WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) have cosponsored legislation that would award the Congressional Gold Medal to civil rights marchers who played an important role in spurring Congress to enact the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Wicker and Cochran are original cosponsors of a bipartisan bill (S.527) to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the “Foot Soldiers” who participated in Bloody Sunday, Turnaround Tuesday, or in the final Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March in March 1965.

“The brave individuals who marched in Selma were instrumental in igniting the progress our country has made over the past half-century,” Wicker said.  “The Congressional Gold Medal would be a fitting recognition of their courageous actions.  I am proud to support this legislation.”

“The Congressional Gold Medal would honor those who rose up to demand an end to the injustices that kept many Americans from exercising their legal right to vote.  We, as a nation, are better off for the bravery demonstrated 50 years ago to right those wrongs,” Cochran said.

The march to Montgomery, Ala., and associated civil rights activities 50 years ago led to the passage of the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965.  The medal, the highest civilian award bestowed by Congress, would be displayed permanently at the Selma Interpretative Center.

S.527 was introduced by Senators Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) on Feb. 13 with 65 cosponsors.  It has been referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.  Similar legislation (HR.431) has been approved unanimously by the House of Representatives.

A copy of the legislation is available here:  http://1.usa.gov/1AM2I16