[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 106 (Thursday, September 9, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9037-S9039]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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  SENATE RESOLUTION 420--RECOMMENDING EXPENDITURES FOR AN APPROPRIATE 
 VISITORS CENTER AT LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL NATIONAL HISTORIC 
   SITE TO COMMEMORATE THE DESEGREGATION OF LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL HIGH 
                                 SCHOOL

  Mr. PRYOR (for himself and Mrs. Lincoln) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources:

                              S. Res. 420

       Whereas the United States recognizes that in September 
     1957, 9 young students changed the course of American history 
     by claiming the right to receive an equal education;
       Whereas Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, Jefferson Thomas, 
     Terrence Roberts, Carlotta Walls, Minnijean Brown, Gloria 
     Ray, Thelma Mothershed, and Melba Pattillo, known as the 
     ``Little Rock Nine'', and their parents had the courage 
     necessary to break the bonds of prejudice and desegregation 
     and venture onto the world stage, with full knowledge of the 
     perils and complexities inherent in their endeavor;
       Whereas despite their effort to enroll at Little Rock 
     Central High School and receive an education, the Little Rock 
     Nine were met with severe adversity;
       Whereas Little Rock Central High School became not only a 
     crucial battleground in

[[Page S9038]]

     the struggle for civil rights, but symbolic of the United 
     States Government's commitment to eliminating separate 
     systems of education for African-Americans and Caucasians;
       Whereas the enrollment of the Little Rock Nine was 
     recognized by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as such a 
     significant event in the struggle for civil rights that he 
     attended the graduation of the first African-American from 
     Little Rock Central High School;
       Whereas the sacrificial accomplishments that were made in 
     September 1957 have continuing benefits for the United States 
     today;
       Whereas the United States will always revere the 
     accomplishments that 9 young high school students made by 
     showing the Nation and the world that ``all men are created 
     equal'' and the rule of law is paramount in the democracy of 
     the United States;
       Whereas the Little Rock Nine were forced to obtain the 
     blessings of liberty that are inherent in the United States 
     Constitution through the intervention of the judicial branch 
     and executive branch of the United States Government;
       Whereas existing visitor facilities at Little Rock Central 
     High School are inadequate, resulting in limited 
     opportunities for citizens to learn about civil rights and 
     our Nation's heritage; and
       Whereas the legislative branch of the United States 
     Government has the opportunity to appropriately commemorate 
     the legacy that these heroic individuals left by fully 
     funding the design and construction of an informative 
     memorial: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) the courage displayed by the Little Rock Nine should be 
     commemorated as an example of American sacrifice through 
     extreme adversity;
       (2) Congress should fully fund the design and construction 
     of a visitor center at Little Rock Central High School 
     National Historic Site; and
       (3) the new facilities should open by September 2007 in 
     order to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the historic 
     events that occurred at Little Rock Central High School.
  Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, this year marks the 50th anniversary of 
Brown v. The Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, easily one of the 
most significant legal decisions in American history. But today I want 
to talk about another anniversary that is rapidly approaching, and that 
is an anniversary that flows directly from the Brown decision. I am 
speaking of the Little Rock Central High desegregation crisis which 
occurred in 1957. The 50th anniversary will be here in a couple of 
years, 2\1/2\ years, in 2007.
  I come to the floor today to speak on behalf of the so-called Little 
Rock Nine and to share their story of determination and opportunity. I 
come to the floor also to urge my colleagues to join me in this effort 
to help fully support the planned Little Rock Central High Museum and 
Visitors Center and get it back on track so it will be up and running 
to host the 50th anniversary of the Little Rock Central High crisis.
  Let me remind my colleagues that it is just as important today that 
we spend time understanding the civil rights struggle and the civil 
rights movement in this country as it was in 1957. I am thrilled to 
have the support, the encouragement, and the assistance of the 
Congressional Black Caucus chairman, Elijah Cummings.
  As you know, Brown did not erase the hatred and the prejudice that 
Black families face in this country. One of the most dramatic examples 
of that occurred on September 24, 1957, when President Dwight 
Eisenhower ordered Federal troops to Little Rock, AR, to allow nine 
Black children to attend the all-White Little Rock Central High School.
  In fact, if one looks back on 1957, the two largest world news 
stories that year were Sputnik and the events surrounding Central High 
School in Little Rock. The Little Rock Nine changed the course of 
American history by claiming their right to receive an equal education.
  These students were Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, Gloria Ray 
Karlmark, Carlotta Walls Lanier, Minnijean Brown Trickey, Terrence 
Roberts, Jefferson Thomas, Thelma Mothershed Wair, and Melba Pattillo 
Beals.
  Of her experience, Melba Pattillo Beals recalls:

       I had to become a warrior. I had to learn not how to dress 
     the best, but how to get from that door to the end of the 
     hall without dying.
  These are very serious times. Another one of the Little Rock Nine, 
Ernest Green, explains why the Little Rock Nine sacrificed their 
innocence for a chance at a better education. He said:

       We wanted to widen options for ourselves and later for our 
     children.

  Well, Mr. Green went on to become the first black student to graduate 
from Arkansas Central High. He later served as Assistant Secretary of 
Housing and Urban Affairs under President Jimmy Carter and as vice 
president of Lehman Brothers.
  Without his courage and determination and those of the Little Rock 
Nine in 1957, those opportunities would never have been available to 
him.
  Turning opportunity into achievement is what civil rights pioneer 
Daisy Bates had in mind for the Little Rock Nine when she encouraged 
them to do the unthinkable. As a story, Little Rock Central High has 
all the elements of a great story, starting with the premise in the 
Declaration of Independence where it says all men are created equal.
  Those words, penned by Thomas Jefferson, resonate throughout American 
history, but in 1954 the U.S. Supreme Court came down with the Brown 
decision where it said that separate but equal is not constitutional, 
and we need to change our American educational system ``with all 
deliberate speed.''
  There was a Governor in my State who was committed to States rights, 
and he was determined to stop any changes at Little Rock Central. There 
was a President who was seeing his duty as one of having to enforce 
Federal law even against a State's will. There was a nation torn apart 
by race and searching for a new and sound public policy and public 
philosophy for civil rights for all Americans. There was a city, a 
State, and a region that got caught up in the events, and the emotions 
ofttimes, and there were dozens of local leaders who were working at 
odds and at cross-purposes, many with their own personal and political 
agendas, some trying to build and some trying to destroy.
  Then, of course, in the center of the hurricane there were the nine 
black children, showing superhuman courage, facing incalculable odds 
but striking a severe blow at one of the worst injustices in American 
history.
  I recommend to my colleagues that if they want to read more about 
this crisis, they can read Harry Ashmore's history of Arkansas, or Roy 
Reed's ``Faubus.'' Both give an excellent coverage.
  Little Rock Central High School today is a symbol. It at the same 
time symbolizes the best and the worst in American history. It 
simultaneously stands as a living monument to our dark past and to our 
bright future. It also stands for progress because Little Rock Central 
High School has been a remarkable school since 1957. It is consistently 
acknowledged as one of the best American high schools that we have in 
this country today.
  In fact, I had the privilege in the late 1970s of attending Little 
Rock Central High School. I think I am the only Member of Congress who 
actually went to that school. I am very proud of being there and proud 
of all of the things that school stands for.
  Little Rock Central High was designated as a unit of the National 
Park Service in 1998. In fact, in 2002 more than 24,000 people visited 
this historic site. They expect probably 60,000 by the year 2007. 
Unfortunately, the interim visitors center is only 500 square feet. One 
can slice it or dice it however they want to say it, but it is simply 
too small to house the significant history there and tell all the 
stories. In fact, if it was jam packed, it would only have room for 
about 35 people.
  I was there for the 40th anniversary of the Central High crisis when 
President Bill Clinton and Governor Mike Huckabee symbolically opened 
the door for the Little Rock Nine. We are going to have another 
commemoration in 2007, the 50th anniversary of the crisis. I want to 
invite my colleagues to help join me in making sure we get the extra 
$5.8 million necessary to make this museum and visitors center a 
reality.
  The last thing I would like to say is it took nine young high school 
students to prove to our Nation that all men are created equal and that 
the rule of law is paramount in democracy of the United States. Today, 
children all over America have the right to learn because of the 
courage and sacrifice the Little Rock Nine made, and I am here today 
asking for my colleagues to help us all recognize what

[[Page S9039]]

the Little Rock Nine did and acknowledge them by allowing this visitors 
center to be built.
  I am submitting a resolution as we speak, and I ask my colleagues to 
sign on if they would like to. Also, I ask unanimous consent that 
Senator Lincoln be added as the first original cosponsor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
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   SENATE RESOLUTION 421--EXPRESSING OUTRAGE AT THE RECENT TERRORIST 
   ATROCITIES IN BESLAN, RUSSIAN FEDERATION, AND CONDOLENCES TO THE 
                        FAMILIES OF THE FAMILIES

  Mr. DASCHLE (for himself, Mr. Biden, Mr. Santorum, Mr. McConnell, and 
Mr. Lott) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
agreed to:
       Whereas on Wednesday, September 1, 2004, a group of 
     approximately 30 terrorists took control of School No. 1, 
     located in Beslan, North Ossetia, Russian Federation, and 
     held approximately 1,200 Russians hostage;
       Whereas the terrorists reportedly infiltrated the school 
     and stockpiled weapons and explosives during the ongoing 
     renovation of the school;
       Whereas the terrorists held the captives for more than 50 
     hours, and denied the captives, including the children, 
     access to food, water, and medicine;
       Whereas the terrorists rigged the school with explosives, 
     including a large bomb in the center of the gymnasium where 
     the hostages were being held, and strapped suicide bombs to 
     themselves;
       Whereas children, parents, and teachers who attempted to 
     flee, or to assist the hostages that attempted to escape, 
     were shot by the terrorists;
       Whereas on September 3, 2004, Russian troops and the Beslan 
     hostage-takers exchanged gun fire, a bomb exploded that 
     collapsed the roof of the school, the terrorists began 
     killing the hostages, and massive loss of life ensued;
       Whereas this horrendous terrorist action left more than 300 
     people dead, many of them children, as well as hundreds more 
     who are severely wounded or unaccounted for;
       Whereas the Russian people, as a result of this and other 
     attacks in recent weeks, have experienced incredible loss and 
     are experiencing immense grief as they begin the process of 
     burying their loved ones killed by the actions of these 
     terrorists; and
       Whereas the United States has sent medical supplies and has 
     offered its moral support to the Russian people in response 
     to the terrorist attack at School No. 1: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) condemns in the strongest possible terms this 
     despicable act;
       (2) expresses its condolences to the Russian people and in 
     particular to those families who lost loved ones in the 
     Beslan school tragedy; and
       (3) commends the efforts of the United States Government to 
     provide humanitarian and medical assistance to the people of 
     the Russian Federation.

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