Political Quotes

“I applaud the work by Congresswoman Jackson Lee, my colleague from Texas, on her work on this important recognition. And the gentlewoman knows that we discussed on the floor some of the concerns that I have that I share with my colleague from Louisiana. I wish--because I do believe that there will be some division that comes out of embracing this so quickly, rather than running it through committee, by embracing a name that is going to be seen as conflicting, whether correlated with, or something with our July 4th national independence recognition. And I understand it has been referred to as Independence Day over the years, and I understand why. I think for purposes of recognition by the United States Government, it would be my preference, and I would offer an amendment--if such things were ever done on the floor of this body. It is not, which is a sad state of affairs for the people's House. We literally never amend anything on the floor of this body. I would offer an amendment embracing the recognition of this important day, June 19, 1865, and what that meant for the actual end to slavery, and obviously, we then passed the 13th Amendment, I believe, later that year in December. That is from memory, if that is right. And I think it would be important, and I believe it has often been referred to in our history as Jubilee Day, as Emancipation Day, as Freedom Day, I would be amenable to any of those names.…”