Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, as a student and former teacher of history, I have worked during my tenure in Congress to preserve and protect our Nation's historic treasures. Historically Black Colleges and Universities, commonly called HBCUs, are some of the most important historic educational institutions in our country. There are over 100 HBCUs in the country, and eight of them are in South Carolina. I proudly represent seven of them and I am a graduate of one. Many of them have buildings and sites on their campuses that have existed for over a century and are of great historical significance. Unfortunately, many of the historic buildings and sites on these campuses have deteriorated over the years and are at risk of being lost if not preserved and protected. In 1998, at the behest of the Congressional Black Caucus, the United States Government Accountability Office, the GAO, surveyed 103 HBCU campuses to identify the historically significant sites on these campuses and project the cost of restoring and preserving these properties. The GAO identified 712 historic buildings and sites, and projected a cost of $755 million to restore and preserve them. Each of these sites has national significance to American history, and I believe we have an obligation to be stewards of these historic treasures.…”