On the recordOctober 11, 2017
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the committee for promptly reporting H.R. 2989 to the floor for consideration. I rise today in support of a bill I have cosponsored with Delegate Norton, the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission Act. As we approach the 200th anniversary of Frederick Douglass' birth, I urge my colleagues in the House to support this legislation. The purpose of this bill is more than just honoring the birth of one great civil rights leader. Its purpose is to recognize his lasting impact on American Government, culture, and values. Frederick Douglass' work stretched far beyond the fight for legal freedom into the equally important fight for social and cultural equality. Born on Maryland's beautiful Eastern Shore, Douglass escaped slavery to become an author, abolitionist, and true American hero. Frederick Douglass is a model for the values that make our Nation great: equality, liberty, and a commitment to working hard and helping others. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to honor Frederick Douglass and the resounding impact his work has had on modern American culture by passing this legislation.





