[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 23, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H252-H253]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HENRY CLAY, THE GREAT COMPROMISER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Cramer). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 3, 2013, the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr) is 
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
  Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, when I graduated from Henry Clay High School 
in Lexington, Kentucky, just over 20 years ago, I had little notion 
that I would stand before you today occupying the seat which the Great 
Compromiser himself once held.
  Henry Clay was first elected to this House in 1811 becoming the only 
person elected as Speaker the same day he took office. During his 
remarkable four decades on the national stage, he steered America 
through a daunting array of crises, each of which might have shattered 
the Union absent his remarkable leadership.
  Indeed, Henry Clay demonstrated that an unwavering dedication to 
principle and a practical commitment to compromise are not incompatible 
values. They are, instead, the tools of statesmanship, the implements 
of progress, and the guardians of freedom.
  He was Abraham Lincoln's ``beau ideal of a great man.'' Eulogizing 
Clay in 1852, Lincoln called him ``the man for a crisis,'' declaring 
that Clay ``desired the prosperity of his countrymen partly because 
they were his countrymen, but chiefly to show the world that freemen 
could be prosperous.
  Henry Clay understood the indispensable link between liberty, 
prosperity, and basic human dignity. His struggle to harness our system 
of checks and balances to serve these goals echoes across the 
generations. The process was messy, and the path ahead was fraught with 
danger and uncertainty; but the Great Compromiser governed in the 
national interest without comprising himself or forgetting who sent him 
there.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored, indeed I am awed, by the legacy of Henry 
Clay and the exceptional men who followed him; but I did not come here 
as the self-styled heir to that legacy.

                              {time}  1340

  Instead, I came here as a father concerned about his children's 
future. I came here as a Kentuckian determined to fight for my State's 
signature industries. And I came here as an American committed to 
restoring the American Dream.
  My district, in central and eastern Kentucky, offers a panoramic view 
of the values, dreams, and passions that have animated our Nation since 
its beginnings. Historically anchored in Kentucky's bluegrass region, 
the Sixth District now extends to the Appalachian foothills, bordering 
the coalfields of the Cumberland Plateau.
  We are perhaps most recognized as the horse capital of the world. 
Indeed, the world came to Kentucky just over 2 years ago when Lexington 
hosted the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Yet that event offers 
just the latest example of our State's deep integration with the global 
economy.
  Georgetown, Kentucky, is home to the largest Toyota manufacturing 
facility outside of Japan, a facility which provides 7,000 well-paying 
jobs that produces the Camry, the most popular American-made car in the 
United States.
  These jobs in turn rely upon some of the lowest electricity costs in 
the Nation, which Kentucky's coal industry makes possible. Having 
endured the astonishing assault of the war on coal during the last 4 
years, Kentucky's coal industry continues to offer the reality of 
affordable energy today and the promise of an affordable, reliable, and 
clean source of American energy for centuries to come.
  Kentuckians are also capitalizing upon our State's enormous potential 
for tourism through creative initiatives like the Bourbon Trail, which 
now draws an estimated 400,000 visitors every year. We are introducing 
the world to our special distilling heritage.
  The Sixth District offers a number of historic treasures, such as 
Daniel Boone's settlement, Fort Boonesborough, and in Frankfort, even 
our new State capitol and executive mansion are listed on the National 
Register of Historic Places. Plus, tourists and residents alike can 
enjoy natural attractions of stunning majesty, such as Red River Gorge, 
Natural Bridge, and Cave Run, which provide almost limitless 
opportunities for outdoor recreation.
  The Sixth District also remains home to a diverse and thriving 
agricultural economy. We are best known for tobacco, but many people 
may not know that Kentucky possesses more head of cattle than any State 
east of the Mississippi.
  These industries are supported with colleges and universities filled 
with outstanding teaching and research professionals. Institutions like 
the University of Kentucky--my alma mater--Eastern Kentucky University, 
Transylvania University, Kentucky State University, Georgetown College, 
Midway College, and the members of our community and technical college 
system.
  The University of Kentucky is well-known for its proud tradition of 
college basketball, having won eight national championships, most 
recently in 2012.
  Underlying all of these success stories is the unique pride and 
attachment to place that distinguishes Kentuckians wherever you find 
us. Our State's pioneer heritage survives as the well-spring of our 
determination to survive and excel against overwhelming odds. No matter 
the challenge, we will persevere. We will lead. And with God's help, we 
will prosper together.

[[Page H253]]

  Mr. Speaker, I am humbled beyond measure to represent a people who 
embody the spirit, the generosity, and the creativity that define 
America's greatness. I pray that my service proves equal to their 
trust.
  Through the lens of time, Henry Clay appears larger than life, yet 
our Republic has a habit of producing the right men and women at the 
right time. Together, let's strive after Henry Clay's model of 
leadership. Given the gravity of our challenge, each of us must.
  With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________