Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The Importance Of Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor commemorating MLK Day and Dr. King’s legacy. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

This Monday, America will celebrate a national holiday in honor of the great Martin Luther King Jr.

It's a great holiday, and I was proud as a congressman to be one of those leaders in helping pass this legislation. You'd be surprised at some of the bigotry we heard when we tried to do it.

But, just one point today, when you think about it, this is the only federal holiday named for one person. We have Mother's Day for the mothers, Father's Day for the fathers, and Veterans Day for the vets, and Independence Day for our founding fathers and mothers. But only one day for one man, and the reason for that is simple: Dr. King was unique.

I like to say he hoisted a giant mirror on his shoulders – and with his eloquence, with his brilliance and with his faith – he forced America to look into that mirror and America didn't like what it saw. That began our slow march to racial equality, on which we are still trotting and still have a long way to go.

But I think every American should be saluting one of the greatest Americans who ever lived, Martin Luther King Jr., and I look forward to joining with many of my friends in New York to celebrate and commemorate in holiday.

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