[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 10 (Thursday, January 18, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E141]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING MUHAMMAD ALI ON HIS 65TH BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. BOBBY L. RUSH

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 17, 2007

  Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish a very happy birthday to 
the former heavyweight champion of the world, and the undisputed 
greatest boxer of all time, Muhammad Ali.
  Mr. Speaker, Muhammad Ali never shied away from speaking his mind on 
issues concerning racial inequality, social injustice and human rights 
issues, either while he was heavyweight champion, or today, as he 
continues to be a world leader on these issues.
  Since retiring from boxing, Ali has raised over $50 million for 
charities here in the U.S. and around the globe, and he has delivered 
millions in food and medical supplies to countries throughout Africa 
and Asia.
  He has been on international aid missions to Cuba, and he played a 
key role in getting American hostages released from Iraq before the 
start of the Persian Gulf war.
  Muhammad Ali's penchant for peacemaking was recognized by U.N. 
Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1998 when Ali was named a U.N. 
Messenger of Peace.
  While serving at the U.N., he also worked to build the Muhammad Ali 
Center in his hometown of Louisville, KY, to promote respect, hope and 
understanding among all people, and which strives to help all 
individuals realize the greatness within them.
  Standing on principle and never casting aspersions on those who 
challenged his moral convictions, Ali objected to the war in Vietnam, 
and refused to be inducted into the U.S. Army in 1967.
  As a consequence, Ali was indicted for draft evasion, convicted, and 
was stripped of his boxing title. Eventually Ali was ultimately 
vindicated in the United States Supreme Court, which overturned his 
conviction, by a unanimous vote in 1971, but not before losing valuable 
years of his livelihood and being wrongly accused of being unpatriotic 
and disloyal to the country he loved so dearly.
  Muhammad Ali would regain his boxing title in 1974, but far more 
important was the manner in which he wore the mantle of champion.
  Mr. Speaker, Muhammad Ali is not only one of the greatest athletes of 
our time, he has become one of the most recognized and beloved people 
in the world, and he insists on using his celebrity to help his fellow 
man and woman.
  His athletic prowess made him famous, but it is his heart and good 
deeds that will have cemented his place in our hearts forever.
  Muhammad Ali is a hero in every sense of the world, and we all owe 
him a debt of gratitude for his role in making America a more 
conscientious and better country.

                          ____________________