U.S.
Congressman John Boehner
The
50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
WASHINGTON,
D.C. – Congressman John Boehner (R – West Chester) joined leaders
of the U.S. House and Senate today in a ceremony to mark the 50th
anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, where a Congressional
Gold Medal was presented in honor of the Reverend Doctor and Mrs.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
In
his remarks, Rep. Boehner paid tribute to one of the bill’s
renowned fathers, Congressman William McCulloch, an Ohioan who
represented what would later become part of Ohio’s 8th
Congressional District. President Lyndon B. Johnson, who signed the
Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law on July 2, 1964, publicly
recognized McCulloch for his central role in the bill’s enactment,
acknowledging McCulloch as “the most important and powerful force”
behind the effort. Following are Boehner’s remarks, as prepared
for delivery:
OPENING
THE CEREMONY
“On
July 2, 1964, Congress completed what may be the most fundamental,
most consequential legislation in our long history. The Civil Rights
Act of 1964 recognizes that every citizen has the right to pursue
happiness without discrimination or segregation on the grounds of
race, color, religion, or national origin. This was a long time in
coming, and it was the work of many people … including, of course,
Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, who we honor today
with a Congressional Gold Medal.”
PRIOR
TO THE PRESENTATION OF THE MEDAL
“In
the fanfare of history, it’s easy to overlook the small moments
that make big things possible. Let’s go back to July 2nd, 1963,
and to somewhere far from these halls.
“Piqua
– if you’ve never been – is a pleasant town in my district, in
West Central Ohio. It’s not far from Dayton, where the Wright
Brothers got their start.
“Flying
into Dayton that day was Burke Marshall, the Assistant Attorney
General of the United States. He was picked up by the son-in-law of
the congressman he needed to see, William McCulloch, the top
Republican on the Judiciary Committee.
“Now,
McCulloch was a farm kid who went to a one-room schoolhouse – but
he was also a World War II vet with a law degree from Ohio State. The
White House would try to rush him into something, and he’d say,
‘I’m just a country guy who has to muddle along.’
“But
‘without him,’ President Kennedy had said, the bill ‘can’t be
done.’ So Marshall is there on urgent business; he’s expecting
to meet with McCulloch straight away.
“Unfortunately,
the son-in-law says, the congressman is busy speaking to the Piqua
Rotarians.
“So
they go for a long lunch.
“And
then they take a scenic tour of the Miami Valley.
“They
get into town, but McCulloch is still with the Rotarians, so they
kill time – and this is true – at the local hardware store.
“Well,
the meeting finally starts, and McCulloch has two requests: (1) that
the Senate doesn’t weaken the bill, and (2) that the credit is
shared among both parties.
“The
deal was struck, and a year later, when the final vote neared, the
House paused for a standing ovation.
“And
it was for William Moore McCulloch.
“There
is no indispensable man. But there is the common man. The one who
makes no distinction between the Assistant Attorney General and the
local Rotarian.
“He
doesn’t use his status for personal gain – he uses it to serve
others.
“For
him, the biggest thing is the right thing.
“His
isn’t a household name, but it doesn’t have to be.
“You
can find him right there – not in the fanfare – but in the fabric
of history.”
See
the video at Congressman Boehner's website
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