| 1 | 1 | | IV |
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| 2 | 2 | | 119THCONGRESS |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1 |
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| 4 | 4 | | STSESSION H. RES. 137 |
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| 5 | 5 | | Designating the House Press Gallery, Rooms H–315, H–316, H–317, H– |
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| 6 | 6 | | 318, and H–319 in the United States Capitol, as the ‘‘Frederick Doug- |
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| 7 | 7 | | lass Press Gallery’’. |
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| 8 | 8 | | IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
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| 9 | 9 | | FEBRUARY14, 2025 |
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| 10 | 10 | | Mr. D |
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| 11 | 11 | | ONALDS(for himself, Mr. CARSON, Mr. HORSFORD, Mr. HUNT, and Mr. |
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| 12 | 12 | | O |
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| 13 | 13 | | WENS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the |
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| 14 | 14 | | Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure |
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| 15 | 15 | | RESOLUTION |
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| 16 | 16 | | Designating the House Press Gallery, Rooms H–315, H– |
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| 17 | 17 | | 316, H–317, H–318, and H–319 in the United States |
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| 18 | 18 | | Capitol, as the ‘‘Frederick Douglass Press Gallery’’. |
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| 19 | 19 | | Whereas Frederick Douglass was born to an enslaved family |
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| 20 | 20 | | in 1818; |
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| 21 | 21 | | Whereas Douglass bravely escaped slavery in 1838, and spent |
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| 22 | 22 | | much of his adult life as a journalist in Rochester, New |
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| 23 | 23 | | York; |
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| 24 | 24 | | Whereas Douglass published his first newspaper, The North |
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| 25 | 25 | | Star, using his own money in the pre-Civil War era; |
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| 26 | 26 | | Whereas Douglass was known for fiercely opposing slavery, |
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| 27 | 27 | | championing equal rights and women’s rights, and for |
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| 28 | 28 | | being a forceful speaker; |
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| 29 | 29 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:24 Feb 14, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR137.IH HR137 |
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| 30 | 30 | | ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 2 |
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| 31 | 31 | | •HRES 137 IH |
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| 32 | 32 | | Whereas, during the Civil War, Douglass was a recruiter for |
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| 33 | 33 | | the first African-American army regiment; |
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| 34 | 34 | | Whereas Douglass met twice with President Lincoln, first |
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| 35 | 35 | | about the pay and treatment of Black soldiers and then |
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| 36 | 36 | | to discuss the President’s desire to assist escaping slaves; |
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| 37 | 37 | | Whereas after Douglass’ Rochester home was destroyed by |
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| 38 | 38 | | fire (which Douglass believed resulted from arson), he |
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| 39 | 39 | | moved his family to Anacostia in Washington, DC; |
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| 40 | 40 | | Whereas, in 1870, Douglass was asked to become editor of |
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| 41 | 41 | | the New National Era, which chronicled the progress of |
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| 42 | 42 | | Blacks throughout the United States, and he later |
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| 43 | 43 | | bought the paper; |
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| 44 | 44 | | Whereas Douglass was the first Black reporter allowed into |
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| 45 | 45 | | the Capitol press galleries, where journalists watch law- |
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| 46 | 46 | | makers on the floors of the Senate and the House of |
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| 47 | 47 | | Representatives; |
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| 48 | 48 | | Whereas Douglass was a member of the congressional press |
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| 49 | 49 | | galleries from 1871–1875; |
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| 50 | 50 | | Whereas Douglass reported on House and Senate legislation |
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| 51 | 51 | | regularly to update the African-American community |
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| 52 | 52 | | during Reconstruction following the 13th, 14th, and 15th |
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| 53 | 53 | | Amendments to the Constitution; |
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| 54 | 54 | | Whereas Douglass was recorded frequently in the congres- |
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| 55 | 55 | | sional directory and spent a significant amount of time |
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| 56 | 56 | | writing and studying from the House Press Gallery; |
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| 57 | 57 | | Whereas Douglass often visited the Capitol following his time |
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| 58 | 58 | | as a member of the congressional press galleries; |
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| 59 | 59 | | Whereas Douglass delivered the keynote speech at the unveil- |
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| 60 | 60 | | ing of the Emancipation Memorial in Washington’s Lin- |
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| 61 | 61 | | coln Park; |
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| 62 | 62 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:24 Feb 14, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR137.IH HR137 |
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| 63 | 63 | | ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 3 |
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| 64 | 64 | | •HRES 137 IH |
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| 65 | 65 | | Whereas, in 2007, Douglass was recognized by placing a |
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| 66 | 66 | | plaque and painting of him in his honor in the House |
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| 67 | 67 | | Press Gallery; |
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| 68 | 68 | | Whereas, in 2012, Congress passed and the President signed |
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| 69 | 69 | | Public Law 112–174, which directed Frederick Douglass’ |
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| 70 | 70 | | statue placement in the Capitol Visitor Center’s Emanci- |
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| 71 | 71 | | pation Hall; and |
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| 72 | 72 | | Whereas Douglass was a pioneer in journalism who broke |
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| 73 | 73 | | through glass ceilings throughout one of the most crucial |
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| 74 | 74 | | times in American history, exhibited great perseverance |
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| 75 | 75 | | to become an American hero, and became a legend known |
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| 76 | 76 | | in the House Press Gallery: Now, therefore, be it |
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| 77 | 77 | | Resolved, That the House Press Gallery, Rooms H– 1 |
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| 78 | 78 | | 315, H–316, H–317, H–318, and H–319 in the United 2 |
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| 79 | 79 | | States Capitol, is designated as the ‘‘Frederick Douglass 3 |
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| 80 | 80 | | Press Gallery’’. 4 |
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| 81 | 81 | | Æ |
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| 82 | 82 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:24 Feb 14, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR137.IH HR137 |
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| 83 | 83 | | ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS |
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