Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Act of 2016

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2880) to redesignate the Martin Luther King, Junior, National Historic Site in the State of Georgia, and for other purposes, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 2880

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Act of 2016''. SEC. 2. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK.

The Act entitled ``An Act to establish the Martin Luther King, Junior, National Historic Site in the State of Georgia, and for other purposes'' (Public Law 96-428) is amended--

(1) in subsection (a) of the first section, by striking ``the map entitled `Martin Luther King, Junior, National Historic Site Boundary Map', number 489/80,013B, and dated September 1992'' and inserting ``the map entitled `Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Proposed Boundary Revision', numbered 489/128,786 and dated June 2015'';

(2) by striking ``Martin Luther King, Junior, National Historic Site'' each place it appears and inserting ``Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park'';

(3) by striking ``national historic site'' each place it appears and inserting ``national historical park'';

(4) by striking ``historic site'' each place it appears and inserting ``historical park''; and

(5) by striking ``historic sites'' in section 2(a) and inserting ``historical parks''. SEC. 3. REFERENCES.

Any reference in a law (other than this Act), map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to ``Martin Luther King, Junior, National Historic Site'' shall be deemed to be a reference to ``Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park''.
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Mr. McCLINTOCK. I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2880, introduced by our colleague, John Lewis, redesignates the Martin Luther King, Junior, National Historic Site in the State of Georgia as the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. It also authorizes the National Park Service to include the Prince Hall Masonic Temple in the Historical Park's boundaries.

The Prince Hall Masonic Temple long served as the headquarters of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. This historic and distinguished civil rights organization was cofounded by Dr. King, who also served as its first president. Including the Prince Hall Masonic Temple within the unit's boundary allows the National Park Service to provide technical assistance to the building's owners with respect to repairs, renovations, and maintenance that would preserve its historic integrity.

It can be said that every American figuratively walks in the footsteps of the American Founders and those who followed them and who perfected their vision. Because of their work, we enjoy the blessings of a free government that exists to protect the God-given natural rights of every person and a free society where every person will be judged, in Dr. King's words, ``on the content of his character.''

Our historical parks give us the opportunity literally to walk in the footsteps of these great Americans who have struggled over the centuries to secure this vision. Those who gathered around Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in the 1950s walked the streets of this neighborhood, and its preservation gives us and future generations a tangible link with them.

One of them was our distinguished colleague, Congressman Lewis, and I commend him for his work. It is altogether fitting that a man who did so much to establish this legacy brings to the House today a bill to further preserve it, and I urge its adoption.

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Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I would urge adoption of the measure.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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