Sam Brownback: “I rise to join several colleagues who have already made presentations here today about the introduction of a bill for a…”

“I rise to join several colleagues who have already made presentations here today about the introduction of a bill for a National Museum of African American History and Culture. We currently have 48 cosponsors of this bill. I hope after today we will have a strong and clear majority sponsoring this legislation. I want to particularly thank Senator Dodd, who is the lead Democrat sponsor of this bill, and Senator Lott, who chairs the Rules Committee through which it will go, both of whom are cosponsors of the bill, along with the majority leader and the Democratic leader who are also cosponsors of the bill, for pushing this issue, making it go forward. I cannot go forward without recognizing Congressman John Lewis from Georgia, who has been the lead sponsor in the House, along with J.C. Watts, before he left that body, being the inspirational leader behind moving this issue forward. Over 200 years ago, there was a dream that was America for a group of individuals who were brought to our shores in shackles, a dream so powerful it compelled a race of people to fight for the liberty of others when they were in bondage themselves, a dream that not only served as a catalyst for physical liberation in the African-American community but removed societal shackles from our culture and enabled us to realize the ideals set before us in the Constitution--that all men are created equal under God.”