Jon L. Christensen: “S. 470 is the Senate companion measure to a House bill, H.R. 1209, that was passed by this body on September 23, 2003.…”

“S. 470 is the Senate companion measure to a House bill, H.R. 1209, that was passed by this body on September 23, 2003. It is a simple piece of legislation that extends for 3 years the authority for construction of a memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., here in the District of Columbia. In 1996, Public Law 104-333 authorized the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., through the Martin Luther King Memorial Project Foundation, to establish a memorial here in our Nation's capital to America's foremost civil rights leader. Since that time, the sponsors have worked diligently to secure memorial site and design approvals. In addition, there has been a fund-raising campaign under way to secure the necessary funds to build and maintain the memorial. However, not all of the necessary funds have been secured and ground cannot be broken until the funds are in place. That is the reason for the need for the extension. Madam Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to applaud the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity for the work they have done so far and their commitment to this project. S. 470 is a completely noncontroversial measure. I strongly support its passage by the House today so that the measure can be sent to the President for his signature and the work to establish this national memorial to this great American, a real world leader, can continue.”