[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 113 (Thursday, September 21, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S8937]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RENAMING OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS IN HONOR OF PRESIDENT 
                             HARRY S TRUMAN

  Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, tomorrow will be a special day for the 
State of Missouri. Tomorrow, President Clinton and Secretary of State 
Madeleine Albright will hold a ceremony to officially rename the U.S. 
State Department Headquarters as The Harry S Truman Federal Building.
  I am pleased to have played a role in the renaming of the State 
Department in honor of one of Missouri's most famous sons--President 
Truman. Last spring, I introduced a bill, S. 2416, to designate the 
headquarters for the Department of State, as the ``Harry S. Truman 
Federal Building''. The House's companion legislation, H.R. 3639, 
sponsored by Missouri Congressmen Ike Skelton and Roy Blunt, passed the 
Senate on June 8th and was signed by the President on June 20, 2000. 
Secretary of State Albright was supportive of this effort from the 
beginning, and I thank her. In addition, I would like to thank the 
Senators who cosponsored this bill, Senators Bond, Boxer, Byrd, DeWine, 
Hagel, Moynihan, Roberts, and Warner.
  Born in Lamar, Missouri, Harry S Truman was a farmer, a national 
guardsman, a World War I veteran, a local postmaster, a road overseer, 
and a small business owner before turning to politics. Through these 
traditional experiences, he gained the courage, honesty, and dedication 
to freedom required of a great leader. Joining the Senate in 1935, 
Truman fought against government waste and saved the U.S. Government 
$15 billion as Chairman of the Senate War Investigating committee. Ten 
years later, Harry S Truman became Franklin D. Roosevelt's Vice 
President. Four short months later, Truman assumed the presidency after 
Roosevelt's untimely death, and remarked to reporters: ``I felt like 
the moon, the stars, and all the planets had fallen on me.'' Although 
Truman might have felt unprepared, he rose to the challenge with 
typical Missourian resolve and changed the face of history. President 
Truman went on to become one of the most influential presidents of the 
modern era. His leadership and character, especially in the area of 
foreign policy, have earned him well-deserved praise and respect 
throughout the world. The life, character, and freedom-loving values of 
this great Missourian are honored by countless millions.
  Mr. President, naming the State Department Headquarters building 
after President Truman is a befitting tribute to his life and his 
legacy. This is truly a proud moment for the Truman family, the people 
of Missouri, and all Americans.

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