[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 56 (Wednesday, April 9, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H2086-H2088]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1130
               WILLIAM ``BILL'' CLAY POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 5395) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 11001 Dunklin Drive in St. Louis, Missouri, as the 
``William 'Bill' Clay Post Office Building.''
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5395

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

     SECTION 1. WILLIAM ``BILL'' CLAY POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 11001 Dunklin Drive in St. Louis, 
     Missouri, shall be known and designated as the ``William 
     `Bill' Clay Post Office Building''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be 
     a reference to the ``William `Bill' Clay Post Office 
     Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Clay) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Marchant) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Missouri?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Once again I stand as a member of the House Committee on Oversight 
and Government Reform to join my colleagues in the consideration of 
H.R. 5395, which would rename the post office facility at 11001 Dunklin 
Drive in

[[Page H2087]]

St. Louis, Missouri, after a true hero of mine: my beloved father, the 
Honorable William ``Bill'' Clay, Sr.
  The measure before us was first introduced by my friend and colleague 
Representative Russ Carnahan from my home State of Missouri on February 
12, 2008. I am proud to say that the bill now enjoys the support and 
cosponsorship of nearly 60 Members of Congress, including the entire 
congressional delegation from the ``Show Me State'' of Missouri. H.R. 
5395 was taken up by the House Oversight Committee on March 13, 2008, 
and reported out of the committee by voice vote that same day.
  Mr. Speaker, I'm sure you can imagine that in commemorating the 
achievements and accomplishments of my father, I could begin anywhere 
and probably go on endlessly. Throughout my lifetime I have been 
blessed to experience and witness firsthand my father's commitment to 
his community and his country.
  Congressman Clay served Missouri's First Congressional District for 
32 years from 1968 to 2000. Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, 
Bill Clay served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955. Prior to his 
service in the U.S. House of Representatives, my father held the 
position of alderman in St. Louis from 1959 to 1964. And prior to that, 
he held jobs as a real estate broker, a labor coordinator, and a union 
affiliate for the St. Louis City Employees Union from 1961 to 1964 and 
an education coordinator for the Steamfitters Union up until 1967.
  During his tenure in Congress, Bill Clay became an advocate for 
environmentalism, labor issues, and social justice. Co-founder of the 
Congressional Black Caucus, he chaired the House Committee on the Post 
Office and Civil Service from 1991 to 1995. His leadership in this 
policy arena serves as greater evidence for passing the measure at 
hand, which would name the Dunklin Drive post office in his honor. Upon 
retiring in 2000, I was fortunate and honored to pick up where my 
father left off representing Missouri's First Congressional District.
  Mr. Speaker, as we move to recognize the accomplishments of a great 
statesman, father, and to many of us friend, I ask that we pass the 
underlying bill without reservation and pay tribute to service and 
diligence rendered by Congressman Clay to this body over a 32-year 
period. I urge passage of H.R. 5395.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MARCHANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to my 
distinguished colleague from the State of Missouri (Mrs. Emerson).
  Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, I really had to come over and couldn't let 
this opportunity slip by without coming to the floor to say a few words 
about my friend former Congressman Bill Clay, even though we still kind 
of call him ``Congressman.'' This is such a well-deserved honor for the 
former chairman of the Post Office and Civil Service Committee but 
really more so because of the man that he is.
  Bill Clay has dedicated his life to his community in St. Louis, the 
State of Missouri, our Nation, and is well loved throughout the State, 
not just in St. Louis, where he is from. He was a magnificent leader in 
this Congress for civil rights and a congressman who really exemplified 
what's good about this institution, and that is that there are so many 
of us who can put aside differences and strive to work for a common 
good, and Bill Clay always did that. He was not a partisan politician. 
He was and he does remain a true leader.
  So that is why I am happy to support this legislation to name a post 
office after our former colleague, a wonderful man and my friend, Bill 
Clay.
  Mr. CLAY. I want to thank the gentlewoman from Missouri, my friend 
and colleague, for those kind words. I certainly appreciate it.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 5 minutes to the sponsor of this 
amendment, my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. 
Carnahan).
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to sponsor this bill today 
before us, H.R. 5395, a bill to name a Missouri post office after a 
true champion of civil rights, Congressman William ``Bill'' Clay. Mr. 
Clay retired from the House of Representatives in the year 2000 after a 
stellar career in public service.
  It's especially appropriate to have this tribute for him to name the 
Florissant, Missouri, post office in his honor that is located in 
Missouri's First Congressional District that he represented for 32 
years in Congress, where he rose to become chairman of the House 
Committee on the Post Office and Civil Service and achieved the third 
highest rank in seniority in the entire U.S. House.
  Mr. Clay was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and began his political 
career in 1959 as a member of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, where he 
served until 1964. Prior to entering Congress in 1968, he also worked 
as a real estate broker and later as a labor coordinator. He worked for 
the union of St. Louis City employees from 1961 to 1964 and then with 
the Steamfitters Union until 1967.
  Congressman Bill Clay is known as a true pioneer of civil rights. 
Throughout his tenure in Congress, he became a champion of social 
justice and labor rights, working on behalf of the poor and the 
disenfranchised. Bill Clay was co-founder of the Congressional Black 
Caucus. He was an author of the history of African Americans who served 
in Congress. And he had a famous saying, that he did not have permanent 
friends or permanent enemies in politics, just permanent interest. He 
looked out for the people that he represented, and he served them well. 
He's been credited with turning back racial discrimination throughout 
his career. He remains today an outspoken leader in our community, an 
accomplished author. This will be a fitting tribute to his years of 
dedication in public service.
  I ask that the U.S. House of Representatives respect this living 
legend, this inspirational leader, Congressman William ``Bill'' Clay 
with this fitting tribute of naming a Missouri post office in his 
honor.
  Mr. MARCHANT. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, let me thank my friend and colleague Mr. 
Carnahan from Missouri for those kind words and for his friendship to 
our family. We are both proud Missourians with political families, and 
I'm certainly honored to serve with him in this body and honored that 
he would recognize a great Missourian like he has.
  Let me also thank Mr. Marchant of Texas, too, for his indulgence and 
his support of this measure and thank the entire body for their 
support.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MARCHANT. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage 
of H.R. 5395.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker. I rise today in strong support 
of H.R. 5395, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 11001 Dunklin Drive in St. Louis, Missouri, as the 
``William `Bill' Clay Post Office Building.'' I would like to thank my 
colleague Congressman Carnahan for introducing this bill, and Chairman 
Waxman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee for 
bringing this important legislation to the floor today.
  As my colleagues are aware, William `Bill' Clay served in the House 
of Representatives for 32 years, until his retirement in 2000. He was a 
true leader, a champion of civil rights, and a tireless voice for the 
people of Missouri's 1st Congressional District.
  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Clay was born in 1931 in St. Louis, Missouri and he 
graduated from St. Louis University. He began his political career in 
1959, serving as a member of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen until 
1964. He also worked as a real estate broker, and served his community 
as a labor coordinator. From 1961-1964, he worked for the union of St. 
Louis city employees, and later with a steamfitters union until 1967.
  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Clay was also a true champion of civil rights. He 
was one of the founders of the Congressional Black Caucus, and, 
throughout his time in Congress, he championed social justice and labor 
issues. He worked tirelessly on behalf of the poor and disenfranchised, 
always seeking to give them a voice in these halls. He was instrumental 
in fighting racial discrimination whenever and wherever it occurred. 
Congressman Clay authored the Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities Capital Financing Act, which provides $375 million in 
federal loan guarantees for construction and renovation projects at 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
  Because of his commitment to labor he selected committees whose 
primary business

[[Page H2088]]

deals with labor issues, and he served as a senior Member of the 
Education and the Workforce Committee. Congressman Clay was a champion 
of education and played a key role in the reauthorization of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act, including efforts to reduce 
early grade class sizes by hiring 100,000 teachers nationwide. He has 
also leading the way for our Nation's schools to be first in getting 
the resources necessary for school construction, renovation and 
modernization. His work in education has also included winning 
concessions from the Republicans to increase the amount of Pell Grant 
funding and the reduction of student loan interest rates.
  From 1991 until 1995, Congressman Clay chaired the House Committee on 
the Post Office and Civil Service. Upon his retirement in 2000, he was 
succeeded by his son, my colleague, Congressman William Lacy Clay.
  Mr. Speaker, this legislation will honor a true champion of civil 
rights in a very fitting way. It is fitting that a former Chairman of 
the House Committee on the Post Office and Civil Service be honored 
with a post office in the very town where his political career begun.
  I am very proud to support this legislation, and I ask my colleagues 
to join me in voting honoring William ``Bill'' Clay and voting for H.R. 
5395.
  Mr. MARCHANT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this bill 
designating the facility of the United State Postal Service located at 
11001 Dunklin Drive in St. Louis, Missouri as the William ``Bill'' Clay 
Post Office Building. Representing the people of St. Louis in this 
chamber for 32 years, Bill Clay was the consummate advocate for Civil 
Rights, labor, and his community.
  Born in St. Louis, Missouri in April of 1931, Clay grew up in the 
city and graduated from St. Louis University in 1953 with a bachelors 
degree in Political Science. After 2 years with the U.S. Army from 1953 
to 1955, Clay returned home to begin his career serving the people of 
St. Louis. After spending some time as a real estate broker, Clay was 
elected to the Board of Aldermen in 1959. He held this position, 
representing the 26th Ward until 1964.
  When Bill Clay, Sr. was elected to Congress in 1968, he was the first 
African American member elected from Missouri and one of only two 
African American representatives from states west of the Mississippi 
River. Throughout his 16 terms in Congress, he gained a reputation for 
his streetwise urban politics. A staunch advocate for civil rights and 
social justice, he also served as one of the founders of the 
Congressional Black Caucus. From 1991 to 1995 he chaired the House 
Committee on the Post Office and Civil Service and served as the 
Ranking Member on the Education and the Workforce Committee until he 
retired. In all that he did while he was serving the people of Missouri 
in Congress, he still found time to author several books.
  Bill Clay, Sr. retired from Congress in 2000 but his legacy lives on 
through his successor whom I am proud to serve with in this chamber. 
His successor also happens to be his son, the gentleman from Missouri, 
William Lacy Clay, Jr.
  I urge my colleagues to support me in this resolution honoring a man 
who spent over 3 decades serving his community, state, and country.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, let me take this moment to recognize my 
former colleague, fellow Missourian, and good friend Bill Clay. Today, 
I join with my colleagues in support of H.R. 5395, a bill to designate 
the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 11001 
Dunklin Drive in St. Louis, Missouri, as the ``William `Bill' Clay Post 
Office
  Bill was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the very town in which he 
carried out his storied political career. In 1959, he was elected as a 
member of the St. Louis Board of Alderman, where he served until 1964, 
Between 1964 and 1967, Bill worked as a real estate broker and later as 
a labor coordinator. He also worked for the union of St. Louis city 
employees and then with a Steamfitters Union.
  In 1968, Mr. Clay was first elected to the U.S. House of 
Representatives, and he proudly served the residents of Missouri's 
First Congressional District for 32 years. Throughout his years in 
office, Bill became known as a champion of social justice and a true 
pioneer for civil rights. He was a co-founder of the Congressional 
Black Caucus and Chairman of the House Committee on the Post Office and 
Civil Service. He was always a truly delightful colleague and I am 
proud to have served with him as a fellow Missouri Congressman. I must 
also say, Mr. Speaker, that I am also so very honored to serve with 
Bill's son, Lacy, who was elected to represent the First District upon 
Bill's retirement.
  Naming a St. Louis post office after Bill Clay is an outstanding way 
to pay tribute to an outstanding public servant and a true pioneer in 
American politics. I urge the House to honor Bill for his years of 
public service and his commitment to his community by supporting H.R. 
5395.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the naming of the 
U.S. Post Office at 11001 Dunklin Drive in St. Louis, Missouri, as the 
``William `Bill' Clay'' Post Office Building.
  William ``Bill'' Clay served his country and his community at an 
important juncture in history, as he was one of the cofounders of the 
Congressional Black Caucus, an institution in this body that has grown 
in size and stature to 43 members, of which I am proud to be a part.
  From his work in his native St. Louis as a real estate broker, labor 
coordinator and union affiliate, Bill Clay brought a reservoir of 
knowledge and experience to his service in this body for 33 years. He 
was well respected and he served as a mentor to me and other members as 
we learned our way around the House of Representatives.
  William ``Bill'' Clay chaired the House Committee on the Post Office 
and Civil Service from 1991 until 1995. It is even more fitting that a 
U.S. Post Office in his beloved city bear his name and the memory of 
his work on behalf of so many.
  Mr. MARCHANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 5395.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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