Kamala Harris

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. Mr. President, our nation mourns the loss of former Senator Kay Hagan, an exemplary civil servant who thoughtfully represented the people of her beloved North Carolina. She was a role model for women across the Nation, and will be remembered as an example of committed service to the American public. Senator Hagan was born on May 26, 1953, in Shelby, NC. She learned about the importance of public service at an early age from her uncle, U.S. Senator and former Florida Governor Lawton Chiles, and her father, Joe P. Ruthven, a Navy veteran who served as the mayor of Lakeland, FL. Senator Hagan earned her bachelor's degree in 1975 from Florida State University, followed by a juris doctorate from Wake Forest University. She worked in banking and as a stay-at-home mother before turning to politics, which gave her a valuable insight into both the private sector and the needs of everyday families. Senator Hagan served in the North Carolina Senate, where she became one of the body's chief budget writers. This was where Senator Hagan earned her reputation as an effective civil servant and where she laid the ground work for many of the policies she would champion when elected to Congress in 2008. Senator Hagan was a champion for the people, working to secure healthcare for all Americans, support working families, protect the right to marry for same-sex couples, and aid in the recovery efforts following the 2008 financial crisis. Throughout this time, she proved herself to be an outstanding example of a leader guided by her moral compass and the needs of her constituents. She was a force for good. After her time in Congress, she devoted herself to studying the role of money in politics and strove to preserve government accountability to the public. Senator Hagan's steadfast dedication to the State of North Carolina and our entire country will continue to inspire others for generations to come. She will be remembered as a role model for young women and a voice dedicated to empowering and uplifting middle-class families. Senator Hagan is survived by her husband, Chip Hagan, her children, and a host of family and friends. She will be dearly missed, and her legacy will live on through everyone she touched while serving the American people.

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. Mr. President, I was absent, but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 352, the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 464, William Joseph Nardini, of Connecticut, to be U.S. circuit judge for the Second Circuit. Mr. President, I was absent, but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 351, the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 365, Jennifer Philpott Wilson, of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. district judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Mr. President, I was absent, but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 355, the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 486, Steven J. Menashi, of New York, to be U.S. circuit judge for the Second Circuit. (At the request of Mr. Inhofe, the following statement was ordered to be printed in the Record.)

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. Mr. President, I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 344 the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 355, David Austin Tapp, of Kentucky, to be a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims.

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. Madam President, I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 234, the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 119, Michael T. Liburdi to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Arizona. I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 235, the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 120, Peter D. Welte to be U.S. District Judge for the District of North Dakota. I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 236 the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 119, Michael T. Liburdi to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Arizona. I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 237, the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 120, Peter D. Welte to be U.S. District Judge for the District of North Dakota. I was absent but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 238 the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 203, James Wesley Hendrix to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas. I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 239 the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 203, James Wesley Hendrix to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas. I was absent but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 240 the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 204, Sean D. Jordan to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas. I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 241 the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 204, Sean D. Jordan to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas. I was absent but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 242 the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 205, Mark T. Pittman to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas. I was absent but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 243 the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 231, Jeffery Vincent Brown to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas. I was absent but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 244 the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 232, Brantley Starr to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Texas. I was absent but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 245 the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 233, Stephanie L. Haines to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania. I was absent but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 247 the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 327, Steven D. Grimberg to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Georgia. I was absent but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 248 the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 345, Jason K. Pulliam to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Texas. I was absent but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 249 the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 350, Martha Maria Pacold to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois. I was absent but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 250 the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 352, Steven C. Seeger to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois. I was absent but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 251 the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 364, William Shaw Stickman IV to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania. I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 253 the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 205, Mark T. Pittman to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas. I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 254 the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 231, Jeffrey Vincent Brown to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas. I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 255 the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 232, Brantley Starr to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas. I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 256 the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 345, Jason K. Pulliam to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Texas. I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 257 the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 350, Martha Maria Pacold to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois. I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 258 the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 364, William Shaw Stickman IV to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania. I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 276 the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 233, Stephanie Haines to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania. I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 278 the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 327, Steven D. Grimberg to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois. I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 279 the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 352, Steven C. Seeger to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois. I was absent but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 315 the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 359, Frank William Volk, of West Virginia, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of West Virginia. I was absent but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 316 the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 363, Charles R. Eskridge III, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas. I was absent but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 317 the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 328, David John Novak, of Virginia, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia. I was absent but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 318 the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 348, Rachel P. Kovner to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of New York. I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 320 the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 359, Frank William Volk, of West Virginia, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of West Virginia. I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 321 the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 363, Charles R. Eskridge III, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas. I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 322 the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 328, David John Novak, of Virginia, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia. I was absent but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 323 the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 348, Rachel P. Kovner to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of New York.

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. Mr. President, on October 30, 2019, I was not present for the vote on S.J. Res. 52, providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Health and Human Services relating to ``State Relief and Empowerment Waivers.'' If I were present, I would have voted yes.

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. I was absent from the United States Senate vote on May 9, 2019, for vote No. 106, the confirmation of Michael Park to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Had I been present I would have voted no. I was absent from the United States Senate vote on May 16, 2019, for vote No. 114, the confirmation of Wendy Vitter to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Had I been present I would have voted no. I was absent from the United States Senate vote on May 16, 2019, for vote No. 205, the confirmation of Peter Phipps to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Had I been present I would have voted no. I was absent from the United States Senate vote on July 24, 2019, for vote No. 228, the confirmation of Wendy Williams Berger to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Had I been present I would have voted no. I was absent from the United States Senate vote on July 24, 2019, for vote No. 229, the confirmation of Brian Buescher to the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska. Had I been present I would have voted no. I was absent from the United States Senate vote on July 30, 2019, for vote No. 236, confirmation of Michael Liburdi to the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. Had I been present I would have voted no. I was absent from the United States Senate vote on July 30, 2019, for vote No. 241, the confirmation of Sean Jordan to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Had I been present I would have voted no. I was absent from the United States Senate vote on July 31, 2019, for vote No. 254, the confirmation of Jeffrey Vincent Brown to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Had I been present I would have voted no. I was absent from the United States Senate vote on July 31, 2019, for vote No. 255, the confirmation of Brantley Starr to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Had I been present I would have voted no. I was absent from the United States Senate vote on July 31, 2019, for vote No. 258, the confirmation of William Shaw Stickman IV to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Had I been present I would have voted no. I was absent from the United States Senate vote on September 25, 2019, for vote No. 305, the Schatz motion to instruct to include the Federal Employees Paid Leave Act in the National Defense Authorization Act. Had I been present I would have voted yes.

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. Madam President, our Nation mourns the loss of one of the country's greatest leaders, Representative Elijah Eugene Cummings, whose life's work as a fervent champion for civil rights and his beloved community in Baltimore, MD left an indelible mark on our Nation. Congressman Cummings died on October 17, 2019 in Baltimore, MD. He was 68 years old. Representative Cummings was born on January 18, 1951, in Baltimore, MD. He was the third of seven children born to sharecroppers, Robert Cummings and Ruth Elma Cummings, who moved north from South Carolina in search of better opportunities for their family. Representative Cummings graduated from Baltimore City College High School and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in political science from Howard University in Washington, DC, where he served as student government president and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. Representative Cummings obtained a juris doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1975. Throughout his career, he received 13 honorary doctoral degrees from universities throughout the country. Representative Cummings' career in public service began in 1983 when we was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates. Representative Cummings proudly served in this role for 14 years, eventually becoming the State legislature's first African-American speaker pro tempore. In 1996, he was elected to represent Maryland's 7th District in the House of Representatives as a member of the 104th Congress. Representative Cummings focused on legislative priorities that promoted equality and economic development, including: criminal justice reform, lowering prescription drug prices, and combatting the opioid epidemic, among others. As a respected Congressman, he became a ranking member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. As the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Representative Cummings was a powerful voice who achieved a reputation as a skilled consensus builder. He understood accountability and protecting those who courageously spoke the truth to protect our Nation. He fought daily to ensure our democracy was not only intact but striving to live up to its promise. At the foundation of his fight was advocacy for justice and equal opportunity for all. Representative Cummings made it his personal responsibility to champion civil rights issues, particularly voting rights. His fierce advocacy was fueled, in part, by the words of his mother who on her death bed, implored him to ensure the right to vote was preserved. He would heed her words by delivering his own stirring calls to action. He understood the significance of the right to vote in our democracy and worked tirelessly to oppose voter suppression, condemn discriminatory anti-voting tactics, and launch critical investigations when voters-- particularly people of color--faced discriminatory voting challenges. Representative Cummings' visionary leadership and service has and will continue to strengthen our democracy for generations to come. Representative Elijah Cummings' steadfast dedication to the city of Baltimore, the State of Maryland, and our entire country will continue to inspire others for generations to come. An impassioned speaker, he was truly a voice for the voiceless. As a mentor, he helped so many young people live in their purpose and make the world a better place. He fought for the soul of Nation and selflessly dedicated his life to empowering and uplifting his constituents. Representative Cummings is survived by his wife, Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, his children, and a host of family and friends. It was a great honor to attend his powerful funeral and memorial service with many of my colleagues and friends. Representative Cummings often said that ``children are the living messages that we send to a future we will never see.'' A light is gone from our world, but Representative Cummings' legacy will shine bright through all the individuals he touched and all the movements he helped build.

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. Mr. President, I was absent, but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 332, the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 457, Justin Reed Walker, to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky. I was absent, but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall No. 333 the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 457, Justin Reed Walker, to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky.

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. Mr. President, I was absent for vote No. 324 on S.J. Res. 53, providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to ``Repeal of the Clean Power Plan; Emission Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Existing Utility Generating Units; Revisions to Emissions Guidelines Implementing Regulations.'' Had I been present, I would have voted yea on the resolution.

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. Mr. President, I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 228, the confirmation of Wendy Williams Berger, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida. Mr. President, I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 229, the confirmation of Brian C. Buescher, of Nebraska, to be United States District Judge for the District of Nebraska.

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. Mr. President, I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 226, the motion to invoke cloture on Wendy Williams Berger to be U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Florida. Mr. President: I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 227, the motion to invoke cloture on Brian C. Buescher to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Nebraska.

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. Madam President, I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 190, the motion to invoke cloture on Daniel Aaron Bress, of California, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit.

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. Madam President, I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 145, the confirmation of Ryan T. Holte, of Ohio, to be a Judge of the US Court of Federal Claims. Madam President, I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 146, the confirmation of Rossie David Alston, Jr., of Virginia, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia. Madam President, I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 147, the confirmation of Richard A. Hertling, of Maryland, to be a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims.

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. Mr. President, I was necessarily absent but, had I been present on May 16, 2019, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 116, the confirmation of Jeffrey A. Rosen, to be Deputy Attorney General. Mr. President, I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 123, the confirmation of Howard C. Nielson, Jr., of Utah, to be United States District Judge for the District of Utah. Mr. President, I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 124, the confirmation of Stephen R. Clark, Sr., of Missouri, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri. Mr. President, I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 125, the confirmation of Carl J. Nichols, of the District of Columbia, to be United States District Judge for the District of Columbia. Mr. President, I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 126, the confirmation of Kenneth D. Bell, of North Carolina, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of North Carolina.

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. Mr. President, I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 114, the confirmation of Wendy Vitter, of Louisiana, to be the United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. Mr. President, I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 117, the confirmation of Michael H. Park, of New York, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit.

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. Mr. President, I was absent for vote No. 77 on Executive Calendar No. 200, the nomination of David Bernhardt to be Secretary of the Interior. Had I been present, I would have voted no on the nomination.

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. Mr. President, I was absent for vote No. 76 the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 200, the nomination of David Bernhardt to be Secretary of the Interior. Had I been present, I would have voted no on the motion to invoke cloture.

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. I thank the Senator from Tennessee. Dr. King continues: You may well ask: ``Why direct action? Why sit ins, marches and so forth? Isn't negotiation a better path?'' You are quite right in calling for negotiation. Indeed, this is the very purpose of direct action. Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored. My citing the creation of tension as part of the work of the nonviolent resister may sound rather shocking. But I must confess that I am not afraid of the word ``tension.'' I have earnestly opposed violent tension, but there is a type of constructive, nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth. Just as Socrates felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths and half truths to the unfettered realm of creative analysis and objective appraisal, so must we see the need for nonviolent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism to the majestic heights of understanding and brotherhood. The purpose of our direct action program is to create a situation so crisis packed that it will inevitably open the door to negotiation. I therefore concur with you in your call for negotiation. Too long has our beloved Southland been bogged down in a tragic effort to live in monologue rather than dialogue. One of the basic points in your statement is that the action that I and my associates have taken in Birmingham is untimely. Some have asked: ``Why didn't you give the new city administration time to act?'' The only answer that I can give to this query is that the new Birmingham administration must be prodded about as much as the outgoing one, before it will act. We are sadly mistaken if we feel that the election of Albert Boutwell as mayor will bring the millennium to Birmingham. While Mr. Boutwell is a much more gentle person than Mr. Connor, they are both segregationists, dedicated to maintenance of the status quo. I have hope that Mr. Boutwell will be reasonable enough to see the futility of massive resistance to desegregation. But he will not see this without pressure from devotees of civil rights. My friends, I must say to you that we have not made a single gain in civil rights without determined legal and nonviolent pressure. Lamentably, it is an historical fact that privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily. Individuals may see the moral light and voluntarily give up their unjust posture; but, as Reinhold Niebuhr has reminded us, groups tend to be more immoral than individuals. We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct action campaign that was ``well timed'' in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word ``Wait!'' It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This ``Wait'' has almost always meant ``Never.'' We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that ``justice too long delayed is justice denied.'' We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God given rights. The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jetlike speed toward gaining political independence, but we still creep at horse and buggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter. Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, ``Wait.'' But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters; when you see the vast majority of your twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society; when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six year old daughter why she can't go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people; when you have to concoct an answer for a five year old son who is asking: ``Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?''; when you take a cross county drive and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your automobile because no motel will accept you; when you are humiliated day in and day out by nagging signs reading ``white'' and ``colored''; when your first name becomes ``nigger,'' your middle name becomes ``boy'' (however old you are) and your last name becomes ``John,'' and your wife and mother are never given the respected title ``Mrs.''; when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of ``nobodiness''--then you will understand why [I] find it difficult to wait. I would now like to yield to my colleague Senator Cruz from Texas.

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. James Baldwin once said: Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced. That is why we are here again today, to face the history of lynching in this country. From 1882 to 1986, the U.S. Congress failed to pass anti-lynching legislation when it had the opportunity more than 200 times. We have an opportunity, once again, to right this wrong and face the ugly history of lynching in America. Let's recall this stain on America's history. Lynching is an act of terror. It is murder. These were summary executions. Victims of lynching were dragged out of their homes. They had ropes wrapped around their necks. They were hanged on trees. In many cases, they were castrated and burned as crowds of people watched and applauded. The premise underlying all of these acts was that Black people were not full human beings. According to the Equal Justice Initiative, lynching was used as an instrument of terror and intimidation 4,084 times during the late 19th and 20th centuries. In 1955, Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African-American boy, was lynched in Mississippi after being accused of offending a woman in her family's grocery store. When Emmett Till's mother held open her son's casket at his funeral, the image of his body became one of the starkest examples of racial violence in America. These lynchings, I think no one can deny, were acts of violence. They were needless, horrendous acts of violence, and they were motivated by racism. Lynchings were crimes that were committed against innocent Americans. These crimes, for the most part, did not go without consequence. They rarely were followed by an arrest or the charging of a crime or the prosecution of a crime or the punishment for the crime. Of course, the victims of these acts and their families never received justice in our courts of law or in their community. This is an uncomfortable history to think of, to talk about, and understandably makes many people uncomfortable because of the violence we are describing, because it is part of America's history, because it is something we have never truly acknowledged and recognized, in terms of the crime it was, the crime it is, and how we, through our laws, must recognize the seriousness of it. Today we have that opportunity, and we must recognize the context in which we discuss it today. Just in the last month, we have had difficult and high-profile conversations about slavery and blackface, issues that are claimed to be part of a bygone era. However, it is clear that in many ways our past is our present. Lynching is not a relic of the past. In 2011, three men in Brandon, MS, murdered an African-American man, James Craig Anderson. They robbed him, beat him, and ran him over with a truck. That is modern-day lynching. Let's be clear. No one should have to fear for their life because of their race, national origin, religion, or sexual orientation. We must confront hate directly. In December of 2018, our Senate colleagues, I am proud to say, voted unanimously, in a bipartisan way, to pass the Justice for Victims of Lynching Act, which I proudly introduced with Senators Booker and Scott. After 100 years and more than 200 failed attempts in the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Senate finally spoke the truth about lynching. Today I have reintroduced the bill and will ask the Senate to pass it again. The Justice for Victims of Lynching Act is a historic piece of legislation that would make lynching a Federal crime for the first time in American history. With this bill, we finally have a chance to speak the truth about our past and make clear that these hateful acts should never happen again and, God forbid, they do, we are making clear there will be swift, serious, and severe consequences. We can now finally offer some long overdue justice and recognition to the victims of lynching and their families. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said: ``The time is always right to do what is right.'' I now yield the floor to my friend and colleague, the great Senator from the great State of New Jersey, Cory Booker.

Ms. HARRIS. Thank you, Senator Booker. Happy Valentine's Day to you. Mr. President, as in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 488, introduced earlier today.

Ms. HARRIS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time.

Ms. HARRIS. I know of no further debate on the bill.

Ms. HARRIS. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you to all of our colleagues. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Ms. HARRIS

Ms. HARRIS. Madam President, our Nation mourns the loss of one of the country's greatest servant-leaders, The Right Reverend, Senior Bishop McKinley Young, whose life work ministering to countless individuals and whole communities in search of both hope and democracy exemplifies faith in action. Senior Bishop McKinley Young was born on November 10, 1944, in Atlanta, GA; the eldest son of Reverend Lonnie C. Young and Mrs. Nellie Cummings Young. He attended Morris Brown College, where he earned his bachelor's degree and later received two master's degrees from Andover Newton Theological School and the University of Chicago Divinity School respectively. Early in his ministry, Bishop Young pastored churches in the first, fourth, and sixth Episcopal Districts, including the historic Big Bethel A.M.E Church in Atlanta, GA. After being elected and consecrated the 109th Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1992, his first episcopal assignment was to the 15th District of Angola, South Africa, and Namibia where he led the Centennial Celebration of African Methodism. Bishop Young would later serve as presiding prelate in Texas, Florida, and the Bahamas. His final episcopal assignment was with the third District, which includes Ohio, West Virginia, and Western Pennsylvania, where he served until his transition to the church triumphant on Wednesday, January 16, 2019. Bishop Young's commitment to the church community was as strong as his commitment to voter education, voter registration, and getting people from the pews to the polls. This passion came from his lifelong belief that ``a vote-less people is a hopeless people.'' For decades, Bishop Young organized voter registration drives across the United States, empowering those who were historically voiceless in the voting process. His commitment to democratic values led him to South Africa, where he worked on voter registration efforts during the first free democratic election of the President of South Africa. Throughout his journey and in addition to his ministerial and civic work, Bishop Young worked diligently to increase educational opportunities for African-American students, especially those attending historically black colleges and universities. He served on the board of trustees for Payne Theological Seminary, led the church in financially stabilizing Paul Quinn College, helped raise $2 million to secure Edward Walters College's accreditation, and would later serve as chancellor of Wilberforce University. Bishop Young has served the ecumenical community faithfully for over 40 years. He was a devoted leader of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Service and Development Agency, Inc., SADA for over 20 years and served as chair of the board. Bishop Young's leadership among other faith councils only amplified the effectiveness of his advocacy across the faith community, including as a member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches, the National Council of Churches, the World Methodist Council, and the Conference of National Black Churches. Bishop Young was a courageous servant leader, activist, and champion for civil and human rights whose service and dedication to countless communities will continue to inspire others for generations to come. We wish every member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church that he served and those whose lives were touched by Bishop Young peace during this difficult time, especially his wife Dr. Dorothy Jackson Young, his children, Karyn, Deana, Andrea, and Stephanie, and eight grandchildren: