Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Al Green (D-TX) will deliver the weekly CBC "Message to America" radio address this Saturday, January 22, 2005. Below is Congressman Green’s address:

“Good morning, America. This is Congressman Al Green, representing the 9th Congressional District of Texas in the great city of Houston. I am honored to deliver this weeks’ address on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus and to serve as one of its newest members.

“This week, America watched as President George Bush was sworn in for a second term. In his inaugural speech, the president spoke passionately about the need to spread democracy and freedom abroad. He said, “The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world.”

“We could not agree more - for we in this country have fought to plant the seeds of opportunity that reaped an invigorating harvest of freedom.

“We want to work with the president to ensure that the fruit of freedom and the … of liberty are realized both here at home and all over the world. To this end, we want to ensure that the millions suffering and dying in the Congo and Sudan at the hand of genocide realize their freedom.

“We want to ensure that the 150,000 African children who die each month can live free of malaria. At home, we want to ensure that the bondage of poverty is broken – So that all Americans realize: a livable wage for their families, a higher education for themselves and good healthcare for their children.

“Recently, while traveling the tsunami - ravaged region of Asia, I was awestricken by the resilient and optimistic spirit of the Sri Lankan people in the mist of such vast devastation. There I saw a poster that read, “Every man is the architect of his own fortune.”

“We, as a caucus, believe this and will remain vigilant in our fight to address the needed policy challenges facing our country.

“We will work to ensure that people here and across the globe have the freedom, liberty and opportunity to build upon their dreams such that every person can truly be the architect of his own fortune.

“On behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus, this is Congressman Al Green of Houston, Texas. Thank you for listening.”