Congressional Black Caucus--The Work Continues: Why Voting Matters in the African American Community

Floor Speech

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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio and the gentleman from New York for this opportunity to join with them this evening.

I am especially proud to associate myself with the gentlewoman's remarks and all that the Congressional Black Caucus has stood for as I would generally acknowledge that I think most of Americans stand for as well.

I thank them as well for pointing out a historic event that is happening and, in fact, will happen tomorrow evening at the Library of Congress.

Tomorrow is March 15. As the gentlewoman mentioned, it was 51 years ago that President Lyndon Baines Johnson gave his now famous ``We Shall Overcome'' speech.

It was President Johnson that recognized 8 days after Bloody Sunday what the Nation needed to do. He did this at great political risk, but he did it because of the sacrifice that so many had made.

Tomorrow evening at the Library of Congress we will celebrate two American heroes with the idea that it is far more important to come together as a Nation and understand that these issues that we face and struggle with aren't Democrat or Republican, but at their very core are American.

I want to commend the Bipartisan Policy Center for establishing what will be the first Congressional Patriot Award that will be presented tomorrow evening to John Lewis from Georgia and Sam Johnson from Texas.

This honor will be perpetuated forever. Not only will it be a medal in recognition of their patriotic service to the country, but of their service here in the United States Congress.

One person was nearly beaten to death by the Alabama police, the other nearly beaten to death by the Vietcong and imprisoned for 8 years, 42 months, in solitary confinement. It was a momentous time in our history in 1965.

Both of these gentlemen serve in the United States Congress. Both of them had to overcome in their lives incredible obstacles. Both of them, after their experience in 1965 and beyond, came back to serve their country, to continue to organize, to continue, in the case of Sam Johnson, to be a flight commander.

John Lewis, as we all know, is the conscience of the House of Representatives. Sam Johnson is the most admired Republican on the floor. They are both iconic and American heroes, and tomorrow evening at the Library of Congress they will be recognized.

The Bipartisan Policy Center has been helped by the Library of Congress, the fortress of knowledge, an institution started by the United States Congress, and houses our great history.

Tomorrow on display will be the documents of the civil rights movement and the direct participation of John Lewis and the documents about the Vietnam war and the captivity and imprisonment of Sam Johnson.

Speaking tomorrow evening on behalf of Sam Johnson will be John McCain. Who better to speak about being imprisoned in the Hanoi Hilton? Who better to speak about the sacrifice that Sam Johnson made, that his family made, for people who put their country first?

We will be honored tomorrow to have a former Member of this body, an ambassador of the United States, and the mayor of Atlanta in Andrew Young being here tomorrow evening.

Who better to talk about all the issues that the gentlewoman from Ohio and the gentleman from New York are bringing to the forefront today than the person who was there by Martin Luther King's side, a colleague of John Lewis? John Lewis holds the seat that Andrew Young occupied in this body.

Andrew Young continues to be an advocate for voting rights and is in the forefront of that continued and epic battle that goes on in this country. It will be an outstanding evening.

But the point of it all is to understand that, as Members here in the United States Congress, in the House of Representatives, we must come together and, as President Johnson said 51 years ago tomorrow evening, to overcome, to overcome not only racial prejudices, but to overcome disease, poverty, and ignorance, which is the real plague on this Nation that keeps us confined.

How fitting that this event takes place tomorrow evening and because of the benevolence of an outstanding person like David Rubenstein. Who better to interview John Lewis and Sam Johnson about their experience than David Rubenstein?

I thank my colleagues from the bottom of my heart for allowing me the opportunity here to echo the sentiments of their purpose here this evening and to acknowledge this event taking place tomorrow evening at the Library of Congress of distinguished Americans, their history forever perpetuated.

And as Webster says above us in the great quote here:

Let us all, in our time here, in our service to the country, do something worthy of being remembered.

Let us take to heart the example of John Lewis and Sam Johnson and note especially tomorrow that we shall overcome.

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