[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14307]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING THE LIFE OF CLEM McSPADDEN

  (Mr. BOREN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. BOREN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a true 
Oklahoma statesman.
  Clem Rogers McSpadden passed away on Monday, July 7, 2008, after a 
lengthy battle with cancer. Clem was the great nephew of Will Rogers 
and served as a Member of the U.S. House from 1973 until 1975.
  If you ask Oklahomans about Clem, they will tell you about how he 
helped them during his time in elected office, how they remember him 
announcing rodeo championships, or how he gave them some great advice 
about life.
  Clem was also a highly respected Member of this Chamber. He was 
honored with being the first freshman Member ever to be appointed to 
the Rules Committee. He also helped create the Rural Caucus, which I am 
honored to be a member of today.
  Clem will not just be remembered as a former Congressman or President 
pro tem of the State Senate. As those of us from Oklahoma know, Clem 
had a positive impact on his community, his State, and the Nation in 
many ways, ranging from family, to military service, to rodeo, to 
business, and to ranching.
  In keeping with a proud family legacy, Clem represented Oklahoma 
values on a daily basis: Hard work and personal responsibility. This is 
truly what helped make him one of Oklahoma's favorite sons, just like 
his great uncle, Will Rogers. There are very few people who have been 
such a great role model to us all.
  Our thoughts and prayers are with Donna and the entire McSpadden 
family. Thousands of Oklahomans and rodeo fans across the Nation share 
the sadness of their loss.
  I would like to yield at this time to the dean of our Oklahoma House 
delegation, Frank Lucas.
  Mr. LUCAS. Thank you, Congressman Boren.
  Clem McSpadden was a child of the Great Depression. He was a veteran 
of the Second World War, a 1948 graduate of Oklahoma State University, 
an 18-year veteran of the State Senate of Oklahoma, and 2 years in this 
body. The tales, the stories, the insight, the history of all those 
institutions that he was a part of, he was a walking, living legacy.
  Maybe I should put it this way: This Chamber was graced that Clem was 
a Member of this body for 2 years. We in Oklahoma are graced that Clem 
was a member of our State for 82 years. He will be missed. He will be 
missed.
  With that I yield back to his successor in the Second District of 
Oklahoma, Congressman Boren.
  Mr. BOREN. Madam Speaker, I respectfully request Members to join me 
in a moment of silence to remember Clem's legacy.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members will please stand and observe a 
moment of silence.

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