[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 18561]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        A TRIBUTE TO IKE SKELTON

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Cleaver). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Carnahan) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to just add my voice to these 
remarks this evening about our friend and colleague, Ike Skelton of 
Missouri.
  He first came to this Congress in 1976 with my predecessor, 
Congressman Dick Gephardt. That was the first year I voted, 1976. I was 
a senior in high school that year. And to watch him grow in leadership 
to become what I believe is really a national treasure--his voice 
advocating for American troops and their families, his leadership on 
national readiness for current conflicts and future conflicts that we 
may face--has really been unparalleled.

                              {time}  1820

  We respect his leadership and what he has done for the strength of 
this country. In Missouri, he has been a leader. He has been the dean 
of our delegation.
  I had the honor to work with him. I also had the honor to travel with 
him to visit our troops in Kosovo and elsewhere. And we've seen what 
he's done to transform two vital military facilities in Missouri--
Whiteman Air Force Base and Fort Leonard Wood--to become what they are 
today.
  He's not only a student of history, but he has been a great teacher 
and a great mentor. He's been a family friend. It has been an honor and 
a privilege to serve with him, to call him ``colleague,'' but also to 
see his example for public service. He has been a model for what public 
service is all about.
  I know that he has several chapters left to write for what he does to 
give back to this country and our great State, and we look forward to 
seeing those for years and years to come.
  Best wishes to you, my friend.

                          ____________________