[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 22, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H4070-H4071]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RECOGNIZING THE COLOMBIA MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. PROGRAM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Sires) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the Martin Luther 
King, Jr. program in Colombia and to recognize the tremendous 
leadership of my friend and colleague from New York, Congressman  Greg 
Meeks.
  The Martin Luther King, Jr. program is a modest project funded by the 
United States Agency for International Development. It provides 
scholarships to outstanding Afro-Colombian and indigenous students to 
learn English as a second language and receive leadership training. The 
program began in 2006 and has supported over 370 students.
  While leading a bipartisan delegation to Colombia in April, 
Congressman Meeks and I, along with five of our colleagues, had the 
opportunity to meet with young people participating in the program and 
hear firsthand the impacts this program has had on their community.
  The students told us how their experience with the MLK program went 
far beyond just learning English. They have developed important 
leadership skills, which they have used to launch successful community 
improvement projects and to become role models in their neighborhoods.
  They told us how the program fosters an environment in which the 
students learn from one another about how to make a positive difference 
in the lives of others.
  I want to recognize my good friend and colleague, Congressman Meeks, 
who led the effort to establish this program back in 2006. While in 
Colombia last month, Mr. Meeks spoke passionately to the students about 
how they are the future of Colombia. Thanks in no small part to Mr. 
Meeks' efforts, that future now looks very bright.
  Congressman Meeks' leadership has been essential, not only to the 
success of this program, but to supporting Colombia's democratic 
progress over the last two decades and strengthening the U.S.-Colombia 
partnership. His tireless dedication to the underserved communities has 
been critical, and I am proud to serve alongside him.

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  While there is still a great deal of work to be done, Congressman 
Meeks has helped the Colombian Government establish a society based on 
the rule of law.
  He has worked to ensure that the voices of Afro-Colombians and other 
historically marginalized populations are heard. He has helped inspire 
a new and more diverse generation of leadership.
  I look forward to seeing the continued impact of this tremendous 
effort. I am hopeful that these Martin Luther King, Jr., scholars will 
become leaders not only in their communities but of their country.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Meeks for his hard work, his 
passion, and his dedication to educating, inspiring, and supporting 
leaders of tomorrow.

                          ____________________