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Health & Fitness

Congresswoman Duckworth's Statement on the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington

On Wednesday, August 28, 2013, Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (IL-08) released the following statement on the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington:

Fifty years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in a crucial moment of the Civil Rights Movement. Hundreds of thousands of men and women lined the National Mall and embraced Dr. King’s dream for an end to racial segregation and discrimination in the United States. The bravery of those who held peaceful sit-ins, participated in rallies and demanded change paved the way for a better and more equal America.

As we mark this anniversary, we must recommit ourselves to preserving the victories of the Civil Rights Movement. Earlier this year the Supreme Court ruled that a key portion of the Voting Rights Act, a landmark piece of legislation for civil rights, was unconstitutional. This decision puts all of our rights in jeopardy and endangers the most sacred piece of our democracy, the right to vote.

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Whether it’s protecting voting rights, providing equal rights to the LGBT community, or making sure that people with disabilities have the opportunity to live fulfilling lives, the work to complete Dr. King’s dream is far from finished. Nevertheless, fifty years ago today, Dr. King’s words inspired us to know that change is possible and I look forward to continuing that struggle.

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