Kwanza Hall

Mr. HALL

Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the public health pandemic that ravages our Nation. As COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise, I believe that our country is at an inflection point in which our actions and ability to provide relief to struggling Americans will define our commitment to the American people for generations to come. As the Member of Congress tasked with looking after the seat that the late Representative John Lewis held for over 33 years, I know that he would want me to speak up and speak loudly about the need for Congress to pass a comprehensive stimulus bill in response to this unprecedented pandemic. Having survived COVID-19 myself after dealing with it for over 3 weeks this summer, I am committed to doing everything I can to ensure that we crush this virus and provide for the American people. Like John Lewis once said: ``Governments and corporations do not live. They have no power, no capacity in and of themselves. They are given life and derive all their authority from their ability to assist, benefit, and transform the lives of the people they touch.'' As the struggle mounts for the people in Georgia's Fifth Congressional District, it is clear to me that the Congress of the United States must act, and act swiftly. The latest report shows that, by the end of this year, without additional relief from the Federal Government, one in six Americans will go hungry, 20 million renters could face eviction, and small businesses, which are already being disproportionately impacted, will continue to suffer. I know that the late Representative John Lewis would have taken every opportunity to use his voice and speak up for those who would not have food on their table if not for food banks. I know that he would have taken every opportunity to speak up for those at risk of losing the roof over their head, and I know that he would have taken every opportunity to speak up for the small and minority-owned businesses which cannot survive without help. Just last week, it was reported that the Atlanta businesses that have managed to remain open are only making it by the slimmest of margins. Many of these struggling small and minority-owned businesses have never, even before the pandemic, had the access to the capital they need. They need a pivot. The loans from the Paycheck Protection Program would certainly help them, and additional funds for this program must be included in any stimulus plan moving forward. As the pandemic continues to impact communities in my district and across the country, I cannot help but urge my new colleagues to step up and take meaningful action. We cannot, and must not, leave the American people to deal with this virus alone. It is in the spirit of the Honorable John Lewis, our North Star and guiding light, that I say we must not leave Congress until we ensure that help is on the way. Mr. Speaker, struggling Americans deserve better.

Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the belated birthday of my uncle, civil rights organizer J. T. Johnson. He served in civil rights. He was one of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s lieutenants, hailed from Albany, Georgia, and integrated St. Augustine swimming pool accommodations. In fact, he had acid poured on him in the swimming pool. So we are thankful for you, Uncle J.T. Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge the birthday today of my brother, Colby Hall.

Mr. HALL

Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw the Chamber's attention to critical needs for Georgia's Fifth Congressional District. I know it has been a familiar trope to suggest that this week is going to be the new infrastructure week. The administration has announced several different infrastructure weeks, in fact. But it is not just a talking point in my district. In my district, there are several projects that require the attention of this Chamber. They include the Clayton commuter rail, Campbellton Road BRT and rail extension, Bankhead rail to Indian Creek extension, and Clifton Corridor transportation plan. Tackling these projects accomplishes many ends. It is an economic revitalization project, as it connects vital American companies like Microsoft to greater Atlanta. It is an environmental imperative, as getting folks out of cars and onto mass transit decreases CO2 levels. It is a jobs imperative, as it creates many well-paying jobs. It is a racial justice imperative, as these projects will service communities historically neglected.

Mr. HALL

Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the MORE Act, and I urge our colleagues in the Senate to do the same. There is a serious need for justice reform in our country, a focus on restorative financial justice. Investment in research, along with descheduling, is something that we must lead on. COVID innovation zones in our country might be a strategy for bringing bipartisan solutions that create jobs but also dealing with this terrible pandemic.

Mr. HALL

Mr. HALL. Madam Speaker, to my colleagues from Georgia, other colleagues in the House, I am Kwanza Hall and I am so thankful to be here today. In July, just before Congressman Lewis passed away, I had COVID, and I spent about 3 weeks lying flat dealing with it, and I didn't know I would be here. So God blessed me with that time to think about what I would do next with my life at the same time Congressman Lewis had passed away. He was a friend. He was a neighbor. He and my father served in the civil rights movement together. My father, Leon Hall, was in Montgomery at the same time, and Selma. So I had to think about what was next for me. And God gave me a choice: Do you want to do your business, or do you want to do My business? And I stepped up and answered the call, and He said: I have a mission for you. The mission is to run for that office and serve District Five. We have a lot of things on the plate in front of us, and I just want to be a unifier, a person who can help us get some things done on behalf of the least of these, as Congressman Lewis would. So thank you all for having me. Thank you to my mother, my father, who is not with us, to the Congressmen who have come before me, Wyche Fowler, and Ambassador Andrew Young.