Political Quotes

“I commend these two Senators for taking the initiative to add an incremental part of the cost of the Martin Luther King Memorial, and I would like to take a minute to go back and recite the history of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. During the 104th Congress, while Chairman of the Rules Committee, I joined my colleague from Maryland, Senator Sarbanes, to authorize a project for construction on the national mall. Our bill, as I read from the Committee Report for S. 426 from December 19, 1995, authorized the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the oldest Black fraternity in the United States, to establish without cost to the Federal Government, a memorial in the District of Columbia and its environs to the late Dr. Martin Luther King. Similar bills were introduced in the 100th, 101st, 102d, and 103d Congresses, reported favorably by the Committee on Rules and Administration in the 100th Congress, and in the 102d Congress the bill passed the Senate. Again, that reference, for those who want to go back and read this report, is Calendar No. 284, December 19, 1995. I was privileged to work with Senator Sarbanes on this legislation, and we did secure the authorization for this group and others to proceed with this memorial. If I might say, Mr. President--and I say this with a great sense of humility--I have always had a deep admiration for Dr. King.…”