Minnesota lawmakers are taking first steps to honor a hometown hero at the federal level.
On Monday (October 25), Congress' Minnesota delegation introduced a resolution that will posthumously award music icon Prince with the Congressional Gold Medal.
Citing his "indelible mark on Minnesota and American culture," Prince would join the likes of Rosa Parks, the Tuskegee Airmen, the Navajo Code Talkers, and more who've all received the high honor.
"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," Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who represents Minnesota, said in a statement.
Klobuchar and Rep. Ilhan Omar, who represents the Prince's native Minneapolis are leading the charge in getting the "1999" musician award the medal, which is considered one of the nation's highest civilian honors.
"Prince is a Minnesota icon," Omar said in a statement. "He showed that it is OK 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."
Others in the delegation include: Sen. Tina Smith and Reps. Jim Hagedorn, Angie Craig, Dean Phillips, Betty McCollum, Michelle Fishbach, Pete Stauber, and Tom Emmer.
Prince died April 21, 2016 at his Paisley Park estate in Chanhassen, Minnesota. He was 57 years old.
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