Madam Speaker, I rise today on the 40th anniversary of the week Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed, to commemorate his legacy as continued by Service for Peace.  

During his short life, Dr. King marched in my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, on his way to touching millions of American lives throughout this nation and inspiring the masses with his message of freedom and of peace.  

Today, I am proud to say that, in no small part thanks to the efforts of Reverend Peter Hayes, our local Service for Peace, and programs like 40 Days of Peace, the MLK Season of Service, and the King Memorial Walk and Peace Fest, the spirit of Dr. King is alive and well in our hometown.

Each year, Service for Peace reminds us that, though King was taken from us far too early, the gifts he gave to us— his lessons, his example, his legacy— remain and continue to inspire, within us, a deep sense of justice.  Nationwide, half a million volunteers took part in this year’s MLK Day of Peace, contributed to their communities and committed themselves to peace.

On Saturday, for the second year in a row, I will join with members of the Louisville community for the King Memorial Walk and Peace Fest.  We’ll gather at the Muhammad Ali Center to share stories of yesterday’s struggles and a vision for tomorrow’s successes, before walking as one to the north side of the Ohio River.  That trek once crossed the boundary between slavery and salvation, Jim Crowe and justice, oppression and opportunity for far too many Americans.  But this weekend, when we return to Louisville, we will enter a community proud of its diversity, alive with the spirit of peace, and working toward a more just future.

While it is true that we cannot bring Martin Luther King Jr. back, by promoting his teachings, Service for Peace ensures that we will never really lose him either.  The activism of Service for Peace is so much more than a tribute to a great American hero; it is a practical and proven strategy to reduce drug use, crime, violence, and murder in our community and others throughout our great nation.  I know my colleagues will join me in honoring Service for Peace, just as Service for Peace honors the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.