[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 150 (Friday, October 29, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S13578]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JUNIOR, PAPERS PRESERVATION ACT

  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Rules 
Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. 1791 and the 
Senate then proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1791) to authorize the Librarian of Congress to 
     purchase papers of Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior, from Dr. 
     King's estate.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I support passage of the pending bill, 
S. 1791, that Senator Lieberman and I introduced. This legislation 
would authorize the Librarian of Congress to acquire Dr. Martin Luther 
King, Junior's personal papers from his estate.
  Dr. King, as a minister, civil rights leader, prolific writer and 
Nobel Price winner, was deeply committed to nonviolence in the struggle 
for civil rights. He is quite possible the most important and 
influential black leader in American history.
  When Dr. King was tragically assassinated on April 4, 1968, he was in 
his prime, after having emerged as a true national hero and a chief 
advocate of peacefully uniting a racially divided nation. He strove to 
build communities of hope and opportunity for all. He recognized that 
all Americans must be free if we are to live in a truly great nation.
  The acquisition of Dr. King's papers would permanently place them in 
the public domain. People from all over the United States, and the 
entire world, would have direct access to these important historic 
documents. Those people studying his life's work would have access to 
his messages of justice and peace, and also to reflect on the civil 
rights struggle. The Library of Congress would be the perfect place for 
these papers which already houses other great works of original 
American freedom fighters such as Frederick Douglass and Thurgood 
Marshall. It is altogether fitting that these documents be together 
under one roof.
  Dr. King was a person who wanted all people to get along regardless 
of their race, color or creed. His call to all of us, that we should 
judge by the content of one's character rather than by the color of 
one's skin, sums up the very core of how we can all peacefully live 
together as well as any other words ever spoken.
  The establishment of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a national 
holiday was the result of the work of many determined people who wanted 
to ensure that we and future generations duly honor and remember his 
legacy. In fact, our tradition of honoring Dr. King took another step 
forward when on October 25, 1999, the President signed into law S. 322, 
a bill I introduced earlier this year that authorizes the flying of the 
American flag on Martin Luther King Day, in addition to all of our 
Nation's national holidays. This legislation builds on this work and 
will ensure that Dr. King's legacy is preserved for generations to 
come.
  I urge my colleagues to support passage of this important bill.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. I ask unanimous consent the bill be read a third time 
and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any 
statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 1791) was read the third time and passed, as follows:

                                S. 1791

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Dr. Martin Luther King, 
     Junior, Papers Preservation Act''.

     SEC. 2. PURCHASE OF MARTIN LUTHER KING PAPERS BY LIBRARIAN OF 
                   CONGRESS.

       (a) In General.--The Librarian of Congress is authorized to 
     acquire or purchase papers of Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior, 
     from Dr. King's estate.
       (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Librarian of Congress such sums as 
     may be necessary to carry out this Act.

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