Here today, in the city of many of my predecessors, our theme tonight is the history of the cbc and the legacy of Martin Luther king. Week, we begin a celebration. A great man and patriot who loved america and the ideas of our democracy. Up with dr. King comics that i cap comments that capture our political comment climate and what is at stake. Of all forms and inequality and justice and health care, the most shocking and inhumane greate think about the leaders in our nation before us who came about to lay a great framework for equal pay, equality and housing, we are reminded of what is at stake and how much we have to lose in this current political climate. We have a lot to lose under the current administrations destructive policies. Dr. King would be greatly disappointed at many things going on in this country right now that affect all of our communities. We are in the business of doing no harm but we must continue to , fight to show results and solutions that help move our neighborhoods forward. Dr. King fought to move our neighborhoods forward when the odds were stacked against him. There are many examples in his life, legacy, and Lasting Impact in the city of philadelphia. Take for example, which is in the second Congressional District, dr. King memorial mural at 40th and lancaster avenue. He had a rally of 10,000 people when dr. King was there. The yearly luncheon that laura stucker sponsored in the honor of dr. Martin luther king. It is important to recognize that his connection to pennsylvania in the Divinity School in chester in delaware county. Dr. King came many times to the city of philadelphia and the commonwealth of pennsylvania. He had huge influence on a lot of us. On this april 4, 50 years later, when i was in Junior High School entering high school in 1968, he had a huge effect on me. He was someone who walked with kings and queens. He demonstrated to all of us with that message of peace. He was relentless in terms of standing up for freedom and justice. He showed all of us what it is to be a leader. You will hear over the next 60 minutes a number of my colleagues who have all either directly or indirectly been connected with dr. Martin luther king and what he has meant. We need to conduct this as a large teachin, so we can share to everybody in this country what dr. King was about. What i like to do this point, mr. Speaker, is yield to the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, chairman richmond. Chairman richmond. Mr. Richmond i want to thank my colleague from pennsylvania, congressman dwight evans, for allowing me this time to speak. I heard him talk about dr. Kings roots and influence and in pennsylvania. I just want to know, and this will be the only small moment of remarks, is that as a moorhouseman, we remind everyone morehouse man, we spent everyone, dr. King time there, let me say, i hope that there are a number of young people watching today as those seniors whose backs i stand on because a lot of people talk about dr. Kings dream. I just want to say here publicly, and i said it privately so many time well, dont honor the dream. Everybody has a dream. The question becomes whether you have the courage, the fortitude, and the willingness to sacrifice your future to make that dream come true. And in this body, and as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, which now represents almost 78 million americans, serving with real icons who paved the way to make this a more perfect union, i appreciate now more than ever the sacrifice that went into making this country what it is. And because of that, and because of this time, let me just give 30 seconds of my history. My mother is from the poorest place in the United States. She had 15 brothers and sisters and all she had was a mother a very dedicated mother, who was a housekeeper, wed call her domestic or some other fancy term now but she was a woman that woke up every day, went and cleaned other peoples houses, to make sure that her 15 kids had an opportunity at a Better Future. And you know what created that Better Future . Historically black colleges and yufere universities. My mother went to southern university. She shared a jacket with her sister. Who was still in lake providence, about 200 miles away. I dont know how you do it, but they did it. For my mother, that hbcu, because of the work of many people, was able to achieve an education which is the best way to lift yourself out of poverty. And she instilled in me two things, one, cedric, you have to work hard. You have to do everything twice as good as everyone else so you can make it, and two, once you make it, you have an obligation to give back. Hats what is so special about dr. Martin luther king and the dream and we day we celebrate. A lot of young people sit around and say, when i make it, im going to give back. When i grow up, im going to do something. Dr. King did everything he did at a young age. If you talk about the montgomery bus boycott, if you talk about our leaders in the Civil Rights Movement they didnt wait until to the grow into leadership, they created their own path. The remarkable thing is, many of them sacrificed not only their future but their life. So when you talk about dr. King, its a lot about middle class africanamerican, dr. King could have sat back and said, i have mine, you get yours. Or my family is comfortable, so i will take the easy path. So for all of us that are doing well, remember there are a whole bunch of people who are not. We had this ice storm all across the country where were hunkering down in our homes with heat, we have to remember there are people hunkering down on the streets, sleeping under a blanket, because thats all we have. We have to in the pirt in the spirit of dr. King remember that were the greatest country on earth and if we dont think its a perfect union, we have to make it a more perfect union. Even if it costs us our life, like it did mr. King, it cost him his life , in memphis, fighting for sanitation workers, we have to fight for the least among us, because this country soninlaw as great as the least among us. As long as there are people sleeping on the streets in this blizzard that mean this is country is failing. When there are kids in Public School destinned for failure because we have not funded our Public School, country is failing. O i would i would say all the great things about dr. King, the one thing we should remember is his sacrifice and the courage and the fact that he gave his life to make our lives a better life. And with that, as i grew up going to some of the best schools in the country, integrated schools because of dr. King and because of the person im going to introduce, i know i stand on their backs and i have a lot to work to make sure the generation behind me has the ability, but sacrifice is not easy. I think about people i studied and people i admired and people whose autograph i sought. I call this distinguished the gentleman from georgia is a friend. He is icon and saved this country and he started his civil rights fight. He marched across the edmund pet ties bridge nothing that there was hate red on the other side and met hate red with love. And he was beaten. He marched again. He ran for congress. You know what he did . He welcomed me into this congress and paved a better way for generations so we can go to better schools in the country. With that, mr. Speaker, and the gentleman from pennsylvania yielded, i have an opportunity to introduce one of the greatest americans to ever walk on the face of this earth, who has sacrificed blood, sweat and tears and prayed for a better country and reminds us that the lord will order your steps, but you have to move your feet. And he moved his feet across that are bridge and he was beaten without counting how many bubbles in a bar of soap or jelly beans in a big tub. I yield to the distinguished the gentleman from pennsylvania so he can recognize one of the greatest americans and the greatest member serving in this house of representatives, the honorable john lewis from georgia. Thank you, and i yield back. Mr. Evans i want to thank our chairman and he is our chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus because you heard him express his thoughts and feelings and he has done on fantastic job as the chairman of the congressional plaque caucus and i thank him, always recognizing the importance of what he brings to all of us. The gentleman is correct, the next person i want to add my voice to what he just said, i was 11 years old when he went across that are bridge. I recall seeing it on cbs. Did not understand it, but now, like the chairman, i served in this body with him. Im a part of this body and as i watch him and listen to him, all with the drive and the energy he has. And he is always extremely positive. I have not met a person who is more positive and optimistic about the future of this country as he talks about walking in his shoes. I remember that he said that. And i remember that opportunity when i was down in alabama and on that bridge along with him and a good colleague from alabama, that i thought to myself, i said self, here i am with congressman lewis. He is someone who is renoupped in this body and around this world. I yield to my good colleague, he honorable john lewis. Mr. Lewis i want to thank my friends for yielding. Thank you, mr. Evans, and i thank you the chairman of the c. B. C. , sed rick richmond. It is true that i grew up in rural alabama, 50 miles from montgomery and i was in a little place called troy. My father was a share cropper. But in 19 4, when i was four years old and i do remember i was four, my father saved 300 and a man sold him 110 acres of land. We picked cotton. We gathered peanuts, we got corn. And sometime i would be working out there in the field and i would fall behind and my mother said, boy, you need to catch up. And i would say this is hard work. And she said hard work never killed anybody. And i said its about to kill me. But one day, 15 years old in the 10th grade i heard Martin Luther king junior and i heard rosa parks in 1955. The action of rosa parks, and the words and actions of dr. King inspired me a way to get in the way. Two days later i wrote a letter to dr. King in 1957. And i told him in this letter at i wanted to attend troy state, known as troy university. And didnt admit black students. Dr. King wrote me back and sent me a ticket and invited me to come to montgomery and meet with him. At that time, i was accepted at at American Baptist college and dr. King, come and see me. In 1958, i boarded a gray hound bus and traveled from troy to montgomery and a young lawyer named gray who was a lawyer for rosa parks and dr. King, met me and e First Baptist church took me in to see dr. Ring and reverend abernathy. And dr. King said, are you the boy from troy . Are you john lewis . Nd i said, dr. King, i am john robert lewis. But still call me the boy from troy. This man inspired me to stand up to find a way to get in the way, final way to get in trouble, necessary trouble. He said if you want to go to troy state, we will help you, but we may need to file suit against troy state. Have a discussion with your mother and father. Tell them your home may be harmed or bombed. They could lose the land. I went back. My mother and father was afraid. I continued to study in nashville. From time to time, dr. King would to visit nashville. But he inspired me along with rosa parks and others to get involved. He led the montgomery bus boycott, 131 days, people walked the streets and shared cause and rise. They stood and moved the lines. But they never up. Dr. King inspired us to stand up and he inexpired to believe us in the discipline of nonviolence. We would be sitting in on a lunch counter and waiting to be served and put a lighted cigarette down our backs or our hand, pour hot coffee or hot water on us. I got arrested a few times during the 1960s. 45 times. But i never gave up. Just think in 1961, the same year that president obama was born, my people and white people couldnt leave the city, sitting together to travel on a bus to the south. People arrested, jailed. T dr. King met us in month gentlewomanry. Sheltered montgomery. Sheltered us in a churn. And people were threatening to bomb the church, he made a call to Robert Kennedy. And told him about what was happening. And Robert Kennedy communicated to his brother, john kennedy and put the city under martial law. Robert kennedy and president kennedy, some of us would have died in the church. But led to the desegregation of Public Transportation all across the american south. Ore than 400 of us arrested in jackson, mississippi. Nd later the penitentiary. When dr. King changed america forever. He taught us how to live and fought us how to die. Taught us to be brave, to be courageous and be hold. And if it werent for dr. King, i dont know what would happened to us. Any of us are color, latino, native american wouldnt be in this body. You open up the political process. It was a man who believed in a way of peace, the way of love, believed in the philosophy and discipline of nonviolence. And in a few days, few weeks, of his moration passing, he was assassinated on april 4, 1968. I was in indianapolis with Robert Kennedy hearing dr. King was assassinated. We heard he had been shot. And Robert Kennedy announced he had died. And i think something died in all of us. Something died in america. He loved the way of peace, the way of love, the way of hope. I hope people not so young will commemorate and learn something about the teaching of dr. King. And i want to thank the chair of our caucus, congressman richmond , and you, mr. Evans, our friend and brother, for having the teachin old this tonight and i hope we can do more to explain to the American People and people around the world that what dr. King meant not just to america but to the people across the globe. And i yield back. Mr. Evans mr. Speaker, i hope that what we just heard and to our chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, that we can through social media or whatever it is, that that was a learning experience that just took place. And to have congressman lewis, who was there, who was on the front lines, whos not talking about something he read, but something hes demonstrated through his own experience, that all of us, not just the Congressional Black Caucus, but this entire house, should thank him for the service and for being a patriot and for what he has expressed. So i personally want to thank honorable john lewis for taking that opportunity just to educate us, because we all need education and we never too wise to think that we need someone to talk to us. Speaking of education, another good colleague from the great state of texas, i know a little about that state, everything is big in that state and tell me and congresswoman jordan used to hold. She in her own right is doing. And i have watched her in the time she has been here, that is congresswoman jackson lee. I yield to her. Ms. Jackson lee congressman evans, i want to thank you for your mighty leadership. Mr. Evans i want to ask the speaker, how much time do we ave . The speaker pro tempore the gentleman has 36 minutes. Mr. Ms. Jackson lee for the mighty leadership hes given and i accept his challenge and i accept the challenge of my chairman, Cedric Richmond who told a story that hopefully will be an inspiration and a guide for all of those who believe that they are not yet mature enough to serve, to give, to offer to the beloved community that dr. King so aptly speaks of. What can i say about john lewis, whose moral guidance, whose bloody brow, was never bowed . I thank you, congressman lewis, for the straight talk, but the loving talk. To my colleagues that are here, i know that each will have a moment to allow me to take just a moment to be able to offer my tribute in commemoration of dr. Kings life. What a powerful year we face in 2018. And im so grateful to have left 2017. And i believe that this gives a fresh look to america. I looked at the movie titans, and maybe you saw that, with denzel washington, and it reflected a racial conflict with Football Players just outside of washington and virginia. Its a moving story of you get young people together, we can break the chains of racism and differences. Brought tears to my eyes because 2017, we went that journey again and i was hoping that we would come in this year, the commemoration year, to accept dr. Kings challenge of a beloved community. I salute my community of houston. Some say there was no Civil Rights Movement and i beg to differ with them. Dr. King came one time in the and the clergy gathered, most of them gathered, those who were afraid, we know that most were not. They were all ready to have a big rally and wouldnt you know it, a bomb threat. But our houstonians were ready to march and to be out front in spite of the fear of a bomb. I bet you that every community dr. King was invited to or went to there were people of courage willing to stand up and embrace freedom in the face of devastating potential disaster. So let me just say that my eatest claim for this legacy is my fight as a younger person to be part of the southern christian leadership conference, it would be my greatest honor to have been able to work for the southern christian leadership conference, to walk in that office on auburn that i believe y not be to meet david abernathy, because it was after the death of dr. King, to know james orange and to know the brother who walked with a wooden leg, to know andy in a way they were still engaged in dr. Kings work. Im reminded of the message hes given to us and as chairman Richard Richmond said he was young and he asked the question, lifes most persistent and nagging question, he said is what are you doing for others . We as members of the Congressional Black Caucus and the adjunct of the foundation that works for young people, we have no doubt in what we are doing for others. But dr. King gave us the words, id like someby to mention as he talked about his death on february 4, 1968, this is what we should be doing in 2018. We should be talking about what we are doing in commemoration. Id like somebody to mention on that day that Martin Luther king jr. Tried to give his life serving others. He said, i want you to say on that day, i might have lost my life, that i did try in my life to love and serve humanity. As i close, i want to remind those of us who have not yet made our journey to something that brought us closer to dr. King, that this body, this group of republicans and democrats this administration, we need to unshackle ourselves, this question of race needs to be thrown under the bus of the beloved community and we need to be able to dream like dr. King did and say, he learned to use his imagination when he saw the separation and his dreams to see right through it, to see the reality that all men and women, because of their place regardless of their place of origin, gender or creed, are created equal. What a visionary. Ini close with his braveness two points. One, his ant to answer to a question about who are we as a nation and what this citizenship should mean, and simply turned us back to the declaration of independence and said we simply should have citizens that can live out the words written nits declaration of independence that are placed in this nations bill of rights. We simply want to be like others. And he took this courage to his death. For at the end of his death he was not ashamed to go to Riverside Church and stand against the vietnam war. While others looked aghast, afraid, why are you stepping out of your box . Dr. King said, i believe in the beloved community, a dreamer with works and actions. So i close in that fateful journey he made that well be commemorating all converging on memphis, tennessee, and the American Federation of Municipal Workers who were forged and born in the shadow of two sanitation workers killed in the line of their duty and dr. King felt compelled to be there. When do we feel compelled . On the tax bill, on the chip, on federally qualified health care, on affirmative action, when are we taking this in essence to the mat because thats what dr. King did he took it to the mat. And he went to the mat. In the face of violence. He told us in his last words he had been to the mountain top, he had seen the promised land, and he did not know if he would get there someday but he knew that we as a people would find a way to that pathway. I thank the gentleman for yielding to me and i yield back. Mr. Evans thank you, mr. Speaker. The next person id like to yield to, my colleague from leadin great my colleague from texas gave a great leadin for her, the gentlelady from california, as stood up against the vietnam war, she has stood up and isnt afraid to stand up on her own, the honorable barbara lee of california. Ms. Lee you have come to congress and hit the ground run, t truly has been and is in the history of dr. King. And chairman richmond, i want to thank you for helping us stay focused on the evening that we do these. To congressman john lewis, i just have to stay cey to you, i owe you a debt after gratitude, here ld i would not be if it were not for you. , you een about 17 years and congresswoman sewell, who have worked with them at fre the Freedom Center and youve taught them what fighting for justice and peace really means by being part of your efforts and by mentoring them and teaching them that the beloved community is not only a dream but can be real. So thank you, congressman lewis, so much. Its an honor to know you and serve with you. This year, as we remember the man and the movement that transformed really the soul of america, its important that we honor the fullness of dr. Kings dream. So while we remember dr. Kings birthday this month, we also are reminded that it was 50 years ago on april 4, that he lost his fe to an asass tins an asis sins an assassins bullet. He was a warrior for Economic Justice and ending poverty. In fact, one of his most memorable speeches, ive been to the mountain top was given in memphis, tennessee, at a time when dr. King was determined to transnorme Civil Rights Movement into an intersectional Economic Justice revolution. A few months before his death, two young africanamerican workers were crushed to death by a faulty truck in memphis. The American Federation of state, county, and municipal afscme, went on strike and dr. King was there lending support. In a speech he explained why he was there. He said, our struggle is for genuine equality which means economic equality. He said that to thousands gathered at mason temple he said, for we know that it is not enough to integrate lunch counters. What does it profit a man to be able to eat at integrated lunch counter if he doesnt have enough money to buy a hamburger . Dr. King had come to signal the dawn of a new era in the struggle. He was there to stand with workers who were sick and tired of low wages, unsafe working conditions, and the citys refusal to recognize their union. He was there because he believed the labor rights, civil right, and human rights are one and the same. He was there because he understood the simple truth that there can be no Racial Justice without Economic Justice. Tragically, while fighting to secure the American Dream for all americans, dr. King was asass assassinated on april 4, 1968. That was a day that change midlife. Congresswoman jackson lee mentioned where she was. We all remember that moment. I was living in san jose, california, and was commuting to San Francisco about an hour away, by train. I returned that evening, my car was parked in the train parking lot, i got off the train, turn thond eradio, and the news came that dr. King had been killed. I sat in my car for i dont know how long and i cried. I was shocked like everyone, saddened, and angry. But i was also motivated. To fight for the dream that dr. King envisioned. I quit my job. At that moment i knew that i had to do something. So i became involved as a Community Worker with the black Panther Party but it was dr. Kings assassination that catapulted me into the movement. And i was determined to prove that even though the assassin killed the dreamer, he could not kill the dream. Right now in this country, the work of dr. King, went to the work that dr. King went to memphis to achieve that work remains unfinished, which is what we intend to complete. 47 million americans remain locked in poverty. Discrimination and institutional racism continue to hold livable wages hostage. And the economic wealth divide grows deeper every day in urban and rural communities. I represent the 13th Congressional District of california, a great district where theres an explosion of wealth in the bay area. Which has recently experienced also a spike in median household income. Its a hub of innovation and creativity. Yet in many way its a tale of two cities. Black households in my district have been locked out of this explosion of wealth. According to the census bureau, the Median Income in the bay area jumped by 9 while the Median Income for black households inched up just 2 . Its not just wealth inequality. 23 of black households are poor and 33 of black children in my district are considered poor. In oakland. And these numbers have remained stagnant year after year after year. This is unacceptable. Its not just my district that experiences this wealth divide. Recent studies show that if trends persist, median black Household Wealth could hit zero by 2053. So this alarming possibility makes one thing clear. The work to achieve dr. Kings dream must continue and members of the Congressional Black Caucus tirelessly, tirelessly continue to work both inside this congress and in our communities because there is still much that we must overcome. As the conscience of the congress, the Congressional Black Caucus fight every day to dismantle barriers that keep low income people, people of ka lohr from having a fair shot at the American Dream. Dr. Kings legacy can be found in our efforts to give communities of color, struggling families, women, a fair shot at improving their basic living standards. There are many bills, congressman bobby scotts bill to raise the minimum wage to 15 an hour. Congresswoman alma adams, closing the meal gap act. There are many bills that many members of the Congressional Black Caucus are championing every single day to ensure dr. Kings life and liz death will rebe remembered and that his death will not overshadow his life. And that his legacy of fighting as dr. King said to make the promises of democracy real will live on for generations to come. Thank you and i yield the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, the next person, and i just had the pleasure of really meeting her this year, she has a lot of energy and a lot of drive. She got me to go to alabama and i had never been to alabama before. Mr. Everett but after her personality vance vance but after her mr. Evans but after her personality and her drive and her intellectual curiosity and between she and john lewis, what could i say . So id like to yield to great member from the state of alabama, honorable terry sewell, seventh district. Sewell sewell thank you so much ms. Sewell thank you so much, congressman evans. You have so ably represented and lead the Second District of pennsylvania. S been an honor its been an honor to call you colleague. I want to say, mr. Speaker, that today i join with my c. B. C. Colleagues in honoring the extraordinary life and legacy of dr. Martin luther king jr. 50 years after his tragedying death. Today we honor and celebrate the man who led our country in the fight against racism and injustice, a man who forged tools of nonviolence and compassion so that our nation could break the chains of segregation and jim crow. Today we honor a man who refused to believe that racism and war would define our future and who fought to ensure that truth and love would be the final word. As the United States representative of alabamas historic civil rights district, i know that dr. Kings selfless sacrifices changed the trajectory of our nations history and changed the lives of so many in my district and around the world. When birmingham was one of the most segregated cities in america, it was dr. King who brought the Civil Rights Movement home to alabama during the birmingham campaign. When four little black girls were killed in a bombing of the bapchift church in birmingham, it was dr. Quhoing delivered their eulogy and who refused to let their deaths go unnoticed. Mr. Speaker, when the police eat marchers on a bridge in my hometown in alabama, who were simply marching for the equal right to vote, it was dr. King who helped with dr. Reece and so many others to organize that march from selma to montgomery. It was foot soldiers like the honorable john lewis, who i am honored every day to be able to call colleague. Who sacrificed their lives for the opportunity of a next generation to have the dream that so many wanted and fought for. There are constituents in my district, the civil rights and Voting Rights foot soldiers, who marched with dr. King, who and he the call to fight for justice. These foot soldiers faced fire hoeses and police dogs and night sticks that future generations of americans could now have the equal right to vote. You know, mr. Speaker, i get to crols the Edmund Pettus bridge just to go home to see my folks, to visit my family. In selma, alabama. To go to my hometown, to visit my friends, to live in a place that still needs help. You know, theres still some Unfinished Business of civil rights and Voting Rights. And it is my honor, my great honor, to invite year after year so many to come, thousands to come to walk in the footsteps of john lewis with john lewis. It doesnt get any better than that. And for me to be able to say that i am the member from alabama, i know that i stand on the shoulders of john lewis and so many others. But i also know that i must get off your shoulders. That i must do the hard work, the Unfinished Business that is civil rights and votes rights in america. As long as there are Voter Suppression and people are not allowed to vote in this country, we have work to do. We have lots of work to do. And we must do our own work. Its not enough to just say thank you. Its not enough that we come before every year to reenact the march from selma to montgomery. Its not just about reenactment, its about what we do day in and day out, to further the dream that is dr. King. To build that beloved community that we talked about. You know, i get to see up close john lewis and know that he is not just talking the talk. He walked the walk every day. And there are times when i am purely frustrated in this house. Frustrated because theres so much work that we need to do. And so much work that we dont do because of our dysfunction. And when i get tired, i just look over at john lewis and i think to myself, this man never was tired. The hard work was done by so many before us. And those of us who get to walk these halls of congress have to decide what were going to do to help further that dream. Dr. Kings life was not in vain. John, your work is not in vain. Theres so many of us who know that we stand on your shoulders and know that in order for this country to live up to its ideals of justice and democracy for all, that we must, every generation must, continue that fight. You know, in birmingham it was dr. King who wrote a letter, a letter from a birmingham jail, who talked about injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. And there are injustices everywhere. So we have work to do. We, the members of the c. B. C. , take that challenge very seriously. But we, members of this house, this august body, must take that work seriously too. And that work is not a work that is republican work versus democratic work. It is americas work. It is the work of our democracy. It is the work that we must do, that our constituents sent us here to do. That so often is stifled. Stifled by our rhetoric, stifled by our inability to see beyond our party, stifled by so many things. But i know for a fact that when we work hand in hand together, republicans and democrats, blacks and whites, those from different religions, that we can do amazing things. We know that because of the life and legacy of dr. King. So on this 50th anniversary of his death, let us not mourn. Let us recommit. Let us recommit ourselves to that which he stood for. For that which john lewis stands for. And that is justice for all. Irrespective of what country they come from. You know, were tried and tested every day. And it is important that we remember that we can all walk across that Edmund Pettus bridge. By doing the hard work of seeking justice and equality for all people. Just because theyre people. I yield back the balance of my time and i honor, again, the great work of dr. Martin luther king. Mr. Evans thank you, mr. Speaker. Can you tell me how much time we have, mr. Speaker . The speaker pro tempore the gentleman has approximately 13 minutes. Mr. Evans mr. Speaker, a gentleman i want to introduce is a neighbor, you go across the walt wittman bridge or the ben franklin bridge, ive known him and his father, hes doing a great job in the garden state, congressman donald payne. I yield. Mr. Payne mr. Speaker, let me thank congressman evans for hosting tonights special order hour on dr. Kings life and legacy. The gentleman from philadelphia has come to this body and has made an impact in his first year on the floor of congress. And we are delighted to have had im join the c. B. C. Mr. Speaker, as i sat here and listened to my colleagues, the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, a young man, not the eldest member of the caucus, but a young man, that has demonstrated the leadership to be the head of this august body, and i ear my colleague use the term in reverence, john , i am fortunate, mr. Speaker, to be able to serve the 10th Congressional District of the state of new jersey at this time. Because you see, i was sitting here as i listened to barbara lee and Sheila Jackson lee and john lewis, terri sewell, mr. Given, hat to much is much is expected. And so i hear the story of the boy from troy. I hear the story of my chairman, Cedric Richmond. But ive been fortunate in my life. Because, you see, i had a father hat felt that the most important thing to do was to serve this country and this world. And he instilled that in me. And a lot of his teachings come from dr. Martin luther king. 50 years after his death, dr. Kings legacy has been she rouded in mist, by people who shrouded in mist, by people who prefer to being comfortable than being real. And, mr. Speaker, at this time, as young people back in my district say, im going to keep it real. His personal truths have been twisted into lies by people who want to appear woke. But whose eyes are blind to the harsh reality of injustice. This year, in 2018, we must reclaim dr. Kings legacy, for those who are apt to quote, i have a dream, as they seek to silence people of color who are fighting to preserve that dream. Mr. Speaker, dr. King understood that nonviolence does not mean nonconfrontational. He knew that social change requires sacrifice. He nigh knew that doing what is right he knew that what is doing he knew that doing what is right is not always what is easy. When black lives matter protesters peacefully rallied in the streets to protest Police Brutality against young men of color, conservatives and white moderates said black lives matter insights violence and should be peaceful like dr. King. What theyre really saying is, sit down, boy, and know your place. That is the same thing they said 55 years ago, when dr. King led peaceful protests against Racial Injustice in birmingham, alabama. Conservatives shouted that dr. King was causing hatred and violence. They told him to sit down and to know his place. But he per sift. Persisted. Dr. King was not in birmingham to make everyone comfortable. He was there to set the stat upset the status quo and change our democracy. Then, four years later, dr. King proclaimed that the vietnam war was morally injustice injust. He pointed out that profit had become more important to the government than people. Who were sacrificing their lives overseas. Conservatives once again attacked dr. King. They said he was being slanderous and that he was tragically misleading people. Now, mr. Speaker, you see the great outcry and support that we have for our soldiers and our military people now in this country. We honor and revere them now. That came out of the struggle of the vietnam war, where they were spat on and told that they werent worth anything. Thats where it came from dr. King bringing up the unjust war that this was. So out of dr. King protests against the vietnam war, we began a great reverence for our soldiers once again. And thats what we see now in the streets when we see a vietnam vet. And we tell them thank you for their service. Or whether they were in afghanistan, thank you for their service. It was dr. King who first raised that issue. They told him to be quiet and to know his place. But like dr. King told one of his friends at the time, he might be he might have been politically unwise, but he was being morally wise. And thats what mattered. Is year, in 2018, we must be morally wise. Dr. Kings life and legacy shows us that doing right is really the same thing as doing what is easy. We too must persist. And as we head into a consequential year, when americans will go to the polls, let us not lose sight of the fact to protect and preserve dr. Kings legacy demands that we protect and preserve our democracy from Voter Suppression , cybersecurity weakness, and oreign meddling. We must expand Voting Rights for all americans. We must modernize our voting system. We must appoint an independent commission to investigate foreign meddling into the electoral system before the 2018 federal election. We must ensure elections are competitive and not guaranteed. We must restore the right to vote for felons who have served their prison sentences. And we must end partisan jerrymandering. We must protect the sanctity of our elections and we must restore the Voting Rights act. Dr. King knew it was important. As i go to my seat, i want to hank my colleagues for their endurance, because as Amazing Grace says, i once was lost but ow am found, and how serving with these great people in the United States congress has saved a wretch like me. Yield back. Mr. Evans shes someone i have watched, shes an educator, shes always teaching. With this teachin were conducting, id like to yield to my colleague, the honorable joyce beatty from the third Congressional District of ohio. Mrs. Beatty thank you so much to my colleague, congressman dwight evans who hails from the Second District of pennsylvania. Thank you for leading us tonight and thank you to our Congressional Black Caucus chairman, Cedric Richmond, for allowing us to come tonight. Mr. Speaker, i joined my colleague i join my colleague in coming to the floor tonight to mark the 50th anniversary of the assassination of reverend dr. Martin luther king. We have made progress in these last 50 years but the legacy and example of dr. King shows us that much remains to be done. Although many marches and protests were met with violence, dr. King and the women and the men who stood with him like our very own colleague and Congressional Black Caucus member congressman john lewis, as i listened to congressman lewis tonight, as i sat on this house floor and had the privilege and honor to call him a colleague and a friend, it reminded us of his courage and how much more work we have to do. It was through these peace prolve tests. It was through their courage. It was through the power of the messages that they sent. That they stood up against the establishment. Dr. King was table bring the injustices felt by africanamericans nationwide to the forefront of american politics. His work culminated in the march on washington for jobs and freedom, where hundreds of thousands of individuals came, all stripes, all communities, and they came for a call to justice and equality for all. It was on that day on august 28, 1963, when dr. King gave one of his most powerful and famous speeches, that passionate speech, i have a dream. Calling for the end of racism and the expansion of civil rights and economic rights. I am so proud that mother beattys mother, my husbands grandmother, was an invited platform guest, witnessing that speech. We have that picture in our office to remind us, and to remind our children and grandchildren, the power of dr. Martin luther king and congressman john lewis. The march, tions of it encapsulated in such powerful words, civil rights rose to the top of the agenda of reformers and facilitated the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Still, mr. Speaker, dr. Kings work was not done. The next year, dr. King helped lead the selma to montgomery march. W proud i am that i was able to participate in the reenactment of that on its 50th anniversary. The march route wound some 54 miles from selma, alabama, to the state capital of montgomery. The marchers were in response to the Southern States legislatures passing and maintaining discriminatory laws and practices over decades. Where it meant to deny, mr. Speaker, africanamericans across the state, across the south, the right to vote. What is our message . What is our message tonight . We are here because we are still walking in it. We are still fighting for civil rights and Voting Rights and economic rights. We are still fighting for equal pay and for equal work. But we are not afraid. Mr. Lewis led us on this house floor fighting for gun safety. We are not afraid because we are continuing the legacy of Martin Luther king. And lastly, let me just say, we must break this cycle of economic inequality, racism, and poverty. We must stand up to the g. O. P. And to President Trump because when we look at this tax reform bill, it brings those injustices to economics and equality, financial gain, so we are here tonight to say there is still a dream. There is still a stone of hope. And i yield back and again i thank my colleague for leading us in this celebration and this tribute to Martin Luther king. Mr. Evans i thank my colleague for those eloquent words and comments which were very succinct and provided a lot. Mr. Speaker, we have about, much time . The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. Mr. Evans ok. I just want to say, mr. Speaker, i move that the house adjourn and thank my chairman from the Congressional Black Caucus for congress is back in session tomorrow with a Government Shutdown deadline of midnight on friday. My legislative business at 2 00 p. M. Eastern. Later in the week, government funding and an abortion bill. The senate back at 4 30 p. M. Tomorrow, working on reauthorizing nsa surveillance programs and keeping the government of. When congress is back in session, watch the house live on cspan and the senate live on cspan two. Cspans washington journal, live every day with news and policy issues that you. T coming ahead, the week ahead in washington, including the upcoming funding deadline with roll call lighthouse correspondent john benton bennett. We will talk about immigration policy and the latest pushed for puerto rican statehood. Be sure to watch cspans washington journal, live at 7 00 eastern tuesday morning. Join the discussion. This morning, the reverend al sharpton and the National Action network held their annual Martin Luther king jr. Breakfast at the Mayflower Hotel in washington. We will seat mayor muriel bowser, tom perez, and american ederation of teachers brandywine garden. Its about two hours. Brandy weingarten. Its about two hours