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File #: 140623    Version: 0 Name:
Type: Resolution Status: ADOPTED
File created: 6/19/2014 In control: CITY COUNCIL
On agenda: Final action: 9/11/2014
Title: Urging the United States Congress to support the re-designation of the railroad station located at 2955 Market Street, commonly known as the "30th Street Station", to the "William H. Gray III 30th Street Station".
Sponsors: Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember Goode, Councilmember Bass, Councilmember Tasco, Councilmember Blackwell, Councilmember Jones, Councilmember Greenlee, Councilmember Oh, Councilmember Johnson, Councilmember Kenney, Councilmember Squilla, Councilmember Quiñones Sánchez, Councilmember Henon
Attachments: 1. Resolution No. 14062300.pdf, 2. Signature14062300.pdf
Title
Urging the United States Congress to support the re-designation of the railroad station located at 2955 Market Street, commonly known as the "30th Street Station", to the "William H. Gray III 30th Street Station".

Body
WHEREAS, Congressman William H. Gray III faithfully served Pennsylvania's 2nd Congressional District from 1978 until 1991; and

WHEREAS, Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Congressman Gray graduated from Franklin & Marshall College and Drew Theological Seminary in Jersey City before being elected to Congress; and

WHEREAS, Succeeding his father as pastor of Bright Hope Baptist Church in 1972, Congressman Gray continued to serve in this position until 2007, commuting back to Philadelphia on weekends to deliver Sunday sermons; and

WHEREAS, The Vice-Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressman Gray served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and was also the first African-American to chair the House Budget Committee and also the first African-American to serve as the Majority Whip; and

WHEREAS, During his tenure as Majority Whip, Congressman Gray was the highest ranking African-American to serve in Congress; and

WHEREAS, As Chairman of the House Budget Committee, Congressman Gray introduced anti-Apartheid legislation that prohibited loans and new investment in South Africa, an instrumental precursor to the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986; and

WHEREAS, Upon resigning from Congress in 1991, Congressman Gray went on to serve as President of the United Negro College Fund where he raised more than $2.3 billion dollars for minority institutions; and

WHEREAS, Upon his sudden death in 2013, Congressman Gray was heralded as a powerful, productive and progressive force in the social and political fabric of Philadelphia's history; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council does hereby urge the United States Congress to support the re-designation of the railroad sta...

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