[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 16]
[House]
[Pages 22121-22126]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  REMEMBERING AND HONORING THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON OF AUGUST 18, 1963

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 352) remembering and honoring the march on 
Washington of August 28, 1963.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 352

       Whereas the first call for a march on Washington was 
     initiated in 1941 by A. Philip Randolph, President of the 
     Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, in response to the 
     blatant discrimination that had become a constant hardship in 
     the lives of African-American workers;
       Whereas in the spring and summer of 1963, more than 20,000 
     United States citizens were arrested and detained while 
     nonviolently protesting the racial injustice that was 
     widespread throughout the southern United States at that 
     time;
       Whereas Randolph told President Kennedy that the African-
     American population was going to march peacefully on 
     Washington to demand their full and equal constitutional 
     rights in the face of severe civil rights violations and 
     harsh economic inequality;
       Whereas in June of 1963 the ``Big Six'' civil rights 
     leaders--Martin Luther King, Jr., James Farmer, John Lewis, 
     Whitney Young, Roy Wilkins, and A. Philip Randolph--convened 
     to plan a mass protest that would begin at the Washington 
     Monument and end in front of the Lincoln Memorial;
       Whereas the march was initially termed the ``March on 
     Washington for Jobs and Freedom'', and aimed to advance 
     support for a new Federal jobs program and a higher minimum 
     wage;
       Whereas the Big Six expanded the focus of the march to 
     include civil rights injustices due to the disturbing events 
     that had occurred in the months prior to the march, such as 
     police dogs attacking peaceful demonstrators in Birmingham, 
     the assassination of Medgar Evers in Jackson, and the lack of 
     congressional support for President Kennedy's civil rights 
     bill;
       Whereas Government officials were concerned about the 
     outbreak of violence, but many civil rights organizations 
     held orientation meetings before the march that taught and 
     stressed the intrinsic non-violent principles of the 
     movement;
       Whereas on August 28, 1963, people from throughout the 
     country arrived in Washington by plane, bus, train, and foot 
     to express the urgent need for forceful and immediate action 
     on the issue of civil rights;
       Whereas demonstrators pledged their commitment and 
     continued participation in the struggle for civil rights;
       Whereas March leaders met with President Kennedy and 
     Members of Congress to discuss the importance and 
     consequential impact of the pending civil rights bill that 
     aimed to end discrimination of African-Americans in the work 
     place, voting booth, educational facilities, and all other 
     public domains;
       Whereas the demonstrators peacefully marched through the 
     streets of the capital and, at the Lincoln Memorial, heard 
     empowering and inspiring words from the Big Six leaders, as 
     well as Walter Reuther, Rev. Eugene Blake Carson, Rabbi 
     Joachim Prinz, Matthem Ahmann, and Floyd McKissick;
       Whereas police officers had their days of leave cancelled, 
     suburban forces were given special control training, and 
     15,000 paratroopers were put on alert, but no Marchers were 
     arrested or jailed and the march dispersed without incident;
       Whereas the March was one of the first events to be 
     televised worldwide, and thus brought international attention 
     to the social and economic plight of African-Americans;
       Whereas 15 Senators and 60 Representatives attended the 
     rally at the Lincoln Memorial and witnessed the commitment of 
     the demonstrators to the struggle for domestic and universal 
     human rights;
       Whereas the March sparked the passage of the Civil Rights 
     Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965;
       Whereas the public display of humanity exhibited by the 
     March educated the public and helped to correct some of their 
     misconceptions, and demonstrated the possibility that an 
     entire country could be changed through non-violent protest; 
     and
       Whereas the 1963 March on Washington was the largest 
     political demonstration in United States history and proved 
     to the nation that prejudice and discrimination against 
     African-Americans and other minorities could be successfully 
     fought by a collective force committed to the principles of 
     non-violence: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) honors the 1963 March on Washington as one of the 
     largest political demonstrations in United States history;
       (2) recognizes the monumental importance of the 1963 March 
     on Washington in the on-

[[Page 22122]]

     going struggle for civil rights and equal rights for all 
     Americans; and
       (3) extends its gratitude to the organizers and 
     participants of the 1963 March on Washington for their 
     dedication and commitment to equality and justice.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn).


                             General Leave

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on H. Res. 352, the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 352 introduced by my distinguished 
colleague, the gentleman from the State of Georgia (Mr. Bishop), 
remembers and honors the march on Washington of August 28, 1963.
  Mr. Speaker, 40 years ago this summer almost a quarter of a million 
people gathered here in Washington, D.C. to take a stand for freedom 
and for equality.
  They came to our Nation's capital to tell America that civil rights 
could no longer be exclusive rights denied to millions of Americans 
based on nothing more than the color of their skin.
  Known as the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the event was 
originally planned to focus on economic concerns at a time when more 
than 1\1/2\ million black Americans were searching for work. The march 
expanded, becoming a massive rally in support of civil rights 
legislation that had been recently introduced by President Kennedy.
  On the morning of August 28, 1963, supporters arrived at the 
Washington Monument. At about noon the marchers advanced as an 
incredible mass to the Lincoln Memorial, a memorial that honors the 
President who gave his presidency and his life in the name of liberty 
for all people.
  At the memorial the marchers heard speeches from the most influential 
leader of the civil rights movement, including the NAACP's Roy Wilkins; 
Whitney Young of the Urban League; my colleague, the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Lewis), then of the Student Non-violent Coordinating 
Committee; and it was here that the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, 
Jr., delivered a speech that has changed America, a speech that 
captured the idea that is America, asking why our country was failing 
to keep its promise to treat all men as equals.
  The ``I Have A Dream'' speech, delivered at the Lincoln Memorial is 
passionate, it is reasoned, and it has made a difference.
  Mr. Speaker, the march on Washington was the largest political 
demonstration in our Nation's history at the time. It was an awesome 
display by thousands of people who loved and craved freedom, and above 
all else, people who deserved freedom. The three major television 
networks aired the speeches at the memorial and the event captivated 
the world. Forty years later, it is appropriate that this House take 
time to remember what a powerful day that late summer afternoon in 
August 1963 was for Americans who wanted to end racism.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop) for 
introducing such a worthwhile measure that remembers the march on 
Washington in 1963. I urge all Members to support its adoption.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the march on Washington, August 28, 1963 marks a 
cornerstone in American history and especially in African American 
history. It was a movement towards civil rights whose purpose was to 
embrace freedom and justice for all.
  The civil rights movement has had a long and difficult journey from 
slavery to today. Part of this journey in history towards equal justice 
is highlighted with Abraham Lincoln, our 16th President of the United 
States. On January 1, 1863, he signed the Emancipation Proclamation 
document that declared many slaves to be free, but it did not end 
slavery. It took the 13th amendment to the United States Constitution 
to end slavery on December 18, 1865. It took the 14th amendment to 
establish Negroes as citizens of the United States on July 9, 1868, and 
the 15th amendment to allow blacks to vote in this country on February 
3, 1870.
  Our citizenship and privileges were always questioned and in most 
situations denied until the march on Washington led to passage of the 
Civil Rights Act of 1964. This was 39 years ago that Jim Crow laws were 
subjugating and denying blacks the right to vote in certain southern 
States, the imposition of poll taxes, segregation of schools, housing, 
bus and train transportation, restrooms and other public 
accommodations.
  The march on Washington of 1963 was originally initiated by A. Philip 
Randolph, who was an activist and founder of the Brotherhood of 
Sleeping Car Porters. He, 22 years earlier, had planned a march on 
Washington in 1941 with the purpose to focus the attention of the 
American public and the world that African Americans needed more jobs 
and equal protection under the law.
  This march was extremely close to occurring until just before the day 
of it. Mr. Randolph met with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and he 
agreed to issue an executive order declaring that ``there shall be no 
discrimination in employment of the race, creed color or national 
origin.''
  Executive Order 8802 represented the United States Government's most 
stringent civil rights action since the post-Civil War Reconstruction 
era.
  In return for this agreement with President Roosevelt, Mr. Randolph 
called off the protest march.
  Mr. Randolph and his colleague, Bayard Rustin, met with labor and 
civil rights leaders to plan the march on Washington that included nine 
demands. I think it is important that we remember those.
  One, passage of a meaningful civil rights legislation at this session 
of Congress with no filibustering.
  Two, immediate elimination of all racial segregation in public 
schools throughout the Nation.
  Three, a big program of public works to provide jobs for all the 
Nation's unemployed, including job training and a placement program.
  Four, a Federal law prohibiting racial discrimination in hiring 
workmen, either public or private.
  Five, $2 an hour minimum wage across the board Nationwide.
  Six, withholding of Federal funds from programs in which 
discrimination exists.
  Seven, enforcements of the 14th amendment, reducing congressional 
representation of States where citizens are disenfranchised.
  Eight, a broadened Fair Labor Standards Act to include currently 
excluded employment areas.
  Nine, authority for the Attorney General to substitute injunctive 
suits when any constitutional right is violated.

                              {time}  1500

  Mr. Speaker I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers at this time, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 5 
minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop), the sponsor of this 
resolution.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much 
for yielding the time.
  I rise today in support of H. Res. 352, a resolution remembering and 
honoring the march on Washington of August 28, 1963. Let me first thank 
the Members

[[Page 22123]]

of Congress on both sides of the aisle who have worked together in the 
best spirit of bipartisanship in order to bring this important 
resolution to the floor of the House in short order: the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis), chairman; and the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Waxman), the ranking member of the Committee on Government Reform; 
the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt), the majority whip; the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the Democratic whip; the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), Democratic leader; and the 
gentleman from Illinois (Speaker Hastert).
  I would also like to recognize from our staffs Howard Moon, Jerry 
Hart, Kyle Nevins, Seth Webb, Rob Cogorno, Tania Shand, Keith Ausbrook 
and Phil Barnett for their attention to this important resolution in 
working together to move it through committee and to the floor 
expeditiously.
  Mr. Speaker, in the spring and the summer of 1963, 100 years after 
the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, the ``big six'' civil 
rights leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., James Farmer, Whitney 
Young, Roy Wilkins, A. Philip Randolph and our esteemed colleague, the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), now a Member of Congress, convened 
to plan a peaceful mass protest against the racial and civil rights 
injustices that were widespread at that time. This historic event, the 
largest U.S. demonstration ever assembled to that point, featured Dr. 
King's famous and historic ``I Have a Dream'' speech, which challenged 
Americans to answer the call of the United States Constitution: I have 
a dream that one day this Nation will rise up and live out the true 
meaning of its creed: that all men are created equal. These words 
helped to spark and fuel the movement that transformed the state of 
race relations and civil rights in America forever.
  How did it all begin? In response to the blatant discrimination that 
had become a constant hardship in the lives of African American 
workers, A. Philip Randolph, president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping 
Car Porters, was the first to call for a march on Washington back in 
1941. Twenty-plus years later, the event was planned in direct response 
to the tragic events of the spring and summer of 1963 in which more 
than 20,000 U.S. citizens were arrested and detained while nonviolently 
protesting notable injustices, including police dogs attacking peaceful 
demonstrators in Birmingham, the tragic assassinations of civil rights 
activists, the lack of congressional support for President Kennedy's 
civil rights bill that aimed to end discrimination against African 
Americans in the workplace, voting booths and schools and all other 
public domains.
  As a direct result of the march, Dr. King's historic speech and the 
movement, they spawned the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting 
Rights Act of 1965 came to fruition, effectively ending segregation and 
ensuring voting rights for all Americans.
  Title VII of the Civil Rights Act outlawing discrimination in 
employment, housing, public accommodations, interstate commerce, all of 
these were expanded later as a result of the march to include 
protections for women against discrimination and for the disabled.
  So we come together today, 40 years later, to celebrate freedom, to 
celebrate justice, to celebrate equality for all Americans for which 
this historic march was indeed a catalyst. Some call it an accident. 
Others call it fate. Some call it the human hand, some the hand of God. 
Which it is I will not argue, but something strange, something 
inexplicable, something mysterious, something almost miraculous 
happened on that day when Dr. King was able to stand before thousands 
and thousands and to articulate the aims and the aspirations of the 
masses, not just in these United States, but all across the world in 
their quest for freedom. Something happened and today we are grateful 
because we all are the beneficiaries of what happened that fateful day.
  Yes, some call it an accident. Others fate, some the hand of God, 
others the hand of man. Which it is I will not argue, but I will say 
that on this day, this Congress, in the form of this resolution, has an 
opportunity to say thank you, thank you to Dr. King, thank you to James 
Farmer, to Whitney Young, to Roy Wilkins, to A. Philip Randolph, and to 
our good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) 
and all who participated in this monumental and historic event for 
blazing a trail of freedom and equal rights under the law that lives on 
today and hopefully will live on even better tomorrow.
  In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., ``Now is the time to 
open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children. Now is the time 
to lift our Nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid 
rock of brotherhood.''
  Thank God, Mr. Speaker, for that call to conscience, to morality and 
to action for America and the world that we benefit from today. I urge 
my colleagues to stand with me in support of this resolution.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 4 
minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) who has been referred 
to as one of the ``big six'' in 1963, but he is even bigger in 2003.
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend and 
colleague the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) for yielding the 
time.
  I also, Mr. Speaker, want to thank my good friend and colleague from 
the State of Georgia (Mr. Bishop) for bringing this resolution to the 
floor. I think it is so fitting and appropriate to pause and take note 
of the march on Washington 40 years later.
  250,000 Americans gathered on the Mall and listened to Martin Luther 
King, Jr. say, I have a dream, a dream today that is deeply rooted in 
the American dream. This speech, this march, created the climate to 
make our Nation a better place. We have come a great distance since 
that time.
  Forty years ago, in much of the American South, racial segregation 
was alive and well. Blacks could not attend the same schools as whites. 
We could not eat at the same restaurants. We could see the signs that 
divide our Nation: White men, Colored men. White women, Colored women. 
White waiting, Colored waiting.
  In the spring and summer of 1963, as the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. 
Bishop) said, people were being beaten, jailed and even killed for 
participating in nonviolent protest. Millions of Americans could not 
register to vote because of the color of their skin. In Birmingham, 
Alabama, the commissioner of police, Eugene Bull Connor, used attacks 
dogs and fire hoses on peaceful, nonviolent protestors. In the State of 
Mississippi, NAACP leader Medgar Evers was assassinated.
  We had come to Washington to say to the President and Members of 
Congress that America must change. We had to do something to dramatize 
the sense of urgency. Mr. Speaker, I can never, and I will never, 
forget that day as I stood and looked out on the Mall and saw a sea of 
humanity. It was a feeling that America was going to change and change 
forever.
  Back in 1963 we did not have a fax machine, a Web site, a cellular 
telephone. We did not even have a computer. We stood on the 
Constitution, on the Bill of Rights. We used our feet, and we put our 
bodies on the line. We live in a different country, in a much better 
country because of the march on Washington.
  I say today, 40 years later, we must recall the passion and spirit of 
that march. We must recapture the spirit as a Nation and a people. We 
must make this spirit part of our thoughts, our action and our lives. 
If we do this, we can make Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream come 
true. We can build what we call the Beloved Community, a true 
interracial community, a community at peace with itself.
  All of us, 40 years later, black and white, Hispanic, Asian and 
Native American, must pull together for the common good. This was our 
mission then. This is our mission, and this is our calling now.
  If we reach the Beloved Community, where we are one Nation, one 
people, one house and one family, we would come to the end of a march 
that our Nation started some 40 years ago.

[[Page 22124]]

  In closing, Mr. Speaker, there was so much hope, there was so much 
optimism when we left Washington 40 years ago, but 18 days after the 
march on Washington some of that hope, some of that optimism was 
shattered. Forty years ago yesterday, September 15, 1963, was a 
terrible bombing of a church in Birmingham where four little girls were 
killed while attending Sunday school on Sunday morning.
  We did not give up. We did not give in. We did not give out. We did 
not become bitter. We did not get lost in a sea of despair. We kept 
fighting, we kept pushing, and we kept pulling to make our democracy 
better, to open up our democracy and let all of our people come in.
  I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 5 
minutes to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), 
another person who was at that march and has been marching since.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate the leadership of the 
gentleman from Illinois and his counterpart on the other side of the 
aisle for her leadership in bringing forward this important resolution.
  I want to recognize the leadership of two gentlemen from Georgia, of 
the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop) who is the sponsor of this 
resolution for stepping forward with a resolution that belongs on the 
floor, and, of course, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) who has 
just spoken, who led a commemoration in Statuary Hall for the 40th 
anniversary of the march before recess, and who is the last remaining 
living leader of the civil rights march on Washington. He led us, who 
were then members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, as 
a very young, the younger leader then, and he continues in that role as 
one of America's preeminent civil rights leaders today.
  I do not think this is an occasion for doing what people around the 
country have been doing all through August, were you there. Of course, 
we were there, and people really think about being there in a way they 
ask where were you when John F. Kennedy was killed. They remember where 
they were then or where were you on September 11. The march on 
Washington is like that for millions of Americans, where were you, and 
people like to say I was there, and of course, people are very proud of 
having been there because it was the first civil rights march for 
equality in the history of the United States here in Washington.
  I was there as a law student, a staff member of the march on 
Washington. Frankly, this is not a time for nostalgia. I think that 
grand occasions like this, when we commemorate a change-making event 
like a march on Washington, are occasions for taking stock, the 
distance traveled, the distance to go.
  Nothing could have been more moving than the events around the 40th 
anniversary, our own commemoration, here in the House, the moment the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) will remember when he and Mrs. King 
and I unveiled that stone marker and saw for the first time the marker 
where Martin Luther King spoke before, now on the Lincoln Memorial. 
Three of Reverend King's four children were there, the very four 
children he spoke of in that speech on August 28, 1963.
  This is an occasion, if one is a Member of the House of 
Representatives, for looking at how the world has changed since then 
and how the civil rights movement has changed our world. When the march 
was held, essentially African Americans had carried one demand, one 
single demand for the more than hundred years since the civil war. It 
was not a plethora of issues we had before us. It was one demand: Enact 
into law, country of mine, equality unto law. That is all.
  After that march, that happened, the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Little 
did I know then that I would come to enforce a section of that Act, 
Title VII, as Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission 15 
years later. The 1965 Voting Rights Act, perhaps the most important 
because it empowered African Americans to do what they had to do for 
themselves; and the 1968 Fair Housing Act.
  Actually, much of the legislative agenda of black America has been 
accomplished if we think about actual laws that need to be written to 
say thou shalt not discriminate. We will have a hard time thinking 
about it. Most of our time will be spent on enforcement.
  There is one I hope this House thinks about and that is a law that 
should be attached to the Transportation Bill outlawing racial 
profiling.

                              {time}  1515

  Mr. Speaker, that is the single example of overt discrimination left 
unattended in our laws. But while we had one challenge and I can tell 
Members that staff had no problem coming up with that idea at the March 
on Washington, today if I would ask what is the one demand of the civil 
rights movement, Members would say wait one moment, and then go down a 
whole list of demands because we can now come forward with those 
demands: economic parity; educational opportunities; the criminal 
justice system where a whole generation of young black men are being 
locked up for minor drug offenses, killing the black family in our 
community; health care.
  We can move on to these challenges. We have 38 African American 
Members, and we can move on to these challenges because the civil 
rights movement moved us on, the overriding challenge of equality under 
law. There is much to be done even to that reality, equality under law; 
but the resolution we honor today, the 40th anniversary of the March on 
Washington, should send us first into reflection about moving toward 
the completion of the job of laying aside our racial past and moving on 
into a period of full equality.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I know that the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie 
Bernice Johnson), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Owens), the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), the gentleman from South 
Carolina (Mr. Clyburn), and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-
Lee) had all intended to be here to make comments on this resolution. 
Unfortunately, they were not able to make it, but I wanted to make sure 
that their hopes and aspirations were entered into the Record.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn) 
for an opportunity to work with her as we brought this resolution to 
the floor. As has been indicated, September of this year, as we look 
back 40 years ago to August on that great day, none of us who are 
around will ever forget that march. None of us who were alive can 
forget the vibrancy that there was in the air, the hopes, the dreams, 
the aspirations. It is a day to long remember as we continue to march, 
not one day but to continue to march until freedom, justice, and 
equality exist for all in this great Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Again, I congratulate the gentleman from Georgia for introducing this 
meaningful legislation, and I urge all Members to join us in adoption 
of House Resolution 352.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 352, 
a resolution honoring the March on Washington of August 28, 1963, a 
turning point in the long road to justice and equality. In the struggle 
for civil rights, the March will forever hold a place in American 
history, and in the eyes of the world, as a day that showed that 
individuals united can affect change and progress without violence.
  On that hot August day forty years ago, thousands of people converged 
on our nation's capital to stand up for civil rights, workers' rights, 
voting rights, equality in education, and fair pay. They marched for 
equality with a unified message that they as African-Americans would no 
longer wait patiently for civil rights to be delivered and practiced in 
society, but that they were demanding that the federal government take 
bold steps to ensure that the Constitution's promise was delivered to 
all

[[Page 22125]]

Americans; that they would no longer be second-class citizens.
  The words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. continue to resonate today 
and to serve as an inspiration for his generation and future 
generations to create a society in which all are treated equally 
because we are all created equal. I want to especially commend the work 
of Congressman John Lewis, my friend and colleague, who spoke on that 
day and who continues to inspire others and to fight for justice 
everyday.
  The resolve of the speakers, the sheer number of marchers, the strong 
commitment to nonviolence, and the intensity of the sentiment on that 
day created an energy that spread throughout the country in the coming 
months and years. It allowed all Americans to see the struggle for 
civil rights articulated in a manner that was uninterrupted by violence 
and chaos and was highlighted by peace and unity and strength.
  The March gave life to a Movement that continues to manifest itself 
today. While the March was successful in helping to pass the Civil 
Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the fight for 
justice and equality is far from over. Today we are fighting to hold on 
to our civil liberties as the Bush administration works to chip away at 
our right to privacy, free speech, and freedom of religion. Immigrants, 
the people who bring diversity and strength to our nation, must fight 
to live free from harassment as the administration advocates unfair and 
discriminatory policies against them. People of color continue to fight 
for the opportunity to get a good education and to be treated fairly by 
the criminal justice system while President Bush opposes affirmative 
action. Low-income working families fight for fair treatment under the 
tax code as Republican Congressional leaders continue to deny them the 
child tax credit. And many, including elderly adults, persons with 
disabilities, and people of color, continue to fight for the right to 
have their vote count while our nation's election system has yet to 
catch up and meet the needs of all of America's voters.
  Today, we remember the people who were at the March on Washington 
forty years ago--their perservance, their commitment to justice and 
nonviolence, their courage, their hope, and their success. But we must 
do more than just remember; we must use their example to continue the 
struggle today until Dr. King's dream of equality truly comes to life 
for all who live in the United States.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as Martin Luther King, III 
said, on the 40th Anniversary of the historic march, of the objectives 
of his great father, the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to 
eradicate poverty, racism, militarism, and violence, although we have, 
with Dr. King's leadership, made enormous strides, these issues are 
``still very much in our midst.'' People of African-American, Latino, 
Asian, European, and all races enjoy benefits of the struggle endured 
by the Civil Rights heroes who marched in Washington, DC on August 28, 
1963. The blood, sweat, and tears shed by them have given us the 
ability to get even closer to ``the Promised Land'' spoken of by the 
great Reverend Doctor. The ``I Have a Dream'' speech of that man, along 
with those of A. Philip Randolph of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car 
Porters, Roy Wilkins of the NAACP, Whitney Young of the National Urban 
League, James Farmer of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), and 
Congressman John Lewis then of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating 
Committee (SNCC) still resonate in my mind and the minds of a multitude 
of people who share ``the Dream.'' We celebrated and commemorated that 
historic march by ``re-living the day'' both in Washington and in 
Houston, Texas; however, it was far from the celebration of a victory 
having been won. We still have an uphill battle to fight with respect 
to racism, bigotry, unemployment and disparate employment trends.
  The U.S. has an unemployment rate of 6.2%, up from 5.9% last year. 
African Americans have had their highest unemployment rate ever in June 
and July of 2003 at 12%, compared to their White counterparts at 5.6% 
and 5.5% respectively. This illustrates that the task of our Civil 
Rights heroes is far from complete. According to the Urban League 
Report this year, one-third of Black families are near or below the 
poverty line, leading to a social impasse in the 21st century until 
crime is minimized, political respect is had, and their economic power 
fully utilized.
  The phrase ``A voteless people is a hopeless people'' has as much 
relevance to minorities now as it did 40 years ago, which is amazing 
given the technological and social advancements that we now have. In 
many respect it is an embarrassment and disrespect to the great Civil 
Rights leader that some people now do not vote or are constrained in 
their right to vote in some fashion. As I'm sure you all are well 
aware, the redistricting dilemma which we face in the Texas legislature 
and in the Federal Government exemplifies that the fundamental right to 
vote still remains vulnerable to abuse and manipulation by those who do 
not truly respect it. Furthermore, language, racial, and educational 
barriers continue to preclude the most informed and truly 
``representative'' voting process. Citizenship Workshops, which I 
recently introduced and plan to hold in the near future to educate and 
to assist the Legal Permanent Residents in Houston in obtaining U.S. 
naturalization and therefore perfected voting rights, will help to 
bridge these gaps and open the barriers that hinder the effectiveness 
of our system.
  In the area of human rights, we must fulfill the Reverend Doctor 
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream of a nonviolent and peaceful world in 
Israel. The latest news of the failing cease-fire agreement in Israel, 
the continued battles, and constant fear of death by sniper or suicide 
bombing make it clear that we have yet to ``overcome.'' Innocent people 
cannot enjoy their basic human right to live without terror, and 
children die by the masses. The Roadmap to Peace cannot perish, and 
neither should our efforts to maintain our journey thereon.
  Further evidence that we have yet to ``overcome'' can be found in 
Baghdad, Iraq. Our soldiers are beset by snipers and terrorists who 
threaten to attack them while their backs are virtually unprotected. 
They cannot secure peace alone, and they should not be charged with 
that duty. The spirit of the Civil Rights Movement dictates that we 
reach out and join hands with the international community to usher in 
peace together. Instead of having to celebrate the martyrdom of heroes 
such as the late U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Sergio Vieira 
de Mello, I would much rather we now bring him, and the other brave 
individuals whom we lost, home to their families in celebration of 
peace and a successful mission.
  Moreover, our brothers and sisters in Liberia, who have reached the 
first stage of the establishment of a democratic and humane society, 
must receive the assistance and manpower that are required. It is an 
atrocity that, in the international community, there are parties that 
are armed with the tools and the knowledge necessary to bring stability 
to that nation who have made but minimalist approaches to date. The 
U.N., ECOWAS troops, and other commissioned officials need help in 
building infrastructures of government and health.
  Furthermore, the suffering and death by the cruel pandemic effects of 
HIV/AIDS and famine in Ethiopia, Zambia, and South Africa are 
unspeakable. I had the opportunity to witness these atrocities first-
hand on a Congressional Delegation with Congresswoman Barbara Lee. Each 
child, mother, and father in these regions has a right to eat, to 
survive, and to see tomorrow. Severe drought and inadequate 
agricultural policy are not their fault. Promiscuity and prostitution 
without protection are begotten from hunger and suffering. Their lack 
of education only exacerbates their proclivity to live a high-risk 
lifestyle in these regions. Again, the international community can 
eradicate these problems by joining hands and marching forward bearing 
combined resources and expertise.
  This celebration and commemoration of the Historic March also paid 
homage to other great pioneers who have recently passed on. The life 
and accomplishments of the late Mayor Maynard Jackson, Jr. bestowed 
upon many minorities the opportunity to compete and succeed in building 
a prosperous small business. Similarly, the late Gregory Hines opened 
the doors for many minorities in entertainment. We see the fruits of 
his inspiring achievements and the level of his excellence in 
performances of talented individuals such as Savion Glover. The 40th 
Anniversary celebration was about remembering the achievements of the 
Civil Rights Leaders, of individuals who have shared their talents with 
the world, and from which we have all received gifts that enhance our 
enjoyment of everyday liberties. The celebration was about expanding 
from and extrapolating these gifts to build a better and more peaceful 
world. This celebration was about embarking upon a whole new journey, a 
whole new march that will not end until peace, unity, equality, and 
self-determination are achieved for all of our brothers and sisters.
  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Georgia 
for introducing this important resolution that we are considering on 
the House floor today.
  Over 40 years ago, hundreds of thousands of citizens marched together 
upon Washington D.C. demanding two things, jobs and freedom. From all 
corners of our great nation people of all races, ethnicities and all 
walks of life came to participate in a peaceful demonstration that 
would leave a lasting legacy upon our country.

[[Page 22126]]

  The march on Washington--now forever known as just the march--
represented one of those watershed moments in American history that 
deserves to be remembered and commemorated by all of us.
  Televised worldwide, the march brought to the world the continuing 
social and economic discrimination faced by African Americans, as well 
as the inspirational words of many leaders of the Civil Rights 
movement, like the great Martin Luther King Jr., and my dear friend and 
colleague, Congressman John Lewis.
  Looking out upon the masses gathered around the Lincoln Memorial, Dr. 
King's delivered his now immortalized ``I Have a Dream Speech'' which 
proved to be the focal point of the march that day.
  Speaking of the impetus for the march, Dr. King said:

       We have come here today to dramatize an appalling 
     condition. In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to 
     cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the 
     magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of 
     Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which 
     every American was to fall heir.
       This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed 
     the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of 
     happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on 
     this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are 
     concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, 
     America has given the Negro people a bad check which has come 
     back marked ``insufficient funds.'' But we refuse to believe 
     that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe 
     that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of 
     opportunity of this nation.

  The disconnect between white America and people of color regarding 
the issues of social and economic freedom and opportunity that Dr. King 
spoke so eloquently about remains with us today, as does that same 
optimism and sense of urgency that pervaded his speech and the march 
that day.
  To be sure, substantial progress has been made in the 40 years since 
the march took place. But clearly we have a very long way to go before 
we can truly say that the ideals of the march have been met, 
particularly when we talk about economic freedom and opportunity for 
African Americans, the poor and people of color.
  This is most clearly reflected in the labor and employments 
statistics that are released every month. In virtually all categories, 
African Americans and Hispanics, have higher rates of unemployment than 
their counterparts.
  And we must equally warn that racism still very much exists in this 
country today. Only now it is much more subtle and insidious than the 
discrimination we faced in the 60's or that which our parents before 
that. Discrimination is still about racial profiling by law-
enforcement. It is still about environmental injustice, which has 
become entrenched in our society by the unequal distribution of 
federal, state, and local funds which could provide needed healthcare, 
education and housing services to minority communities. And sadly as 
evidenced by the recent 9th Circuit Federal Appeals Court ruling, it is 
still about voting rights--only in this case the right to have our 
votes counted equally.
  So I close today by reminding my colleagues that there is still much, 
much more to be done. Our march goes on, and will continue to go on 
until--in the words of Dr. King--we can say ``justice rolls down like 
waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.''
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am here today to 
express my support of H. Res. 352, a resolution to remember and honor 
the historic March on Washington of 1963. This 40th anniversary of the 
historic March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King's universally 
famous ``I Have a Dream'' speech is a bittersweet moment.
  I would like to especially thank my colleague, Representative Sanford 
Bishop for sponsoring this resolution. For many, Dr. King's dream has 
not come to fruition. It remains unfulfilled. As thousands gather from 
around the nation and the globe to reenact the fabled march and to 
rehearse the words of the visionary civil rights leader, we will 
celebrate the tremendous strides the nation has made on the issues of 
race, equality and social justice during the past forty years.
  However, as the leaders and representatives of more than 500 
organizations converged at the Lincoln Memorial, we are also reminded 
that the ``Dream'' Dr. King so eloquently articulated is still beyond 
the aspirations and the grasp of millions of our citizens. They have 
been left behind and are left out of the ``Great American Dream.''
  Forty years later, some 13 million children in this country do not 
have enough food to eat. Four decades later 41.2 million people lack 
health insurance. As the economy shows certain signs of recovery, more 
than 9.6 million Americans still cannot find jobs. Matters are even 
worse in minority communities. The African-American unemployment rate 
hovers at 11.1 percent compared to 5.5 percent for whites.
  Forty years ago we said, ``I have a dream!'' Today, we say, ``How 
long will we suffer injustice in America?'' The American people are in 
jeopardy of losing 50 years of progress in civil rights and civil 
liberties.
  In fact, under the guise of the PATRIOT Act we are experiencing a 
rollback of these hard-earned rights. Elections have been stolen and 
voting rights have been denied.
  In Texas, a proposed redistricting plan would disenfranchise minority 
voters across the state.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage all my colleagues to take the time to 
acknowledge the 40th anniversary of the event that affords all of us an 
opportunity to rededicate and to recommit ourselves to the vision 
articulated by Dr. King. Like Dr. King, we can say: ``. . . That in 
spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have 
a dream.''
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simpson). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn) that the 
House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 352.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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