Nikema Williams

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation as care is an economic development strategy. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 2938.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2938, which designates the Federal Building at 111 North Adams Street in Tallahassee, Florida, as the Joseph Woodrow Hatchett United States Courthouse and Federal Building. Born during the days of segregation, Judge Hatchett grew up in Clearwater, Florida. He graduated from Florida A&M University in 1954 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. He entered Howard University School of Law in 1956, and when he took the Florida Bar Exam in 1959, Jim Crow regulations prevented him from staying in the hotel where the test was administered. After admission to the Florida Bar, Judge Hatchett entered private practice in Daytona Beach, practicing criminal, civil, administrative, and civil rights law in State and Federal courts. A series of judicial appointments that began in 1971 ultimately led to his placement on the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, making Judge Hatchett the first Black man appointed to a Federal appeals court in the Deep South. Judge Hatchett retired from the bench in 1999 and passed away in April of 2021 at the age of 88. A House companion to this bill, H.R. 4771, was introduced by Congressman Lawson and had the support of the entire Florida Congressional delegation. The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure passed H.R. 4771 in 2021. Madam Speaker, I support S. 2938, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1226) to designate the United States courthouse located at 1501 North 6th Street in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as the ``Sylvia H. Rambo United States Courthouse'', and for other purposes.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 1226.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, S. 1226, which names the United States courthouse in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, after Judge Sylvia H. Rambo. S. 1226 was introduced by Pennsylvania Senators Casey and Toomey, and a House companion was introduced by Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure member, Representative Scott Perry, and cosponsored by several members of the Pennsylvania delegation. Upon introduction of the bill, Senator Casey said: ``Judge Rambo's trailblazing career serves as an ongoing inspiration to countless young women across the Commonwealth, the Third Circuit, and the entire Nation. Her dedication to the judiciary is unparalleled, and there is no better way to honor her service to our Nation than by naming the new Federal courthouse in Harrisburg after her.'' Senator Toomey said: ``As the first woman to serve on both the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas for Cumberland County and on the bench of the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Judge Rambo is a trailblazer. During her time on the bench, Judge Rambo has served Pennsylvania with great integrity and distinction. I am proud to introduce this legislation honoring a Pennsylvania public servant with Senator Casey.'' The courthouse is currently under construction. Upon completion, it will contain a total of 8 courtrooms and 11 chambers. Tenants for this new courthouse are the U.S. Courts, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Attorneys, U.S. Trustees, Homeland Security, and Federal Public Defender. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in advancing this legislation naming the United States Courthouse in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, after Judge Sylvia H. Rambo. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2126) to designate the Federal Office Building located at 308 W. 21st Street in Cheyenne, Wyoming, as the ``Louisa Swain Federal Office Building'', and for other purposes.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 2126.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2126, which names the Federal office building located at 308 West 21st Street in Cheyenne, Wyoming, as the Louisa Swain Federal Office Building. In 1869, Wyoming became the first State or territory in the U.S. to continuously recognize women's voting rights as equal to the voting rights of men. Louisa Swain was the first woman to vote under that law. When she cast her vote in the general election of 1870, she was 70 years old. It would be another 50 years before women's voting rights were recognized in the rest of the country. Swain, born in Norfolk, Virginia, was orphaned by the age of 10. She married and moved to Baltimore, where she and her husband raised four children before moving to Wyoming. Shortly after voting in the 1870 election, Swain and her husband returned to Baltimore, where Swain died in 1878. S. 2126 was sponsored by Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis and Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen, and cosponsored by Maryland Senator Ben Cardin and Wyoming Senator John Barrasso. In October 2008, Congress passed a resolution making September 6, 2008 ``Louisa Swain Day.'' Madam Speaker, I am proud to support and highlight the history of voting rights in this country. I support this legislation and I encourage my colleagues to join me. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 233) to designate the Rocksprings Station of the U.S. Border Patrol located on West Main Street in Rocksprings, Texas, as the ``Donna M. Doss Border Patrol Station''.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I want to thank Angola's Ambassador to the United States, Joaquim do Espirito Santo, for coming to the City of Atlanta to celebrate our native son, Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Angolans arrived in the American South 400 years ago as the first African slaves brought to the colonies that would become the United States. Atlanta was incorporated in 1845, and by 1850, Atlanta's population was roughly 20 percent African slaves, mostly from Western Africa and what is now Angola. Angola and the City of Atlanta have a long shared history, and Ambassador Joaquim do Espirito Santo's recent visit honors the relationship between Angola and Atlanta. While in Atlanta, Ambassador Joaquim do Espirito Santo joined the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day service alongside me at Ebenezer Baptist Church, one of the most powerful modern institutions of the Civil Rights movement. A guest of Dr. Bernice King, Ambassador Joaquim do Espirito Santo attended the service on behalf of Angolan President Joao Lourenco, While in town, Ambassador Espirito Santo further built ties with Atlanta's thriving businesses and organizations. By meeting with Atlanta's Mayor, City Council, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, and the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Ambassador Espirito Santo has laid the groundwork for continued cooperation and partnership between Atlanta and Angola. Similarly, the Ambassador met with the Atlanta-based Carter Center to thank them for their excellent work eliminating Guinea Worm Disease in Angola. Recognizing Atlanta's shared past and exciting future with Angola, the Atlanta City Council officially proclaimed January 17, MLK Day, as ``Angola Day'' in Atlanta. In the words of the City Council, ``this growing partnership between Atlanta and Angola is a story that has come nearly full circle, from tragedy and injustice to opportunity and hope.'' I join the City of Atlanta in congratulating the Ambassador on his timely visit and look forward to the blossoming cultural and economic relationship between Atlanta and Angola.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the CROWN Act because all hair is professional hair. While serving in the Georgia State Senate, a colleague greeted me with what she thought was a compliment. After spending most of the legislative session in braids, I had my natural hair pressed straight. She told me, Nikema, you should keep your hair that way. It looks better, more professional, more like a State Senator. Remarks like this are all too familiar for Black women and girls; unacceptable on their own, but the outright discrimination that flows from them is worse. If I didn't work for the people in Congress, I know that I could be fired simply for wearing my hair in braids. Nothing about this is okay, so I make it a point to create an environment where my team feels comfortable wearing their crowns in every texture. Everybody deserves this level of safety, no matter where they work. Our hair is an expression of our authentic selves. Braids, locs, coils, or a silk press, all hair is professional hair. Discrimination has no place in America; that includes discriminating against Black hair. The CROWN Act would make race-based hair discrimination a thing of the past, once and for all, and that is why we should pass it today.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my amendment to proactively prevent human rights abuses against LGBTQI individuals. As the Congresswoman representing the LGBTQI capital of the South, this amendment is just another way that my district is leading the way to achieve human rights and equity for all. Decades of advocacy, from Atlanta's first gay pride march in 1971, to annual events like Black Pride and Southern Fried Queer Pride have made Atlanta the city ``too busy to hate.'' Atlanta gets a perfect score from the Human Rights Campaign, and the community that the Black and LGBTQ-plus activists have created in Atlanta is the kind of world that we want everywhere. At home, we have a saying, ``Atlanta influences everything,'' and my amendment is designed to do just that by extending human rights protections beyond my city and our Nation's borders. With my amendment, the State Department will study how it can better coordinate internationally to prevent international human rights abuses based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics before those abuses occur. This will create a better world for everyone no matter where they live, who they love, or how they identify.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I often say that I am operating in an institution and system that was not designed by or for people who look like me. Today, however, I celebrate a pioneer who wanted to change the system so that it would work for all the people-- Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. I stand proudly on the shoulders of the first Black woman in Congress. She entered Congress ``unbossed and unbought'' and brought this energy to each of her seven terms. She paved the way for me to be here as the first Black woman to represent the people of Georgia's Fifth District in Congress. We are the next generation of Black excellence because of Shirley Chisholm. As we face trying times, we must remember that we stand on the brink of progress. The courage of Shirley Chisholm paved the way for Black women in Congress to fight for a future that our children can believe in: Voting rights regardless of our ZIP code. Lasting investments in our HBCUs. The Black Maternal Health Momnibus to end the Black maternal mortality crisis. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to end police brutality. My Abolition Amendment legislation that will close a loophole in the Thirteenth Amendment and truly end slavery in America. As we reflect on how far we have come this Black History Month, I am looking forward to the future we are building together because of the path set by Congresswoman Chisholm. However, we have a long way to go. The halls of Congress are full of portraits and statues of mostly men, while depictions of women are scattered here and there. Images of trailblazers like Shirley Chisholm and Rosa Parks remind me of the imbalance of women lining the halls, and I am determined to change that. May we always remember Congresswoman Chisholm for her tenacity, her boldness, and her guts. That is what we will need to ensure that our story continues.