[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 18654]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 322--RECOGNIZING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REFUSAL 
 OF ROSA LOUISE PARKS TO GIVE UP HER SEAT ON A BUS ON DECEMBER 1, 1955

  Ms. STABENOW (for herself, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Peters, Mr. Shelby, Mr. 
Leahy, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Markey, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Franken, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. 
Warner, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Reid, Mr. Cochran, and Mr. Sasse) 
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 322

       Whereas many historians date the beginning of the modern 
     civil rights movement in the United States as December 1, 
     1955;
       Whereas Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was born on February 4, 
     1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama, the first child of James and 
     Leona (Edwards) McCauley;
       Whereas Rosa Louise Parks was arrested on December 1, 1955, 
     in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat on a 
     bus to a Caucasian man, and her stand for equal rights became 
     legendary;
       Whereas news of the arrest of Rosa Louise Parks resulted in 
     approximately 42,000 African-Americans boycotting Montgomery 
     buses for 381 days, beginning on December 5, 1955, until the 
     bus segregation law was changed on December 21, 1956;
       Whereas the United States Supreme Court ruled on November 
     13, 1956, that the Montgomery segregation law was 
     unconstitutional, and on December 20, 1956, Montgomery 
     officials were ordered to desegregate buses;
       Whereas the civil rights movement led to the Civil Rights 
     Act of 1964, which broke down the barrier of legal 
     discrimination against African-Americans;
       Whereas Rosa Louise Parks has been honored as the ``first 
     lady of civil rights'' and the ``mother of the freedom 
     movement'', and her quiet dignity ignited the most 
     significant social movement in the history of the United 
     States;
       Whereas Rosa Louise Parks was the recipient of many awards 
     and accolades for her efforts on behalf of racial harmony, 
     including--
       (1) the Congressional Gold Medal;
       (2) the Spingarn Award, which is the highest honor of the 
     National Association for the Advancement of Colored People 
     for civil rights contributions; and
       (3) the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is the highest 
     civilian honor in the United States;
       Whereas Rosa Louise Parks was named 1 of the 20 most 
     influential and iconic figures of the 20th century;
       Whereas Rosa Louise Parks sparked 1 of the largest 
     movements in the United States against racial segregation, 
     and by her quiet courage symbolizes all that is vital about 
     nonviolent protest because of the way she endured threats of 
     death and persisted as an advocate for the basic lessons she 
     taught the people of the United States;
       Whereas Rosa Louise Parks and her husband Raymond Parks 
     relocated to Michigan in 1957, and remained in Michigan until 
     the death of Rosa Louise Parks on October 24, 2005;
       Whereas, in November 2005, Congress authorized the Joint 
     Committee on the Library to procure a statue of Rosa Louise 
     Parks to be placed in the Capitol; and
       Whereas the bus on which Rosa Louise Parks sparked a new 
     era in the quest for freedom and equality in the United 
     States is--
       (1) 1 of the most significant artifacts of the civil rights 
     movement in the United States; and
       (2) on permanent display in the Henry Ford Museum in 
     Dearborn, Michigan: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes and celebrates the 60th anniversary of the 
     refusal of Rosa Louise Parks to give up her seat on a bus on 
     December 1, 1955;
       (2) commemorates the legacy of Rosa Louise Parks to inspire 
     all people of the United States to stand up for freedom and 
     the principles of the Constitution; and
       (3) endeavors to work with the same courage, dignity, and 
     determination exemplified by a civil rights pioneer, Rosa 
     Louise Parks, to address modern inequalities and injustices.

  Mr. DURBIN. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Coats). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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