant to occur. This would take us to the eighth chapter of the Book of Judges and a man named Gideon. The evidence has shown us--you and I, Mr. Clyburn--that there are times when you can have too many people to get a job done. You don't have to have everybody to have the genesis of a movement. You don't have to have every person in Congress to sign onto something to have that become the genesis of the movement. If you get enough people to sign on, what you have can be heard in this Congress. And that is called a discharge petition. There are some pieces of legislation right now that are pending with discharge possibilities. What we have to do is take a few people, just as Gideon did; make enough noise, as he did; have a righteous cause, as he did; have a means of weeding out some of the people who may not be ready for the work that has to be done, and then work with those who are ready to work. I believe that we can do great things in this Congress, understanding that we don't have to have everyone on board to have the genesis of a great movement.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Clyburn, before you step away, with reference to the letter from the Birmingham jail, which I agree with you, is one of the greatest literary works that I have had an opportunity to read, it becomes especially important when you understand how Dr. King actually produced it. He did not have a library. He did not have persons to assist him. It is my understanding that he was able to slip notes out to people who would come and visit him, and they compiled these notes into the letter. I want to mention this. Those clergy people that you talk about, in that letter that they wrote, if you read it first, you will see a line of logic that many people abide with, that many people of that time and this time would find very reasonable. It is after you get into Dr. King's message where he dissects each and every point that they make one by one by one that you realize that there is something not only special about Dr. King--and there is something very special about him--but that this was a seminal moment in time. It was a seminal moment in time in that Dr. King was educating all of us in the eons to come about the evils of bigotry and hatred. Those warnings that he gave us and the lessons, he takes us back into Biblical Scriptures about those who, at that time in the biblical days, were considered outside educators. No one is an outside educator if you come for righteous reasons. So I am mentioning this to you because I have a great appreciation for that letter as well, and I am pleased that you brought it up. As you know, tonight our theme is: You are not alone. I greatly appreciate what you have said about the LGBTQ community, because we want them to know they are not alone. We are allies, we are friends. We are people on whom they depend. And we do so because of a debt we owe, to a certain extent. We didn't get here by ourselves. Someone suffered and sacrificed so that we could have this opportunity to stand in the Congress of the United States of America, and indeed to breathe the breath of freedom we have because of others. And they are not alone. I appreciate what you have said about the LGBTQ community. If you have additional commentary, I would welcome it.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the bill that you speak of, Mr. Clyburn, H.R. 4063, that is Mr. Cicilline's bill, the Hate Crimes Prevention Act; and that merely says, if you have been convicted of vandalizing a place of worship or assaulting someone based on their race, their religion, their gender, their sexual orientation, their gender identity or disability, then you ought not be able to buy a weapon. Who believes that persons who have been convicted of these offenses ought to be able to buy weapons? If you believe that they should, then I am going to respect your opinion, but we ought to be able to debate those opinions on the floor of the United States Congress. We don't have to win the vote. The people of this country expect us to at least do that, however. They expect us to vote. And what Mr. Clyburn is saying, and what many others have been saying, the clarion call, the hue and cry, is let's have a vote and let's have a debate. Let the debate precede the vote. Let us make some comments about these bills, and let's let the American people have an opportunity to judge why each of us holds a position with reference to this kind of legislation. That is not asking too much. I respect my friends who have opinions different from mine. I don't, in any way, badger people who have opinions that are different from my opinions. But I do respect people even more when they are willing to stand in the well of the Congress of the United States of America and state their position and allow others to state theirs. And then, afterwards, have that vote, and let's let the American people know where the Congress stands, based upon empirical evidence and based upon arguments that have been presented, so that people can get a greater understanding and get greater clarity. Another of the bills is the one that you have, Mr. Clyburn, H.R. 3051, the Background Check Completion Act. ``Completion,'' that is the operative word. Completion Act. Let the background check be completed before a person buys a firearm. Now, if you differ with this, okay. Then let's bring this to the floor, state your difference, and let the American people know how we stand, where we stand, and then have a vote. That will make a difference for everybody in this country because people will know that the Congress of the United States is functional. There are many who believe that we are not functioning right now. The final of the three that the gentleman mentioned is H.R. 1076. This is denying firearms and explosives to dangerous terrorists. Now, this is a bill that is being sponsored by the Honorable Peter King. He is a Republican. So the point to be made is that we have bipartisan legislation that can't get to the floor for a debate and then a vote. That is what we believe ought to happen. There ought to be a debate and a vote on these pieces of legislation that deal with what we believe to be legislation that can save some lives. It won't save all lives, no legislation will, but it can save some lives. Well, someone would say that is not enough. One life is enough, to be quite honest with you. One life is enough. And to lose any life because we haven't acted is to lose too many. At the end of the day, after having lost 49 lives in Orlando, do we want it said that after all was said and done, more was said than done? Or nothing was done and all was said? Is that what we want our legacy to be, that we did not act on pending legislation that could have made a difference for the people of the Nation? Surely, asking for a vote, asking for debate, asking for an opportunity to be heard is not asking too much. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn) if he has further commentary.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it is always a preeminent privilege to stand in the well of the Congress of the United States of America. I never take for granted the opportunity that has been afforded me by my constituents, as their representative, to be here and stand and speak on their behalf. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that this day is Flag Day. It is the day that the flag was adopted, June 14, 1777, and I am honored tonight to make additional comments about Flag Day. But this is a day that we honor the flag of the United States of America. On this day when we will honor the flag of the United States of America, this evening, after the first votes, we will also bring to the floor the LGBTQ Pride Month resolution. We are bringing this resolution to the floor, notwithstanding things that have occurred, because we would not want the dastardly deeds of one to prevent us from commemorating the accomplishments of the many. The resolution will be brought to the floor, and those Members of Congress who consider themselves allies of the LGBTQ community, please come. This will afford you an opportunity to speak of your concern and to express your love for the LGBTQ community. Allies of the community should come to the floor. This will be a great opportunity, and we ask that you preface your statements, let your preamble be ``you are not alone.'' This is an opportunity for those of us who are allies of the community to make it clear, perspicuously so, that this community is not alone; that they have friends; that they have people who will stand with them, even in the darkest hour; even when they walk through the valley of the shadow of death, there are friends who will stand with them. They are not alone. Come to the floor, if you choose, and make your statements known. I do this because I understand that this opportunity to stand here is not something that I enjoy because I am so smart. There are people who lived and some who died so that I might stand in the well of the Congress of the United States of America on this day. And because they did, it is worthy of mentioning that there were people other than African Americans who participated in my liberation. Schwerner and Goodman died fighting for the rights of African Americans. They were not Black. John Shillady died in Austin, Texas, a field marshal for the NAACP. He was not Black. When Rosa Parks went to jail, Virginia Durr and her husband, attorney Clifford Durr, along with Mr. Nixon, who was the then-president of the NAACP, posted her bail. Mr. Nixon was African American; the Durrs were not. So it is important for those of us who have benefited from the goodness, the goodwill of others, to pay that debt we owe. This is an opportunity to make another installment on the debt that we owe as a result of others standing up for us. We were not alone, and the LGBTQ community should not be alone and is not alone. So, tonight, we invite Members to come to the floor and to preface your statements with ``you are not alone'' and to let people know that you stand with the community in this time of great sadness, of great sadness. But, also, speak of some of the good things that have occurred. We can talk of how the Supreme Court has made a significant difference, not only for this time but for all time, for people, because the Constitution of the United States was not written for Democrats or Republicans. It wasn't written for conservatives or liberals. It wasn't written for people of a certain hue. It wasn't written for people of a certain religion. It was written for the people of the United States of America, and that includes the LGBTQ community. I thank you for the time. This is a to-be-continued moment. First hour after votes, to be continued. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America. And I pledge allegiance to the flag and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, with liberty and justice for all, and that includes the LGBTQ community.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the victims, as well as their families and friends, all of whom have been devastated by the senseless carnage at the Orlando, Florida Pulse Nightclub, which took place on Sunday, June 12, 2016. As of June 14, 2016, 49 innocent people have lost their lives and many more were wounded in the brutal slaughter, as they sought to enjoy their weekend. We must not allow the hatred of LGBTQ Equality by a dastard to define their lives. We must remember and respect each of the victims for their individuality and the joy they brought to the lives of others. Mr. Speaker, especially since this month is LGBTQ Pride Month, we should mourn their passing with deep sorrow and celebrate their lives with an abundance of love. Mr. Speaker, we must also do more than speak heartfelt words of love and condolences. We must speak through legislation that may not save all lives but can save some lives. We cannot allow history to record that when all was said and done, more was said than done.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to honor the memory of a distinguished public servant and exemplary Christian lady, Mrs. Edmonia L. Brock. Mrs. Brock devoted her life to spreading the Gospel and faithfully serving her community through public service. Mrs. Brock was born on September 3, 1918 in Lake Charles, Louisiana. At the age of five, she relocated to Houston where she would go on to graduate magna cum laude and as valedictorian of her class at Phyllis Wheatley High School. She completed her education in the field of nursing. Mrs. Brock married Robert L. Bogany with whom she had two children. In 1947, she would go on to marry Henry A. Brock and have four children in addition to Mr. Brock's other children. Mrs. Brock would become the ``Mother of the Church'' and State Supervisor of the Women's Department at the New Day Deliverance Holiness Church until she passed away. Additionally, she was a licensed and appointed District Missionary who also served as the International Women's Supervisor and organizer for the Living Gospel Fellowship. She taught weekly Bible study at the Manda Ann Convalescent Home, served as Director of the Sunshine Choir, a Sunday School Teacher and assisted with the prison ministry. In addition to her lifelong service in her community, across this nation and internationally, Mrs. Brock authored three books: ``An Orphan's Triumph,'' ``The Power of Prayer,'' and ``The Book of Poems,'' for which she received numerous awards. Finally, Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Edmonia L. Brock will be missed dearly by her surviving children, Henry Brock, Jr., Loretta Amos, Eddie Brock, and Charles Brock; 31 grandchildren, 55 great-grandchildren, 28 great- great grandchildren; as well as her other family members and friends. May she rest in the peace she has earned through her life of service to her community.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding the time. I would like to thank the leadership for allowing the time. And, Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank my staff and the many members of the LGBT Caucus for helping us to produce H. Res. 772. This is the original LGBTQ Pride Month resolution, and I am very proud that persons have signed onto this resolution, so I want to thank all of the cosponsors, original cosponsors of the resolution. I am grateful that the President of the United States has recognized Pride Month. President Obama has taken quantum leaps forward in helping us to realize this notion that all persons are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, and among them, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This is what Pride Month is really all about, these inalienable rights. I am proud to align myself and proud to call myself an ally of the LGBT community. I am an ally of this community for many reasons. I would like to just share a few. I have suffered invidious discrimination. I know what it is like to be decided as one who should stand in a different line. I know what it is like to be required to drink from the Colored water fountain. I know what it is like to be required to sit in a different area in a theater. I know what it is like to have to ride in a certain place on a bus. I have felt the sting of invidious discrimination, and my history dictates that I stand against invidious discrimination in any form against whomever. My history requires that I be where I am when it comes to helping others who are being discriminated against. So I am proud to have this resolution that we have presented, and I am proud to have presented it because there is still great work to be done. We still have 28 States that allow someone to be fired for being gay, lesbian, or bisexual. No one should be fired because of who you happen to be. Your performance should determine your position in a place of work. Unfortunately, in our country, we still have people who will look at someone and conclude that that person should not work in a certain position. Dr. King reminded us that it was the content of character that determines the worth of a people, not what they look like, not what you think they may have as a preference in life, the content of character. People should be judged upon their merits. They should ascend on merits, and they should fail on demerits, not what they look like or what you think their preferences are. Twenty-eight States still allow people to be fired based upon what someone thinks about their sexuality, or if they should happen to announce their sexuality. Thirty States still allow someone to be fired for being trans. How people behave, as long as they are obeying the law, should not be a means by which you can fire them. People have every right to be themselves. To all of those who are heterosexual, as am I, we should think about what it would be like for us to have to pretend to be something other than that we are. People ought not to have to pretend or hide their sexuality. I was very proud to see ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' fall because people ought to be able to ask and to tell who they are and what their preferences are. This ought not be something that we ought to, somehow, impose upon people as a shame. People should be proud of what God has made them to be, and they ought to be able to share that with the world. All persons created equal, endowed by their Creator, with certain inalienable rights; that includes people who happen to be a part of the LGBTQ community. We still have 28 States that don't include the protections for sexuality under housing discrimination laws; people just evicted because someone concludes something about their sexuality. You ought not be evicted because of discrimination related to your sexuality. There was a time in this country when females could not vote, a time when they couldn't own land, a time when they had to have a husband to acquire certain status in this country. But we have gone beyond that. We should get beyond this notion that people should not have fair and equality with reference to housing in the greatest country in the world. And I still say it is the greatest country in the world. I understand we have these problems, but I believe that people ought to receive housing based upon behavior, not based upon what you think of them. We still have, in this country, 30 States that lack housing protections for being trans. Again, what people think of you should not determine where you will be housed. I am proud that President Obama, as I indicated earlier, has helped us move forward in this area and in many other areas, because it was on his watch that the Supreme Court of the United States required that all States recognize same-sex marriages, and that they issue licenses to same-sex couples. This was a Supreme Court, but it was a Supreme Court that this President had an impact on. I am proud that, under this President, we have had the downing of DOMA, the notion that you can discriminate against same-sex couples with their benefits. This President has helped us move forward in areas that were taboo prior to his watch, and I believe that President Obama is going to be rewarded by history for his efforts to ensure that all persons are created equal. I am very proud that the Supreme Court has taken other steps to make sure that equality exists among people. But finally, as it relates to President Obama, let me just say that his latest effort to make sure that the military lives up to the standards that we believe should allow every person to serve in the capacity that they were born into is a remarkable one. I think his appointing Eric Fanning as the first Secretary of the Army, a person who is openly gay, was probably one of the most significant things that he has done because this is a means by which people relate to the country. People who serve in the military are held in high esteem. People who work with the military are held in high esteem. People who serve as Secretaries are held in high esteem, and I thank the President for this very bold and courageous move. So we are very proud to have this resolution on the floor recognizing Pride Month, and we do so because, in my opinion, every month ought to be Pride Month. We ought not have a single month that we do this. But until we can overcome some of these greater adversities that are yet to be dealt with, I think we have to continue to celebrate Pride Month. I am honored to do this tonight with my colleague, and I thank the gentlewoman for the time. I want to assure the gentlewoman that H. Res. 772, the original LGBTQ Pride Month resolution, while it will not pass this Congress, I want to assure the gentlewoman that, in our lifetimes, this resolution will pass a Congress of the United States of America because the Congress of the United States of America is metamorphosing. It, too, is coming to realize that we have to recognize the words of the Declaration of Independence; that all persons doesn't mean all people of a certain gender; doesn't mean all persons of a certain hue; doesn't mean all persons who happen to be from a certain place. It literally means what it says; all persons are created equal, and that all people are endowed by the Creator with these inalienable rights, and that we must bring the LGBTQ community within the purview of all that others enjoy and take for granted as a matter of course. I thank the gentlewoman for the time.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Honorable Randy Weber. I especially thank him for signing on early to the legislation that Congressman Gene Green called to our attention. I appreciate it greatly. We look forward to working with the gentleman. I thank him for the outstanding effort. Mr. Speaker, you heard one of our Members mention that we were having 100-year and 500-year floods. This is debatable, I suppose, whether they are 100-year floods or 500-year floods, but there is one fact that is beyond dispute. It is beyond reproach. The fact is this: We are having billion dollar floods. Billion dollar floods, Mr. Speaker, in Houston, Texas. Within the last year, a little more than a year now, but within a 12- month period of time, Houston, Texas, has been declared a disaster area twice. Twice. Over the last 20 years, billions of dollars spent, and we have had 4 to 5 days of flooding each year over the last 20 years. This flooding is causing great harm to property. There are people who have just moved back into their homes, Mr. Speaker, and they find themselves now being evicted by floodwaters again, waters that they cannot extricate themselves from. Their homes are stationary and fixed. They have to cope with these floods. They have to cope with their life after the floods. We are here tonight to let the country know that we in Houston, Texas, are tough. We are Texas tough. But there is something that we can do to help the people in Houston, Texas. I don't want to talk about that right now, to be quite candid with you. After losing the lives of our military persons in Fort Hood, Texas, I believe it is very important for us to make some special reference to them. These are people who have served this country, who were prepared to live and die for the country. They are persons who were in training, and they were among the finest that we have. I regret that we have lost them. All lives are precious. All lives are special. I came to the floor earlier, and I recited the names of persons who had lost their lives, some 16 persons in the Memorial Day flood and the tax day flood. At this time, I believe it necessary and appropriate to mention the persons who lost their lives in Fort Hood, nine soldiers. Mr. Speaker, we had a staff sergeant lose his life, Staff Sergeant Miguel Angel Colonvazquez, 38 years of age. Mr. Speaker, he served with honor. He received five Army Commendation Medals and Army Achievement Medals, three Army Good Conduct Medals, two Korea Defense Service Medals, the Army Service Ribbon, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal, and other honors as well. Specialist Yingming Sun, age 25, from California. He received the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, the Korea Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon. Specialist Christine Faith Armstrong, age 27, from California. She received the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and the Overseas Service Ribbon. Private First Class Brandon Austin Banner, 22 years of age. He received the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Marksmanship Qualification Badge. Private First Class Zachery Nathaniel Fuller, age 23, Floridian. He received the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Army Service Ribbon. Private Isaac Lee Deleon, age 19. He received the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Army Service Ribbon. Private Eddy Gates, age 20, North Carolina. She received the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Army Service Ribbon. Private Tysheena James, age 21. She received the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Army Service Ribbon. Finally, Cadet Mitchell Alexander Winey, age 21. He was majoring in Engineering Management at West Point. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the time, and I would like to close with this, if you will allow. All of these people were meeting the measure of life that Ruth Smeltzer called to our attention: Some measure their lives by days and years, others by heartthrobs, passions and tears; but the surest measure under God's sun is what for others in your lifetime have you done. These were persons who were committed to doing for others in this great country; and they were committed to doing it to the extent that, unfortunately, with all of their honors, they lost their lives in circumstances from which they could not extricate themselves under adverse weather conditions. I believe that they are worthy of a moment of a silence. They are worthy of much more, to be quite candid with you, but I believe that tonight this House should recognize all of them and all of those who have lost their lives with a moment of silence. And I shall ask that we engage in such at this time. Mr. Speaker, I would have the families of all of them note that they may be gone physically, but they will never be forgotten. We want the record to show that they served their country with distinction and with honor. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for not only what he has said tonight, but for what he has been doing in his district to help persons in times of need. It is greatly appreciated by his constituents, and I greatly appreciate you coming to the floor tonight to let people know that we in Texas are standing together, and we are going to work together and we will get through this, but it won't hurt if we can get a little bit of help. I am honored to have another colleague, who has a district that is in Houston. Of course, he has been in Congress for many years, and I consider him a very dear friend, the Honorable Gene Green, from the 29th Congressional District in Houston, Texas. I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green).