[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 90 (Tuesday, June 18, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H6462-H6464]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       WILLIAM H. NATCHER BRIDGE

  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 3572) to designate the bridge on U.S. Route 231 which crosses the 
Ohio River between Maceo, KY, and Rockport, IN, as the ``William H. 
Natcher Bridge.''
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3572

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.

       The bridge on United States Route 231 which crosses the 
     Ohio River between Maceo, Kentucky, and Rockport, Indiana, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``William H. Natcher 
     Bridge''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States to the bridge referred 
     to in section 1 shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
     ``William H. Natcher Bridge''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Wisconsin [Mr. Petri] and the gentleman from West Virginia [Mr. Rahall] 
each will be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Petri].
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3572, which would name a bridge on U.S. 231 over 
the Ohio River near Owensboro, KY, in honor of our late and former 
colleague, William Natcher, is identical to legislation which was 
passed unanimously by this House on September 22, 1994. Unfortunately, 
the Senate never acted on this

[[Page H6463]]

legislation during the previous Congress.

  A compilation of tributes to Chairman Natcher has recently been 
published and in the near future will be distributed throughout the 
State of Kentucky by members of the Kentucky delegation. We are 
considering this bill today in conjunction with those activities.
  Representative Natcher was born in Bowling Green, KY, in 1909 and was 
educated at Western Kentucky State College and the Ohio State 
University law school. His life was dedicated to public service--
serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II and holdings a series of 
local and State offices before being elected to Congress in 1953. He 
moved up the ranks of the Appropriations Committee, eventually assuming 
the chairmanship of the full committee in 1993.
  I am proud to have had the privilege of serving in the House with 
Congressman Natcher. Although well-known for having cast 18,401 
consecutive votes during his 40 years here, Congressman Natcher's 
accomplishments are much more than that voting record. He put a very 
high value on public service and set a very high standard for himself. 
Bill Natcher was always an inspiration to me and, I know, to many other 
Members as well.
  He was a gentleman, a stateman, and a man of unquestioned integrity 
who served this House and his constituents in Kentucky from 1954 until 
his death in 1994, with quiet, unfailing dedication. The naming of this 
bridge for Bill Natcher is a fitting and lasting memorial to our friend 
and former colleague.
  I urge passage of H.R. 3572.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I simply would like to add that many of us in this body 
would agree that Mr. Natcher's distinguished service to this Nation, 
and to the people of the Second Congressional District of Kentucky, 
merits in the very least some type of official recognition.
  The pending legislation reflects the wishes of the Kentucky 
Delegation to in some small way provide this recognition.
  This bill would designate a bridge on U.S. Route 231, which crosses 
the Ohio River in the vicinity of Owensboro, KY, as the ``William H. 
Natcher Bridge.''
  It passed the House last Congress, but failed to make it into law.
  I would, as such, urge a unanimous vote in approving this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Kentucky [Mr. Lewis], Mr. Natcher's successor in this body.
  Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 
3572, which will officially designate the bridge spanning Maceo, KY, 
and Rockport, IN, as the ``William H. Natcher Bridge.''
  Though folks on either side of the Ohio River back home know this 
project as the Natcher bridge, we have not yet named it at the Federal 
level.
  Two years ago, this body passed a similar bill, but the other body 
kept it bottled up in committee. So, today is our chance to get this 
taken care of.
  Many of you know that I represent the Second District of Kentucky, 
which Mr. Natcher served so honorably for 41 years. And over the past 2 
years, I've heard many stories about Mr. Natcher; from Members of 
Congress to barbers to elevator operators. And they all seem to have 
one thing in common: an incredible level of respect and admiration--on 
both sides of the aisle.
  Congressman Natcher was a gentleman in every sense of the word.
  We all know about his incredible voting streak: When he finally was 
unable to make it to the Hill, he had not missed a rollcall vote in 
more than 40 years--or 18,401 consecutive votes.
  Cal Ripken could learn something from the gentleman from Bowling 
Green, KY. And so can we all.
  My office was recently sent a number of copies of a memorial tribute 
to Congressman Natcher. It consists of speeches made in this Chamber 
when he became seriously ill, and after he passed on, as well as 
various articles about his career.
  It is an inspiring work.
  I'm honored to be able to send copies of this book to Mr. Natcher's 
family, and to the schools and public libraries of the Second District.
  There, Mr. Natcher's legacy of hard work, fairness, and 
bipartisanship can continue to touch the lives of young people.
  Let us pass this final, simple tribute to Congressman Natcher, and 
ensure that the Natcher Bridge, which will be built primarily with 
Federal dollars, is known by its proper name here in Washington, DC, 
and across the country.
  I thank two colleagues of Mr. Natcher--Chairman Petri and Chairman 
Shuster--for their quick work on bringing this legislation to the 
floor.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Kentucky [Mr. Bunning].
  (Mr. BUNNING of Kentucky asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BUNNING of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, to become an effective leader--
a real leader--you need three ingredients:
  Belief--You gotta believe in something.
  Involvement--you can't lead unless you get down in the trenches 
yourself to make things happen.
  Commitment--you have to stay in for the long haul--you have to 
overcome challenges and that takes time.
  Belief, involvement, and commitment. That is what makes a leader. And 
Bill Natcher had all three.
  For 40 years, Bill Natcher served in the House of Representatives. 
For 40 years, he never missed a day of work. For 40 years, he never 
missed a single vote--18,401 votes. That's commitment.
  Nine Presidents came and went. He served under seven different 
Speakers of the House. But Bill Natcher was there day in day out, 
quietly going about the business of doing the people's business.
  He didn't showboat. He didn't make a lot of speeches. He didn't 
schmooze with the press. He just quietly went about the business of 
public service. Because he believed in it.
  And he was never shy about sharing his beliefs. I guess I heard his 
spiel a thousand times in the 7 years I was in Washington with him. He 
repeated it virtually every time he spoke before a group of Kentuckians 
visiting Washington. It wasn't a complex philosophy.
  He would simply say, and I quote, ``If you educate your children and 
if you provide for the health of your people, you will continue to live 
in the strongest Nation in the world.''
  That's it. That was the principle that motivated Bill Natcher for 40 
years.
  He believed--he got involved--and he demonstrated unbelievable 
commitment.
  Because of that commitment, he did more than set voting and 
attendance records that will stand forever. He also made a very big 
difference in the health, education, and welfare of a whole nation.
  That is leadership. That was Bill Natcher.
  Bill Natcher deserves this honor--I rise in support of the 
resolution.

                              {time}  1645

  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Kentucky [Mr. Rogers].
  Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution and 
commend my colleague, the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Lewis], the 
sponsor of the bill, and the Representative of the Second Congressional 
District, a job which Mr. Natcher held, of course, for many years. I 
also commend the chairman, the gentleman from Wisconsin, Mr. Petri, and 
the ranking member, Mr. Rahall, for bringing this bill to the floor.
  Bill Natcher was a patriot, pure and simple; a statesman, in every 
sense of the word, and a dear, dear friend to many in this institution; 
in fact, I would say all. He also served as an example of what every 
Member of this body aspires to be. He was of the highest character and 
the most impeccable integrity, with the moral courage and compass to 
follow his beliefs, to follow his tremendous sense of right and wrong. 
He was a longtime member, of course, of the Committee on 
Appropriations, its distinguished chairman beginning in December 1992. 
Before that, he served tirelessly for 18 years as chairman of the 
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and 
his accomplishments there have served this Nation in

[[Page H6464]]

ways beyond our ability to fully appreciate.
  There are many tributes that have been bestowed upon our State's 
former dean, and many more to come, I hope, but this tribute is 
especially fitting. Bill Natcher labored for years to build this 
bridge. When finished, the Natcher Bridge will be a daily reminder to 
his many beloved constituents of the tremendous service he gave to his 
district, his State, and the people of this Nation.
  Again, I want to congratulate the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Lewis] 
for sponsoring this memorial to one of our greatest statesmen in the 
House and the Congress, and I urge its adoption.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished, very 
capable gentleman who is the Representative of the Third District of 
Kentucky, Mr. Ward.
  Mr. WARD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for yielding 
me time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution and am very proud 
to be able to do so. I am disappointed that I was not able to get to 
know Bill Natcher. I had the opportunity on literally just a couple of 
occasions to introduce myself to him and to meet him. My service in 
this Congress began after his passing. But I do know very, very well of 
his reputation, because each of us who was involved in government and 
politics in Kentucky knew very well of Chairman Natcher.
  We knew of him as an example to aspire to, not just his voting 
record, but obviously that reflected his commitment and his sense of 
duty, but more than that, to the way he conducted himself in office.
  Chairman Natcher was a fellow who had no press secretary. Chairman 
Natcher was a fellow who regularly turned back some of his office 
budget to the Treasury. Chairman Natcher, in short, was a fellow who 
represented his district in a time-honored fashion that maybe is no 
longer to be seen and will never again be seen.
  Chairman Natcher prided himself on campaigning out of his sedan. He 
drove around the Second Congressional District of Kentucky from 
courthouse to courthouse, from crossroads to crossroads, and made sure 
that the people of his district knew who he was and what he was about, 
and that he in turn knew who they were and what they were about.
  I am delighted to have the opportunity to support this resolution, 
and look forward to driving across the William Natcher Bridge.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman], the chairman of the Committee on 
International Relations.
  (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman for 
yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of this resolution 
naming a bridge on behalf of our former leader, Chairman Natcher, who 
was a model for so many of us in the Congress. His dedication, his 
leadership, his devotion to public responsibilities, served as a 
reminder to all of us how much more we can and should be doing as we 
represent the people of our own districts.
  I think this memorial is a befitting memorial in naming the bridge 
after Mr. Natcher, because he was like a sturdy bridge for all of us, 
between our constituents and the Congress and the Federal Government. I 
am pleased to rise in support of the resolution.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Henry Hyde, the distinguished chairman of 
the Committee on the Judiciary.
  (Mr. HYDE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I just cannot let this opportunity pass 
without paying homage to one of the really great people I have been 
privileged to meet in a rather long life. Bill Natcher was as close to 
a perfect legislator as I have ever encountered, a man of impeccable 
rectitude. He was as straight as he stood, which was with ramrod 
severity. He was honorable, he was straightforward. You knew where he 
stood on any issue and every issue. But, most importantly, his 
contributions, which were many, most importantly they were not that he 
ran the Committee on Appropriations with an iron hand, but with 
compassion and a generous hand. He never turned anybody away who needed 
help, any cause. He was a liberal in the best sense of the term as 
anybody I have ever met, and yet he kept a very tight ship.
  But I think his most important and lasting contribution was his 
defense of the unborn. It was not very popular for him, but he was pro-
life, and there are literally millions of children alive today because 
Bill Natcher would not budge on the issue of Federal funding for 
abortion. He was a great man, he is a great man, and one bridge is 
hardly enough, but at least it is a start.
  God bless you, Bill Natcher.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Nethercutt). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Petri] that the 
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3572.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed. A motion to 
reconsider was laid on the table.

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