Sanford Bishop: “it is truly an honor to have an opportunity to serve with our friend and colleague Bill Clay, whose contributions during…”

“it is truly an honor to have an opportunity to serve with our friend and colleague Bill Clay, whose contributions during 32 years of service in this body have earned him widespread recognition as one of America's great voices for justice and opportunity during the last half of the 20th century. To me, and I'm sure to everyone who follows in his footsteps, he has been a personal mentor--one who has inspired us and guided us with his extraordinary skills; dedication and integrity; intellect and eloquence; and his thoughtful and gentlemanly demeanor that somehow makes his tenacious fighting spirit all the more effective. Many Americans believe that those of us who serve in public life may tend to overstate things from time to time. But that would be difficult to do in reference to Bill Clay's record of accomplishment. There is just so much that he has done that benefits people in his home state of Missouri and throughout the country. He fought for Hatch Act reforms for two decades, and eventually succeeded. In fact, he played a major role in shaping and passing a number of major initiatives that have helped ensure safety and fairness in the workplace. His imprint can be found on virtually every federal educational program that exists today, from Head Start to college aid.”