E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 116 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION

Vol. 166 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2020 No. 84 House of Representatives The House met at 10:30 a.m. and was PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE gressional District of . To the best called to order by the Speaker. of our knowledge and belief at this time, The SPEAKER. Will the gentleman there is no contest to this election. f from North Carolina (Mr. As soon as the official results are certified PRAYER BUTTERFIELD) come forward and lead to this office by the Board of Canvassers, an The Chaplain, the Reverend Patrick the House in the Pledge of Allegiance. official Certificate of Election will be pre- pared for transmittal as required by law. J. Conroy, offered the following prayer: Mr. BUTTERFIELD led the Pledge of Allegiance as follows: Sincerely, Compassionate God, thank You for LINDA H. LAMONE, I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the giving us another day. State Administrator. In an earlier national crisis, Presi- United States of America, and to the Repub- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, dent Gerald Ford bound the Nation f with these words: ‘‘My fellow Ameri- indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. cans, our long national nightmare is f SWEARING IN OF THE HONORABLE over. Our Constitution works. Our COMMUNICATION FROM THE great Republic is a government of laws KWEISI MFUME, OF MARYLAND, CLERK OF THE HOUSE and not of men. Here, the people rule. AS A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE . . . Let brotherly love purge our The SPEAKER laid before the House Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I ask hearts of suspicion and of hate.’’ the following communication from the unanimous consent that the gentleman Much earlier, President John Adams Clerk of the House of Representatives: from Maryland, the Honorable Kweisi felt that Americans were engaged in OFFICE OF THE CLERK, Mfume, be permitted to take the oath the best cause that ever employed the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, of office today. human heart, but feared success was Washington, DC, May 1, 2020. His certificate of election has not ar- doubtful not for want of power or of Hon. , rived, but there is no contest and no wisdom, but of virtue. We are now en- Speaker, House of Representatives, question has been raised with regard to gaged in a similar challenge in a new Washington, DC. his election. DEAR MADAM SPEAKER: I have the honor to world emerging. The SPEAKER. Is there objection to Inspire the men and women of Con- transmit herewith a scanned copy of a letter received from Ms. Linda H. Lamone, Admin- the request of the gentleman from gress to bend their energies not to istrator, Maryland State Board of Elections, Maryland? strengthen positions of privilege, but, indicating that, according to the preliminary There was no objection. to the extent possible, reduce privilege results of the Special Election held April 28, The SPEAKER. Will Representative- in favor of the common weal. For we 2020, the Honorable Kweisi Mfume was elect- elect Mfume and the members of the are a Nation of laws, not men, and the ed Representative to Congress for the Sev- Maryland delegation present them- responsibility of government is the enth Congressional District, State of Mary- selves in the well. benefit of all its citizens. land. With best wishes, I am, All Members will rise and the Rep- May each American rise to our resentative-elect will raise his right shared effort to remind ourselves that Sincerely, CHERYL L. JOHNSON. hand. we are all responsible for the greatness Mr. MFUME appeared at the bar of of our Nation and to make the sac- MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, the House and took the oath of office, rifices necessary to emerge better in Annapolis, MD, April 30, 2020. as follows: virtue and stronger in national well- Hon. CHERYL L. JOHNSON, Do you solemnly swear or affirm that you being. With Your grace, O Lord, may it Clerk, House of Representatives, will support and defend the Constitution of be so. Washington, DC. the United States against all enemies, for- And may everything done this day be DEAR MS. JOHNSON: This is to advise you eign and domestic; that you will bear true for Your greater honor and glory. that the unofficial results of the Special faith and allegiance to the same; that you Amen. Election held on Tuesday, April 28, 2020, for take this obligation freely, without any Representative in Congress from the 7th f mental reservation or purpose of evasion; Congressional District of Maryland, show and that you will well and faithfully dis- THE JOURNAL that Mr. Kweisi Mfume received 83,868 votes charge the duties of the office on which you as of April 29, 2020 or 72.8% of votes of the are about to enter, so help you God. The SPEAKER. Pursuant to section number of votes cast for that office. 7(a) of House Resolution 891, the Jour- It would appear from these unofficial re- The SPEAKER. Congratulations, you nal of the last day’s proceedings is ap- sults that Mr. Mfume was elected as Rep- are now a Member of the 116th Con- proved. resentative in Congress from the 7th Con- gress.

b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor.

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VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:15 May 06, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A05MY7.000 H05MYPT1 H1976 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE May 5, 2020 WELCOMING THE HONORABLE wisdom, thoughtfulness, depth, and last expression of a possibility of man- KWEISI MFUME TO THE HOUSE whose experience can help guide this kind devising a social order where jus- OF REPRESENTATIVES House and our majority as we navigate tice is the supreme ruler, and law is The SPEAKER. Without objection, challenges both longstanding and new. but its instrument; where freedom is the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. I hope that all of my colleagues will the dominant creed, and order . . . but join me in congratulating Representa- HOYER) is recognized for 1 minute. its principle; where equity is the com- There was no objection. tive Mfume on his election to represent mon practice, and fraternity the true Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, all of Maryland’s Seventh Congressional Dis- human condition.’’ us, of course, were deeply saddened by trict once more and in welcoming him It is against that backdrop that I the passing of our friend, Elijah Cum- back to the House. welcome and embrace both this chal- mings, last year. He was a giant of I am now honored, Madam Speaker, lenge and opportunity before me. Madam Speaker, I thank you and I moral strength and unquestioned in- to yield to my friend of longstanding, thank the distinguished majority lead- tegrity. my colleague, and my fellow Mary- In his 24 years in office, Elijah built lander, Kweisi Mfume. er for his words of introduction. a reputation for legislative skill, excel- Mr. MFUME. Madam Speaker, I f thank the majority leader for his kind lence in constituent service, an ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER unyielding energy for rooting out cor- and overly gracious remarks. Madam Speaker, I rise to offer my The SPEAKER. Under clause 5(d) of ruption in government, and fighting heartfelt thanks and my deepest appre- rule XX, the Chair announces to the tirelessly for justice, equality, and op- ciation to the people of Maryland’s House that, in light of the administra- portunity. He served his constituents Seventh Congressional District for the tion of the oath to the gentleman from in Maryland’s Seventh Congressional high honor and the distinct privilege of Maryland, the whole number of the District well. And today, Madam again representing them here in the House is 430. Speaker, they are sending someone to Congress of the United States. f take his place whom I believe is an ex- I am happy to have been joined by ADJOURNMENT cellent choice. members of our distinguished delega- As the dean of the Maryland Congres- tion from the State of Maryland, and I The SPEAKER. Pursuant to section sional delegation, it is my honor today appreciate their presence here among 7(b) of House Resolution 891, the House to welcome the House’s newest Mem- us. stands adjourned until 10 a.m. on Fri- ber, Representative Kweisi Mfume. I thank Almighty God for the victory day, May 8, 2020. However, he is not new to the House. and for my wonderful family and Thereupon (at 10 o’clock and 44 min- He is a veteran of this body, a skilled friends. I am joined here in the gallery utes a.m.), under its previous order, the and experienced legislator, who rep- by my wife, Dr. Tiffany Beth Mfume, House adjourned until Friday, May 8, resented Maryland’s Seventh District and a longtime family friend, attorney 2020, at 10 a.m. from 1987 to 1996. When he left to be- Eric Bryant, and others. f come the national president of the I am honored by those supporters OATH OF OFFICE MEMBERS, RESI- NAACP, was chosen who are Black and White, Latino and DENT COMMISSIONER, AND DEL- to succeed him. Asian, who could not be here at this EGATES Now, as we continue to mourn Eli- time but who have worked so very hard The oath of office required by the jah’s passing, we welcome Representa- to make sure that this moment would sixth article of the Constitution of the tive Mfume back to his old seat to be possible. And I believe, as they do United States, and as provided by sec- carry on the work that he and Elijah and as we continue to do, that racism, tion 2 of the act of May 13, 1884 (23 have both been engaged in for many, sexism, and anti-Semitism are wrong, Stat. 22), to be administered to Mem- many years. that Black bigotry can be just as cruel The voters of the Seventh District, to bers, Resident Commissioner, and Dele- and evil as White bigotry, that gay gates of the House of Representatives, their credit, replaced great intellect bashing, immigrant bashing, and union with great intellect, a passion for jus- the text of which is carried in 5 U.S.C. bashing ultimately deplete us as a Na- 3331: tice, equality, and opportunity, with a tion and rob us of our ability to make successor who mirrors and shares that ‘‘I, AB, do solemnly swear (or af- true and lasting change. firm) that I will support and defend passion and history of commitment. Today marks my return to this body the Constitution of the United Their shared work has been to ensure after 24 years and following the death States against all enemies, foreign that the promise of America is kept for of the Honorable Elijah Cummings, my and domestic; that I will bear true all Americans equally, regardless of friend of 42 years. I do so against the faith and allegiance to the same; race or faith or gender or sexual ori- backdrop of COVID–19 and in the midst that I take this obligation freely, entation or national origin; to break of our Nation’s greatest health crisis of without any mental reservation or down disparities in justice and access the 21st century. to opportunity; to address the tragic Simultaneously, we are also locked purpose of evasion; and that I will and unacceptable disparities in access in the Nation’s greatest economic col- well and faithfully discharge the to quality, affordable healthcare, lapse, where there are now families and duties of the office on which I am which the COVID–19 tragedy has made individuals who haven’t had a pay- about to enter. So help me God.’’ so starkly evident; to make certain check in weeks as they struggle to buy has been subscribed to in person and that every child in this country can go food and to pay bills. filed in duplicate with the Clerk of the to a good, safe public school and re- Madam Speaker, our challenges as a House of Representatives by the fol- ceive a quality education that leads to Nation at this hour, as you and others lowing Member of the 116th Congress, a rewarding career. know better than I, are economic, edu- pursuant to the provisions of 2 U.S.C. That is what Representative Mfume cational, social, and systemic, and they 25: fought for as a member of the Balti- require both the courage of conviction KWEISI MFUME, Seventh District of more City Council and as a Member of and the unwavering resolve that the Maryland. this House. It is what he worked hard American spirit has always exhibited f to achieve as a former chairman of the in order to solve them. PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS Congressional Black Caucus and as the Thus, in yielding back my time, I Under clause 2 of rule XII, public NAACP national president. call forth the words of Dr. James bills and resolutions of the following I speak on behalf of our delegation, Cheek, when he so eloquently ex- titles were introduced and severally re- but all who served with him here in the claimed: ‘‘I have not given up on the ferred, as follows: Congress of the United States, we are American idea or on the American pos- By Ms. DAVIDS of Kansas: pleased that he is back with us. And I sibility, and I ask my colleagues in this H.R. 6696. A bill to establish a program pro- know that those who were not Mem- body not to give up also. viding grants to certain small business con- bers when he last served will find him ‘‘I am convinced that our Nation still cerns to modify or reallocate their produc- to be a wonderful colleague, a man of stands before the world as perhaps the tive facilities to begin or increase production

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