Dearly Beloved: Amy Klobuchar and Ilhan Omar Push to Honor Prince with Congressional Medal

Senator Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Ilhan Omar have introduced a bipartisan bill to honor late legendary artist Prince with a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal.

The musical giant, born Prince Rogers Nelson on June 7, 1958, passed away suddenly and tragically in 2016 of an opioid overdose at the age of 57, and this week, his home-state federal legislators have joined to sponsor a bill that would honor him with a Congressional Gold Medal.

The Prince Congressional Gold Medal Act was introduced by Klobuchar and Omar, but is also co-sponsored by every member of the Minnesota delegation: Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), Reps Jim Hagedorn (R-MN), Angie Craig (D-MN), Dean Phillips (D-MN), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Tom Emmer (R-MN), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), and Pete Stauber (R-MN).

The legislators took turns praising Prince in a statement:

“Like so many, I grew up with Prince’s music. I was always proud to say he was from Minnesota,” said Klobuchar. “The world is a whole lot cooler because Prince was in it — he touched our hearts, opened our minds, and made us want to dance. With this legislation, we honor his memory and contributions as a composer, performer, and music innovator. Purple reigns in Minnesota today and every day because of him.”

“Prince is a Minnesota icon,” said Omar. “I remember when I first came to America being captivated by Prince’s music and impact on the culture. He showed that it was okay to be a short, Black kid from Minneapolis and still change the world. He not only changed the arc of music history; he put Minneapolis on the map. Places like First Avenue, Uptown are landmarks because of Prince. I am proud to introduce this resolution to give Prince the recognition he deserves.”

“Prince was a Minnesotan who left us far too early. He was an internationally-renowned artist, showman, and producer, who thrilled millions of people across the world with his visionary skills as a musician and cultivator of other artist’s talent,” said Smith. “His complete body of work is still being recognized, as new discoveries remind us how important he still is as an artist. His Paisley Park gave life to a generation of other artists, who without him would not have realized their potential. His importance to American music cannot be measured, and the joy his music continues to bring to me and to millions of fans across the globe makes him an American treasure.”

As the statement notes, the resolution will require the co-sponsorship of two-thirds of both the House and the Senate in order for the award to be given.

Watch Prince’s stellar performance at the 2004 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction above, via Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

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