What James E. Clyburn said, and what was done

“Mr. Speaker, I, like many others, were shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of Senator Lindsey Graham, who served in this body from 1995 to 2003, when he left to begin serving in the Senate.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the remarkable life of Harrison Rearden on his 90th birthday. For at least eight of his nine decades, Mr.”

“Social Services. Through hard work, vision, and exemplary leadership, he rose through the ranks to become Deputy State Director. His dedication to public service earned him numerous accolades, including the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina's highest civilian honor, the Silver Crescent Award, a Concurrent Resolution for Public Service from the South Carolina General Assembly, and the South Carolina State Employee of the Year Award.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Dr. Preston N. Williams on the occasion of his 100th birthday. This milestone represents a century of wisdom, scholarship, leadership, and faith.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay homage to the late Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. On Tuesday, February 14, 2026, I joined the Nation in mourning the passing of one of the most quintessential civil rights leaders: the Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of an extraordinary woman, Mrs. Christine Osburn Jackson, who entered eternal rest on February 25, 2026, at the age of 97.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Reverend Charcey Priester, Sr., who is celebrating the 20th anniversary of service as pastor of St. Paul Baptist Church in Orangeburg, South Carolina.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor a dedicated public servant and steadfast champion of America's transportation system, Mr. Bruno Maestri, on his retirement from Amtrak on January 30, 2026.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to join with my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus to pay homage to the Black men and women of our Armed Forces whose service and sacrifices have far too often gone unrecognized and underappreciated.”

“When we hear stories of the American Revolution, we don't often hear of Crispus Attucks, a Black man who became the first casualty of the American Revolution when he was the first of five colonists shot and killed on March 5, 1770, in what became known as the Boston Massacre.”

“Mr. Speaker, I would like to mention a little bit of history here that I think is very meaningful and helps to make the point that I really want to make tonight.”

“I just mentioned the Tuskegee Airmen who came online during World War II. After the war, we had contributions from people like Daniel ``Chappie'' James. I like to mention Daniel ``Chappie'' James because I remember, as a kid in those schools I was attending in South Carolina, I would hear all this stuff and read this stuff about Jimmy Doolittle.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am going to close with something a bit more general because I have been wrestling with this for the better part of the last 4 or 5 years.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding the time. I apologize for not getting here at the time I told her I would, but a few other things came into play.”

“Mr. Chair, the bipartisan infrastructure law requires drunk and impaired driving technology to become standard equipment in new cars once a rule has been finalized by the Department of Transportation.”

“Mr. Chair, I would like to take that 15 seconds to thank those who spoke in opposition to this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.”

“Madam Chair, I thank Ranking Member DeLauro and Chairman Cole for their leadership. Madam Chair, I rise in strong support of this bipartisan legislation that will make critical investments in housing and transportation across America.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise a proud South Carolina State University alumnus to congratulate its football team on their new title, the 2025 HBCU national champions. The Bulldogs erased a 21-point half-time deficit, scoring three touchdowns in the third quarter to win the Cricket Celebration Bowl in a four-overtime thriller over Prairie View A&M University.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the extraordinary life and legacy of Dr. Cecil Edward ``Eddie'' Floyd, a distinguished physician, visionary leader, and devoted servant to the people of South Carolina, who transitioned on January 15, 2026.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the recent accomplishments of the South Carolina State University (SCSU) Bulldogs Football Program. Last month, SCSU--my alma mater--was victorious in the Cricket Celebration Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia, making them the 2025 HBCU (Historically Black College and University) National Champions.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the life and legacy of an educator, public servant, freedom fighter, and man of deep faith whose service to the people of Hollywood, South Carolina, and the Lowcountry of South Carolina spanned more than five decades.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of a devoted public servant, respected minister, and trusted community leader whose faithful service to Clarendon County and the people of South Carolina spanned more than three decades.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland for his comments and for his friendship for these 36-plus years, 30 years as my colleague. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his remarks. I yield to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman). Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I first thank both of our Members of Congress who are co-leading this very important Special Order hour.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her remarks. Now I yield to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath). Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I thank both of our leaders this evening, Representative Hoyer and Representative Clyburn, for making sure that we never forget.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his co-anchorship of these few minutes that we have spent together here on the floor. Mr. Speaker, you have heard from many of our distinguished colleagues about the events of January 6, the insurrection that has been misnamed by many of my colleagues.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of Mother Essie M. Richards, a devoted woman of faith, a respected community leader, and a beloved matriarch who will celebrate her 100th birthday on January 26, 2026.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Dr. La-Dine Williams Gamble, a devoted servant of God, a gifted musician, a tireless educator, and a beloved wife, mother, and grandmother.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Master Sergeant Leslie Diane Koger on her retirement after 29 years of distinguished service in the United States Air National Guard.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the extraordinary service of Brigadier General David M. Jenkins, a trailblazing leader in the South Carolina National Guard who will soon retire after 35 years of distinguished military service.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of a remarkable woman, Clara Gipson-McKnight, on the occasion of her 95th birthday on February 3, 2025.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding career and lasting contributions of a visionary educator and leader-- Dr. Craig Witherspoon. Over nearly four decades in public education, including ten transformative years as Superintendent of Richland County School District One in Columbia, South Carolina, Dr.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Everett L. Dargan, an outstanding surgeon, a devoted husband and father, and an all-around good citizen of South Carolina.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to a remarkable South Carolinian--a woman who embodied the values of hard work, resilience, compassion, and grace. Thelma Lee Edwards-Riley, a daughter of Holy Hill, South Carolina, was born on July 10, 1930.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of a great man of faith and a true community servant leader, Deacon Ronald Levester Sewell. Deacon Sewell, a native of Columbia, South Carolina, passed away on Saturday, May 10, 2025.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to welcome to these Chambers and to this well a good friend and a personal, I will say, savior to a multitude of South Carolinians.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of a distinguished South Carolinian--a pastor, legislator, artist, and community builder whose influence reached far beyond his beloved Lowcountry.”

“Elected to the South Carolina House of representatives in 2006, Reverend Hodges served until 2016. He introduced the bill naming the Combahee River crossing the ``Harriet Tubman Bridge,'' led the creation of the SC Microenterprise Development Act, and chaired multiple legislative subcommittees.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her comments. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. McClellan), my co-anchor for this Special Order. Ms. McCLELLAN.”

“Mr. Speaker, thank you very much. I am going to take just a couple minutes to thank all of my colleagues from the Congressional Black Caucus for being here this evening.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Hartsville, South Carolina. The history of Antioch is profound and deserving of the great celebration that is taking place on Easter Sunday.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. McClellan) tonight in opposition to the Trump administration's attacks on education.”

“Heritage Corridor and the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor. We now have three National Parks, Congaree, Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter, and the Reconstruction Era National Park. I am also particularly proud of a historic site in my congressional district--part of the African American Civil Rights Network--which commemorates the Briggs v.”

“Because of the Voting Rights Act, many of the things that my family suffered went away, like the poll tax. Mr. Speaker, when I took my oath of office on this floor 2 years ago, I took my oath of office on my father's Bible.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me, and I thank her so much for leading this Special Order hour. Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleague from Virginia to express my disagreement with the misplaced priorities of the Republican majority.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the extraordinary life of Evelyn Bennett Guile. Mrs. Guile transitioned on March 23, 2025, at the remarkable age of 107 years.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a South Carolinian who left an indelible mark on hip-hop, R&B, and soul and was an icon of American music.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of an extraordinary public servant, a trailblazing political activist, a cherished matriarch of her community, and a personal friend.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an extraordinary leader, a dedicated educator, and a tireless advocate for social justice. Dr. Rubye J. Johnson departed this life on January 30, 2025.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank you so much for allowing me to join you in honoring our mutual friend and confidant, Tracie Pough. Robert Frost, the great writer, once wrote: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I---- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”