[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 11 (Friday, January 19, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E151]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING MUHAMMAD ALI ON HIS 65TH BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 17, 2007

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 58, to 
honor Muhammad Ali, global humanitarian, on the occasion of his 65th 
birthday. Mr. Ali was crowned ``Sportsman of the Century'' by Sports 
Illustrated in 1999 and has traveled around the world working for 
hunger and poverty relieve, supporting education efforts of all kinds, 
and encouraging people to respect and better understand one another.
  Muhammad Ali was born in Louisville, KY, on January 17, 1942, and was 
named Cassious Marcellus Clay, Jr. He later changed his name after 
joining the Nation of Islam and subsequently converted to Sunni Islam 
in 1975. He won the World Heavyweight Boxing championship three times, 
and won the North American Boxing Federation championship as well as an 
Olympic gold medal.
  Ali received the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House 
ceremony on November 9, 2005, and the prestigious ``Otto Hahn peace 
medal in Gold'' of the United Nations Association of Germany in Berlin 
on December 17, 2005, for his work with the United States civil rights 
movement and the United Nations.
  Ali, since retiring from boxing, has devoted himself to humanitarian 
endeavors around the globe. It is estimated that he has helped to 
provide more than 22 million meals to feed the hungry. He travels, on 
average, more than 200 days per year to promote his humanitarian 
efforts. Please join me in support of this bill honoring Muhammad Ali 
and extending best wishes to him and his family on the occasion of his 
65th birthday.

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