December 4, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 193 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Pages H9226-H9227]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Green) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, and still I rise, with my mnemonic 
notes in hand.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise because I love my country, but I also rise today 
with heartfelt regrets.
  Mr. Speaker, it hurts my heart to see the Judiciary Committee hearing 
experts on the topic of impeachment, one of the seminal issues of this 
Congress, hearing experts, Mr. Speaker, and not one person of color 
among the experts.
  What subliminal message are we sending to the world when we have 
experts, but not one person of color? Are we saying that there are no 
people of color who are experts on this topic of impeachment? What is 
the message that we are sending?
  Mr. Speaker, if I am wrong, I will apologize; but if the committee is 
wrong, if the Congress is wrong, what will it do?
  Mr. Speaker, people of color, for too long, have been ignored by one 
party and taken for granted by the other. Too often this happens. Not 
always, but too often it happens.
  Mr. Speaker, I refuse to be ignored and taken for granted. I came 
here to represent the people who are ignored and taken for granted. Not 
one person of color among the constitutional scholars.
  It seems that there is a desire among some to have the output of 
people of color without input from the people of color.
  It seems to me that we have reached a point wherein we have got to 
have this debate about what these committees are going to do when we 
have our various persons appear before us as witnesses. We ought to 
have balance as it relates to all aspects of society, and that would 
include people of color.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great regret. I rise today to say 
that this is not about Democrats; it is not about Republicans. It is 
about fairness.
  It is about whether or not we have matured to the point in this 
country where we are going to treat all people equally.
  It is about whether we have metamorphosed to a point where we will 
not allow committees to have persons appear without considering the 
diversity and the richness of that diversity within this country.
  I support people of color. I do so not because I am a person of 
color. I do so

[[Page H9227]]

because I believe that, in this country, the words of the Pledge of 
Allegiance are important, that we should have liberty and justice for 
all.

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