[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5370]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING THOMAS F. EAGLETON FOR 50 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Carnahan) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, this evening I would like to speak about a 
true statesman that we have lost in our country and in my home State of 
Missouri. We lost, over the weekend, former U.S. Senator Thomas F. 
Eagleton. Not only was he a true statesman, but he had a giant heart, a 
powerful intellect, and a keen wit.
  He leaves behind his wife, Barbara, whom he married in 1956, two 
children, son Terence and daughter Christie, three grandchildren and a 
brother.
  Not long ago, friends gathered in St. Louis and celebrated 50 years 
since Senator Eagleton had entered public service. And he had many 
chapters in an amazing life. He served his country honorably in the 
United States Navy, stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center 
from 1948 to 1949, continued on to graduate with honors from Amherst 
College in 1951 and Harvard Law School in 1953.
  He was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 1953; proceeded in a series of 
offices, beginning, he was elected as the youngest circuit attorney in 
the city of St. Louis in its history at the age of 27. He followed that 
by being elected the youngest Missouri State attorney general at the 
age of 31, and the youngest Lieutenant Governor of the State of 
Missouri by age 35.
  He went on and in 1968 was elected to the United States Senate 
representing Missouri. In his first term in the United States Senate, 
at the age of 42, he was selected by George McGovern to be his Vice 
Presidential candidate. And while he was only that nominee for a few 
days, and he will be known as such in history, he went on to serve 
three terms in the United States Senate, sponsoring legislation, 
varied, but of great importance to our country, the Clean Air and Clean 
Water Acts, an amendment which halted the U.S. involvement in the 
Vietnam War, and as the chief author of the Federal War Powers Act that 
limits the authority of the President to conduct war without 
congressional approval.
  After an amazing career in public service, he came home to St. Louis, 
and there he gave back to his community, to new generations of people 
to encourage them in public service, to new generations of students. He 
was a professor at Washington University in St. Louis and St. Louis 
University where he shared his vast knowledge and experience with young 
people who will be our leaders of tomorrow.
  To others in public service, myself, I am fortunate to say, included, 
he was a great mentor, example and friend. He never failed to promote 
the people and the notions that he felt strongly about.
  In his private life in St. Louis, he was well known for acting with 
regard to the civic good and giving back to his community. He worked to 
bring the St. Louis Rams to St. Louis, and recently, in the 2006 
elections, was a chief advocate for Missouri's amendment to the Stem 
Cell Initiative which passed by a vote of the people.

                              {time}  1930

  In downtown St. Louis, our new Federal courthouse is named after 
Senator Eagleton. It towers in our downtown just west of the famous St. 
Louis Arch. Thomas Eagleton's career and life towers in our country as 
a great example for all of us, whether we are involved in public 
service or not.
  He was legendary for writing lengthy notes to people. I will treasure 
those notes that he has sent to me; those notes, that advice, that wise 
counsel that he shared with so many.
  The impact that he has had on young people, their leadership for the 
future and what he has given to our great State and our country, he 
will be sorely missed but very well remembered.

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