[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 125 (Tuesday, October 10, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H9620-H9621]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PLACEMENT AT LINCOLN MEMORIAL OF PLAQUE COMMEMORATING SPEECH OF MARTIN 
          LUTHER KING, JR., KNOWN AS ``I HAVE A DREAM'' SPEECH

  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in 
the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 2879) to provide for the 
placement at the Lincoln Memorial of a plaque commemorating the speech 
of Martin Luther King, Jr., known as the ``I Have a Dream'' speech.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Senate amendment:
       Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

     SECTION 1. PLACEMENT OF PLAQUE AT LINCOLN MEMORIAL.

       (a) Placement of Plaque.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
     install in the area of the Lincoln Memorial in the District 
     of Columbia a suitable plaque to commemorate the speech of 
     Martin Luther King, Jr., known as the ``I Have A Dream'' 
     speech.
       (2) Relation to commemorative works act.--The Commemorative 
     Works Act (40 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) shall apply to the design 
     and placement of the plaque within the area of the Lincoln 
     Memorial.
       (b) Acceptance of Contributions.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior is 
     authorized to accept and expand contributions toward the cost 
     of preparing and installing the plaque, without further 
     appropriation. Federal funds may be used to design, procure, 
     or install the plaque.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Utah (Mr. Hansen) and the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. 
Faleomavaega) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen).
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2879, introduced by the 
gentlewoman from Kentucky (Mrs. Northup). H.R. 2879 would provide for 
the placement at the Lincoln Memorial of a plaque commemorating the 
speech of Martin Luther King, Jr., known as the ``I Have a Dream'' 
speech. The plaque would be placed in an appropriate location in the 
vicinity of the Lincoln Memorial where Dr. King delivered his famous 
civil rights speech on August 28, 1963. This bill also directs the 
Secretary of the Interior to accept contributions to help offset any 
costs associated with the preparation and placement of the plaque.
  Mr. Speaker, this is an important bill. It has bipartisan support. I 
urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 2879, as amended.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2879 as passed by the House 
directs the Secretary of the Interior to insert on the steps of the 
Lincoln Memorial a plaque commemorating the speech of Dr. Martin Luther 
King, Jr., known as the ``I Have a Dream'' speech.
  The bill originally passed the House by a voice vote on November 9 of 
last year. The Senate passed the bill last week and has returned the 
measure to the House with an amendment.
  The Senate amendment makes a number of clarifying and technical 
changes to the bill. We support these changes. In fact, we believe 
these changes strengthen the bill by providing greater flexibility on 
the placement of a plaque and by making sure that this action is 
carried out in conformance with the Commemorative Works Act.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to note that our colleague, the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Lewis) was present and was one of the speakers that day in 
the summer of 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and was with 
Dr. King when rendering the ``I Have a Dream'' speech that occurred at 
the Lincoln Memorial, which certainly had a profound impact not only on 
the civil rights movement but I would say that this Member particularly 
was very touched by the speech that Dr. King gave on that day. I ask my 
colleagues to support this measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the 
gentlewoman from Kentucky (Mrs. Northup), who has worked so diligently 
on this legislation, and I commend her for the good work she has done.
  Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, this bill originated because one of my 
constituents, Thomas Williams, came to Washington, D.C. with his wife 
to see Washington, as so many Americans do. He wrote to me when he got 
home and talked about the moving moments he had as he went around 
Washington walking in the footsteps and being reminded of what a 
democracy this was and some of our important leaders.
  He wrote to me about what he thought was missing, and I would like to 
share with you some of those words: I looked for the spot on which 
Martin Luther King stood when he spoke. I looked for a marker to remind 
me and others that for a single moment on a hot August day a descendant 
of a slave held the most prominent space in our Nation and delivered 
words that will always stay with that space. I could not find a marker 
or the words on those steps. And he goes on to say that markers such as 
this are reminders that an ordinary space we sometimes occupy can 
become forever changed by the deeds of a person that has stood there.
  Looking even further, he said, into the future I saw a day when I 
could bring my yet unborn children to that spot where Martin Luther 
King spoke and I could show them that marker and read them the words of 
his dream.

                              {time}  2310

  ``I could tell them that this is still a nation where a simple 
Kentucky farmer could rise to the heights of president, and that a son 
of a slave could inspire future generations with the power of his words 
and his compassion.''
  Mr. Speaker, this plaque gives us these memories. All of us see 
schoolchildren that come to Washington each year. I reminded them that 
they are not only visiting the past, walking in the footsteps of our 
history, but that

[[Page H9621]]

they are being filled with inspiration for their futures and for their 
responsibilities as leaders to make this democracy even better, to not 
be afraid to tackle the challenges, and to be part of the goodness of 
this country.
  These children look for the markers, look for the memories, that give 
them this inspiration, give them example, and give them a belief that 
they, too, can make a difference.
  So it is important that as they walk on the steps of the Lincoln 
Monument, that they not forget that very important day and that very 
important leader that Dr. Martin Luther King was to this country.
  I think it is also important to thank my constituent, Tom Williams, 
who wanted the events of 1963 to come alive to all who toured the 
Lincoln Monument. Today we honor his contribution as an interested 
citizen, a citizen that believed that he could make a suggestion, and 
that that suggestion might have a powerful result.
  Finally, the movement of this legislation also honors another man, 
Senator Paul Coverdell from Georgia, who sponsored this legislation on 
the Senate side. Senator Coverdell's death was a great loss to all of 
us this year, and we will miss him, but like the man we are honoring 
here today, Senator Coverdell will also be fondly remembered in our 
hearts.
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Ryan of Wisconsin). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) that the 
House suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill, 
H.R. 2879.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate amendment was 
concurred in.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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