Terri Sewell

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge today as Restoration Tuesday and to honor the role of the brave men and women who fought in the ongoing battle to protect our most sacred constitutional right, the right to vote. Today, 51 years ago, courageous men and women stood tall and moved forward on what would be the final march of the peaceful protest marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in March of 1965. This final march only occurred after countless Americans were left beaten, bloody and bruised on ``Bloody Sunday'' in pursuit of their fundamental right--the right to have their voices heard and their vote counted. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 would never have been possible without their sacrifices; but still today old battles have become anew and the struggle for equal voting rights continues. It is reprehensible that still in 2016, Americans across the nation continue to face modern day barriers to the ballot box. A number of states, including Alabama, quickly passed restrictive laws designed to suppress the vote after the Supreme Court struck down Section 4 pre- clearance and federal protection for vulnerable communities in 2013. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was reauthorized nearly a decade ago and it is shameful that still today, people across the nation do not enjoy full and free access to exercise their right to vote. The time is always right to do what is right. As we continue to progress throughout this election year, it is especially critical that all Americans have fair and equal access to the ballot box. Our very democracy is built on the ability of every citizen being able to have their voices heard and vote counted. We must learn from the lessons of the past and honor those who sacrificed for our nation's progress. Just recently, I introduced legislation to honor voting rights icon, Amelia Boynton Robinson, by renaming the Selma, Alabama post office in her honor. Mrs. Boynton Robinson was a voting rights hero and one of the Foot Soldiers on the front lines of the 1965 voting rights marches. She made the clear and compelling statement through her campaign motto when running for Congress as the first woman from the State of Alabama that ``A Voteless People Is A Hopeless People.'' We cannot continue to repeat the errors of the past. Amelia Boynton Robinson, like so many others literally shed blood for the right to vote. Fifty-one years later, no one should have to face violence or shed blood for a fundamental right. Also, just today I introduced legislation to designate several civil rights and voting rights sites in Birmingham, AL as a national park in order to commemorate their historical significance. While these pieces of legislation are important gestures, the best way to commemorate and recognize their legacy is to pass meaningful voting rights legislation that would restore key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Now is the time. Congress must act. The American people cannot wait any longer. On this Restoration Tuesday, we honor the men and women who stood for our fundamental right and take up the cause to continue the fight. The right to vote is worth fighting for and we must fight until the battle is won. We must Restore the Vote.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I have the great pleasure of rising today for the third time in 3 years to congratulate the Wenonah High School Lady Dragons on winning their third consecutive Alabama girls class 5A basketball championship. The Lady Dragons beat Central High School from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 58-33, imploring what the local news said was a suffocating pressure defense to cruise to their third consecutive title on March 5, 2016, at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. The Wenonah Lady Dragons forced 32 turnovers that resulted in 19 points on their way to victory. ``The sign on our wall says `Discipline plus defense equals championships,' '' said Wenonah High School coach Emanuel Bell. ``We're going to press. That's what we do.'' They put pressure on the other side. The MVP of the game was Alexus Dye, who scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. ``Our defense is what got us here and led us to the win,'' said Dye. The other star of the team was Wenonah's very own Kaitlyn Rodgers, who scored 12 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, blocked 6 shots, handed out 3 assists, and added 2 steals. ``This is what we came here for, and we want to go out with a bang,'' said Rodgers. Mr. Speaker, more noteworthy is the fact that, according to Coach Bell, ``Every kid on my time averages a 3.0 GPA or higher. It's easy to coach players with academic and athletic talent,'' says Coach Bell. Well, Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the month of March as Women's History Month, recognizing trailblazing women throughout our history, clearly these young women have blazed their own remarkable path, both athletically and academically as student athletes, and we are happy, proud to commend them. So on behalf of Alabama's Seventh Congressional District, I want to extend a heartfelt congratulations to these outstanding players and to Coach Bell. While March Madness has gripped the rest of the State and the Nation, in Birmingham, Alabama, we are very proud of Wenonah High School's Lady Dragons. I am confident that these young ladies have bright futures ahead of them, and we will look back on these 3 consecutive years of championship wins with great accomplishment and pride.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today, in honor of Restoration Tuesday and March being Women's History month; I rise to acknowledge the role of women in the continuing battle for protecting our constitutional right to vote. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was only made possible because of the brave men and women who marched,--and were willing to die for voting equality as they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge on Bloody Sunday. Moreover, the narrative of the battle for voting rights in America is incomplete without the story of the strong contributions of the women who helped to advance these efforts. Nearly a decade has passed since Congress reauthorized the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in July 2006. This reauthorization not only continued to guarantee protections against modern day voting barriers, it elevated three mothers of the civil rights movement in its title: Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King. Honoring these great women who fought for equality and justice, this reauthorization stamped a day in time where both parties were able to come together and show overwhelming support for the most essential right on which this great democracy was founded, the right to vote. However, when the Supreme Court struck down Section 4 pre-clearance and federal protection for vulnerable communities in 2013, a number of states, including Alabama, passed restrictive laws designed to suppress the vote. It is imperative that we remain ever vigilant in upholding the legacy, not only of the historic women for which the reauthorization of the Act was named, but of the three women who sat on the Supreme Court bench and gave dissenting opinions following the tragic Section 4 strike down. Whether protesting from the streets or the Supreme Court bench, women have long played a vital role in the movement for voting rights in America's history. As we celebrate the rich history of women in politics during Women's History Month, we honor the conviction and determination of women like Susan B. Anthony and Amelia Boynton Robinson who fought relentlessly for equality for the ultimate benefit of our country as a whole. When women succeed, America succeeds and Congress should honor the fight and sacrifice by passing the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2016. Fannie Lou Hamer is famous for stating what so many were feeling then and still feel now when she said--``I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.'' Like the brave women of our past, we all need to be sick and tired of injustice and inequality. On this Restoration Tuesday, we honor the women who championed the cause of protection of our sacred and fundamental right to the polls.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. That is why I support this legislation to delay the enforcement of the new EPA rule until all of the legal challenges have been concluded. This is a necessary and commonsense bill. I ask my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on final passage. I want to thank Representative Johnson of Ohio and all of those that are working hard to make sure that small brick companies, like Henry Brick Company of Selma, Alabama, do not have to close its doors.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to voice my support for H.R. 4557, the BRICK Act. I want to tell a story about a small company in my hometown of Selma, Alabama. Henry Brick Company has been a family-owned business since 1945, providing jobs and economic support to the Black Belt of Alabama. In 2003, the EPA passed a rule requiring Henry Brick Company, along with all other brick and structural clay manufacturers, to reduce their air pollutant emissions. In order to meet these new regulations by 2006, Henry Brick Company of Selma, Alabama, spent $1.5 million to come into compliance with the rule. This was a major financial burden for this small company, but Henry Brick Company is a good corporate citizen and understands the importance of protecting our environment. However, 1 year after they spent $1.5 million, the courts vacated the EPA's 2003 regulation. So the EPA went back to the drawing board to create a new rule, but they did not give these brick companies credit for emission reductions achieved under the previous rule. On the contrary, in their new rule, the EPA actually used the emission reductions achieved under the vacated rule as a baseline for further reduction requirements. Now, Henry Brick Company faces a new brick and clay manufacturing rule with even stricter emissions requirements and must come into compliance by December 2018. This time the small company may have to spend up to $8 million to comply with the new emissions standards, leaving Henry Brick Company one step closer to being forced to close their doors. I am supportive, Mr. Speaker, of reducing emissions, and I am also in favor of protecting our environment. But this must be done in an economically viable way. It is simply unfair for regulators to continue to move the goalposts on small brick manufacturers like Henry Brick Company.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a fifth generation African Methodist Episcopal minister, Presiding Prelate, Bishop James Levert Davis on the end of his outstanding tenure as the Presiding Prelate of the 9th African Methodist Episcopal District and for his dedicated and distinguished service to the State of Alabama. Bishop Davis is the son of the late Mother Dorothy Lynch, the late Reverend Sam Davis and Mother Alma Davis. He is married to his partner in ministry, Arelis Beevers Davis. They are the proud parents of Dr. Nicole Davis Pass and Damarys Monique Burnett; and the proud grandparents of Patrick James Pass, Ashton James Pass, Baron Christopher Valentino Burnett and Noel Olivia Burnett. Bishop Davis attended both public and private schools in Alabama and received the call to ministry at age 12. Bishop Davis is a graduate of Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree and later matriculated at Turner Theological Seminary where he earned his Master of Divinity degree. He also received a Doctorate of Ministry degree from the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Bishop Davis' leadership roles have included the 123rd Bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He was appointed to the 19th Episcopal District which encompassed the Republic of South Africa. Bishop Davis furthered the legacy of self- help and self-reliance through his ministry during his time living on the continent of Africa from 2004 to 2008. Bishop Davis has preached and taught for over 45 years and has served the African Methodist church and community faithfully. His exemplary work and commitment to his call has earned the respect and admiration of fellow ministers, church members, government leaders and our community. It was under the leadership of Bishop Davis that the 9th Episcopal District was able to purchase and renovate the District Headquarters located in downtown Birmingham, AL. It took only twenty-five months for the District to celebrate burning their mortgage while reporting $1.8 million in budget assessments and were able to donate over $60,000 to local churches in need. Bishop Davis continues to demonstrate an exemplary commitment to community service through his work as the chair of the Board of Directors for the Daniel Payne College where he promoted his remarkable vision for its property which could help generate funds for the church. Under his leadership, The Daniel Payne College Foundation, Inc. of the 9th Episcopal District was able to purchase the Daniel Payne Middle School making this the largest property owned by an African American institution in the State of Alabama. On a personal note, Bishop Davis has motivated and inspired me to utilize my gifts and talents in planting and reaping and sowing good seeds throughout Alabama's 7th Congressional District. I want to thank him for his continued support and encouragement as we both seek to serve God's people for the advancement of a better world. On behalf of the 7th Congressional District, the State of Alabama and this nation, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the accomplishments of Bishop James Levert Davis. We pay tribute to his distinguished career and contributions for the betterment of the State of Alabama and extend deep appreciation for his exemplary service as the Presiding Prelate of the 9th Episcopal District.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today, the Alabama Tourism Department will honor the life of Voting Rights martyr, Jimmie Lee Jackson, by installing a historic marker in front of the courthouse in Marion, Alabama. I want to join in acknowledging this great honor and the tremendous personal sacrifice of the family of Jimmie Lee Jackson who lost his life in the fight for voter equality in America. At the age of 26, Jimmie Lee Jackson, a Marion, Alabama native, was brutally killed at the hands of an Alabama State Trooper on February 18, 1965. He was killed while trying to protect his mother and 82 year old grandfather after attending a voting rights rally. The state trooper confronted the family at Mack's Cafe in Marion and shot Jimmie Lee Jackson at point blank range for simply shielding his family from the intimidation and retribution being carried out by law enforcement. It is heartbreaking to think that it was the audacity of this young man and his family to peacefully protest for their constitutional rights that led to his brutal murder at the hands of law enforcement. The senseless murder of Jimmie Lee Jackson served as the catalyst for the voting rights movement in Selma. Jimmie Lee Jackson deserves to have his proper place in American history as a true agent of change. Likewise, I was honored to sponsor the National Park Service efforts that led to the City of Marion being added to the Selma to Montgomery Historic Trail as the starting point of the historic road of the Voting Rights Movement. So today, March 2, 2016, it is befitting that the State of Alabama would honor Jimmie Lee Jackson with the installation of a historic marker at the front of the courthouse in Marion. The marker will commemorate the bravery and sacrifice of Jimmie Lee Jackson, and will also serve as a reminder for generations to come that freedom is not free--but rather freedom is paid for at a hefty cost. The senseless killing of Jimmie Lee Jackson shocked the consciousness of the American public and galvanized the local folks to be even more resolved to fight against the inequalities in voting. Jimmie Lee Jackson's death helped reignite the push for federal voting protections and led James Bevel of the SCLC to organize the Selma to Montgomery march. On February 24, 2016, the United States Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to the Foot Soldiers who participated in the 1965 Voting Rights Marches from Selma to Montgomery. While Jimmie Lee Jackson did not live to participate in the Selma to Montgomery March, he was there in spirit. It was his spirit that gave strength to the weak, that gave courage to the scared, and that gave hope to the hopeless. To the family of Jimmie Lee Jackson, I say this Nation owes a debt of gratitude for your personal sacrifice for which we will never be able to fully repay. My hope is that the national recognition of the special role that Jimmie Lee Jackson played and today's historic marker by the State of Alabama is a powerful tribute to his life and the significance of his sacrifice. Today we celebrate Jimmie Lee Jackson, but we are also reminded that the fight for voting rights still continues. Jimmie Lee Jackson did not stand on the sidelines, waiting patiently for justice to come. Nor should we. We must continue the fight to renew the full protections of the Voting Rights Act, to ensure that every eligible voter is able to cast their ballot, and that every vote matters. Jimmie Lee Jackson recognized the importance of the vote. He recognized the power that the ballot box held. Accordingly, we owe it to ourselves and to the memory of Jimmie Lee Jackson to continue his fight.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, during the votes today, March 1, 2016, I was inescapably detained and away handling important matters related to my district and the State of Alabama. If I had been present, I would have voted: Yes on H.R. 136. Yes on H.R. 3735.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, during the votes today, I was inescapably detained and away handling important matters related to my District and the State of Alabama. If I had been present, I would have voted: YES on H.R. 4238--To Amend the Department of Energy on Organization Act and the Local Public Works Capital Development and Investment Act of 1976 to modernize terms relating to minorities.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to urge the Senate Republicans to consider President Obama's Supreme Court nominee. It is disappointing that our democratic process is being so unduly hindered by Senate Republicans who refuse to carry out their basic duties clearly laid out for them in the Constitution. The Constitution clearly informs us that the President has the power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to nominate a successor for open seats in the Supreme Court. The message for Senate Republicans is simple--let the President do his job. It is time to put aside partisan issues and get back to the basics of governing. In previous years, Supreme Court nominations have been at least considered during an election year; six times in our U.S. history to be exact. So I ask, why change now? If Senate Republicans fail to consider the President's Supreme Court nominee during the current election year, this will be the first time in U.S. history that our Supreme Court will have a vacancy for well over a year. There is simply no legitimate rationale for not giving consideration to the President's nominee once announced. There is an ample amount of time available for the Senate to consider the President's nominee. The Supreme Court vacancy is a priority that deserves an unbiased hearing and timely vote. Justice and democracy are at stake and there is no time for this kind of divisiveness. Republican Senators have a constitutional obligation to put away partisan issues and fill this vacancy. Senate Republicans, I strongly urge you to fulfil your constitutional duty and consider President Obama's nominee for Supreme Court Justice.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 86 on February 24, 2016, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' personal explanation

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today I rise on #RestorationTuesday to honor the foot soldiers of the Voting Rights Movement. On March 7th of last year, while aboard Air Force One en route to Selma for the 50th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday, President Obama signed the legislation I introduced to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the Foot Soldiers who participated in Bloody Sunday, Turnaround Tuesday, and the final Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights Marches in 1965. On that day, 50 years after the march, thousands of grateful Americans gathered in my hometown to celebrate and honor the brave foot soldiers and all they sacrificed in pursuit of equality, justice, and voting rights. Democrats stood side by side with Republicans, and the first African American President in our nation's history stood next to President George W. Bush who reauthorized the Voting Rights Act just nine years earlier. On that day, we shed our party loyalties and came together as Americans. Sadly, I stand on the floor of the House almost one year later, and Republicans continue to refuse to bring legislation to restore voting rights to the floor for a simple up or down vote. The progress that was paid for with the blood of the foot soldiers is being rolled back, and Congress has done nothing. Tomorrow, Republicans and Democrats will come together again, this time in our Nation's Capitol, to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the foot soldiers who showed such bravery 50 years ago. They deserve to be recognized by our country's leaders, but this Congress should be giving them much more than a medal. They should protect the sacred voting rights that these brave men and women marched for 50 years ago. As we are joined tomorrow by the foot soldiers of the Civil Rights Movement, I beg my colleagues to reflect on the sacrifice they made, as well as the ideals they fought for. These heroic everyday Americans were confronted with violence and injustice, but were not discouraged from fighting for their God given rights. I hope that their presence can inspire every member of this Congress to #RestoreTheVote.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today is both Restoration Tuesday, and the New Hampshire Primary, our nation's first primary of the election season. As Americans head to the polls today, let us all be reminded that today will be the first presidential primary in the past 50 years where Americans will not be afforded the full protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. New Hampshire is one of 16 states with new voting restrictions that have been implemented since the Supreme Court gutted Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act. Unfortunately for voters in New Hampshire, a new voter-ID law will be in full effect for the first time today. New Hampshire's voter ID law is designed to require those without a photo ID to sign an affidavit and have their picture taken, a motif clearly designed to intimidate and imply suspicion of criminality. The authors and proponents of the law have yet to make the case for the need or intended use of the photos. In addition to intimidation, the law will undoubtedly lead to longer lines at the polls, further inhibiting access for those who have to return to work. Congress has had two years to answer the Supreme Court's call to develop a modem day formula for preclearance under the Voting Rights Act, and therefore prevent such dangerous laws from being implemented. But here we are, on the day of the New Hampshire Primary, and nothing has been done to restore the vote. Election season has commenced, and Americans cannot wait any longer. Thousands of our constituents will face new barriers to voting throughout this election cycle. From African American communities in my home state of Alabama, to Native American communities in Alaska, Asian American communities in California and Latino communities in Texas, thousands of minority communities across America will be met with modern-day barriers to the ballot box due to our inaction. Any attempt to restrict a certain portion of our electorate is a threat to our democracy, whether that is through voter ID laws, the closure of driver's license offices, or the scaling back of early voting. While these don't appear to be as egregious as literacy tests and poll taxes, they represent modern-day attempts to achieve the same goal--to restrict the voice of a portion of the electorate. I respect the differing opinions of my colleagues on issues of economic, energy, education, and foreign policy. However, I cannot comprehend how we can disagree on something as American as protecting the right to vote. Voting Rights is not a partisan issue. It is a pillar of our democracy. As the primary season begins, I urge my colleagues to co-sponsor the Voting Rights Advancement Act and join me and many others in urging Speaker Ryan to bring this bill to the floor for a vote.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I rise on the first Restoration Tuesday of February to talk about the issue of felony disenfranchisement, an issue that is critical to voting rights in our country. Felony disenfranchisement dates back to before the Jim Crow era. It is inconsistent with the values we cherish most in our country today and it contradicts the narrative that we've moved beyond the sins of our past. The United States should not be a country where past mistakes have endless consequences with no opportunity for second chances. 5.85 million Americans are denied the right to vote because of these laws. 4.4 million are out of prison, living in our communities, paying taxes, working, and raising families, yet they remain unable to vote, shut out from our democracy. Denying this right of citizenship further punishes individuals who re-enter our communities and counters the expectation that citizens have rehabilitated themselves following a conviction. The United States should not be a country where past mistakes have countless consequences with no opportunity for redress. My home state of Alabama is one of 12 states that do not automatically restore voting rights to people who have served their sentences. Alabama has one of the nation's highest disenfranchisement rates. Nearly a third of African American men in my home state have permanently lost their right to vote. Regardless of the amount of time they've been out of prison, they have been completely excluded from the electoral process. These state laws that bar 5.8 million Americans with felony convictions from voting date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. During the decades following passage of the Fifteenth Amendment, lawmakers across the country worked tirelessly to invalidate the black vote. As the Jim Crow era began to gain ground, these bans were strengthened. While poll taxes and literacy tests were effective tools in their arsenal, statutes allowing the subjective and permanent exclusion of large numbers of minorities from the democratic process were a particularly potent weapon in their efforts to undermine African- American political power. Those who championed these bans were clear on their intent. In 1901, disenfranchisement in Alabama was extended to all crimes involving ``moral turpitude''--applying to misdemeanors and even non-criminal acts. The president of the constitutional convention argued the state needed to avert what he called the ``menace of Negro domination.'' In 2016 we are still operating under some of the same laws that were cornerstones of Jim Crow. Our nation's existing patchwork of federal law disfranchising people with criminal records perpetuates entrenched racial and socioeconomic discrimination. We've clearly fallen woefully short of achieving our ideals. We can and must do better. Rep. John Conyers has introduced a great piece of legislation to restore voting rights in federal elections to the millions of Americans who have been released from incarceration, but continue to be denied the right to vote. I encourage all of my colleagues, from both sides of the aisle, to support the Democracy Restoration Act of 2015, a bill to restore voting rights in federal elections to people who are out of prison and living in the community.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 3700, the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act, as amended by Ranking Member Waters. While not a perfect bill, H.R. 3700 has been made considerably better by the amendment offered by Ranking Member Waters. There are other amendments that I would love to see, including my own, but I must tell you that this bill does represent true bipartisanship. It is a major bipartisan step towards helping preserve our scarce housing resources while expanding housing opportunities and homeownership opportunities. More specifically, this legislation makes critical changes that would help improve and expand the Section 502 Guaranteed Rural Housing Loan Program. This program helps provide low- and moderate-income households with homeownership opportunities in rural areas, like the Seventh Congressional District of Alabama, which I am so proud to represent. The sad reality is that too often, rural America faces severe barriers and obstacles to obtaining quality and affordable housing. This is largely due to the limited access to affordable mortgage credit. The Section 502 Guaranteed Rural Housing Loan Program is designed to target rural residents who have a steady low or moderate income yet are unable to obtain adequate housing through conventional financing. Essentially, this program encourages private lenders to extend credit to responsible and creditworthy borrowers in rural America. H.R. 3700 would help the Department of Agriculture improve and expand the Section 502 Guaranteed Rural Housing Loan Program by delegating loan approval authority to certain participating lenders. This is similar to the authority that the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development currently has for Federal Housing Administration's programs, and this legislative proposal was included in the President's FY 2016 budget. This is a commonsense and pragmatic measure that will help improve the efficiency of an important rural housing program so that it can reach even more rural families. It is critically important that we continue to provide the necessary tools and incentives to help ensure all Americans are able to realize their dream of homeownership. I want to commend my colleague from Missouri. I especially want to commend my colleague Congressman Cleaver for his tireless leadership on this effort. I want to thank the chairman and ranking member for their efforts. I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 3700.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to H.R. 3700. My amendment is commonsense and straightforward. It simply requires the Secretary of HUD to conduct a study to determine the impact of the decreased deductions on rent paid by elderly, disabled individuals, and families assisted under the Section 8 rental assistance and housing programs. Being able to assess quality, safe, and affordable housing is critically important to all Americans. The Section 8 voucher program and other rental assistance programs play a vital role in providing this type of housing for our Nation's most vulnerable citizens, including seniors, disabled persons, and low-income families. In fact, nearly all of the households currently under HUD rental assistance include children, the elderly, or disabled individuals. These rental assistance programs house over 10 million individuals in roughly 4.6 million rental units across the country. It is clear that these voucher and rental assistance programs continue to perform the task for which they were created, which is providing shelter for millions of Americans. In spite of its enormous success, the Section 8 voucher program, arguably, still suffers under the weight of too many inefficient and duplicative requirements that threaten the overall effectiveness of the program. As drafted, H.R. 3700 takes major bipartisan steps toward helping preserve our scarce housing resources while expanding housing availability. However, as we attempt to reform these programs, we must be mindful and ever diligent in ensuring that the proposed changes are beneficial to their overall implementation and that there are no negative, unintended consequences on the program's participants. To that end, my amendment allows us to gauge the effectiveness of some of the changes being made here today and their impact on the most vulnerable segments of our population: the elderly and disabled. We all know that no program is perfect. We must work together to strike a delicate balance and ensure programs are both workable and do what they intend to do without adverse impacts on those who are greatly benefited by them. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. I thank the chairman for accepting my amendment. I think that all Americans win when we act in a bipartisan manner. I am really grateful for your assistance in making this legislation stronger. I want to thank the ranking member for her leadership on this bill, as well as my colleague, Representative Cleaver, for his leadership on this bill. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 44 on January 13, 2016, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' personal explanation

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is simple and straightforward. Moreover, I do not believe it conflicts with the intent of this legislation. Alabama has a long and rich history of coal production that provides my constituents and Americans across the country with affordable and reliable energy as well as good-paying jobs. As a representative of Alabama, I am a strong supporter of an all-of- the-above energy strategy. I support the development and use of renewable energy like wind and solar as well as the traditional sources of energy like coal. Coal is very important in my State. However, I also believe that it is Congress' responsibility to ensure that energy is produced in a way that does not adversely impact the long-term safety or health of my constituents. That is why I have offered this amendment to H.R. 1644. This amendment makes an important addition to the exception clause in section 2 of the bill. It simply ensures that rules will not be delayed if such a delay would cause or significantly contribute to the development of a negative, chronic, or long-term health condition. We have an obligation as representatives of the people to ensure that regulations are not only sensible but also pragmatic. They must also not be threatened by the policies and regulations, those things that directly affect the public health. I believe all of my colleagues share this belief. I know that my Republican colleagues share my concern for public health. The legislation already includes an exception clause that says a rule cannot be delayed if it would pose an imminent and severe threat to human life. I strongly support this clause, but it is not enough to simply protect the public from imminent and severe health effects. Cancer and lung disease are illnesses that are chronic and often not developed except over years. We should also ensure that the public's long-term health and well-being is protected. This is a commonsense amendment that will protect the public health. I urge all of my colleagues to vote for it. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, with all due respect, I think that the plain reading of the bill, the bill itself, talks about imminent and imminent threat. It doesn't necessarily deal with long- term effect. My commonsense amendment would just make sure that any rules that actually affect public health that is chronic in nature and long term would also be covered with the exception. I say to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, I am from a pro- coal State, but I also think it is really important to be pro-public health. I ask my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Sewell amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today I rise on Restoration Tuesday to honor my guest to tonight's State of the Union Address. Ms. Sheyann Webb-Christburg of Montgomery, Alabama, will be joining me as my special guest to President Obama's final State of the Union Address. Sheyann was 8 years old and was one of the youngest foot soldiers who marched from Selma to Montgomery. I believe that Sheyann is the embodiment of the struggle for voting rights equality in Alabama and in America. On this Restoration Tuesday, it is my sincere hope that her presence will remind us of the modern-day fight for ensuring that every American citizen has access to the ballot box. At an early age, Sheyann recognized that America had failed to live up to its own promise by depriving African Americans of their sacred right to vote. Sheyann's bravery reminded those around her that they are fighting for the next generation--her generation--as fervently as they were fighting for their own. Her courage also made it possible for me to represent our hometown of Selma in Congress. On a personal level, I am thankful to call Sheyann my friend and mentor. She was my childhood babysitter, so I literally grew up in her shadow. Her presence at President Obama's final State of the Union should once again remind us of the gravity of our responsibility to protect the vote for all Americans. Since the civil rights era ended, there are now modern-day barriers to voting. Since the Supreme Court struck down section 4 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in 2013, my office has made restoring this critically important section one of our top priorities. For the past 3 years, my State of the Union guest has represented a different aspect of the voting rights movement: In 2014, my guest to the State of the Union was Selma's mayor, George Evans. As mayor of the birthplace of the Voting Rights Act, he represented the dynamic role Selma and her leaders have played in the fight for voter equality. In 2015, I invited the 104-year-old Amelia Boynton Robinson as my guest to the State of the Union. As the matriarch of the voting rights movement, Amelia challenged an unfair and unjust system that kept African Americans from exercising their constitutionally protected right to vote. I will always cherish the time we spent together when she honored me as my special guest. I think it is befitting that since last year my special guest was the oldest living foot soldier, that my guest this year would be the youngest living foot soldier--Sheyann Webb. All of these individuals have paved the way for me to accomplish all that I have today, and I am forever grateful. Their legacy should inspire us not to take for granted the very sacred vote, and that is the right to vote. Their sacrifices remind us that there is much more work to be done, and my hope is that this Chamber will take on the challenge of doing that work. We should try to restore the Voting Rights Act of 1965. I think that our work begins even today. I hope that Sheyann Webb, as my special guest to the State of the Union, will remind all of us that it is really important that we protect the sacred right to vote.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with Congressman Robert Aderholt, as well as with the rest of the Alabama delegation, to congratulate Coach Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide for a tremendous victory last night in the NCAA National Football Championship. What can I say? Roll Tide. The win represents the 16th National Football Championship for the Crimson Tide and the fourth national title in 7 years under the leadership of Coach Nick Saban. What an awesome record. The State of Alabama and its delegation are extremely proud of the talented football players, coaches, students, and fans. From Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry, quarterback Jake Coker, and the tremendous 95-yard run of Kenyan Drake, all of the players--the entire 2015 team-- deserve our applause and congratulations. This team will join the annals of Tide history as one of the 16 national championship teams. What an honor. We also acknowledge the Clemson University Tigers for a great season and a great championship game last night. I want to personally acknowledge Representative Jeff Duncan and his staff for the friendly wager and the spirited banter on social media. I know that Congressman Duncan will look great on the Capitol steps in the Bear Bryant houndstooth hat and in the University of Alabama tie. Now bring on that South Carolina barbecue. Once again, we, the Alabama delegation, stand here today with slight humility and great pride to congratulate the Crimson Tide of the University of Alabama as the 2015 National Football Champion. What do we say collectively? Roll Tide.