Donald M. Payne: “Let me begin by thanking my classmates, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, for anchoring these…”

“Let me begin by thanking my classmates, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, for anchoring these important Special Order hours for the Congressional Black Caucus. Since her arrival here in Congress, Congresswoman Beatty has demonstrated why she was a leader in Ohio, and she has become a great leader in the House of Representatives. {time} 2000 Mr. Speaker, Dr. King envisioned for this Nation a future of vast potential, a future where every man and woman and child would have the opportunity to get ahead, free from the constraints of injustice and intolerance. What we see happening across our country shows how far we still have to go to achieve Dr. King's dream. From gun violence to racial wealth gaps, from lack of diversity to persistent poverty, there are still critical issues affecting our communities that must be addressed. In 2015, there were at least 76 gun deaths in my district in New Jersey, the Tenth Congressional District. One-third of all the gun deaths in New Jersey last year happened in my district. If we don't do something to tackle this epidemic, then we are failing our children. We are failing the next generation, to give them the hope and the possibilities of being a positive part of this community, such as we saw in Congressman Cedric Richmond. In my district, African Americans face unemployment rates nearly triple that of White workers.…”