[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 155 (Wednesday, December 1, 2010)] [House] [Pages H7832-H7834] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] CHAIRMAN SKELTON BIDS FAREWELL The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Carnahan). Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 6, 2009, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) is recognized for 30 minutes as the designee of the majority leader. Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to express my gratitude for the honor of serving in the House of Representatives and to share a few thoughts as I prepare to leave this distinguished body. About this time 34 years ago, my wife, our three boys, and I were surrounded by scores of well-wishers organized by my friend, Bob Welling, as we boarded a train at Warrensburg, Missouri, to travel to Washington, D.C. Shortly thereafter, I was sworn into Congress. I arrived eager to tackle the problems of the day and represent the people of the Fourth Congressional District. It was a political highlight for me. The Roman orator Cicero said that ``gratitude is the greatest of all virtues,'' and I'm grateful to so many people. First, I'm extremely grateful and appreciative to the residents of Missouri's Fourth Congressional District whose votes allowed me to serve as their Representative in this House for 34 years. Representing the fourth district has been a tremendous privilege. I also want to thank my family whose support made it possible for me [[Page H7833]] to serve in Washington, Susie, my late wife, my three wonderful sons and my lovely, understanding and supportive wife, Patty. I want to thank my friends and mentors in Congress. I can't name them all, but I want to particularly single out the great Missouri legislators, Congressman Dick Bolling, who helped me land a seat on the Armed Services Committee, Congressman Dick Gephardt and Congressman Bill Emerson who were my carpool partners and my great friends. I leave with enormous respect for all those Members who worked their hearts out to help people at home and to help steer our country's path while performing their constitutional duty. A special thanks to our Speaker Pelosi for her kindness and thoughtfulness through the years. My colleagues from Missouri have been fantastic. Finally, I want to thank my dedicated staff, past and present. The talented people who have worked in my Missouri offices, my Washington, D.C. office, on my Small Business Subcommittee staff and on the staff of the House Armed Services Committee, are the unsung heroes who get the business of government done. I can't thank them enough for being part of my staff and serving the American people so very well. I have led a charmed life in many ways; but as a youngster, I learned that a person's life can change forever in an instant. After contracting polio, I was fortunate to receive treatment at the Warm Springs Foundation in Georgia. Polio affects each person differently; but at Warm Springs, patients learned valuable lessons about life-- never let illness define you, never be limited by the expectations of others, never give up, and never stop working. By applying the belief that nothing is impossible if you work hard, thousands of Warm Springs alumni, including myself, have led happy and productive lives. And it is no coincidence that three patients between 1947 and 1950 at Warm Springs became Members of this body--Jim Schuer of New York, Bo Ginn of Georgia and myself. Growing up I was inspired by my father's runs for statewide office and for Congress, and also by his service as Lafayette County prosecuting attorney. I had just completed my own term as Lafayette County prosecutor and was practicing law when President Harry Truman called to ask me to consider running for Congress in 1962. In 1976, I decided to run for Missouri's Fourth Congressional District seat. I have been on the ride of my life ever since. {time} 1740 It is a great honor to serve in the U.S. House. This House is filled with principled public servants who work hard to give voice to the needs of voters back home. Members of Congress bring the theory of representative democracy to life every time they participate in House business, and every time they listen to the hard-wrought concerns of their neighbors. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I aspired to become chairman one day. Serving as chairman is undoubtedly the high point of my political career. The HASC family of Members and staff is very special. Members of Congress lucky enough to serve on this committee have traditionally worked in a far less partisan atmosphere than on other committees. Article 1, section 8 of the Constitution grants Congress the obligation to raise and support armies and to provide and maintain a Navy. All Members approach this important work very seriously, with the goals of protecting our Nation's security and also doing what is right for our men and women in uniform and their families. American politics through the ages have frequently been rough and tumble, and at times some might even say mean. But to my mind, national security transcends politics. In the realm of national security, we must make the effort to work together in a bipartisan way, to stand before our allies and the world as a united front, to strengthen our Nation's defenses under the banner of consensus. As chairman, I have always sought to maintain this bipartisan atmosphere, and I hope that culture instilled by many HASC chairs who served before will carry on under the able leadership of the new chair in the incoming Congress, Congressman Buck McKeon. I am confident it will. Throughout our country's history, the Nation has experienced many challenges. We have had economic crises, agricultural hardships, military engagements, and Members of this body responded to each one as it came along. I am proud to have been a Member of the House of Representatives, and I will always cherish my service here. I leave with some anxiety for the future, however. In the past, this body has worked best after great debates, when men and women of strong principles have met and compromised on those difficult issues, which at the time could render us asunder. But through meeting in the center and solving the problems of the day, our country benefited. It was able to progress. As a result of the last election, the center has been holed out, and more Members will represent extreme points of view, which is likely to make meaningful compromise difficult, if not impossible. Once again, our system of government and our citizenry will be tested, and the outcome will determine, borrowing the eloquent words of President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, ``whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure.'' When returning Members and new Members arrive in the Capitol for the new Congress in January, they will confront enormous challenges as they work to chart the course of our country in the days ahead. These challenges include the economy and jobs, health care, education, to name a few. But I implore our citizens and our leaders not to forget that we are a Nation at war. Unless our government protects our national security, none of these other important issues can receive the attention they deserve. National security must be our number one priority. I believe all Americans' good intentions support the troops and their families. But those intentions must be reflected in action, and Congress bears the Constitutional responsibility to fulfill this sacred duty. My greatest concern is that a chasm will develop between those who protect our freedoms and those who are being protected. I have often talked about what I perceive to be a civil-military gap, a lack of understanding between civilians and the military that has grown in the era of an all-volunteer force. For those not in uniform or connected to the military in some way, it is easy not to relate to our servicemembers' difficulties as they deal with the trials of war and combat, multiple deployments, family separations, missed birthdays, and other sacrifices too numerous to mention. As a Nation, we must strive to narrow that gap and bring our citizens together. United we stand, divided we fall. The men and women in uniform who form the backbone of our security cannot devote their all to protect us if we fail to provide what they need to perform their missions, stay safe in the field, and take good care of themselves and their families at home. Keeping America safe demands a national commitment to maintain military readiness. During my time in Congress, the United States has been involved in 12 conflicts, some large and some small. If the future is anything like the past, conflicts, natural disasters, and other crises will frequently pop up without warning. Preparedness is essential. Today's forces are the latest in a long line of sentinels of freedom. Our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines must have no doubt about the high value we place on their service. Our commitment to our servicemembers and their families will also help the next generation understand that these patriotic volunteers are critical to the survival of our Nation. To protect America's future, we must inspire the next generation to join the noble service of these ranks. I have always considered each young man and woman in uniform as a son or daughter. They are national treasures and their sacrifices cannot be taken for granted. They are not chess pieces to be moved about on a board. Each and every one is irreplaceable. Issues of national security and war and peace are too important to lose sight of the real [[Page H7834]] men and women who answer our Nation's call and do the bidding of our Commander in Chief. You can't do the job as a Member of Congress for so many years unless you love it, and I do. It is a labor of love. And to paraphrase my fellow Missourian, Harry Truman, I have done my damndest every single day. I will forever be grateful for the trust Missourians have placed in me through the years and for the opportunity to serve Missouri's Fourth Congressional District, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the United States of America. As I leave this House, these lines from Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem ``Ulysses'' express my feelings very well: Much I have seen and known; cities of men And manners, climates, councils, governments . . . And drunk delight of battle with my peers . . . Some work of noble note, may yet be done . . . Come, my friends, Tis not too late to seek a newer world. Mr. Speaker, thank you for this time. ____________________