[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 20]
[House]
[Pages 27848-27849]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




MOMENT OF SILENCE IN MEMORY OF THE LATE HONORABLE ROBERT YOUNG, FORMER 
                           MEMBER OF CONGRESS

  (Mr. CARNAHAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer words of condolence 
to the family and friends and colleagues of former Missouri 
Congressman, Robert A. Young, III.
  Well-known for his stalwart defense of working men and women, 
Congressman Young left St. Louis a better place today as a result of 
his work in this House. Here he founded the Blue Collar Caucus and 
served on the Public Works Committee.
  After serving in the Missouri legislature, he was elected to Congress 
in 1976 with his Missouri classmates, Ike Skelton and Dick Gephardt. 
His devotion to public service never wavered, from the time of his 
early military service in World War II, where he took part in the 
landing on Utah Beach on D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, earning the 
Bronze Star.
  Bob Young inspired generations of St. Louisans to seek out the 
American Dream, personifying the importance of his family, his union, 
and his community. Congressman Young will be long remembered for his 
efforts to turn ideas into reality. He committed himself to making sure 
our Nation's roadways, railways, and airways were safe for all of us, 
insisting that our transportation system be state-of-the-art.
  Like the proud pipefitter he was, everyone privileged enough to know 
him would agree the work we do here on behalf of our Nation today must 
be completed, leaving no job left undone. Rightfully we pause to thank 
him for his service to Missouri, this House and our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Missouri from the Second 
Congressional District.
  Mr. AKIN. Mr. Speaker, coming from the Second Congressional District, 
my memory is just long enough to recall some actual personal encounters 
with Bob Young. Bob was almost a caricature of politics in North 
County, St. Louis. Bob was a guy who was a pipefitter, he was a war 
hero, he was in the Third Army under Patton, came back, got into 
politics.
  He served 20 years in the Missouri legislature, house and senate, and 
then came down here for about 10 years or so and was very plain spoken. 
He wasn't noted for sugar-coating things, but he had a wonderful sense 
of humor, fiercely loyal to labor unions, but reasonably conservative 
in a lot of other regards, left a family that was involved in politics 
as well.
  But somebody who had a real cheerful twinkle in his eye, a good sense 
of humor and somebody I know that the St. Louis area will long remember 
as a

[[Page 27849]]

good leader and a good man. So we are sorry for his passing. On the 
other hand, we are thankful for the richness of his life.
  Mr. CARNAHAN. I want to thank the gentleman and would ask the House 
to pause for a moment of silence.

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