Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The Reconstruction era that followed the Civil War was a time of significant transformation for the United States. Reconstruction addressed how the 11 States that had left the Union would be reestablished in Congress, as well as how the civil rights and integration into a free society of 4 million formerly enslaved individuals could be secured. The Reconstruction Era National Monument was established by Presidential declaration in January 2017 as a unit of the National Park Service. It is located in Beaufort County, South Carolina, an area that has been called the birthplace of Reconstruction. In and around this area, some of the first African Americans enlisted as soldiers and founded the first African American schools and hospitals during Reconstruction. This was also the home of Robert Smalls, a former slave who became a political leader, serving on two State constitutional conventions: in the State legislature and, ultimately, the U.S. Congress. H.R. 5532 redesignates Reconstruction Era National Monument as the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park and authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to expand the park boundary. The bill also establishes the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network, which will connect similar sites across the country to promote education and preservation efforts. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.”