Rubén Hinojosa: “I, too, am here today to honor and pay tribute to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay), the Committee on Education and…”

“I, too, am here today to honor and pay tribute to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay), the Committee on Education and the Workforce ranking member, as he prepares to retire from Congress. In the two terms I have served with him on the Committee on Education and the Workforce, he has proven himself to be a national leader on civil rights and human rights, a leader who truly cares about the people of his District and this country. He has been a fighter for access to education for kids and access for postsecondary education for all Americans, especially women and minorities. To serve in this Chamber for over 30 years displays supreme, supreme dedication. Yes, he is known by many as a great historian about Congress, but I will always remember him in the way in which he led his side of the aisle in the Committee on Education and the Workforce where I learned to respect this gentleman. For 32 years, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) has been a powerful force on matters involving labor and civil service employees. This was best evidenced when he led the fight for the Family and Medical Leave Act, the first bill signed by President Bill Clinton. Working families have benefited greatly because of his excellent work in the U.S. Congress.”