[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 20045]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   A TRIBUTE TO FORMER CONGRESSMAN WILLIAM CLAY, SR.: A CIVIL RIGHTS 
    PIONEER, GREAT LEGISLATOR AND A PERMANENT PART OF THE AMERICAN 
                          POLITICAL LANDSCAPE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. WM. LACY CLAY

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 22, 2008

  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to William Clay, 
Sr., my father, and a former United States Congressman from the 1st 
Congressional District in St. Louis, Missouri. Bill Clay has fought a 
long and historic battle in defense civil and human rights for all 
Americans throughout his life. His dedication and service to our Nation 
as a leader on education, labor rights and civil rights, aptly earns 
his place in the Missouri Walk of Fame and the privilege of being 
honored today before Congress.
  William Lacy Clay, Sr. one of six children was born on April 30, 
1931, in St. Louis, Missouri to Luella Hyatt and Irving Clay. He is 
happily married to his wife of 55 years Carol, and they have raised 
three children, Vicki, Michelle and William, Jr.
  When Bill Clay 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 as 
an effective legislator. 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.
  His success can largely be attributed to his belief that there were 
no permanent friends or permanent enemies in politics, just permanent 
interests. He was a true advocate for the people that he represented, 
and he served them well. He's been credited with turning back racial 
discrimination throughout his career and remains an outspoken leader in 
our community. An accomplished author, he has documented he history of 
not only St. Louis, but the political arena throughout the Civil Rights 
era up to and including the present.
  He worked tirelessly on behalf of the poor and disenfranchised, 
always seeking to give them a voice in Congress. During his tenure he 
authored the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Capital 
Financing Act, which provided $375 million in federal loan guarantees 
for construction and renovation projects at Historically Black Colleges 
and Universities 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.
  Throughout his illustrious Congressional career, Clay co-sponsored 
3,403 bills, of which 279 were enacted. Of the 248 bills that he 
sponsored, 16 were enacted. Bill Clay was the key sponsor of the 
transcendent Family and Medical Leave Act, the first bill signed into 
law by President Bill Clinton. This bill helped change the life of 
American families. He was instrumental in passing the Hatch Act which 
reformed the political activities of federal employees.
  He continues to contribute to the American political landscape 
through his work as a successful author. He has authored several works 
including Just Permanent Interests: Black Americans in Congress, 1870-
1991 (1992), which many view as essential American political reading. 
He continues to be a wonderful husband, loving father, and grandfather.
  Madam Speaker, my father is my hero and I am proud to salute him for 
his lasting contributions to both our local St. Louis community and to 
our Nation. His outstanding leadership and sincere commitment to 
justice make him more than worthy of receiving our recognition and I 
urge my colleagues to join me in commending Former Congressman William 
Clay, Sr. for his induction into the Missouri Walk of Fame and his 
legacy of serving our Nation.

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