Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3222, the Alabama Black Belt National Heritage Area Act. This bill would establish the Alabama Black Belt National Heritage Area, consisting of land in 19 counties in the State of Alabama, including Montgomery County, as a national heritage area. The region's identity is rooted in its cultural geography and historical development. During the mid-1900s, Alabama's Black Belt area gave rise to the civil rights movement emerging in the South. Montgomery County witnessed the bus boycotts in the 1950s. Dallas, Lowndes, and Montgomery Counties also gave way for the famous march for equal rights from Selma to Montgomery in 1965, led by the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. National heritage areas leverage private funding for long-term projects that have substantial economic and environmental benefits. The protection, conservation, and restoration of Alabama's Black Belt area, in partnership with the National Park Service, will ensure that the powerful history of this area is preserved for posterity. These are stories that need to be told. I thank my colleague, Representative Sewell, for introducing this important legislation and championing this bill on behalf of her constituents. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3222, and I reserve the balance of my time.”