Sheila Jackson Lee: “The Nation loves its history. We in Texas love our history. Today, I rise to encourage and to announce the legislation…”

“The Nation loves its history. We in Texas love our history. Today, I rise to encourage and to announce the legislation that reflects history. H.R. 4745, to designate the Emancipation National Historic Trail, is a wonderful legislative initiative that reflects history in the State of Texas and throughout the Nation. We are all reminded of the Emancipation Proclamation that was issued in 1863. We know that there were areas of the South that did not get the word that the slaves were free for 2 years. Earlier this week, I celebrated the commemoration of the birthday of the Honorable Mickey Leland, who died some years ago alongside an Ethiopian mountain while attempting to feed those struggling. But he believed in stopping food insecurity. In honor of him, reflecting on the history of our community, I ask my colleagues to sign on to H.R. 4745 because it recounts the announcement by Captain Granger that the slaves were finally free in Texas and throughout the Southwest, and creates a wonderful trail that all of us can enjoy that chronicles the story from Galveston to Houston. Mr. Speaker, this is legislation that says that America can accept all of our history, and I ask you to join H.R. 4745. ____________________”