Lynn C. Woolsey: “the fabric of our lives and the lives of all Americans has been shaped indelibly by the work of Dr. Martin Luther King…”

“the fabric of our lives and the lives of all Americans has been shaped indelibly by the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King had just 39 years to teach our country the way to achieve racial and economic justice through peace and nonviolence. Although his life was short, his legacy--the rich vision of social justice he inspired--is alive and well 40 years after his death. It is with great pride that I take part in this celebration today, to pay homage to his memory. Dr. King was a leader who focused his efforts on improving the lives of the disadvantaged in our society. He knew that we must be forever attentive to the least privileged, for they are the measure--the only measure that matters--of the depth of our compassion and the strength of our laws. We still have much to learn from Dr. King, as the dreams he envisioned for our grandchildren still resonate in today's America: equal opportunity, freedom from oppression, justice for all. The eloquent cadences of his ``I Have A Dream'' speech left a lasting impression on America, and we cannot afford to forget his words. For Dr. King's dream, his concrete vision for the future, has yet to be realized. I look forward to working with my colleagues in this Congress to further the realization of his goals and his strong vision.”