[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 141 (Wednesday, October 8, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2007-E2008]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN HONOR OF REV. EMANUEL CLEAVER, II AND HIS THIRTY YEARS OF SERVICE TO 
    ST. JAMES UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AND THE KANSAS CITY COMMUNITY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. KAREN McCARTHY

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 8, 2003

  Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor ``A Man 
of Vision,'' the venerable Rev. Emanuel Cleaver, II, whose leadership, 
ministry, and public service have enhanced the Kansas City community 
for three decades. A former mayor of Kansas City and the senior pastor 
at St. James United Methodist Church, Rev. Cleaver is being honored on 
October 11 for his accomplishments, exceptional vision and 
contributions to our community as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of 
his service to St. James Church.
  Growing up in a humble household, Rev. Cleaver daily witnessed the 
need to serve the urban core and its poor. His service as City Council 
Member and Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Committee, Mayor Pro 
Tem, Mayor and ordained United Methodist minister reflect the legacy of 
the Cleaver family tradition of giving back to one's community. Rev. 
Cleaver's accomplishments are vast and impressive. His dream to 
complete an $8 million contemporary sanctuary connected to the old 
building of St. James will allow many more parishioners to join those 
who gather to hear his inspirational counsel.
  An advocate of jobs for the Fifth District, Mayor Cleaver was a 
pioneer in persuading

[[Page E2008]]

corporations like Transamerica and Gateway 2000 to lay a foundation in 
our community. His plans for tax abatement, infrastructure and economic 
development have enriched our city in myriad ways. As the shepherd of 
our city, he championed the Brush Creek Flood Control project, the 
Bruce R. Watkins Roadway, the Chouteau Bridge, and the Ilus W. Davis 
Civic Mall. I am proud to be a federal partner in these efforts with 
Rev. Cleaver, as well as in the expansion of Bartle Hall, the economic 
renewal of the Hispanic West Side, and the revitalization of the 
historic 18th and Vine District.
  Rev. Cleaver's vision for a strong community includes serving the 
city's youth and the disadvantaged through safe and enriching 
recreational activities such as the Mayor's Night Hoops, a nationally 
recognized program that offers our city's youth a safe haven from drugs 
and violence. Rev. Cleaver was also instrumental in implementing a 
welfare to work program that provided 400 jobs to former welfare 
recipients. He has received numerous distinctions acknowledging his 
legacy upon Kansas City. He earned the 1999 Conspicuous Service Medal 
from Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan, the 1993 James C. Kilpatrick 
Excellence for Government Award, the 1992 NAACP Harold L. Holliday, Sr. 
Civil Rights Award, and a host of other significant merits.
  A trusted advisor, Rev. Cleaver was appointed to President-Elect Bill 
Clinton's 1992 Transition Team, attended the 1993 White House's 
Palestinian Liberation Organization/Israeli Peace Accord, was a member 
of the Democratic Platform Committee in 1996, was a member of the 
Democratic National Committee and spoke at the 1996 Democratic National 
Convention. President Clinton sought his counsel and friendship 
throughout his presidency.
  Rev. Cleaver leadership includes: President and Chairman of the 
National Conference of Black Mayors, Chairman of the US Conference of 
Mayors Committee on Crime and Social Justice and Chairman for the Task 
Force on Finances for the District of Columbia. He was a Fellow of the 
Aspen Institute, a National Board Member of the Southern Christian 
Leadership Conference, and for seven consecutive years, he was named 
one of Ebony magazine's ``100 Most Influential African Americans''.
  To share his expertise on policy and social issues, Rev. Cleaver has 
appeared on the news programs ``This Week with David Brinkley,'' ``The 
MacNeil/Lehrer Report,'' and ``Face the Nation,'' and is quoted in 
newspapers and periodicals such as USA Today, The New York Times, The 
Economist, and Newsweek.
  Members of the St. James Congregation revere Rev. Cleaver as a ``Man 
of Vision,'' a reference to the biblical passage Proverbs 29:18, which 
states, ``Where there is no vision the people perish. . . .'' Kansas 
City flourishes due to this great leader's vision. He follows a moral 
and noble path in forging a better future for us all.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring St. James' ``Man of Vision,'' 
Rev. Emanuel Cleaver for his 30 years of service to his church 
community and country.

                          ____________________