Biden and Harris speak at ceremony to mark anniversary of MLK Jr. Memorial

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at a ceremony Thursday, commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial being erected in Washington, D.C. 

Biden used the opportunity to discuss key priorities of his legislative agenda, and to connect his efforts to those of King. 

During his speech, Biden evoked King's legacy while discussing his administration's attempts to expand voter access, saying the right to vote is under an "unrelenting assault from Republicans."

"The most un-American thing that any of us can imagine, the most undemocratic and the most unpatriotic, and yet sadly not unprecedented, time and time again we have witnessed threats to the right to vote and free and fair elections come to fruition," Biden said during his speech. "Each time we fought back and we have to continue to fight today."

Harris echoed Biden's comments concerning voter reform while praising King's work concerning civil rights.

"Today, as a nation we must summon our own power as leaders, we must leverage our own power, and we all have a role to play and the president and I are clear on ours. We are and must be unwavering in this fight and we must use our voice to call out any effort to obstruct justice. And to call for justice everywhere," Harris said during her speech. 

"America is not defined by her perfection. America is defined by our commitment to perfecting. And in our nation that will forever be the way forward,” She concluded. 

The MLK memorial was dedicated in 2011 and is the only one featuring an African-American on the National Mall.