AL - Nearly fifty years after members of the Ku Klux Klan bombed an Alabama church state lawmakers are seeking the Congressional Gold Medal to honor the four young girls killed in the attack.

Democratic Congresswoman Terri Sewell, one of the lawmakers behind the bill, made the official request on the House floor Wednesday morning.

"We're declaring 2013 as the year of Birmingham to honor the historic events that occurred in our city in 1963. The city of Birmingham serves as a reminder to the rest of the world that out of despair, there is hope and justice does indeed prevail," said Sewell.

The bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church outraged the nation and led Congress to pass the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian honor Congress can award, but they require bipartisan support.

Two-thirds of the House and Senate must co-sponsor the proposal before Congress can consider it.