House Passes Hoosier Led Kennedy-King Establishment Act

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, H.R. 4851, the Kennedy-King Establishment Act, introduced by Congressman André Carson (D-IN07) and co-sponsored by Congresswoman Susan W. Brooks (R-IN05) who both represent the City of Indianapolis, passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 391-0. Prior to the vote, Congresswoman Brooks spoke in support of the bill on the House Floor:

To watch Brooks’ remarks on the House Floor, click here.

BACKGROUND
Nearly 50 years ago, on April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennessee. That same night, Senator Robert F. Kennedy delivered a speech to break the news to Hoosiers about what had happened.  His speech calmed a volatile crowd and called for a non-violent reaction to the assassination. It has been called one of the most important speeches of the 20th Century. Unlike other cities which erupted into violence and riots following Dr. King’s assassination, Indianapolis did not burn. 

The Kennedy-King Establishment Act designates the Landmark for Peace Memorial located in Indianapolis’ Martin Luther King Jr. Park as the Kennedy-King National Commemorative Site, establishes it as a part of the U.S. Civil Rights Network, and instructs the Secretary of Interior to conduct a study on the feasibility of adding the site to the National Park System.

Last week, this legislation passed the Natural Resources Committee. For more information on the markup of the bill, click here.

Indiana Senators Todd Young (R-IN) and Joe Donnelly (D-IN) recently introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

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