“I recently joined my colleague, Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, as Congress paid a special tribute to those who led and participated in the March on Washington 40 years ago.  John Lewis stood with Dr. Martin Luther King on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to lead the march at only 23 years of age, and in the years that followed has continued the fight for freedom.  Seeing Lewis, the last surviving speaker of the 1963 march, standing among statues of our nations’ heroes in the Capitol building, I was struck by how far he and our nation have come in the past four decades; how much we have fought for, and how much we have gained. 

“Indeed, we have made tremendous gains - gains not only for African Americans, but also for all Americans.  By expanding opportunities for all of its citizens, America has become a model of democracy for the rest of the world.  Today, Americans continue to speak out for those whose rights are being trampled on.   

“Today at the Lincoln Memorial, the site where some 250,000 people of all races and backgrounds stood together for equality, a simple marble marker in the spot where Dr. King delivered his famous speech reminds us of why we still strive to improve and better our society.  It reads, ‘I have a dream.’   

“But there are many who have yet to realize that dream.  There are still people, communities, and regions of our country where opportunity and prosperity are out of reach.  We must not stop our progress until we reach our full potential.  We must not stop dreaming.”