Hoyer Statement on the 90th Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“Ninety years ago today, our nation was blessed with the arrival of the most consequential American of the twentieth century and one of the brightest lights in the history of our country.  The life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. may have been cut tragically short, but his positive impact for the cause of justice and equality will stretch through generations.  From the streets of Montgomery and Selma, his footsteps still echo determination.  From the jailhouse in Birmingham, his words lift our spirits and bind us in ‘an inescapable network of mutuality.’  From the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, his dream fills our land with everlasting hope for brotherhood and sisterhood, and from the impoverished neighborhoods of Chicago and Washington, his pleas for economic justice still empower those who have not yet achieved it.     “Dr. King’s life continues to inspire those who seek to heal an ailing nation and repair a broken world. I’m proud to serve in a Democratic House Majority committed to building on Dr. King’s legacy, and I look forward to continuing to work closely alongside my friends and colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus to bring legislation to the Floor advancing voting rights, civil rights, and equal opportunity in the 116^th Congress.  Today, we will join together, following the leadership of Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, to condemn hate speech and bigotry. As we celebrate the gift of Dr. King on what would have been his ninetieth birthday, let us answer his call to ‘be coworkers with God’ in the march for human progress here on Earth.”