Jim Clyburn: “when this body ends this session, and I remain hopeful that it will, this august body is going to lose one of its most…”

“when this body ends this session, and I remain hopeful that it will, this august body is going to lose one of its most productive and innovative Members, William L. Clay, Sr. Bill Clay became a Member of this body in 1969, over 30 years ago. He came here as a young man, by his own admission, filled with a bit of anger. Bill Clay had grown up in a system that gave very little respect to his skills, to his dreams, to his aspirations, and he had fought as a young man in order to make sure that opportunities would be open for people such as him. So, when he got here, he was filled with all kinds of anxieties. To get a good feel for who and what Bill Clay is, one should read his book, Just Permanent Interests. I have on occasion read various parts of that book. In fact, I have a choice of the three or four copies that people have made gifts to me of, and I keep one of them in each one of my places of abode, one here in Washington and one at home in the district.”