Sheila Jackson Lee: “I thank the gentleman very much for the yielded time, and I thank the floor staff and the representatives of the…”

“I thank the gentleman very much for the yielded time, and I thank the floor staff and the representatives of the Democratic cloakroom, Republican cloakroom for their courtesies. I want to join my good friend who was on the floor earlier this evening. I was detained in a diplomatic meeting. I could not join my good friend, Congressman Al Green, as he began to commemorate and salute Black History Month. {time} 1845 This is story of a proud people, of Americans who participated in every historic event since the founding of this country and whose ancestors proudly wore the uniform on many occasions, including the uniform in the Civil War and wars beyond. Tonight, I come to salute both national heroes and local heroes from Houston, Texas, and--in particular--the 18th Congressional District. This, in fact, is the 39th commemoration of Black History Month, and we celebrate the contributions of African Americans who have contributed to the history and the greatness of our Nation. We pay tribute to trailblazers, pioneers, and leaders, like many of us know, such as Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall; United States Senator Blanche Kelso Bruce; a U.S. Congresswoman from my congressional district, the Honorable Barbara Jordan, who most recently sat amongst us, retiring from the United States Congress in 1978-79; U.S. Congressman Mickey Leland, who lost his life trying to provide food to hungry people in Ethiopia; astronauts like Dr.…”