Dear Friends,America has never fully achieved its promise of freedom and justice for all. But the proudest and most impressive moments in our history are the times that people from all walks of life have come together to make us a more perfect union. It’s difficult to think of a better example than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who would have turned 93-years-old today.   Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dedicated his life to a cause bigger than himself, and his legacy lives on to this day. This is a man who put his repeatedly put his life on the line in the face of the unthinkable dangers of the Jim Crow South, in his pursuit of civil rights for Black, Brown, Indigenous and marginalized people. And thanks in large part to him, America passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965.    Unfortunately, today that progress, and his legacy, are being disrespected by coordinated efforts to introduce hundreds of voter suppression bills in state legislatures across the country. These efforts, of course, have been coupled with partisan gerrymandering, dark money, and misinformation campaigns, all of which are threatening Americans’ basic freedoms and the very fate of our democracy.   Last week, for the third time in a year, I voted to protect our democracy and Americans' freedom to vote. The House has done its part time and time again to advance comprehensive voting rights legislation that would reinforce the efforts of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It's shameful that the Senate hasn't joined us because a couple of politicians refuse to get their act together.   While the battle for voting rights continues, we should also think about ways that we can honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy by lifting up historically marginalized communities, addressing systemic racism, and repairing the impacts of government-sponsored marginalization of Black, Brown and Indigenous communities. That work must include not only confronting the ways bias and racism have shaped our society, but also celebrating the resilience of, and accomplishments by, Oregon’s Black communities.    To that end, I recently urged the Biden administration to add three Black history landmarks in Portland to the National Register of Historic Places. The Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in Northeast Portland was the home of one of Oregon’s oldest Black congregations; Dean’s Beauty Salon and Barber Shop in Northeast Portland is the city’s oldest continuously operating Black-owned business; and the Golden West Hotel in Northwest Portland was the first hotel in the city to accommodate Black patrons. We must do our part to honor and commemorate these important landmarks and I look forward to celebrating their designation in the months ahead.   I hope you will join me in thinking about ways in which you will honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy not just today, but every day.