BET Wire: Selma Marchers to Receive Congressional Gold Medal

Congress honors voting rights activists.

In Case You Missed It - Republicans leave President Obama scratching his head; Ben Carson kind of blames the spread of measles on immigrants; one lawmaker thinks it's OK if your food service worker doesn't wash his hands after a bathroom break — and more. — Joyce Jones (@BETpolitichick)

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In Case You Missed It - Washington, D.C., residents can sorta, kinda smoke marijuana at home; Congress honors Selma marchers; Loretta Lynch may soon become attorney general, and more. —Joyce Jones (@BETpolitichick) (Photo: BET)

An Award Long Overdue - The U.S. Senate on Feb. 27 approved legislation to present a Congressional Gold Medal to the protesters who marched from Selma to Montgomery to demand voting rights. The House has passed an identical bill and the measure will soon go to President Obama. "As we confront the myriad of challenges our country continues to face, we do so with the knowledge that we drink deeply from wells of freedom and liberty that we did not ourselves dig," said Sen. Cory Booker, who co-sponsored the bill with Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama). "This award is a small token of our collective national gratitude to the courageous men and women who sacrificed so much to move our country forward."  (Photo: William Lovelace/Express/Getty Images)

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An Award Long Overdue - The U.S. Senate on Feb. 27 approved legislation to present a Congressional Gold Medal to the protesters who marched from Selma to Montgomery to demand voting rights. The House has passed an identical bill and the measure will soon go to President Obama. "As we confront the myriad of challenges our country continues to face, we do so with the knowledge that we drink deeply from wells of freedom and liberty that we did not ourselves dig," said Sen. Cory Booker, who co-sponsored the bill with Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama). "This award is a small token of our collective national gratitude to the courageous men and women who sacrificed so much to move our country forward." (Photo: William Lovelace/Express/Getty Images)

Apples and Oranges - In remarks delivered at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said that dealing with his state's union members has prepared him to deal with ISIS. “We need a leader with that kind of confidence. If I can take on 100,000 protesters, I can do the same across the world," he said. The potential 2016 presidential candidate later told Bloomberg Politics that he hadn't intended to compare union workers to the terrorist group. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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Apples and Oranges - In remarks delivered at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said that dealing with his state's union members has prepared him to deal with ISIS. “We need a leader with that kind of confidence. If I can take on 100,000 protesters, I can do the same across the world," he said. The potential 2016 presidential candidate later told Bloomberg Politics that he hadn't intended to compare union workers to the terrorist group. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Reefer Madness - Defying Congress, Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser implemented a voter-approved initiative on Feb. 26 that allows people to legally grow and share marijuana in private. "If they are under any illusion that this would be legal, they are wrong. And there are very severe consequences for violating this provision. You can go to prison for this. We’re not playing a little game here," Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) told the Washington Post.(Photo: Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

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Reefer Madness - Defying Congress, Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser implemented a voter-approved initiative on Feb. 26 that allows people to legally grow and share marijuana in private. "If they are under any illusion that this would be legal, they are wrong. And there are very severe consequences for violating this provision. You can go to prison for this. We’re not playing a little game here," Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) told the Washington Post.(Photo: Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Guess Who's Going to Selma? - Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura will join Obama in Selma on March 7 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the voting rights marches. Obama's daughters also will participate in the event, which the president said at a White House Black History Month reception will pay tribute to “countless American heroes whose names aren’t in the history books, that aren’t etched on marble somewhere — ordinary men and women.”     Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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Guess Who's Going to Selma? - Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura will join Obama in Selma on March 7 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the voting rights marches. Obama's daughters also will participate in the event, which the president said at a White House Black History Month reception will pay tribute to “countless American heroes whose names aren’t in the history books, that aren’t etched on marble somewhere — ordinary men and women.” Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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And Guess Who's Not... - Although several CBC members have urged House Majority Whip Steve Scalise to participate in the Selma march, he is taking a pass. Black lawmakers felt it would be a show of good faith following the disclosure of his 2002 speech before a white supremacist group when he was a state lawmaker. The Louisiana lawmaker said he's spoken with them about it, but told The Hill newspaper that he's "definitely going next year."   (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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And Guess Who's Not... - Although several CBC members have urged House Majority Whip Steve Scalise to participate in the Selma march, he is taking a pass. Black lawmakers felt it would be a show of good faith following the disclosure of his 2002 speech before a white supremacist group when he was a state lawmaker. The Louisiana lawmaker said he's spoken with them about it, but told The Hill newspaper that he's "definitely going next year." (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Getting There - Loretta Lynch, the president's nominee to replace outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder, overcame a major hurdle on Feb. 26 when the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12-8 to move her nomination to the full Senate for confirmation. The federal prosecutor is expected to win enough votes to win that next battle.  (Photo: J. Scott Applewhite, File/AP Photo)

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Getting There - Loretta Lynch, the president's nominee to replace outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder, overcame a major hurdle on Feb. 26 when the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12-8 to move her nomination to the full Senate for confirmation. The federal prosecutor is expected to win enough votes to win that next battle. (Photo: J. Scott Applewhite, File/AP Photo)

The Veto Pen to Get a Real Workout - Before this year, Obama had vetoed just three bills during his tenure, but that number could increase significantly with Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress. The White House has threatened to veto a bill overhauling No Child Left Behind, calling it "a significant step backwards." It also has threatened to veto any bill overturning the president's executive actions on immigration and a series of tax cuts, and has already vetoed a Keystone Pipeline bill.    (Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

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The Veto Pen to Get a Real Workout - Before this year, Obama had vetoed just three bills during his tenure, but that number could increase significantly with Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress. The White House has threatened to veto a bill overhauling No Child Left Behind, calling it "a significant step backwards." It also has threatened to veto any bill overturning the president's executive actions on immigration and a series of tax cuts, and has already vetoed a Keystone Pipeline bill.  (Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

One Man's Perspective - Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, a conservative favorite and possible 2016 presidential candidate, believes it's important for Republicans to speak for underrepresented communities. During an interview at CPAC, he told ABC News that his race and upbringing give him "a great deal of perspective." “Having grown up in the lowest rungs, economically, of society and being able to rise through every level to the top and seeing what concerns people at all those different levels,” he said. “The things that concern Black people are really the same things that concern white people or brown people or yellow people.”   (Photo: Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo)

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One Man's Perspective - Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, a conservative favorite and possible 2016 presidential candidate, believes it's important for Republicans to speak for underrepresented communities. During an interview at CPAC, he told ABC News that his race and upbringing give him "a great deal of perspective." “Having grown up in the lowest rungs, economically, of society and being able to rise through every level to the top and seeing what concerns people at all those different levels,” he said. “The things that concern Black people are really the same things that concern white people or brown people or yellow people.” (Photo: Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo)