HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2023-4603

HR 4603

ByRepresentatives Jinkins, Wilcox, Abbarno, Alvarado, Barkis, Barnard, Bateman, Berg, Bergquist, Berry, Bronoske, Caldier, Callan, Chambers, Chandler, Chapman, Cheney, Chopp, Christian, Connors, Corry, Cortes, Couture, Davis, Dent, Doglio, Donaghy, Duerr, Dye, Entenman, Eslick, Farivar, Fey, Fitzgibbon, Fosse, Goehner, Goodman, Graham, Gregerson, Griffey, Hackney, Hansen, Harris, Hutchins, Jacobsen, Klicker, Kloba, Kretz, Leavitt, Lekanoff, Low, Macri, Maycumber, McClintock, McEntire, Mena, Morgan, Mosbrucker, Orcutt, Ormsby, Ortiz-Self, Orwall, Paul, Peterson, Pollet, Ramel, Ramos, Reed, Reeves, Riccelli, Robertson, Rude, Rule, Ryu, Sandlin, Santos, Schmick, Schmidt, Senn, Shavers, Simmons, Slatter, Springer, Stearns, Steele, Stokesbary, Stonier, Street, Taylor, Thai, Tharinger, Timmons, Volz, Walen, Walsh, Waters, Wylie, and Ybarra

WHEREAS, Today, we join with people in every corner of the great state of Washington and throughout the United States of America to honor the life and legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; and

WHEREAS, Dr.  King  was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, and on June 18, 1953, he and Coretta Scott were married in Marion, Alabama; and

WHEREAS, He dedicated his life's work to gain civil and economic rights for all; and

WHEREAS, We remember his Letter to Birmingham, which includes the words, "Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and establish such creative tension that a community that has consistently refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue"; and

WHEREAS, People around the world still use his nonviolent philosophy as a guide to make lasting changes, following the words of Dr. King, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"; and

WHEREAS, His belief in equality and opportunity for all was not restricted to the cessation of racial injustice, it also extended to the necessity of economic justice for all people, so that all may live free of the afflictions of poverty; and

WHEREAS, Dr.  King  propelled the truths of segregation and racial injustice to the forefront of American conversation at dinner tables across the country, helping to bring an end to unjust laws, and fulfilling the promise of a democracy for every American; and

WHEREAS, The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 became law thanks to the blood, sweat, and tears shed by Dr.  King  and his supporters from every community in the United States; and

WHEREAS, We remember Dr.  King's steadfast commitment to the ideals of impartiality and opportunity for all in the face of tyranny, cruelty, and mistreatment by those in power; and

WHEREAS, He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, the youngest man to ever be selected for this extraordinary honor; and

WHEREAS, Despite Dr.  King's assassination on April 4, 1968, his legacy of compassion and nonviolence lived on through his followers and his wife, Coretta Scott  King; and

WHEREAS, It is fitting to honor Dr. King's historic advocacy for equal treatment of all people during a time of tremendous racial tension;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the importance of the life of Dr. King and exalt his dedicated work and embrace the ideals of equality and equity for all people.