[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 148 (Tuesday, December 5, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2124-E2125]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                FAREWELL SALUTE TO WILLIAM ``BILL'' CLAY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MAJOR R. OWENS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 5, 2000

  Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, there are no new and original accolades that 
I can add to the many phrases of praise already accorded our retiring 
Member, William ``Bill'' Clay. When he arrived during the age of the 
afro haircut, Bill Clay had a chest full of invisible medals from the 
Movement. He helped to guide the years of maximum Congressional Black 
Caucus solidarity, the time of Clay, Dellums, Conyers, Stokes and 
Rangel. Those were the days when CBC Members were wise enough not to 
scramble single handedly for their committee assignment deals. In 
unison, the Black representatives demanded placements for the good of 
their local and their Black national constituency. Leadership was 
forced to seat Peacenick Dellums on the Armed Services Committee where 
the good old boys refused to give the brother a chair at the table to 
sit down. The radical Clay and his conspirators went on the propose the 
first CBC Dinner against the wishes of prominent White liberal allies. 
Further into the reign of Clay, the Voting Rights Act became a reality; 
and still later sanctions were imposed on South Africa. And the 
proposal for a Martin Luther King Holiday which started as an 
impossible dream finally concluded as a magnificent monument to the 
forward movement of race relations in America. At this point, Mr. 
Speaker, I wish to associate myself with the numerous other tributes 
that have already been recorded for our former Postal and Civil Service 
Committee chairman, and the ranking Democrat on Education and the 
Workforce. Congressman Clay is one of the last of the CBC original 
pioneers. It is important to note that with the recent election of 
William ``Lacy'' Clay, his son, the Clay genes will fortunately be 
remaining in Congress. The following Rap Poem is my final salute to the 
gentleman from Missouri who now we draft into our ``Corps of National 
American Statesmen'', William ``Bill'' Clay.

                    Bill Clay: The St. Louis Choice

                    (By Congressman Major R. Owens)

     Now is the time
     To lift high every voice,
     Join us to celebrate
     Achievements of the St. Louis Choice.
     Go ahead and loudly sing,
     Let fading memories
     Rise and sting;
     This St. Louis militant
     Earned progress
     The old fashioned way-
     He jumped in the man's face
     To save the day.
     Pushing straight ahead,
     to mad to be afraid,
     Nobody forgets
     The trouble he made,
     Every cent of dues daily he paid,

[[Page E2125]]

     Republicans regret
     That for so long he stayed.
     Indiana's Bob McCloskey
     Faxed Democrats an urgent note:
     Fly Bill Clay to Florida-
     Let the Master recount that vote.
     Wrong predictions of the past
     Said the CBC wouldn't last;
     Now forecasters ask
     Who'll lead the new struggle,
     What's the future all about?
     St. Louis responded:
     The let another load
     of Bill Clay genes out.
     Now is the time
     To lift every voice,
     Join us to celebrate
     Achievements of the St. Louis Choice.

     

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