url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at
https://clyburn.house.gov/clyburn-floor-statement-in-opposition-to-ryan-mcconnell-tax-scam-bill/,Clyburn Floor Statement in Opposition to Ryan/McConnell Tax Scam Bill,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"Video:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. House Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn (SC) delivered the following statement during debate on H.R. 1 (as prepared for delivery):

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the Ryan/McConnell tax scam bill. This bill should be named, “the Republican Donor-Class Relief Act.” Because that’s what it is, and several of my Republican colleagues and many in the media have publicly admitted as much.

This tax-scam bill represents a grotesque set of priorities revealing deep depravity of American values. One of the first principles of our Judeo/Christian value system is grounded in what we do “for the least of these.”

From the outset, this bill violates that principle by lowering the marginal rates on the wealthiest among us by 2.6 points; while raising those rates on “the least among us” by 2 points. This tax-scam bill adds insult to that injurious act by doubling the estate tax exemption from $11 million to $22 million.

The Republicans add further insult to injury by lowering the tax rates for corporations by 14 points while raising taxes on 86 million middle income families. It makes the tax cuts for corporations permanent and the miniscule individual cuts temporary, while also kicking 13 million people off their health insurance and increasing premiums for millions more.

This tax scam caps deductions for state and local taxes, and home mortgages; and adds over $2 trillion dollars to the deficit. Our children and grandchildren will be left with the bill.

Mr. Speaker, history will not treat kindly the crass cruelty of this so-called Christmas “gift” to hard-working Americans.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/clyburn-floor-statement-opposition-ryanmcconnell-tax-scam-bill,Clyburn Floor Statement in Opposition to Ryan/McConnell Tax Scam Bill,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. House Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn (SC) delivered the following statement during debate on H.R. 1 (as prepared for delivery):
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the Ryan/McConnell tax scam bill. This bill should be named, the Republican Donor-Class Relief Act. Because thats what it is, and several of my Republican colleagues and many in the media have publicly admitted as much.
This tax-scam bill represents a grotesque set of priorities revealing deep depravity of American values. One of the first principles of our Judeo/Christian value system is grounded in what we do for the least of these.
From the outset, this bill violates that principle by lowering the marginal rates on the wealthiest among us by 2.6 points; while raising those rates on the least among us by 2 points. This tax-scam bill adds insult to that injurious act by doubling the estate tax exemption from $11 million to $22 million.
The Republicans add further insult to injury by lowering the tax rates for corporations by 14 points while raising taxes on 86 million middle income families. It makes the tax cuts for corporations permanent and the miniscule individual cuts temporary, while also kicking 13 million people off their health insurance and increasing premiums for millions more.
This tax scam caps deductions for state and local taxes, and home mortgages; and adds over $2 trillion dollars to the deficit. Our children and grandchildren will be left with the bill.
Mr. Speaker, history will not treat kindly the crass cruelty of this so-called Christmas gift to hard-working Americans.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/clyburn-statement-on-the-passing-of-justice-ernest-finney/,Clyburn Statement on the Passing of Justice Ernest Finney,2017-12-05,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. House Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn (SC) released the following statement today on the passing of Justice Ernest Finney:

“I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Justice Ernest Finney, Jr. He was a pioneering advocate for social justice who had an enormous impact on South Carolina. The first African American Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court, Justice Finney blazed a trail like few others. In the civil rights activities of the 1960s, Finney, then a local attorney in my hometown of Sumter, represented freedom fighters and Freedom Riders who were arrested, detained, and tried throughout South Carolina. I will miss my friend. My wife Emily and I want to express our deepest sympathies to his family and friends.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/clyburn-statement-passing-justice-ernest-finney,Clyburn Statement on the Passing of Justice Ernest Finney,2017-12-05,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. House Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn (SC) released the following statement today on the passing of Justice Ernest Finney:
“I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Justice Ernest Finney, Jr.  He was a pioneering advocate for social justice who had an enormous impact on South Carolina.  The first African American Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court, Justice Finney blazed a trail like few others.  In the civil rights activities of the 1960s, Finney, then a local attorney in my hometown of Sumter, represented freedom fighters and Freedom Riders who were arrested, detained, and tried throughout South Carolina.  I will miss my friend.  My wife Emily and I want to express our deepest sympathies to his family and friends.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/clyburn-statement-on-anti-discrimination-and-anti-harassment-training-resolution/,Clyburn Statement On Anti-Discrimination And Anti-Harassment Training Resolution,2017-11-29,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. House Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn (SC) released the following statement for the record on H.Res.630:

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.Res.630, which would require each Member, officer and employee of the House to complete anti-discrimination and anti-harassment training. Enacting this legislation ought to be a first step toward affirming with one voice that there is absolutely no place for discrimination nor harassment of any kind in the halls of Congress. But we must also do more than agree to mandatory training.

“As elected officials, we ought to be held to a higher standard. Congress must review and improve the current administrative procedure for victims to come forward. All harassment and discrimination allegations must be taken seriously. After enacting this measure, Congress must streamline the process, protect victims that wish to be protected, and ensure all allegations of wrongdoing are investigated with professionalism, urgency and due process.

“I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation and encourage the House to take whatever administrative steps are necessary to make it easier for victims to come forward. More importantly, I respectfully ask all of my colleagues to take a close look inward at themselves and their offices and to put an immediate end to the cultural climate that has allowed harassment and discrimination to tarnish the institution of Congress. We can do better and we must.

“Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield back.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T22:12:50Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/clyburn-statement-anti-discrimination-and-anti-harassment-training-resolution,Clyburn Statement On Anti-Discrimination And Anti-Harassment Training Resolution,2017-11-29,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. House Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn (SC) released the following statement for the record on H.Res.630:
            “Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.Res.630, which would require each Member, officer and employee of the House to complete anti-discrimination and anti-harassment training.  Enacting this legislation ought to be a first step toward affirming with one voice that there is absolutely no place for discrimination nor harassment of any kind in the halls of Congress.  But we must also do more than agree to mandatory training. 
            “As elected officials, we ought to be held to a higher standard.  Congress must review and improve the current administrative procedure for victims to come forward.  All harassment and discrimination allegations must be taken seriously.  After enacting this measure, Congress must streamline the process, protect victims that wish to be protected, and ensure all allegations of wrongdoing are investigated with professionalism, urgency and due process.
“I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation and encourage the House to take whatever administrative steps are necessary to make it easier for victims to come forward.  More importantly, I respectfully ask all of my colleagues to take a close look inward at themselves and their offices and to put an immediate end to the cultural climate that has allowed harassment and discrimination to tarnish the institution of Congress.  We can do better and we must. 
“Thank you, Mr. Speaker.  I yield back.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/clyburn-floor-statement-on-the-republican-tax-proposal/,Clyburn Floor Statement on the Republican Tax Proposal,2017-11-07,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"Mr. Speaker, I rise to alert the American people to the tax scam that is the Republican ""tax reform"" proposal, unveiled last week. It is reported that President Trump wanted to call this bill, ""cut, cut, cut."" That would have been apropos. The first cut is for him and his family members, the second cut is for his wealthy friends and acquaintances, and the third cut is for large corporations classified as LLCs. It certainly does not cut taxes for middle income families or most small businesses. In fact, it does just the opposite. It is crystal clear who gets the cuts and who gets to pay more.

First and foremost, the GOP tax plan eliminates inheritance taxes. This tax only applies to estates of over $11 million and only affects two tenths of one percent of families in America, those who wish to pass along their wealth, unearned and untaxed.

Why are Republicans doing this? Because it's a huge priority for some of their biggest donors. In fact, this cut is not even about the 0.2 percent–it's really about two families–the Mercers and the Kochs.

The bottom line is that America's hard-working low, moderate and middle-income families will be asked to pay for this $172 billion dollar give away to the super rich.

At the heart of this scam is the GOP pretense not to be cutting taxes for the super-rich by maintaining the top rate of 39.6 percent. However, it increases the income level that the 39.6 percent applies to; from $470,000 to $1 million. These proposed rate changes will cost over $1 trillion.

This cut also goes to those who make far more than $1 million as well. Whether your income is $1 million, $10 million, or $100 million, this provision alone gives you an extra $25,000 a year. Mr. Speaker, many South Carolinians I represent do not make $25,000 in a year.

The GOP tax plan also features a special rate for the owners of ""pass-through"" businesses at a cost of $448 billion. These are LLCs and partnerships, who pay zero corporate tax, and whose owners' income is treated the same as anybody else's.

The Republicans claim that giving these owners a special lower rate will help small businesses, but nothing could be further from the truth. LLCs and other types of pass-throughs make up 95 percent of all the businesses in the country. In fact, some of the largest businesses like Koch Industries, Chrysler, and of course, most of the entities owned by the Trump Organization, are LLCs.

Pass-throughs that are truly small businesses are not currently subject to the highest individual rates, and already pay 25 percent or lower. The National Federation of Independent Businesses opposes this provision for this very reason. It delivers a special low tax rate to wealthy owners and will not help the small businesses they claim that it will.

Mr. Speaker, most of us, especially those who have worked in State governments, view our states as the best laboratories for the development of good ideas and best practices. This pass-through idea was the centerpiece of Governor Sam Brownback's tax overhaul in Kansas just five years ago. The Governor promised it would yield massive economic growth. And what happened? Kansas was plunged into a massive budget deficit and forced to make draconian cuts to education, infrastructure, and the rest of the state's operations.

This year, the Kansas legislature overrode Governor Brownback's short-sighted experiment.

I urge my colleagues not to make the same mistake. This scam will subject the good people of this country into a second great recession in a single decade.

Let's take a look at who pays more while the President and his wealthy friends and acquaintances pay less.

Middle income families will pay more because the GOP plan eliminates deductions on state and local taxes. This includes millions of Americans and over 500,000 South Carolinians.

Middle income families who itemize deductions will pay more because the elimination of the personal exemption will cost their households $4,000 per member.

Middle income families who utilize the mortgage interest deduction will pay more because the GOP plan lowers the cap, costing millions of Americans more.

Middle income families with children in college or recent graduates will pay more because the GOP plan eliminates the deduction for interest on student loans.

Middle income families that are victims of natural disasters will pay more because the GOP plan eliminates the casualty loss deduction.

Middle income families who adopt children will pay more because the GOP plan eliminates the adoption tax credit.

Middle income school teachers will pay more because the GOP plan eliminates their ability for to deduct for supplies they may purchase for their classrooms.

Middle income families struggling to pay costly medical bills will pay more because the GOP plan shamefully eliminates their deductibility.

Mr. Speaker, paying for pass-through gimmicks and tax giveaways to multi-millionaires by raising taxes on moderate and middle-income Americans is reprehensible.

Democrats are ready to do real tax reform on a bipartisan basis. But not once in this process, has the other side attempted to negotiate. In fact, they have publicly made it abundantly clear that they want a bill that only Republicans will support.

Bipartisan tax reform should lower taxes for working people, not raise them.

Bipartisan tax reform should end incentives for offshoring jobs and level the playing field for American corporations.

Bipartisan tax reform should expand the Earned Income Tax Credit for single filers and the Child Tax Credit to help families.

Real bipartisan tax reform would not increase the deficit, add to the debt and pass the bill on to our children and grandchildren.

I know many of my colleagues share these values. Let's set aside this partisan process and do something worthwhile for the American people. Until then, the Democratic Caucus will be resolute in our opposition to ramming through tax increases for middle income Americans and massive giveaways for the rich.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T22:12:50Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/republican-tax-proposal,Clyburn Floor Statement on the Republican Tax Proposal,2017-11-07,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Mr. Speaker, I rise to alert the American people to the tax scam that is the Republican ""tax reform"" proposal, unveiled last week. It is reported that President Trump wanted to call this bill, ""cut, cut, cut."" That would have been apropos. The first cut is for him and his family members, the second cut is for his wealthy friends and acquaintances, and the third cut is for large corporations classified as LLCs. It certainly does not cut taxes for middle income families or most small businesses. In fact, it does just the opposite. It is crystal clear who gets the cuts and who gets to pay more.
First and foremost, the GOP tax plan eliminates inheritance taxes. This tax only applies to estates of over $11 million and only affects two tenths of one percent of families in America, those who wish to pass along their wealth, unearned and untaxed.
Why are Republicans doing this? Because it's a huge priority for some of their biggest donors. In fact, this cut is not even about the 0.2 percent--it's really about two families--the Mercers and the Kochs.
The bottom line is that America's hard-working low, moderate and middle-income families will be asked to pay for this $172 billion dollar give away to the super rich.
At the heart of this scam is the GOP pretense not to be cutting taxes for the super-rich by maintaining the top rate of 39.6 percent. However, it increases the income level that the 39.6 percent applies to; from $470,000 to $1 million. These proposed rate changes will cost over $1 trillion.
This cut also goes to those who make far more than $1 million as well. Whether your income is $1 million, $10 million, or $100 million, this provision alone gives you an extra $25,000 a year. Mr. Speaker, many South Carolinians I represent do not make $25,000 in a year.
The GOP tax plan also features a special rate for the owners of ""pass-through"" businesses at a cost of $448 billion. These are LLCs and partnerships, who pay zero corporate tax, and whose owners' income is treated the same as anybody else's.
The Republicans claim that giving these owners a special lower rate will help small businesses, but nothing could be further from the truth. LLCs and other types of pass-throughs make up 95 percent of all the businesses in the country. In fact, some of the largest businesses like Koch Industries, Chrysler, and of course, most of the entities owned by the Trump Organization, are LLCs.
Pass-throughs that are truly small businesses are not currently subject to the highest individual rates, and already pay 25 percent or lower. The National Federation of Independent Businesses opposes this provision for this very reason. It delivers a special low tax rate to wealthy owners and will not help the small businesses they claim that it will.
Mr. Speaker, most of us, especially those who have worked in State governments, view our states as the best laboratories for the development of good ideas and best practices. This pass-through idea was the centerpiece of Governor Sam Brownback's tax overhaul in Kansas just five years ago. The Governor promised it would yield massive economic growth. And what happened? Kansas was plunged into a massive budget deficit and forced to make draconian cuts to education, infrastructure, and the rest of the state's operations.
This year, the Kansas legislature overrode Governor Brownback's short-sighted experiment.
I urge my colleagues not to make the same mistake. This scam will subject the good people of this country into a second great recession in a single decade.
Let's take a look at who pays more while the President and his wealthy friends and acquaintances pay less.
Middle income families will pay more because the GOP plan eliminates deductions on state and local taxes. This includes millions of Americans and over 500,000 South Carolinians.
Middle income families who itemize deductions will pay more because the elimination of the personal exemption will cost their households $4,000 per member.
Middle income families who utilize the mortgage interest deduction will pay more because the GOP plan lowers the cap, costing millions of Americans more.
Middle income families with children in college or recent graduates will pay more because the GOP plan eliminates the deduction for interest on student loans.
Middle income families that are victims of natural disasters will pay more because the GOP plan eliminates the casualty loss deduction.
Middle income families who adopt children will pay more because the GOP plan eliminates the adoption tax credit.
Middle income school teachers will pay more because the GOP plan eliminates their ability for to deduct for supplies they may purchase for their classrooms.
Middle income families struggling to pay costly medical bills will pay more because the GOP plan shamefully eliminates their deductibility.
Mr. Speaker, paying for pass-through gimmicks and tax giveaways to multi-millionaires by raising taxes on moderate and middle-income Americans is reprehensible.
Democrats are ready to do real tax reform on a bipartisan basis. But not once in this process, has the other side attempted to negotiate. In fact, they have publicly made it abundantly clear that they want a bill that only Republicans will support.
Bipartisan tax reform should lower taxes for working people, not raise them.
Bipartisan tax reform should end incentives for offshoring jobs and level the playing field for American corporations.
Bipartisan tax reform should expand the Earned Income Tax Credit for single filers and the Child Tax Credit to help families.
Real bipartisan tax reform would not increase the deficit, add to the debt and pass the bill on to our children and grandchildren.
I know many of my colleagues share these values. Let's set aside this partisan process and do something worthwhile for the American people. Until then, the Democratic Caucus will be resolute in our opposition to ramming through tax increases for middle income Americans and massive giveaways for the rich.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/clyburn-join-electric-cooperatives-south-carolina-staff-and-members-celebrate-new,Clyburn to Join Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina Staff and Members to Celebrate New Funding for the Rural Energy Savings Program,2017-08-29,2017,2017-08,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"COLUMBIA, August 29, 2017 – Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn will join leaders of the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina to celebrate the recent announcement of $13 million in federal funds from the Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) to weatherize more than a thousand homes in rural South Carolina.
Who:        Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn
                 Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina,
  Santee Electric Cooperative
What:       Press conference and tour of one of the homes included in ECSC’s “Help My House” pilot weatherization program.
Where:    873 Sumter Highway, Kingstree, SC
When:      Wednesday, August 30, 2017 – 2:00pm
Contact:   Lou Green, 803-739-3042, lou.green@ecsc.org
    Lindsey Smith, 803-331-5934, lindsey.smith@ecsc.org
About the Rural Energy Savings Program:
First introduced in Congress by Rep. James E. Clyburn in 2010, the Rural Energy Savings Program is a national initiative that provides loans to electric cooperatives and other utilities which they use to then lend to consumers for energy efficiency improvements to their homes.  Consumers repay the loan through the savings on their electric bill.
The bill passed the House of Representatives in 2010, but never passed the Senate.  The next Congress, in 2012, RESP passed the Senate as part which never passed the House.  Finally in 2014, RESP passed both chambers and was signed into law.  The program received its initial funding in 2016, and in May announced its first round of loans, which included $13 million to electric cooperatives in South Carolina.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/clyburn-to-join-electric-cooperatives-of-south-carolina-staff-and-members-to-celebrate-new-funding-for-the-rural-energy-savings-program/,Clyburn to Join Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina Staff and Members to Celebrate New Funding for the Rural Energy Savings Program,2017-08-29,2017,2017-08,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"COLUMBIA, August 29, 2017 – Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn will join leaders of the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina to celebrate the recent announcement of $13 million in federal funds from the Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) to weatherize more than a thousand homes in rural South Carolina.

Who: Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn

Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina,

Santee Electric Cooperative

What: Press conference and tour of one of the homes included in ECSC’s “Help My House” pilot weatherization program.

Where: 873 Sumter Highway, Kingstree, SC

When: Wednesday, August 30, 2017 – 2:00pm

Contact: Lou Green, 803-739-3042, lou.green@ecsc.org

Lindsey Smith, 803-331-5934, lindsey.smith@ecsc.org

About the Rural Energy Savings Program:

First introduced in Congress by Rep. James E. Clyburn in 2010, the Rural Energy Savings Program is a national initiative that provides loans to electric cooperatives and other utilities which they use to then lend to consumers for energy efficiency improvements to their homes. Consumers repay the loan through the savings on their electric bill.

The bill passed the House of Representatives in 2010, but never passed the Senate. The next Congress, in 2012, RESP passed the Senate as part which never passed the House. Finally in 2014, RESP passed both chambers and was signed into law. The program received its initial funding in 2016, and in May announced its first round of loans, which included $13 million to electric cooperatives in South Carolina.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T22:46:56Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/clyburn-statement-on-clyburn-sanders-community-health-centers-bill/,Clyburn Statement on Clyburn-Sanders Community Health Centers Bill,2017-06-27,2017,2017-06,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn delivered the following remarks today on the Clyburn-Sanders Community Health Centers Bill (as prepared for delivery):

“I am pleased to join Senator Sanders to introduce the Community Health Center and Primary Care Workforce Expansion Act.

“Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. famously said in 1966, ‘Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.’

“I have often described the Affordable Care Act as the Civil Rights Act of the 21st Century, because it banned many forms of discrimination in the healthcare system. The ACA made great strides towards the long- held goal of universal health insurance coverage for all Americans. Equally important, however, is insuring universal access to healthcare in every community throughout the country. The ACA dramatically expanded the federally funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corps which in tandem provide health care facilities and providers in underserved communities, both urban and rural. This is key to connect health insurance coverage to actual health care. I believe Congress should act to build on the steps taken by the ACA to further expand community health centers to ensure that there are adequate facilities and qualified providers available to every person in America, no matter where they live.

“Senator Sanders and I championed a provision in the ACA that created the Community Health Center fund. It provided mandatory funding of $9.5 billion over five years to expand community health centers operations and $1.5 billion for construction and renovations of Community Health Center facilities. The fund also provided mandatory funding to expand the National Health Service Corps. While this funding was originally scheduled to expire after 2015, we were able to successfully secure a two year extension of the fund. Unfortunately, this vital funding expires on September 30th of this year. We must address this funding cliff and we need to expand the funding to provide 100 percent coverage of community health centers because they fill such a vital role in our health care system. They serve communities that few other providers serve.

“As we are now dealing with ad hominem attacks on the Affordable Care Act, Senator Sanders and I are introducing this legislation to expand and make permanent community health center funding and programs that were created in the ACA. Specifically, this bill will increase the funding for Community Health Centers from $5.1 billion in fiscal year 2018 to $12.5 billion in fiscal year 2027. This would allow health centers to serve twice as many people in 2028, from 25 million today to 50 million.

“We need to build on the success of the ACA, not turn back the clock. This bill does just that. The Trumpcare bill on the Senate floor this week goes in the opposite direction, turning back the clock and ripping away coverage and protections from millions of Americans. It is immoral and Congress must reject it.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T21:48:30Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/clyburn-statement-on-passage-of-h-r-1135-to-reauthorize-the-hbcu-historic-preservation-program/,"Clyburn Statement on Passage of H.R. 1135, to Reauthorize the HBCU Historic Preservation Program",2017-06-27,2017,2017-06,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn delivered the following statement during House debate of H.R. 1135 which would reauthorize the HBCU Historic Preservation program for seven years. The bill passed the House unanimously. (as prepared for delivery):

“Mr. Speaker, as a student and former teacher of history, I have worked during my tenure in Congress to preserve and protect our nation’s historic treasures. Historically Black Colleges and Universities, commonly called HBCUs, are some of the most important historic educational institutions in our country.

“There are over 100 HBCUs in the country and eight of them are in South Carolina. I proudly represent seven of them and am a graduate of one. Many of them have buildings and sites on their campuses that have existed for over a century, and are of great historical significance. Unfortunately, many of the historic buildings and sites on these campuses have deteriorated over the years and are at risk of being lost completely if not preserved and protected.

“In 1998, at the request of the Congressional Black Caucus, the U.S Government Accountability Office (GAO) surveyed 103 HBCU campuses to identify the historically significant sites on these campuses and project the cost of restoring and preserving these properties. The GAO identified 712 historic buildings and sites, and projected a cost of $755 million to restore and preserve them. Each of these sites has national significance to American history, and I believe we have an obligation to be stewards of these cultural treasures.

“In 2003, working with our former colleague Jim Hansen of Utah and our current colleague, and my friend, Jimmy Duncan of Tennessee, Congress expanded the program and authorized expenditures of 10 million dollars annually for five years. I have seen the results firsthand. Last year, Allen University rededicated the historic Chappelle Auditorium on its campus in Columbia, South Carolina, which was painstakingly restored thanks to funding from this program. Originally built in 1925, this building was central to the cultural life of African Americans in South Carolina for generations.

“In 1947, Rev. Joseph A. DeLaine attended an NAACP event at Chappelle Auditorium that inspired him to organize Black families in Clarendon County to petition their school district to provide buses for black students who, at the time, were forced to make a daily walk of 9.4 miles to school.

“The legal case that grew from this petition, Briggs v. Elliot, precipitated the frontal attack on segregation in the country and was later combined with four other later cases that became Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas at the U.S. Supreme Court. Overturning the “separate but equal” fallacy, Brown ended legal segregation throughout America.

“This is just a singular example of the history living on HBCU campuses. Because of our past efforts, historic buildings and sites at 59 HBCUs in 20 states have received funding from this program. However many historic structures are still endangered.

“Consequently, in the omnibus appropriations bill for 2017 passed earlier this year, Congress included $4 million for HBCU Historic Preservation. H.R. 1135 continues the progress Congress has made in preserving these unique treasures.

“Last year, the House passed this bill unanimously, but it was not taken up by the Senate. I thank Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva for supporting it again today. This bill is supported by the United Negro College Fund, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The HBCU Historic Preservation Program serves an essential purpose to HBCUs, which have a special place in the fabric of American history, culture and education. Countless individuals have worked tirelessly to cultivate HBCUs, and their legacy is seen in graduates whose achievements adorn the pages of American history. From Booker T. Washington to Mary McLeod Bethune; W.E.B. DuBois to Martin Luther King, Jr., HBCU visionaries and graduates have set powerful examples of leadership.

“The legacy of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) is one of significant courage and steadfast determination. The structures on these campuses across the country are living testaments to African American history and deserve to be stabilized and restored. HBCUs are among America’s national treasures that must be preserved and protected for future generations.

“Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I urge all my colleagues to support this needed legislation.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T21:48:30Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/clyburn-statement-clyburn-sanders-community-health-centers-bill,Clyburn Statement on Clyburn-Sanders Community Health Centers Bill,2017-06-27,2017,2017-06,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn delivered the following remarks today on the Clyburn-Sanders Community Health Centers Bill (as prepared for delivery):
“I am pleased to join Senator Sanders to introduce the Community Health Center and Primary Care Workforce Expansion Act.
“Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. famously said in 1966, ‘Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.’
“I have often described the Affordable Care Act as the Civil Rights Act of the 21st Century, because it banned many forms of discrimination in the healthcare system.  The ACA made great strides towards the long- held goal of universal health insurance coverage for all Americans. Equally important, however, is insuring universal access to healthcare in every community throughout the country.  The ACA dramatically expanded the federally funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corps which in tandem provide health care facilities and providers in underserved communities, both urban and rural.  This is key to connect health insurance coverage to actual health care.  I believe Congress should act to build on the steps taken by the ACA to further expand community health centers to ensure that there are adequate facilities and qualified providers available to every person in America, no matter where they live.
“Senator Sanders and I championed a provision in the ACA that created the Community Health Center fund. It provided mandatory funding of $9.5 billion over five years to expand community health centers operations and $1.5 billion for construction and renovations of Community Health Center facilities.  The fund also provided mandatory funding to expand the National Health Service Corps.  While this funding was originally scheduled to expire after 2015, we were able to successfully secure a two year extension of the fund.  Unfortunately, this vital funding expires on September 30th of this year. We must address this funding cliff and we need to expand the funding to provide 100 percent coverage of community health centers because they fill such a vital role in our health care system. They serve communities that few other providers serve.
“As we are now dealing with ad hominem attacks on the Affordable Care Act, Senator Sanders and I are introducing this legislation to expand and make permanent community health center funding and programs that were created in the ACA. Specifically, this bill will increase the funding for Community Health Centers from $5.1 billion in fiscal year 2018 to $12.5 billion in fiscal year 2027.  This would allow health centers to serve twice as many people in 2028, from 25 million today to 50 million.
“We need to build on the success of the ACA, not turn back the clock.  This bill does just that.  The Trumpcare bill on the Senate floor this week goes in the opposite direction, turning back the clock and ripping away coverage and protections from millions of Americans.  It is immoral and Congress must reject it.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/clyburn-statement-passage-hr-1135-reauthorize-hbcu-historic-preservation-program,"Clyburn Statement on Passage of H.R. 1135, to Reauthorize the HBCU Historic Preservation Program",2017-06-27,2017,2017-06,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn delivered the following statement during House debate of H.R. 1135 which would reauthorize the HBCU Historic Preservation program for seven years.  The bill passed the House unanimously. (as prepared for delivery):
“Mr. Speaker, as a student and former teacher of history, I have worked during my tenure in Congress to preserve and protect our nation’s historic treasures. Historically Black Colleges and Universities, commonly called HBCUs, are some of the most important historic educational institutions in our country.
“There are over 100 HBCUs in the country and eight of them are in South Carolina. I proudly represent seven of them and am a graduate of one. Many of them have buildings and sites on their campuses that have existed for over a century, and are of great historical significance. Unfortunately, many of the historic buildings and sites on these campuses have deteriorated over the years and are at risk of being lost completely if not preserved and protected.
“In 1998, at the request of the Congressional Black Caucus, the U.S Government Accountability Office (GAO) surveyed 103 HBCU campuses to identify the historically significant sites on these campuses and project the cost of restoring and preserving these properties. The GAO identified 712 historic buildings and sites, and projected a cost of $755 million to restore and preserve them.  Each of these sites has national significance to American history, and I believe we have an obligation to be stewards of these cultural treasures.
“In 2003, working with our former colleague Jim Hansen of Utah and our current colleague, and my friend, Jimmy Duncan of Tennessee, Congress expanded the program and authorized expenditures of 10 million dollars annually for five years.  I have seen the results firsthand.  Last year, Allen University rededicated the historic Chappelle Auditorium on its campus in Columbia, South Carolina, which was painstakingly restored thanks to funding from this program. Originally built in 1925, this building was central to the cultural life of African Americans in South Carolina for generations.  
	“In 1947, Rev. Joseph A. DeLaine attended an NAACP event at Chappelle Auditorium that inspired him to organize Black families in Clarendon County to petition their school district to provide buses for black students who, at the time, were forced to make a daily walk of 9.4 miles to school.
“The legal case that grew from this petition, Briggs v. Elliot, precipitated the frontal attack on segregation in the country and was later combined with four other later cases that became Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas at the U.S. Supreme Court. Overturning the “separate but equal” fallacy, Brown ended legal segregation throughout America.
“This is just a singular example of the history living on HBCU campuses.  Because of our past efforts, historic buildings and sites at 59 HBCUs in 20 states have received funding from this program.  However many historic structures are still endangered.
“Consequently, in the omnibus appropriations bill for 2017 passed earlier this year, Congress included $4 million for HBCU Historic Preservation.  H.R. 1135 continues the progress Congress has made in preserving these unique treasures.
“Last year, the House passed this bill unanimously, but it was not taken up by the Senate.  I thank Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva for supporting it again today.  This bill is supported by the United Negro College Fund, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The HBCU Historic Preservation Program serves an essential purpose to HBCUs, which have a special place in the fabric of American history, culture and education. Countless individuals have worked tirelessly to cultivate HBCUs, and their legacy is seen in graduates whose achievements adorn the pages of American history.  From Booker T. Washington to Mary McLeod Bethune; W.E.B. DuBois to Martin Luther King, Jr., HBCU visionaries and graduates have set powerful examples of leadership.
“The legacy of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) is one of significant courage and steadfast determination. The structures on these campuses across the country are living testaments to African American history and deserve to be stabilized and restored.  HBCUs are among America’s national treasures that must be preserved and protected for future generations.
“Thank you, Mr. Speaker.  I urge all my colleagues to support this needed legislation.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/advisory-sanders-and-clyburn-announce-act-expand-community-health-center-funds,ADVISORY: Sanders and Clyburn to Announce Act to Expand Community Health Center Funds,2017-06-26,2017,2017-06,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"ADVISORY: Sanders and Clyburn to Announce Act to Expand Community Health Center Funds
WASHINGTON, June 26 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) will announce legislation today to dramatically expand and make permanent Community Health Center funding and programs that were created in the Affordable Care Act.
Who: Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. James Clyburn
What: Press conference to introduce the Community Health Center and Primary Care Workforce Expansion Act 
Where: Senate Swamp
When: Monday, June 26, 4:00 p.m.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/advisory-sanders-and-clyburn-to-announce-act-to-expand-community-health-center-funds/,ADVISORY: Sanders and Clyburn to Announce Act to Expand Community Health Center Funds,2017-06-26,2017,2017-06,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"ADVISORY: Sanders and Clyburn to Announce Act to Expand Community Health Center Funds

WASHINGTON, June 26 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) will announce legislation today to dramatically expand and make permanent Community Health Center funding and programs that were created in the Affordable Care Act.

Who: Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. James Clyburn

What: Press conference to introduce the Community Health Center and Primary Care Workforce Expansion Act

Where: Senate Swamp",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T21:48:30Z
http://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/assistant-democratic-leader-james-e-clyburn-delivers-weekly-democratic-address,Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn Delivers Weekly Democratic Address,2017-06-16,2017,2017-06,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – Congressman James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, Assistant Democratic Leader, delivered the Weekly Democratic Address.  In this week’s address, Assistant Leader Clyburn wished House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and those involved in the Alexandria baseball practice shooting a complete and speedy recovery.  Clyburn also called on Republicans in Congress to work with Democrats to deliver accessible, affordable health care to all Americans.  Video and audio of the Weekly Democratic Address can be downloaded here. 
Below is a full transcript of the address:
“Hello.  I’m Congressman Jim Clyburn.  I proudly represent the 6th Congressional District of South Carolina and serve as the Assistant Democratic Leader in the United States House of Representatives.
“Let me begin by wishing House Majority Whip Steve Scalise a full and speedy recovery.  I also wish the same for Matt Mika, the former staffer and volunteer who was also shot in last Wednesday’s senseless and cowardly attack.
“I cannot find sufficient words to express thanks and appreciations to Special Agents David Bailey, Crystal Griner and Henry Cabrera, members of the Dignitary Protection Corps, for their brave and sacrificial actions which contained and eliminated a clear and present danger to only God knows how many dedicated public servants.  Having spent several years under their watchful protection, I know first-hand of their hard work and dedication.  I wish for them speedy recoveries as well.  I’m keeping them and their families in my prayers.
“No issue is more important to the people of America than their health, and the health of their families.  And in my opinion, no issues are more important to the health care of Americans than accessibility and affordability.  The ACA repeal legislation recently passed by House Republicans – without a single Democratic vote – would have devastating effects on families all across the country.  President Trump pushed hard and relentlessly for its passage.  Recently, however, he called the bill ‘mean.’
“When President Obama proposed the ACA, he hosted a bi-partisan, bicameral town-hall type roundtable in the Blair House.  It was broadcast, in real time, by C-SPAN, and when the bill was introduced in the House, it went to three committees that debated its pros and cons extensively.  Republicans and Democrats offered scores of amendments and many of them were accepted.
“I was serving as House Majority Whip at the time, and when the bill was debated on the floor, I called it the Civil Rights Act of the 21st century.  I gave it that moniker because the ACA outlaws many forms of discrimination in health care.  It outlaws discrimination against women who were often charged more for health care coverage than men.  It outlawed discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions.
“The ACA repeal bill that House Republicans passed and sent to the Senate would rip away health care from 23 million Americans, and raise costs and roll back protections for millions more.
“Now, Senate Republicans are working in secret on their own Trumpcare bill.  They won’t tell you what it is, but they want you to believe it’s more moderate. There’s nothing moderate about undermining protections for people with pre-existing conditions by repealing the essential health benefits protections.  There’s nothing moderate about gutting Medicaid by $834 billion and in the same bill give $900 billion in tax giveaways to a few wealthy families, and insurance and drug companies.  Repealing the ACA would once again institutionalize the kind of discrimination against the sick and aged that has plagued hard-working families for generations.  Passing the Republican bill would turn the clock back on civil rights and humaneness.
“It does not have to be this way.  Democrats are eager to work with our Republican colleagues to deliver accessible and affordable quality health care to all Americans, but Republicans must set aside their repeal efforts.  It is my fervent hope that this is the path we choose going forward.
“Thank you for listening and God bless.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/assistant-democratic-leader-james-e-clyburn-delivers-weekly-democratic-address/,Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn Delivers Weekly Democratic Address,2017-06-16,2017,2017-06,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Congressman James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, Assistant Democratic Leader, delivered the Weekly Democratic Address. In this week’s address, Assistant Leader Clyburn wished House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and those involved in the Alexandria baseball practice shooting a complete and speedy recovery. Clyburn also called on Republicans in Congress to work with Democrats to deliver accessible, affordable health care to all Americans. Video and audio of the Weekly Democratic Address can be downloaded here.

Below is a full transcript of the address:

“Hello. I’m Congressman Jim Clyburn. I proudly represent the 6th Congressional District of South Carolina and serve as the Assistant Democratic Leader in the United States House of Representatives.

“Let me begin by wishing House Majority Whip Steve Scalise a full and speedy recovery. I also wish the same for Matt Mika, the former staffer and volunteer who was also shot in last Wednesday’s senseless and cowardly attack.

“I cannot find sufficient words to express thanks and appreciations to Special Agents David Bailey, Crystal Griner and Henry Cabrera, members of the Dignitary Protection Corps, for their brave and sacrificial actions which contained and eliminated a clear and present danger to only God knows how many dedicated public servants. Having spent several years under their watchful protection, I know first-hand of their hard work and dedication. I wish for them speedy recoveries as well. I’m keeping them and their families in my prayers.

“No issue is more important to the people of America than their health, and the health of their families. And in my opinion, no issues are more important to the health care of Americans than accessibility and affordability. The ACA repeal legislation recently passed by House Republicans – without a single Democratic vote – would have devastating effects on families all across the country. President Trump pushed hard and relentlessly for its passage. Recently, however, he called the bill ‘mean.’

“When President Obama proposed the ACA, he hosted a bi-partisan, bicameral town-hall type roundtable in the Blair House. It was broadcast, in real time, by C-SPAN, and when the bill was introduced in the House, it went to three committees that debated its pros and cons extensively. Republicans and Democrats offered scores of amendments and many of them were accepted.

“I was serving as House Majority Whip at the time, and when the bill was debated on the floor, I called it the Civil Rights Act of the 21st century. I gave it that moniker because the ACA outlaws many forms of discrimination in health care. It outlaws discrimination against women who were often charged more for health care coverage than men. It outlawed discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions.

“The ACA repeal bill that House Republicans passed and sent to the Senate would rip away health care from 23 million Americans, and raise costs and roll back protections for millions more.

“Now, Senate Republicans are working in secret on their own Trumpcare bill. They won’t tell you what it is, but they want you to believe it’s more moderate. There’s nothing moderate about undermining protections for people with pre-existing conditions by repealing the essential health benefits protections. There’s nothing moderate about gutting Medicaid by $834 billion and in the same bill give $900 billion in tax giveaways to a few wealthy families, and insurance and drug companies. Repealing the ACA would once again institutionalize the kind of discrimination against the sick and aged that has plagued hard-working families for generations. Passing the Republican bill would turn the clock back on civil rights and humaneness.

“It does not have to be this way. Democrats are eager to work with our Republican colleagues to deliver accessible and affordable quality health care to all Americans, but Republicans must set aside their repeal efforts. It is my fervent hope that this is the path we choose going forward.

“Thank you for listening and God bless.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T21:48:30Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/clyburn-statement-on-second-anniversary-of-the-charleston-massacre/,Clyburn Statement on Second Anniversary of the Charleston Massacre,2017-06-16,2017,2017-06,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn released the following statement on the second anniversary of the massacre at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina:

“In the wake of last Wednesday’s shooting, my thoughts and prayers continue to be with House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and all the victims and their families.

“I will be in Charleston tonight to help commemorate the second anniversary of the massacre at Mother Emanuel AME Church. The Charleston community has demonstrated great strength and faith but the healing will be slow. As we honor the memory of the lives lost and celebrate the resiliency of the survivors, we are reminded that much work remains to be done. Their legacy of faith and service must become our own as we continue to pursue a more perfect Union.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T21:48:30Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/clyburn-statement-second-anniversary-charleston-massacre,Clyburn Statement on Second Anniversary of the Charleston Massacre,2017-06-16,2017,2017-06,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn released the following statement on the second anniversary of the massacre at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina:
“In the wake of last Wednesday’s shooting, my thoughts and prayers continue to be with House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and all the victims and their families.
“I will be in Charleston tonight to help commemorate the second anniversary of the massacre at Mother Emanuel AME Church.  The Charleston community has demonstrated great strength and faith but the healing will be slow.  As we honor the memory of the lives lost and celebrate the resiliency of the survivors, we are reminded that much work remains to be done.  Their legacy of faith and service must become our own as we continue to pursue a more perfect Union.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/clyburn-statement-on-army-corps-of-engineers-funding/,Clyburn Statement on Army Corps of Engineers Funding,2017-05-25,2017,2017-05,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"Washington, DC – Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn today issued the following statement on Army Corps of Engineers Funding Announcements:

“Yesterday, the Army Corps of Engineers announced its allocations of the funds provided in the omnibus appropriations bill for 2017, passed earlier this month. I am pleased that $4.66 million is included to expand the Lake Marion Regional Water Agency. These funds, combined with significant state and local funding, will extend the agency’s reach to Ridgeville, South Carolina in Dorchester County. The WIIN Act, passed last year, authorized the expansion of this project, which will eventually serve the new Volvo site in Berkeley County. The Volvo manufacturing facility is expected to create over 4,000 new jobs and is one of most significant economic development project for South Carolina in decades. Without critical infrastructure like the Lake Marion water agency, companies like Volvo would locate elsewhere.

“Additionally, the Corps is allocating $17.5 million to begin the Charleston Harbor Deepening project, one of the most important infrastructure projects for South Carolina and the entire Southeast region. While this funding is welcome news and will allow the project to begin, I am concerned about future funding of the project. President Trump’s budget request for 2018, released this week, fails to include any funding for the Charleston Harbor Deepening, instead prioritizing funding for harbor and navigation projects elsewhere. To ensure its expeditious completion, adequate funding in 2018 and subsequent years will be needed.

“Finally, yesterday’s announcement included an additional $7.2 million for beach restoration at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina following erosion and damage from Hurricane Matthew. Myrtle Beach is a tourism and economic engine that benefits our entire state, and maintaining it is vitally important to communities all over South Carolina.

“The omnibus appropriations bill for 2017, that funded all of these projects, was a win for South Carolina and the nation. Congress negotiated a bipartisan agreement that rolled back many of President Trump’s proposed cuts. Unfortunately, President Trump’s draconian budget for next year would not only be devastating for families and communities across the nation, it also turns its back on South Carolina’s critical infrastructure needs. I will continue to fight in Congress to support our state’s infrastructure like the Charleston Harbor, the Lake Marion Regional Water Agency, the new Volvo facility, and the Grand Strand.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T21:41:49Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/clyburn-statement-army-corps-engineers-funding,Clyburn Statement on Army Corps of Engineers Funding,2017-05-25,2017,2017-05,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC – Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn today issued the following statement on Army Corps of Engineers Funding Announcements:
“Yesterday, the Army Corps of Engineers announced its allocations of the funds provided in the omnibus appropriations bill for 2017, passed earlier this month.  I am pleased that $4.66 million is included to expand the Lake Marion Regional Water Agency.  These funds, combined with significant state and local funding, will extend the agency’s reach to Ridgeville, South Carolina in Dorchester County.  The WIIN Act, passed last year, authorized the expansion of this project, which will eventually serve the new Volvo site in Berkeley County.  The Volvo manufacturing facility is expected to create over 4,000 new jobs and is one of most significant economic development project for South Carolina in decades.  Without critical infrastructure like the Lake Marion water agency, companies like Volvo would locate elsewhere.
“Additionally, the Corps is allocating $17.5 million to begin the Charleston Harbor Deepening project, one of the most important infrastructure projects for South Carolina and the entire Southeast region.  While this funding is welcome news and will allow the project to begin, I am concerned about future funding of the project.  President Trump’s budget request for 2018, released this week, fails to include any funding for the Charleston Harbor Deepening, instead prioritizing funding for harbor and navigation projects elsewhere.  To ensure its expeditious completion, adequate funding in 2018 and subsequent years will be needed.
“Finally, yesterday’s announcement included an additional $7.2 million for beach restoration at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina following erosion and damage from Hurricane Matthew.  Myrtle Beach is a tourism and economic engine that benefits our entire state, and maintaining it is vitally important to communities all over South Carolina.
“The omnibus appropriations bill for 2017, that funded all of these projects, was a win for South Carolina and the nation.  Congress negotiated a bipartisan agreement that rolled back many of President Trump’s proposed cuts.  Unfortunately, President Trump’s draconian budget for next year would not only be devastating for families and communities across the nation, it also turns its back on South Carolina’s critical infrastructure needs.  I will continue to fight in Congress to support our state’s infrastructure like the Charleston Harbor, the Lake Marion Regional Water Agency, the new Volvo facility, and the Grand Strand.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/clyburn-statement-trump-budget-proposal,Clyburn Statement on Trump Budget Proposal,2017-05-23,2017,2017-05,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC – Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn today issued the following statement on President Trump’s budget request for fiscal year 2018:
“Budgets are about much more than dollars and cents. They are value statements, American values.  Today Donald Trump has once again shown us where his are.  He talks about improving our infrastructure, but his budget slashes billions of dollars from federal infrastructure funding.  For middle income Americans and those struggling in poverty, his budget proposes to slash billions from safety net programs they depend on; nursing home care, affordable health care, food and heating assistance and legal aid.  This budget is an attack on seniors, students, low-income families, and rural communities.
“For South Carolina, the Trump Budget would be a disaster if enacted.  Eliminating most of the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development programs cuts off the lifeline rural counties depend on.  This office funds schools, water systems, and supports rural housing and businesses. Eliminating the Community Development Block Grant program cuts the main source of federal funding for municipalities to provide critical infrastructure and housing support.  The budget also proposes to eliminate funding for the National Heritage Areas through the National Park Service, which would decimate the two in our state, the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor and the Gullah-Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/clyburn-statement-on-trump-budget-proposal/,Clyburn Statement on Trump Budget Proposal,2017-05-23,2017,2017-05,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"Washington, DC – Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn today issued the following statement on President Trump’s budget request for fiscal year 2018:

“Budgets are about much more than dollars and cents. They are value statements, American values. Today Donald Trump has once again shown us where his are. He talks about improving our infrastructure, but his budget slashes billions of dollars from federal infrastructure funding. For middle income Americans and those struggling in poverty, his budget proposes to slash billions from safety net programs they depend on; nursing home care, affordable health care, food and heating assistance and legal aid. This budget is an attack on seniors, students, low-income families, and rural communities.

“For South Carolina, the Trump Budget would be a disaster if enacted. Eliminating most of the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development programs cuts off the lifeline rural counties depend on. This office funds schools, water systems, and supports rural housing and businesses. Eliminating the Community Development Block Grant program cuts the main source of federal funding for municipalities to provide critical infrastructure and housing support. The budget also proposes to eliminate funding for the National Heritage Areas through the National Park Service, which would decimate the two in our state, the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor and the Gullah-Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T21:41:49Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/mission-democratic-faith-working-group,The Mission of the Democratic Faith Working Group,2017-05-16,2017,2017-05,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Growing up in a church parsonage, the eldest son of a fundamentalist Christian minister, grounded me securely in faith and family. My dad’s sermons, which were based in Old Testament scriptures as often as they were in the New Testament, offered up pretty big doses of Judeo-Christian doctrines that still guide me today as Chair of the Democratic Faith Working Group (DFWG) in the United States House of Representatives.
The Old Testament lesson found in Micah 6:8 calls upon the reader to do justice, be merciful and walk humbly. In Matthew 25:45 the reader is instructed that we are judged by the way we treat, “the least (among us).” These are the principles that guide the members of the DFWG. We are composed of significant strains of the great diversity of faiths across our nation and in our Caucus. Our values reflect these faiths, and our faith perspectives are the lenses through which we see the great challenges of our times.
Whether the issues are combatting poverty, providing accessible, affordable health care; creating jobs that pay livable wages, rebuilding our infrastructure, tax fairness, environmental stewardship, comprehensive immigration reform, or any other matters important to the common good of our people, the members of the DFWG are utilizing our faith-based perspectives in our pursuit of “a more perfect Union.”
The members of the DFWG are actively opposing Republican efforts to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act. Repealing the Affordable Care Act would have devastating effects on “the least of these.” It would violate the golden rule of “do(ing) unto others as you would have them do unto you.” The Republican bill—that was passed by the House on Thursday, May 4—would exacerbate the widening income gap in our society by lavishing massive tax breaks on the wealthiest few at the expense of working people. There is not justice, mercy or humbleness in such action.
In my home district alone, more than 270,000 South Carolinians under Medicare age have pre-existing conditions. Repealing the Affordable Care Act would subject this population to higher costs and loss of care. According to a recent Joint Economic Committee Report, the Republican Plan will cause 104,954 South Carolinians to lose private coverage in 2018, with their premiums increasing by $727 to $970. Additionally, we would see increased costs of over $94 million in uncompensated care to hospitals in South Carolina.
The plan also includes a big transfer of wealth from low to middle income Americans to the wealthiest of Americans. It provides $274.9 billion in tax cuts for the highest income Americans, with over half of the tax cuts going to millionaires. In 2020, 61 percent of the cuts go to those earning more than $1 million a year. To pay for this, Republicans cut Medicaid by more than $880 billion. To add insult to injury, health care CEOs are big winners in this legislation; it cuts taxes by $400 million for insurance company executives.
I have long maintained that the Affordable Care Act is the Civil Rights Act of the 21st Century, basically because it outlaws discrimination against sick people, most especially those with pre-existing conditions. Repealing the ACA and putting discrimination back into the health care system is a step history will not forgive. Public policies that do not square with the admonition of Micah 6:8 or the lesson of Matthew 25:45 are offensive to our moral responsibility to do the most good for the most people.
The members of the DFWG will continue to use our shared values found in the fundamentals of our faiths to inform and guide us in our efforts to keep the public informed as we address the most pressing issues confronting our nation.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/the-mission-of-the-democratic-faith-working-group/,The Mission of the Democratic Faith Working Group,2017-05-16,2017,2017-05,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"Growing up in a church parsonage, the eldest son of a fundamentalist Christian minister, grounded me securely in faith and family. My dad’s sermons, which were based in Old Testament scriptures as often as they were in the New Testament, offered up pretty big doses of Judeo-Christian doctrines that still guide me today as Chair of the Democratic Faith Working Group (DFWG) in the United States House of Representatives.

The Old Testament lesson found in Micah 6:8 calls upon the reader to do justice, be merciful and walk humbly. In Matthew 25:45 the reader is instructed that we are judged by the way we treat, “the least (among us).” These are the principles that guide the members of the DFWG. We are composed of significant strains of the great diversity of faiths across our nation and in our Caucus. Our values reflect these faiths, and our faith perspectives are the lenses through which we see the great challenges of our times.

Whether the issues are combatting poverty, providing accessible, affordable health care; creating jobs that pay livable wages, rebuilding our infrastructure, tax fairness, environmental stewardship, comprehensive immigration reform, or any other matters important to the common good of our people, the members of the DFWG are utilizing our faith-based perspectives in our pursuit of “a more perfect Union.”

The members of the DFWG are actively opposing Republican efforts to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act. Repealing the Affordable Care Act would have devastating effects on “the least of these.” It would violate the golden rule of “do(ing) unto others as you would have them do unto you.” The Republican bill—that was passed by the House on Thursday, May 4—would exacerbate the widening income gap in our society by lavishing massive tax breaks on the wealthiest few at the expense of working people. There is not justice, mercy or humbleness in such action.

In my home district alone, more than 270,000 South Carolinians under Medicare age have pre-existing conditions. Repealing the Affordable Care Act would subject this population to higher costs and loss of care. According to a recent Joint Economic Committee Report, the Republican Plan will cause 104,954 South Carolinians to lose private coverage in 2018, with their premiums increasing by $727 to $970. Additionally, we would see increased costs of over $94 million in uncompensated care to hospitals in South Carolina.

The plan also includes a big transfer of wealth from low to middle income Americans to the wealthiest of Americans. It provides $274.9 billion in tax cuts for the highest income Americans, with over half of the tax cuts going to millionaires. In 2020, 61 percent of the cuts go to those earning more than $1 million a year. To pay for this, Republicans cut Medicaid by more than $880 billion. To add insult to injury, health care CEOs are big winners in this legislation; it cuts taxes by $400 million for insurance company executives.

I have long maintained that the Affordable Care Act is the Civil Rights Act of the 21st Century, basically because it outlaws discrimination against sick people, most especially those with pre-existing conditions. Repealing the ACA and putting discrimination back into the health care system is a step history will not forgive. Public policies that do not square with the admonition of Micah 6:8 or the lesson of Matthew 25:45 are offensive to our moral responsibility to do the most good for the most people.

The members of the DFWG will continue to use our shared values found in the fundamentals of our faiths to inform and guide us in our efforts to keep the public informed as we address the most pressing issues confronting our nation.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T21:41:49Z
http://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/clyburn-statement-trumps-election-integrity-commission,Clyburn Statement on Trump's 'Election Integrity' Commission,2017-05-11,2017,2017-05,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. House Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn released the following statement on the signing of an executive order establishing a Presidential Advisory Commission on ‘Election Integrity’ and Russian meddling:
Clyburn statement:
          “President Trump’s ‘Election Integrity’ Commission is an obvious attempt to stop the freefall his Administration is in as a result of his firing of FBI Director Comey and the ongoing investigation into his Administration’s ties to Russia.  It is worth noting that nothing in the executive order will address the very real influence that Russia had on our election.
         “While I was troubled by Director Comey’s handling of the investigation into Secretary Clinton’s email server last year, I respect the need for law enforcement to be independent from political influence.  Whether true or not, President Trump, Attorney General Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein have created the dangerous appearance that they are trying to stifle the investigation.  To remove all appearances of impropriety, Congress should swiftly pass legislation creating an independent commission to fully investigate Russia’s intervention in our electoral process.  The American people deserve the truth, and they deserve to have confidence in the independence of the officials charged with finding it.
        “Moreover, it is sad that President Trump is so obsessed with his own popularity that he’s willing to ignore facts, waste valuable resources and shake public confidence in our democracy in order to stroke his own ego.  More than a dozen recent nonpartisan investigations have found no evidence of widespread voter fraud, making this so-called ‘commission’ totally unnecessary.  With one of the architects of voter suppression, Kris Kobach, as Vice Chair, President Trump’s ‘commission’ lacks all credibility.  Republicans have used the myth of voter fraud to restrict voting rights for a very long time.  At a time when our democracy is fragile and under constant threat, I will fight any attempt to nationalize voting rights discrimination.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/clyburn-statement-on-trumps-election-integrity-commission/,Clyburn Statement on Trump’s ‘Election Integrity’ Commission,2017-05-11,2017,2017-05,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. House Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn released the following statement on the signing of an executive order establishing a Presidential Advisory Commission on ‘Election Integrity’ and Russian meddling:

Clyburn statement:

“President Trump’s ‘Election Integrity’ Commission is an obvious attempt to stop the freefall his Administration is in as a result of his firing of FBI Director Comey and the ongoing investigation into his Administration’s ties to Russia. It is worth noting that nothing in the executive order will address the very real influence that Russia had on our election.

“While I was troubled by Director Comey’s handling of the investigation into Secretary Clinton’s email server last year, I respect the need for law enforcement to be independent from political influence. Whether true or not, President Trump, Attorney General Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein have created the dangerous appearance that they are trying to stifle the investigation. To remove all appearances of impropriety, Congress should swiftly pass legislation creating an independent commission to fully investigate Russia’s intervention in our electoral process. The American people deserve the truth, and they deserve to have confidence in the independence of the officials charged with finding it.

“Moreover, it is sad that President Trump is so obsessed with his own popularity that he’s willing to ignore facts, waste valuable resources and shake public confidence in our democracy in order to stroke his own ego. More than a dozen recent nonpartisan investigations have found no evidence of widespread voter fraud, making this so-called ‘commission’ totally unnecessary. With one of the architects of voter suppression, Kris Kobach, as Vice Chair, President Trump’s ‘commission’ lacks all credibility. Republicans have used the myth of voter fraud to restrict voting rights for a very long time. At a time when our democracy is fragile and under constant threat, I will fight any attempt to nationalize voting rights discrimination.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T21:41:49Z
http://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/clyburn-praises-13-million-funding-rural-energy-savings-program-south-carolina,Clyburn Praises $13 Million in Funding from the Rural Energy Savings Program for South Carolina,2017-05-10,2017,2017-05,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service announced the initial awards of funding from the Rural Energy Savings Program.  This program was created by legislation included in the most recent Farm Bill, signed into law in 2014.  It was originally introduced by Congressman Jim Clyburn in 2010, when it passed the House of Representatives.
Through the program, the Rural Utilities Service makes loans to electric cooperatives and other utilities which they use to then lend to consumers for energy efficiency improvements to their homes.  Consumers repay the loan through the savings on their electric bill.  The program first received funding in the omnibus appropriations bill for 2016, and was again funded in the most recent omnibus appropriations bill Congress passed last week.
Clyburn statement:
“High electric bills are one of the largest burdens to working families, especially in small towns and rural communities where much of the housing is either old or mobile homes which are particularly inefficient.  Investing in energy efficiency can make a significant impact but is unfortunately out of reach for the people that need it the most.”
“South Carolina’s electric cooperatives will receive $13 million to lend to their members to invest in energy efficiency improvements.  This will reach an estimated 1,250 families across the state.  In many of South Carolina’s rural counties where often over one third of the housing is mobile homes, electric bills can be hundreds of dollars more than they should be due to inefficiency.”
“Today’s announcement means savings for families in South Carolina who need it most, jobs for contractors in rural communities to do this work, and reductions in electricity consumption to cut pollution and help the climate.”
“I want to thank the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina for leading the way on energy efficiency and providing a model that we have now taken nationwide.  I look forward to continuing to work with them to expand the program to reach every person that suffers from high energy bills in South Carolina and across the nation.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/clyburn-praises-13-million-in-funding-from-the-rural-energy-savings-program-for-south-carolina/,Clyburn Praises $13 Million in Funding from the Rural Energy Savings Program for South Carolina,2017-05-10,2017,2017-05,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service announced the initial awards of funding from the Rural Energy Savings Program. This program was created by legislation included in the most recent Farm Bill, signed into law in 2014. It was originally introduced by Congressman Jim Clyburn in 2010, when it passed the House of Representatives.

Through the program, the Rural Utilities Service makes loans to electric cooperatives and other utilities which they use to then lend to consumers for energy efficiency improvements to their homes. Consumers repay the loan through the savings on their electric bill. The program first received funding in the omnibus appropriations bill for 2016, and was again funded in the most recent omnibus appropriations bill Congress passed last week.

Clyburn statement:

“High electric bills are one of the largest burdens to working families, especially in small towns and rural communities where much of the housing is either old or mobile homes which are particularly inefficient. Investing in energy efficiency can make a significant impact but is unfortunately out of reach for the people that need it the most.”

“South Carolina’s electric cooperatives will receive $13 million to lend to their members to invest in energy efficiency improvements. This will reach an estimated 1,250 families across the state. In many of South Carolina’s rural counties where often over one third of the housing is mobile homes, electric bills can be hundreds of dollars more than they should be due to inefficiency.”

“Today’s announcement means savings for families in South Carolina who need it most, jobs for contractors in rural communities to do this work, and reductions in electricity consumption to cut pollution and help the climate.”

“I want to thank the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina for leading the way on energy efficiency and providing a model that we have now taken nationwide. I look forward to continuing to work with them to expand the program to reach every person that suffers from high energy bills in South Carolina and across the nation.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T21:41:49Z
http://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/clyburn-floor-statement-opposition-house-republicans-pay-more-less,"Clyburn Floor Statement In Opposition to House Republicans' Pay More, For Less",2017-05-04,2017,2017-05,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. House Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn (SC) delivered the following statement during debate on H.R. 1628 (as prepared for delivery):
“Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the Republicans’ Pay More, For Less Health Care Plan.  I often repeat the 1966 observation of Martin Luther King, Jr. that, “Of all the inequalities that exist, the injustice in Health Care is the most egregious and inhumane.” On the day it was passed, I observed that the Affordable Care Act is the Civil Rights Act of the 21st Century. Repealing the ACA would be inhumane and put egregious forms of discrimination back into our health care delivery system.
“My Republican colleagues and President Trump have promised more coverage and less costs for everyone.  However, this Republican plan would allow all states to eliminate Essential Health Benefits, such as maternity and newborn coverage, prescription drugs, hospitalization, emergency coverage, and mental health services. It would also allow states to tax older Americans 5 times more than younger Americans.
“Republicans are reneging on their promises to protect Americans with pre-existing conditions. Without essential health benefits standards, protections for those with pre-existing conditions would exist in name only. Repeal of essential health benefits would drive a race to the bottom, with insurers dropping coverage for everything from chemotherapy to high-cost drugs.
“It would precipitate a proliferation of junk policies that have historically plagued unsuspecting low income communities. People with pre-existing conditions – who need these and other costly services – wouldn’t be able to find the coverage they need at any price, much less an affordable one.
“When my mother was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in the month of January doctors told us she had only 8 months to live.  She had insurance. But her insurance ran out before her 55th birthdate, 2 months later.  To keep her comfortable for the last few months of her life, we spent every dime she had spent a lifetime saving.
“We took a giant step away from such with the ACA, but this Republican bill takes us back to that era, an era where people with pre-existing conditions are left in the cold.
“Adding money to a state slush fund is not a solution. If this were to pass Americans would jump from state to state depending on which states they perceive as having the better plans.  Make no mistake, insurance companies would once again be allowed to sell, what could only be called “junk policies.”  This would be a giant step backward.
“Repealing the ACA would once again institutionalize the kind of discrimination against the sick and aged that has plagued hard working families for generations.  Passing this bill would turn the clock back on civil rights and civility.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/clyburn-floor-statement-in-opposition-to-house-republicans-pay-more-for-less/,"Clyburn Floor Statement In Opposition to House Republicans’ Pay More, For Less",2017-05-04,2017,2017-05,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. House Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn (SC) delivered the following statement during debate on H.R. 1628 (as prepared for delivery):

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the Republicans’ Pay More, For Less Health Care Plan. I often repeat the 1966 observation of Martin Luther King, Jr. that, “Of all the inequalities that exist, the injustice in Health Care is the most egregious and inhumane.” On the day it was passed, I observed that the Affordable Care Act is the Civil Rights Act of the 21st Century. Repealing the ACA would be inhumane and put egregious forms of discrimination back into our health care delivery system.

“My Republican colleagues and President Trump have promised more coverage and less costs for everyone. However, this Republican plan would allow all states to eliminate Essential Health Benefits, such as maternity and newborn coverage, prescription drugs, hospitalization, emergency coverage, and mental health services. It would also allow states to tax older Americans 5 times more than younger Americans.

“Republicans are reneging on their promises to protect Americans with pre-existing conditions. Without essential health benefits standards, protections for those with pre-existing conditions would exist in name only. Repeal of essential health benefits would drive a race to the bottom, with insurers dropping coverage for everything from chemotherapy to high-cost drugs.

“It would precipitate a proliferation of junk policies that have historically plagued unsuspecting low income communities. People with pre-existing conditions – who need these and other costly services – wouldn’t be able to find the coverage they need at any price, much less an affordable one.

“When my mother was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in the month of January doctors told us she had only 8 months to live. She had insurance. But her insurance ran out before her 55th birthdate, 2 months later. To keep her comfortable for the last few months of her life, we spent every dime she had spent a lifetime saving.

“We took a giant step away from such with the ACA, but this Republican bill takes us back to that era, an era where people with pre-existing conditions are left in the cold.

“Adding money to a state slush fund is not a solution. If this were to pass Americans would jump from state to state depending on which states they perceive as having the better plans. Make no mistake, insurance companies would once again be allowed to sell, what could only be called “junk policies.” This would be a giant step backward.

“Repealing the ACA would once again institutionalize the kind of discrimination against the sick and aged that has plagued hard working families for generations. Passing this bill would turn the clock back on civil rights and civility.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T21:41:49Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/clyburn-remarks-to-the-association-for-the-study-of-african-amerian-life-and-history/,Clyburn Remarks to the Association for the Study of African Amerian Life And History,2017-02-27,2017,2017-02,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn delivered the following remarks on February 25th to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (as prepared for delivery):

“Thank you for that kind introduction and your generous invitation to be here.

“I am pleased and honored to join with you and people throughout the United States and Canada to celebrate Black history month. It may come as a surprise to some that Black History month is an international celebration. In addition to Canada Black History is celebrated in the United Kingdom, but during the month of October. Thanks to the scholarship and perseverance of Carter G. Woodson, and the hard work and diligence of your predecessor Association, we continue to lift up the contributions and achievements of black Americans.

“This celebration was inaugurated in 1926. It was for one week. And Dr. Woodson advocated that it be the second week of February in order to envelope the birthdates of Abraham Lincoln, February 12th, and Frederick Douglas, February 14th. First proposed by students at Kent State University in 1969 and celebrated by them in 1970, the week was officially expanded to the entire month of February in 1976. At his signing of the law President Gerald Ford urged the country to, ‘honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans.’

“In no area has the contributions of African Americans been neglected and dishonored as much as in the field of health. Most Americans are not aware of the contributions of Charles R. Drew, whose research unlocked the secrets that led to our ability to perfect blood transfusions; Or those of Daniel Hale Williams who performed the first successful open heart surgery; not to mention those of Samuel Kountz who performed the first successful kidney transplant not done on identical twins. Dr. Kountz died at the tender age of 51, but in his short life performed over 500 kidney transplants.

“But as slighted as black professionals and providers were, black consumers and patients were just as much so. Over the last several days I have reflected on the comments made by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the 1966 Annual meeting of the Medical Committee for Human Rights. On that occasion Dr. King said, ‘Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.’

“That is what was on my mind when I spoke on the floor of the United House of Representatives the day we passed the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.” On that occasion, I referred to the ACA as the ‘Civil Rights Act of the 21st Century.’ It may seem a bit odd to hear a health care law being referred to as a civil rights act. But that is exactly what it is. The ACA outlawed discrimination against children with pre-existing conditions, people with disabilities, and women just because they are women.

“Now I have not always celebrated this occasion with pleasure. Back in the late 60’s and early 70s, I – and many others – felt that the appropriate action was not just to expand from one week to a month, but to mandate the incorporation of African-Americans’ contributions and achievements throughout the year and all the curricula of our schools.

“But, with each passing day, I grew more and more appreciative and respectful of the lesson taught in 1st Corinthians 11:13, which I share with you in Jim Clyburn's version; ‘When I was a child, young and inexperienced, I spoke with the reasoning and understanding of a child, but as I grew and matured, I put those childish thoughts, expressions and ways behind me.’ I have come to understand and appreciate that Black History Month is not only about celebrating past achievements and contributions. It is also a time for reflection and introspection. I especially appreciate ASAALH’s theme for this year, ‘the Crisis in Black Education.’

“Having started my professional career as a history teacher in the public schools of Charleston, South Carolina, I share the goal of bringing focus on the crucial role of education in the historical and future successes of African Americans. Throughout post-Civil War history, public education has been the crucial ladder for social mobility for African Americans.

“One of my personal heroes, Robert Smalls, was at the vanguard of that effort in the 19th century. An enslaved African American, Smalls gained his freedom in one of history’s most heroic acts. Because of the inhumanity of man, Robert Smalls was uneducated, but by the grace of God Almighty he was highly intelligent. Using that intelligence he learned the currents in the Charleston Harbor and the sequence of the ships’ whistles that guaranteed safe passage through the harbor, and when the opportunity presented itself, he absconded The Planter, the ship he worked on as a slave and sailed his family and friends into the arms of Union soldiers and their freedom.

“In addition to being granted his freedom, Robert Smalls received a financial reward and was made a ship’s pilot. His knowledge of the waters around the Sea Islands of South Carolina tremendously aided the Union forces in 17 engagements in that key area of the Civil War.

“After the war, Smalls entered the political arena with much success. He spent 10 years in the South Carolina Legislature and a total of ten years in the United States Congress. Crises in education always topped his agenda. Although he was not allowed to get an education himself, he found a school for black children in 1867.

“His Resolution in the 1868 S. C. Constitutional Convention established the first free and compulsory public school system for all in the United States. His efforts in Congress helped found what is now known as South Carolina State University. The importance of a strong public education system to the success and advancement of African Americans, and the security of our nation, cannot be overstated. As we endeavor to continue our journey in search of ‘a more perfect union,’ strong adequately funded public schools are a must.

“Of course, Robert Smalls was not the only 19th century African American to be faced with a crisis in black education. Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois both made major contributions to the education of African Americans albeit with quite different visions. Born into slavery in rural Virginia, Booker T. Washington had a lifelong commitment to educating black Americans. As the first head of what has become Tuskegee University, Washington built a model higher education institute for African Americans focusing on practical trades for economic empowerment within the social order that existed in the south at that time.

“DuBois was born in Massachusetts to a free black family in a relatively integrated community. He earned a PhD from Harvard University in 1895, the first black man to do so. His dissertation, “The Suppression of the African Slave Trade to the United States of America, 1638-1870,” was one of the first academic works on the subject. In that same year – 1895 – Booker T. Washington publicly put forth his philosophy on race relations in a speech known as the ‘Atlanta Compromise.’ Washington stated that African Americans should suppress their support of social integration and accept “Separate but Equal,” in exchange for economic progress, educational opportunity, and justice in the courts.

“This started a firestorm in parts of the African American community especially in the North. W.E.B. DuBois deplored Washington’s conciliatory philosophy. He severely criticized Washington for not demanding full equality for African Americans as granted in the 14th U. S. Constitution.

“DuBois, who spent most of his life in the North, became the nation’s foremost black intellectual. Booker T. Washington who spent most of his life in the segregated south became the ultimate pragmatist. DuBois in his 1903 book entitled The Souls of Black Folks directly criticized Booker T. Washington’s approach, as he had on other occasions. And as was usually the case, Booker T. Washington responded in kind. Personally, I am not sure that their differences were all that substantive.

“I often share with audiences an experience I had several years ago during this same month and occasion. I was invited to deliver a Black History Month speech to the Bamberg Job Corps facility in my Congressional District. Before the program I was taken on a tour of the facility, during which we came upon a group of students who were having a discussion as to which one of their chosen vocations was the most important to society.

“I listen for a while, and when I got to the auditorium I put that little well-researched speech in my pocket and shared with the group some of the discussion I had heard earlier. I told them that if something were to happen to my automobile on my way back to Columbia, I would not need a doctor, I would need an automobile mechanic. I said to them, that if I were to turn on my water faucet and no water comes out I would not call a lawyer, I would call a plumber, and the most important person to me at that particular juncture in my life would be a plumber. I continued; doctors need plumbers, plumbers need lawyers, lawyers need automobile mechanics; we all need each other. And no one of us is any more important than the other. I told them that our importance to society depends upon what it is, what crises need to be addressed and who can best address them.

“There were crises in black education, before Washington and DuBois; and advocates for equality and justice like Robert Smalls, Frederick Douglas and scores of others took on the challenges that were theirs. Penn School was established in 1862 to educate former slaves. Cheney State in Pennsylvania was established in 1837, Wilberforce in Ohio in 1856 and black churches of all denominations followed suit all across the South. Institutional and individual advocates and innovators stepped up to address the crises. There are crises in black education today. And those crises are at every level, K through 12, post-secondary and higher education as well.

“The state by state inequalities are real. Achievement gaps among blacks, browns and whites are growing, and closing those gaps will require much more than sloganeering. You and I individually, and all of us collectively, haves roles to play.

“The federal government must play a role, as it has before, in eradicating the educational inequalities and inequities that are growing exponentially. The country took some giants steps back in the 1960s. President Lyndon Johnson’s pursuit of a ‘Great Society’ was not a failure. It worked wonders.

“I stand here as living proof that the Office of Economic Opportunity was not a failure. Many among you are proof that the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was a success. I have served – and continue to serve – with scores of Congress people who are living proof that Upward Bound, Talent Search and Head Start were vital investments in gifted students who were victims of underserved and neglected schools and communities. Similar efforts are required today.

“My #2 daughter, Jennifer, a 25-year educator, has recently been named Director of the University of South Carolina’s Center for the Education and Equity of African American Students. Her team is dedicated to the elimination of the achievement gap that has haunted us for decades. My eldest daughter Mignon has dedicated her tenure at the Federal Communication Commission to addressing this gap by getting internet services into low income and underserved communities.

“One of the most misrepresented and misunderstood educational entities in our country are Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Although largely untold their successes are legendary. As a proud alumnus of an HBCU, I work diligently trying to educate the uninformed and misinformed about the missions and value of these historic and iconic institutions.

“HBCUs are a very important niche in providing quality educational opportunities where otherwise there would be none. They are uniquely equipped to meet the needs of those high school graduates who have been, and are still being, robbed of equitable funding of their schools and communities, most of which are in rural areas. I have heard testimonies from scores of highly successful, jurists, physicians, business executives and college presidents that but for the nurturing and, I might add, remediation that were available to them at the HBCUs they attended, they would never have succeeded.

“Consider the role that Morehouse College played in the lives of Congressmen Cedric Richmond and Sanford Bishop; Or that Howard University played in the lives of Elijah Cummings and Gregory Meeks? Or the role that North Carolina A&T played in the lives of Astronaut Ronald McNair and California businesswoman Janice Howroyd.

“Or the role that Florida A&M played in the lives of Congressman Alcee Hastings and John Thompson, Chairman of the Board of Microsoft; Or the role that Toogolou College played in the lives of Congressman Bennie Thompson his wife, Doctor London Thompson; to name just a few with whom you may be acquainted; and who have made, and are making, significant contributions to the establishment of ‘a more perfect Union.’

“Throughout my service in Congress, I have worked to preserve, protect and put financial resources into the offerings and facilities of HBCUs. I am also fighting for the communities that surround these great institutions, many of them rural.

“New innovations like the Rural Energy Savings Program that took me six years to get passed into law; and my 10-20-30 Rule which was applied in the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act;” and, in my not-so-humble opinion, should be applied throughout the budget.

“My Rural Energy Savings program allows customers of Rural Electric Coops to retrofit and weatherize their homes using federally guaranteed loans that they get through their coops and pay back on their monthly utility bills.

“The experiences of the vast majority of these customers have been that the combined costs of their utility bills and loan repayments are around 70 percent of what their utility bills were previously. That is a significant monthly savings that can be used to purchase books and supplies for their children.

“My 10-20-30 innovation directs 10 percent of specific appropriated funds into communities where 20 percent or more of their citizens have been struggling beneath the poverty level for the past 30 years or more. There are 500 such counties and many more communities that fall into this category.

“Not all of these neglected communities are located in our inner cities as seems to be the popular belief. In fact, there are more of them in rural communities than urban. There are no preferences here as to race, ethnicity, gender or political persuasion.

“In states like New Mexico and Arizona, they are more likely to be Latina.

“In Alaska and South Dakota they will probably be Native Americans.

“They are more likely be white in Kentucky or West Virginia;

“and more likely to be black in North and South Carolina.

“This is about meeting needs, and it worked beautifully in the Recovery Act. If we are going to reduce inequalities and eliminate inequities, we simply must target our resources and increase our commitments to efforts that give life and meaning to our ideal of equality and justice for all.

“It falls to each generation to pick up the mantle of leadership and make good on the premise upon which this nation was found and the promise it holds for the future.

“The challenges before us are many. We are in a fight that will not tolerate what Thomas Paine called ‘summer soldiers and sunshine patriots.’

“As a proud South Carolinian, I remain steadfast and unyieldingly optimistic while holding fast to my state’s motto, Dum Spiro Spero, ‘While I breathe, I hope.’ ”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T21:24:24Z
http://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/congressman-jim-clyburn-affordable-care-act-listening-session,Congressman Jim Clyburn Affordable Care Act Listening Session,2017-02-16,2017,2017-02,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Columbia, SC) -- Congressman Jim Clyburn will hold a listening session this Saturday, February 18 at 2pm at the William L. Yates Conference Center of the South Carolina Hospital Association (SCHA) to discuss the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Congressman Clyburn’s listening session will focus on current ACA repeal proposals and the impact those proposals will have on Medicaid, insurance subsidies and all the provisions provided by the law. He will share the latest news from Washington and give hospital representatives and other health care stakeholders the opportunity to provide input on the effect on South Carolina.

The William L. Yates Conference Center is located at 1000 Center Point Road, Columbia, SC 29210.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/congressman-jim-clyburn-affordable-care-act-listening-session/,Congressman Jim Clyburn Affordable Care Act Listening Session,2017-02-16,2017,2017-02,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"(Columbia, SC) — Congressman Jim Clyburn will hold a listening session this Saturday, February 18 at 2pm at the William L. Yates Conference Center of the South Carolina Hospital Association (SCHA) to discuss the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Congressman Clyburn’s listening session will focus on current ACA repeal proposals and the impact those proposals will have on Medicaid, insurance subsidies and all the provisions provided by the law. He will share the latest news from Washington and give hospital representatives and other health care stakeholders the opportunity to provide input on the effect on South Carolina.

The William L. Yates Conference Center is located at 1000 Center Point Road, Columbia, SC 29210.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T21:24:24Z
http://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/release-cummings-brady-and-clyburn-demand-proof-unsubstantiated-republican-claims,"Cummings, Brady, and Clyburn Demand Proof of Unsubstantiated Republican Claims of Voter Fraud",2017-01-25,2017,2017-01,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"UNITED STATES CONGRESS
For Immediate Release  
	January 25, 2017
Contacts:  
	Jennifer Werner (Cummings): 202-226-5181  
	Jamie Fleet (Brady): 202-225-2061  
	Patrick Devlin (Clyburn): 202-226-3210
Cummings, Brady, and Clyburn
	Demand Proof of Unsubstantiated
	Republican Claims of Voter Fraud 
In Letters to Top Election Officials of All 50 States and DC,   
	Members Request Incidents of Actual, Confirmed Voter Fraud
This morning, President Trump tweeted:  “I will be asking for a major investigation into VOTER FRAUD, including those registered to vote in two states, those registered to vote who are dead (and many for a long time).  Depending on results, we will strengthen up voting procedures!”
His tweet follows reports that he stated during a meeting with congressional leaders on Monday that “millions of unauthorized immigrants had robbed him of a popular vote majority.”
After being pressed by members of the White House press corps yesterday, White House press secretary Sean Spicer defended the President’s claim, stating:  “He believes what he believes based on the information he was provided.”
He added:  “The president does believe that, he has stated that before.  I think he’s stated his concerns of voter fraud and people voting illegally during the campaign and he continues to maintain that belief based on studies and evidence people have presented to him.”
Spicer went on to cite a study “that came out of Pew in 2008 that showed 14% of people who have voted are non-citizens.”  That claim itself has also been thoroughly debunked by the Washington Post, PolitiFact, and NPR.
In November, weeks after winning the election, President Trump tweeted:  “In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally.”
When pressed by George Stephanopoulos to explain the tweet, Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway said:  “To your question, the president-elect has been talking to different people, including Kris Kobach of Kansas, about voting irregularities or the number of illegal votes that may have been cast, and I believe that he based his information on that.”
Kobach served as secretary of state of Kansas, and in June 2016, Cummings, Brady and Clyburn launched an investigation into an Election Assistance Commission action to amend the federal voter registration form to require proof of citizenship in Alabama, Georgia, and Kansas.  In September, a federal judge blocked the action after finding that it would disenfranchise legitimate voters.
Click here or read below for one sample letter. 
January 25, 2017
The Honorable John H. Merrill                                   The Honorable Luther Strange  
	Alabama Secretary of State                                       Alabama Attorney General  
	P.O. Box 5616                                                            Office of the Attorney General  
	Montgomery, AL 36103                                              P.O. Box 30015  
	                                                                                   Montgomery, AL 36130-0152
Dear Secretary of State Merrill and Attorney General Strange:
            Thank you for your service in the critical work of helping ensure that elections across the country are free, fair, and administered in a way that upholds the fundamental tenets of the United States Constitution.  We are writing given recent claims of voter fraud and its potential impact on our nation’s elections.  To investigate these claims, we are seeking information regarding confirmed incidents of voter fraud. 
To assist in our inquiry, we request that you provide a list of all specific cases in which either of your offices has determined that an individual who cast a vote in the federal elections held in November 2016 was legally prohibited from doing so.  For each specific case, please include the following information:
1)      the identity of the individual who cast the prohibited vote;
2)      the date on which the prohibited vote took place;
3)      the polling place where the prohibited vote occurred;
4)      the specific legal reason the individual’s vote was prohibited; and
5)      the result of the individual’s prosecution, if any.
Please include in this list all cases in which the state has determined that a prohibited vote was cast, regardless of whether a prosecution was initiated or concluded.  Please feel free to provide joint or separate responses.
We request this information by February 22, 2017.  Please contact Karen Kudelko of Ranking Member Cummings’ staff at (202) 225-5051, Khalil Abboud with Ranking Member Brady’s staff at (202) 225-2061, or Amy Miller Pfeiffer with Assistant Democratic Leader Clyburn’s staff at (202) 226-3210 with any questions.
                                                                        Sincerely,
 
Elijah E. Cummings                             Robert A. Brady                                James E. Clyburn  
	Ranking Member                                Ranking Member                               Assistant Democratic  
	Committee on Oversight and              Committee on House                         Leader  
	Government Reform                           Administration
 
cc:    The Honorable Jason Chaffetz  
	        Chairman, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
	        The Honorable Gregg Harper  
	        Chairman, Committee on House Administration",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/cummings-brady-and-clyburn-demand-proof-of-unsubstantiated-republican-claims-of-voter-fraud/,"Cummings, Brady, and Clyburn Demand Proof of Unsubstantiated Republican Claims of Voter Fraud",2017-01-25,2017,2017-01,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"UNITED STATES CONGRESS

For Immediate Release

January 25, 2017

Contacts:

Jennifer Werner (Cummings): 202-226-5181

Jamie Fleet (Brady): 202-225-2061

Patrick Devlin (Clyburn): 202-226-3210

Cummings, Brady, and Clyburn

Demand Proof of Unsubstantiated

Republican Claims of Voter Fraud

In Letters to Top Election Officials of All 50 States and DC,

Members Request Incidents of Actual, Confirmed Voter Fraud

This morning, President Trump tweeted: “I will be asking for a major investigation into VOTER FRAUD, including those registered to vote in two states, those registered to vote who are dead (and many for a long time). Depending on results, we will strengthen up voting procedures!”

His tweet follows reports that he stated during a meeting with congressional leaders on Monday that “millions of unauthorized immigrants had robbed him of a popular vote majority.”

After being pressed by members of the White House press corps yesterday, White House press secretary Sean Spicer defended the President’s claim, stating: “He believes what he believes based on the information he was provided.”

He added: “The president does believe that, he has stated that before. I think he’s stated his concerns of voter fraud and people voting illegally during the campaign and he continues to maintain that belief based on studies and evidence people have presented to him.”

Spicer went on to cite a study “that came out of Pew in 2008 that showed 14% of people who have voted are non-citizens.” That claim itself has also been thoroughly debunked by the Washington Post, PolitiFact, and NPR.

In November, weeks after winning the election, President Trump tweeted: “In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally.”

When pressed by George Stephanopoulos to explain the tweet, Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway said: “To your question, the president-elect has been talking to different people, including Kris Kobach of Kansas, about voting irregularities or the number of illegal votes that may have been cast, and I believe that he based his information on that.”

Kobach served as secretary of state of Kansas, and in June 2016, Cummings, Brady and Clyburn launched an investigation into an Election Assistance Commission action to amend the federal voter registration form to require proof of citizenship in Alabama, Georgia, and Kansas. In September, a federal judge blocked the action after finding that it would disenfranchise legitimate voters.

Click here or read below for one sample letter.

January 25, 2017

The Honorable John H. Merrill The Honorable Luther Strange

Alabama Secretary of State Alabama Attorney General

P.O. Box 5616 Office of the Attorney General

Montgomery, AL 36103 P.O. Box 30015

Montgomery, AL 36130-0152

Dear Secretary of State Merrill and Attorney General Strange:

Thank you for your service in the critical work of helping ensure that elections across the country are free, fair, and administered in a way that upholds the fundamental tenets of the United States Constitution. We are writing given recent claims of voter fraud and its potential impact on our nation’s elections. To investigate these claims, we are seeking information regarding confirmed incidents of voter fraud.

To assist in our inquiry, we request that you provide a list of all specific cases in which either of your offices has determined that an individual who cast a vote in the federal elections held in November 2016 was legally prohibited from doing so. For each specific case, please include the following information:

1) the identity of the individual who cast the prohibited vote;

2) the date on which the prohibited vote took place;

3) the polling place where the prohibited vote occurred;

4) the specific legal reason the individual’s vote was prohibited; and

5) the result of the individual’s prosecution, if any.

Please include in this list all cases in which the state has determined that a prohibited vote was cast, regardless of whether a prosecution was initiated or concluded. Please feel free to provide joint or separate responses.

We request this information by February 22, 2017. Please contact Karen Kudelko of Ranking Member Cummings’ staff at (202) 225-5051, Khalil Abboud with Ranking Member Brady’s staff at (202) 225-2061, or Amy Miller Pfeiffer with Assistant Democratic Leader Clyburn’s staff at (202) 226-3210 with any questions.

Sincerely,

Elijah E. Cummings Robert A. Brady James E. Clyburn

Ranking Member Ranking Member Assistant Democratic

Committee on Oversight and Committee on House Leader

Government Reform Administration

cc: The Honorable Jason Chaffetz

Chairman, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T21:17:04Z
http://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/clyburn-op-ed-aca-civil-rights-act-21st-century,Clyburn OP-ED: ACA is the Civil Rights Act of the 21st Century,2017-01-17,2017,2017-01,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON – U.S. House Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn (SC) published the following op-ed in the Charleston Post and Courier today:
BY JAMES E. CLYBURN
This week we are observing Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Many of us are celebrating by defending the Affordable Care Act (ACA), our nation’s attempt to end discrimination against people who are born sick, or get sick. King once said, “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.”
I often refer to the ACA as the Civil Rights Act of the 21st Century. History will not forgive our putting disparate treatment back into and insurance companies back in charge of, our healthcare delivery system. Repealing the ACA would be devastating to our economy. Experts predict that a total repeal would increase the national debt and explode the federal deficit, $320 billion over ten years. Are we really willing to mortgage the future of our children to achieve an ill-fated partisan goal of cutting off health care for millions of Americans?
During the eight years prior to President Obama’s administration, health care costs increased by 80 percent. During the nearly eight years of the Obama administration healthcare costs have increased only 30 percent. Repealing the law could reverse this historic trend and endanger the health and welfare of millions of individuals and families throughout the country.
In my home state of South Carolina, 417,000 individuals have gained coverage under the ACA including 107,000 children. All of them are at risk of having their coverage rolled back. Those 35,000 young adults in South Carolina who are able to stay on a parent’s health insurance plan - thanks to the ACA - would lose coverage if the Republican-led Congress eliminates the requirement that insurers allow children to stay on their parents’ plans until age 26.
But the ACA is not just about children and young adults. Nearly 100,000 senior citizens who are saving an average of $1,088 each, as a result of closing the Medicare prescription drug “donut hole” gap in coverage, stand to lose this critical help going forward. Roughly 822,000 individuals in the state who have pre-existing health conditions would be at risk of having their coverage rescinded, or being denied coverage, or being charged significantly more for coverage if the ACA is repealed.
In addition, 1.9 million individuals in South Carolina who now have private health insurance that covers preventive services without any co-pays, coinsurance, or deductibles stand to lose this ability if Congress eliminates the ACA provisions that require health insurers to cover important preventive services without cost-sharing. Women who can now purchase insurance for the same price as men will be at risk of being charged more for insurance if the ACA’s ban on gender rating in the individual and small group markets is eliminated. Before the ACA, women paid up to 53 percent more than men for their health insurance.
But there are other significant parts of the ACA that seldom get talked about. Parts that affect all citizens irrespective of income, gender or ethnicity. One of them is the elimination of annual and lifetime caps on benefits. I will never forget the lady from Florence, S.C., who told me that she was ecstatic over the ACA’s passage because she had just been informed by her insurance provider that - because of her eight year old daughter’s cancer treatments – her family had reached their lifetime limit of coverage.
Another seldom mentioned, but significant benefit, is the requirement that insurance companies return at least 80 percent of the premiums they collect to their policy holders. And if their annual audits indicate that they failed to do so, they must send rebates to those policy holders.
Repeal of the ACA without a sensible, affordable alternative would be devastating to individuals and families throughout South Carolina and the country.
James E. Clyburn, a Democrat, represents South Carolina’s 6th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/clyburn-op-ed-aca-is-the-civil-rights-act-of-the-21st-century/,Clyburn OP-ED: ACA is the Civil Rights Act of the 21st Century,2017-01-17,2017,2017-01,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. House Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn (SC) published the following op-ed in the Charleston Post and Courier today:

BY JAMES E. CLYBURN

This week we are observing Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Many of us are celebrating by defending the Affordable Care Act (ACA), our nation’s attempt to end discrimination against people who are born sick, or get sick. King once said, “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.”

I often refer to the ACA as the Civil Rights Act of the 21st Century. History will not forgive our putting disparate treatment back into and insurance companies back in charge of, our healthcare delivery system. Repealing the ACA would be devastating to our economy. Experts predict that a total repeal would increase the national debt and explode the federal deficit, $320 billion over ten years. Are we really willing to mortgage the future of our children to achieve an ill-fated partisan goal of cutting off health care for millions of Americans?

During the eight years prior to President Obama’s administration, health care costs increased by 80 percent. During the nearly eight years of the Obama administration healthcare costs have increased only 30 percent. Repealing the law could reverse this historic trend and endanger the health and welfare of millions of individuals and families throughout the country.

In my home state of South Carolina, 417,000 individuals have gained coverage under the ACA including 107,000 children. All of them are at risk of having their coverage rolled back. Those 35,000 young adults in South Carolina who are able to stay on a parent’s health insurance plan – thanks to the ACA – would lose coverage if the Republican-led Congress eliminates the requirement that insurers allow children to stay on their parents’ plans until age 26.

But the ACA is not just about children and young adults. Nearly 100,000 senior citizens who are saving an average of $1,088 each, as a result of closing the Medicare prescription drug “donut hole” gap in coverage, stand to lose this critical help going forward. Roughly 822,000 individuals in the state who have pre-existing health conditions would be at risk of having their coverage rescinded, or being denied coverage, or being charged significantly more for coverage if the ACA is repealed.

In addition, 1.9 million individuals in South Carolina who now have private health insurance that covers preventive services without any co-pays, coinsurance, or deductibles stand to lose this ability if Congress eliminates the ACA provisions that require health insurers to cover important preventive services without cost-sharing. Women who can now purchase insurance for the same price as men will be at risk of being charged more for insurance if the ACA’s ban on gender rating in the individual and small group markets is eliminated. Before the ACA, women paid up to 53 percent more than men for their health insurance.

But there are other significant parts of the ACA that seldom get talked about. Parts that affect all citizens irrespective of income, gender or ethnicity. One of them is the elimination of annual and lifetime caps on benefits. I will never forget the lady from Florence, S.C., who told me that she was ecstatic over the ACA’s passage because she had just been informed by her insurance provider that – because of her eight year old daughter’s cancer treatments – her family had reached their lifetime limit of coverage.

Another seldom mentioned, but significant benefit, is the requirement that insurance companies return at least 80 percent of the premiums they collect to their policy holders. And if their annual audits indicate that they failed to do so, they must send rebates to those policy holders.

Repeal of the ACA without a sensible, affordable alternative would be devastating to individuals and families throughout South Carolina and the country.

James E. Clyburn, a Democrat, represents South Carolina’s 6th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T21:17:04Z
http://clyburn.house.gov/press-release/clyburn-statement-establishment-reconstruction-era-national-monument,Clyburn Statement on Establishment of Reconstruction Era National Monument,2017-01-13,2017,2017-01,Democrat,House,SC,James Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn released the following statement regarding President Barack Obama’s proclamation establishing the Reconstruction Era National Monument.  The monument will become a unit of the National Park Service consisting of historic sites from the Reconstruction Era (January 1, 1863 – March 31, 1877) in St. Helena Island, Beaufort, and Port Royal, South Carolina.
“I want to thank President Obama for establishing the Reconstruction Era National Monument.  For a long time, this period of history has been ignored and is often misunderstood or misrepresented.  Beginning January 1, 1863 and continuing until March 31, 1877, newly freed slaves were guaranteed civil rights by the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the United States Constitution.  They bought property, founded communities, built schools and organized churches, and were elected to political offices.
“Reconstruction had some of its earliest and most significant impact in Beaufort County, South Carolina.  For the last two decades, many communities in Beaufort County have worked to recognize and preserve their Reconstruction heritage and to create a unit of the National Park Service linking these historic sites together.  Today’s announcement is a great tribute to their years of work and sacrifice on this endeavor.
“Penn Center, originally called Penn School, was established in 1862 as the first school in the South for former slaves.  It moved to its current campus, now part of the national monument, in 1864 and continues there to this day.  The Board of Trustees has donated Darrah Hall, the oldest building on Penn Center’s campus, to the National Park Service to be used as an interpretive center.  I extend my thanks to Chairman Clifford Bush, Executive Director Rodell Lawrence, and the entire Board of Trustees and staff for their contributions to this important cause.
“Brick Baptist Church, adjacent to Penn Center, was built in 1855 by slaves who were relegated to its balcony out of the sight and presence of white worshipers.  Following the Battle of Port Royal in 1861, slaves assumed control over the church.  Before Penn School expanded to its current location, early classes were held in the Brick Baptist Church building, which still stands today.  Under the leadership of Rev. Abraham Murray, the church is now part of the national monument, and the congregation donated a historic preservation easement to the National Park Service to ensure this structure will be preserved in perpetuity.
“Downtown Beaufort features many historic sites from the era, and the national monument will include the old firehouse building to be used as a visitor center for the many significant Reconstruction Era sites in the area.  I want to thank Mayor Billy Keyserling for his family’s donation of the building and for all of his advocacy and efforts to galvanize community support for this designation.
“The monument also features the Camp Saxton Site in Port Royal where on January 1, 1863, Union General Rufus Saxton assembled 3,000 slaves from the surrounding Sea Islands to read the Emancipation Proclamation, the first such reading in the South.  On the grounds of the U.S. Naval Hospital Beaufort, this site will be opened up to the public once an agreement between the Navy and the National Park Service is finalized.
“Importantly, today’s announcement is not a final product, but a first step in protecting and preserving the many Reconstruction Era sites in Beaufort County.  While sites like Mitchelville on Hilton Head Island, the first self-governed freedmen’s town, and the various sites associated with the life and career of the legendary Robert Smalls are not part of today’s announcement, I am committed to continue working to ensure that all of the deserving sites are given their due.
“In addition to President Obama, I would also like to thank Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis, and the entire staffs from the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service for their efforts to make this long-held dream a reality. Finally, I would like to thank former Secretary Bruce Babbitt and the Conservation Lands Foundation for their steadfast support of this effort.”
Click here to read President Barack Obama's proclamation:",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://clyburn.house.gov/clyburn-statement-on-establishment-of-reconstruction-era-national-monument/,Clyburn Statement on Establishment of Reconstruction Era National Monument,2017-01-13,2017,2017-01,Democrat,House,SC,James E. Clyburn,C000537,clyburn.house.gov,clyburn,https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn released the following statement regarding President Barack Obama’s proclamation establishing the Reconstruction Era National Monument. The monument will become a unit of the National Park Service consisting of historic sites from the Reconstruction Era (January 1, 1863 – March 31, 1877) in St. Helena Island, Beaufort, and Port Royal, South Carolina.

“I want to thank President Obama for establishing the Reconstruction Era National Monument. For a long time, this period of history has been ignored and is often misunderstood or misrepresented. Beginning January 1, 1863 and continuing until March 31, 1877, newly freed slaves were guaranteed civil rights by the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the United States Constitution. They bought property, founded communities, built schools and organized churches, and were elected to political offices.

“Reconstruction had some of its earliest and most significant impact in Beaufort County, South Carolina. For the last two decades, many communities in Beaufort County have worked to recognize and preserve their Reconstruction heritage and to create a unit of the National Park Service linking these historic sites together. Today’s announcement is a great tribute to their years of work and sacrifice on this endeavor.

“Penn Center, originally called Penn School, was established in 1862 as the first school in the South for former slaves. It moved to its current campus, now part of the national monument, in 1864 and continues there to this day. The Board of Trustees has donated Darrah Hall, the oldest building on Penn Center’s campus, to the National Park Service to be used as an interpretive center. I extend my thanks to Chairman Clifford Bush, Executive Director Rodell Lawrence, and the entire Board of Trustees and staff for their contributions to this important cause.

“Brick Baptist Church, adjacent to Penn Center, was built in 1855 by slaves who were relegated to its balcony out of the sight and presence of white worshipers. Following the Battle of Port Royal in 1861, slaves assumed control over the church. Before Penn School expanded to its current location, early classes were held in the Brick Baptist Church building, which still stands today. Under the leadership of Rev. Abraham Murray, the church is now part of the national monument, and the congregation donated a historic preservation easement to the National Park Service to ensure this structure will be preserved in perpetuity.

“Downtown Beaufort features many historic sites from the era, and the national monument will include the old firehouse building to be used as a visitor center for the many significant Reconstruction Era sites in the area. I want to thank Mayor Billy Keyserling for his family’s donation of the building and for all of his advocacy and efforts to galvanize community support for this designation.

“The monument also features the Camp Saxton Site in Port Royal where on January 1, 1863, Union General Rufus Saxton assembled 3,000 slaves from the surrounding Sea Islands to read the Emancipation Proclamation, the first such reading in the South. On the grounds of the U.S. Naval Hospital Beaufort, this site will be opened up to the public once an agreement between the Navy and the National Park Service is finalized.

“Importantly, today’s announcement is not a final product, but a first step in protecting and preserving the many Reconstruction Era sites in Beaufort County. While sites like Mitchelville on Hilton Head Island, the first self-governed freedmen’s town, and the various sites associated with the life and career of the legendary Robert Smalls are not part of today’s announcement, I am committed to continue working to ensure that all of the deserving sites are given their due.

“In addition to President Obama, I would also like to thank Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis, and the entire staffs from the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service for their efforts to make this long-held dream a reality. Finally, I would like to thank former Secretary Bruce Babbitt and the Conservation Lands Foundation for their steadfast support of this effort.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T21:17:04Z