On the recordSeptember 22, 2016
I thank both of my friends from California for bringing this bill to the floor today. I am not a member of the requisite committee, but I appreciate the work that was done to bring it to the floor. I thank them both for speaking in favor of this piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that we are here this week at the cusp of the grand opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture here in Washington, D.C.--a, rightfully, magnificent building here on The Mall of our Nation's Capital. I think, after listening to a few of the remarks I will make about this little piece of property here in Washington, it is a modicum in comparison to that, but it is, I think, worthy of our support. This is a bipartisan bill that is before us today. It has earned the support of both sides of the aisle. Specifically, it would name a small parcel of land in Washington, D.C., as the Robert Emmet Park. In some ways, the name can be considered a formality because, as has been mentioned by Mr. Denham, there is already a statue of Emmet that has been in the park for decades. It is the only statue in the very small park, and it is situated so that it is the main visible feature to visitors. I hope one doesn't mind my sharing just a little of the history here today.…
