[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 14, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E90]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE EFFORTS OF THOSE WHO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES ON MARTIN 
                            LUTHER KING DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. DAVID E. PRICE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 13, 2009

  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, as a co-chair of the 
National Service Caucus, I am pleased to be a cosponsor of H. Res. 43, 
recognizing the importance of national service, supporting the efforts 
of those who serve their communities on Martin Luther King Day, and 
promoting the Martin Luther King Day holiday as a day of national 
service.
  During the 1950s and '60s, civil rights leader Martin Luther King, 
Jr. recognized the power of service to strengthen communities and 
achieve common goals. King's ideas of unity and purpose highlighted the 
great things that can happen when we work together toward a common 
goal, and these ideas are as important today as they were 50 years ago.
  In 1994, Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act to 
transform the King Holiday into a national day of service to meet 
community needs. Since that time, millions of Americans have 
participated in community-building activities on King Day, treating the 
holiday as ``a day on, not a day off.''
  The day before President-elect Obama's inauguration is the Martin 
Luther King holiday. With thousands of projects planned across the 
country, in addition to a call to serve from President-elect Obama, the 
2009 King Day of Service on January 19 promises to be the most 
successful national service effort to date.
  Both President-elect Obama and Vice-President-elect Biden, along with 
their families, will be participating in service events to honor Martin 
Luther King and commemorate the holiday. I encourage my colleagues and 
their staff to share in the spirit of volunteerism and unity by 
participating in a service opportunity here in Washington, DC, or back 
home with their constituents on January 19.
  I am pleased that the President-elect has been part of the call to 
ensure that this day be a day devoted to service. However, I know, as 
President-elect Obama knows, that one day of good deeds is not enough. 
Throughout the presidential campaign, the President-elect spoke about a 
new era of civic engagement, and I hope that the passage of H. Res. 43 
will build on Martin Luther King day and the Inauguration and reaffirm 
our ongoing commitment to service.

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