To designate the new Interstate Route 70 bridge over the Mississippi River connecting St. Louis, Missouri, and southwestern Illinois as the "Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge".

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2383) to designate the new Interstate Route 70 bridge over the Mississippi River connecting St. Louis, Missouri, and southwestern Illinois as the ``Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 2383.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of H.R. 2383, to name the new I-70 bridge that connects St. Louis and southwestern Illinois as the ``Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge.'' I introduced this legislation, along with my colleague Bill Enyart, as well as Ann Wagner, John Shimkus, Lacy Clay, Dan Lipinski, Aaron Schock, Emanuel Cleaver, Sam Graves, Vicky Hartzler, Randy Hultgren, Adam Kinzinger, Billy Long, Blaine Luetkemeyer, and Jason Smith.

Today marks a bipartisan opportunity to honor all of America's heroes as well as a legend of America's national pastime. Nearly 1.3 million of America's 21 million veterans live in Illinois and Missouri. Naming this bridge that links these two States is another way we can honor the brave men and the brave women who have served our country.

Whether it's coming together to pass critical veterans funding measures, just like 420 of my colleagues and I did earlier this month on this very floor, or recognizing our veterans by naming this bridge, this body has shown it can come together in support of our veterans.

This bill would also honor the legacy of Stan Musial. Mr. Speaker, the St.

Louis Cardinals are one of the most storied and successful first-rate franchises in sports history, and the best player to ever don a St. Louis Cardinals uniform was Stan ``the Man'' Musial.

Born in Donora, Pennsylvania, in 1920, Stan Musial lived an amazing, inspiring life. On the field, he was a 24-time All-Star, a three-time World Series champion, three-time National League MVP, and a first- ballot Hall of Famer. He finished his career as a .331 hitter; and he was consistent, earning 1,815 hits at home and 1,815 hits on the road.

During his 22-year major league career spanning 3,026 games, he was never ejected by an umpire. These lessons in consistency and sportsmanship not only serve as a good reminder to Congress, but they are also attributes that I try to impart upon my sons and their teammates as the coach of their Little League baseball team in Taylorville, Illinois.

Off the field, Stan Musial led by example. In 1945, in the prime of his career, Stan took a year off from baseball to go serve his country in World War II. Stan served in the Navy and was based at Pearl Harbor as part of a ship repair unit.

There was more to Stan Musial than being an outstanding athlete who also served his country. He and his high school sweetheart, Lillian, were married more than 70 years and had four children. He also served as chairman for President Johnson's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports; and in 2011, Stan was given this country's highest civilian honor: the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

My first favorite player, Hank Aaron, a Hall of Famer, sums it up best when he said:

I didn't just like Stan Musial; I wanted to be like Stan

Musial.

As an individual, Stan will be remembered as kind, modest, generous, and approachable. As an ambassador, Stan meant more to the game of baseball and St. Louis than he was ever willing to take credit for.

Today, let's honor our veterans and Stan ``the Man'' Musial. I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 2383, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I'd first like to thank my colleague and my good friend from Illinois (Mrs. Bustos) for her kind comments, and also for honoring her father's service to Major League Baseball and her brother's service to the youth and to the students at Southern Illinois University during his time there as a head baseball coach.

I now wish to yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner).

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank my colleague, Mrs. Wagner, for her comments and support for this bill. I'd also like to thank my colleague, Mr. Enyart, for his support, and also for his service to our country. Thank you, sir.

At this time, Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Luetkemeyer).

Mr. Speaker, again, I would like to thank my colleague, Mr. Luetkemeyer, and my colleague, Mr. Clay. Thank you for your service. Thank you for the stories about Stan Musial being ``the man'' when it came to a difficult time in Major League history. I would also like to thank you for your father's service too.

At this time, Mr. Speaker, I wish to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus).

(Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

In closing, I would like to thank Congresswoman Bustos for managing this bill with me today. It has been an honor. I would also like to thank Congressman Enyart, Congresswoman Wagner, Congressman Shimkus, Congressman Clay, and Congressman Luetkemeyer for coming to the floor today in support of H.R. 2383.

I would also be remiss not to thank former Congressman Jerry Costello for his vision to turn this bridge from an idea into a reality, and I would like to honor him today, too, for his service to our country as a Member of Congress.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation so that we can honor our veterans--and Stan the Man Musial.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this bipartisan legislation that I am pleased to cosponsor with my colleague and friend, Mr. Davis, to designate the new Interstate 70 bridge over the Mississippi River connecting the city of St. Louis and southwestern Illinois as the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge.

As the U.S. Representative who has the honor of representing the St. Louis Cardinals, it is a special privilege for me to speak about Stan Musial from the perspective of a Member of Congress, and also from the memory of a

young boy at Old Sportsman's Park with my dad, former Congressman Bill Clay, as we watched Stan play near the end of his remarkable career.

Stan Musial was simply one of the greatest baseball players of all time. As was noted earlier, he was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame on the first ballot, and that much is known to the world. Mr. Speaker, what is less known is that as good a player as he was on the field, Stan Musial was even a better man off of the field. In his own quiet way, Stan Musial was also on the vanguard of fighting discrimination and changing America.

Stan was born in the small town of Donora, Pennsylvania, the fifth of five children. Donora is also the hometown of baseball's famous Griffey family.

As a young man, Stan was no stranger to the challenges of African Americans and the evils of segregation. Years before the desegregation of baseball in 1947, Stan, a gifted athlete, was playing basketball with Buddy Griffey, the father of the great Ken Griffey, Sr., and the grandfather of the great Ken Griffey, Jr. When their high school team was supposed to have dinner in a segregated hotel, Stan and the rest of the team walked out.

In 1947, 6 years after Stan was called up to the Cardinals, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Many more great Black and Latino players would follow. They faced racial taunts and threats on an almost daily basis, sometimes from the fans in the stands, sometimes from the opposing team, and sadly, sometimes from their own teammates. When some White players on the St. Louis Cardinals threatened to boycott the game if they were forced to play with Blacks, Musial stood tall for justice and stopped the boycott before it started.

When Stan died, stories from those difficult days were told with great reverence and respect. Upon hearing of his death, Hall of Famer Willie Mays recalled a story from an All-Star game in the 1950s. Before the game, in one corner of the National League clubhouse, sat Mays, Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, and Frank Robinson, playing cards all by themselves. The White ballplayers on the National League roster either ignored them or were openly hostile. So Stan Musial, who by then was one of the biggest stars in the game, simply walked over, sat down, and said, ``Deal me in.'' That was his way of saying, ``Fellows, you belong here, it's gonna get better, and I'm glad to have you on my team.''

When asked about his friend's passing, the great Hank Aaron, baseball's legitimate all-time home run king, and someone who faced much hateful racism himself, said this of Stan:

I not only liked Stan Musial, I wanted to be like Stan

Musial.

Two years ago, I was privileged to accompany Stan and his family to the White House as President Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The President said this about Stan:

His brilliance could come in blinding bursts--hitting five

home runs in a single doubleheader; leading the league in

singles, doubles, triples, and RBIs over a single season.

Stan Musial made that brilliance burn for two decades, even

as he missed a season in his prime to serve his country in

the U.S. Navy during World War II. Stan remains to this day

an icon untarnished, a beloved pillar of the community, a

gentleman you'd want your kids to emulate.

Mr. Speaker, that is absolutely true. And soon, when millions of Americans cross the beautiful new bridge that will bear his name, I hope they will remember that Stan Musial was more than just a proud veteran and a great ballplayer. His life and legacy truly symbolize the best of the greatest generation.

I thank my colleagues from Missouri and Illinois for supporting this bill.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2383, to designate the new Interstate 70 bridge over the Mississippi River connecting Illinois and St. Louis as the ``Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge''--or the ``Stan Span,'' as many affectionately call it.

This bill names the bridge in honor of one of the greatest players in baseball history, as well as the millions of brave Americans who have served this country in the Armed Forces. Naming the bridge after Mr. Musial and saluting the millions of Americans who have served in our Armed Forces is a fitting tribute to their bravery and sacrifice.

Few players have contributed more to America's pastime than Stan Musial. In his 22 seasons in major league baseball playing for the St. Louis Cardinals, Stan the Man was selected to the All-Star game a record 24 times, named the National League's Most Valuable Player three times, and played on three World Series championship title teams. Musial was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969 on the first ballot.

Moreover, Stan Musial's contributions go well beyond the baseball diamond. Like many of his generation, Mr. Musial served our country during World War II. During his tour of duty in the Navy, Musial joined with more than 16 million other Americans to serve our Nation as members of the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II. In retirement, Stan Musial contributed his time to causes such as the USO, the Senior Olympics, and the Boy Scouts, and served as chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness from 1964 to 1967.

Stan Musial received the Navy Memorial's Lone Sailor Award in 2007. It honors Navy veterans who excel in their civilian careers while exemplifying the Navy's core values of honor, courage, and commitment. In February 2011, President Obama presented Stan Musial with the Presidential Medal of Honor. That's the highest honor bestowed on a civilian in America.

My personal appreciation of Stan Musial goes way back to my childhood, growing up in Springfield, Illinois. Our family would make regular car trips every summer to Busch Stadium to cheer on our beloved Cardinals. When we weren't able to make it to games in person, we would listen to them on KMOX radio back home. I still remember the voices of Jack Buck and Harry Caray, who then would go on to announce for the Cubs.

I also fondly remember waiting around Busch Stadium after the games with my brother, my sister, and my mom and dad just to catch a glimpse of some of the Cardinal greats like Curt Flood. We loved watching Lou Brock run the bases. We loved watching Bob Gibson pitch.

And we just loved baseball so much that, later in his life, my dad would go on to work for Major League Baseball. I'm proud to say that my brother, Dan Callahan, would be the head coach of Southern Illinois University baseball for 16 seasons, until he passed away a couple of years ago from cancer. As you see, my family's bond with greater St. Louis, the Cardinals, and baseball is a strong one.

This bill does not just recognize the contributions of one man, but, rather, it salutes the service of all our veterans. Stan Musial was a hero to many, not just for the way he played baseball, but for how he lived his life. Like so many of the heroes who have served this Nation in our military, he lived his life with integrity and with honor. Naming this bridge in honor of Stan Musial and all veterans is a symbol of our gratitude for the sacrifices they made to protect our freedoms.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 2383, to dedicate this bridge in honor of Stan the Man Musial and all the men and women who have served our Nation in the Armed Forces. We are proud to remember and honor all they endured for our democracy and to safeguard our democracy.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Enyart).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay).

Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional minute.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of veterans, and one veteran in particular, one of St. Louis' all-time heroes, Stan Musial.

Stan the Man Musial is best known as the greatest player in St. Louis Cardinals history, winner of three World Series as a player and one more as general manager, a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, and as one of the greatest players to ever play our beloved national pastime.

However, Stan Musial was also a great patriot. He temporarily left the St. Louis Cardinals during the Second World War to serve his country in the Navy. Stan and the Cardinals had just won the 1944 World Series when Stan left to serve during the war. And after the war, he returned to his beloved St. Louis Cardinals to bring home yet another World Series Championship in 1946.

His athleticism and his greatness as a player are self-evident. His 3,630 hits are the fourth-highest in baseball history. Stan is also one of only seven players to hit 400 home runs and have over 3,000 hits.

A model of consistency, Stan Musial could hit a baseball anywhere he was, home or away, finishing his career with 1,815 hits at home and 1,815 hits on the road. A former teammate described Stan's tremendous talent like this: ``He could have hit 300 with a fountain pen.''

Those who had the privilege to see Stan Musial play baseball swear that he was the greatest player they ever saw put on a St. Louis Cardinals uniform. Yet Stan the Man stood for something more than his two decades of sustained excellence in baseball--he was an exemplary human being.

To baseball fans around the country, Stan Musial represented perfection as a ballplayer and as a gentleman. But to those of us from St. Louis, he represented so much more; he was our neighbor and he was our friend.

There has never been a better representative of the Cardinals or baseball--or, for that matter, humanity--than Stan Musial. Carrying himself with dignity, Stan was always willing to sign an autograph and meet fans, or do anything to help a friend in need.

I recently asked constituents to share some of their Stan Musial memories with me. And while many of them remember watching him play baseball, it was his kindness and his humility that set him apart. One constituent told me that as a child he lived in the same neighborhood as Stan Musial. Stan would play baseball with him and other neighborhood kids during the off-season.

Many from St. Louis remember Stan going out of his way to sign autographs for young fans or lend his good name to charitable and civic events. Others remember his visits to St. Louis hospitals and the joy that he brought to both the patients and the staff. But all remember that he was a happy and a joyful person who made you feel better and made you want to be a better person just by being in his presence.

After he retired from baseball, Stan Musial came to nearly every Cardinals Opening Day because he felt it was his duty to be there for the city and the team that gave so much to him. And each year at the induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame, Stan would play ``Take Me Out to the Ball Game'' on his harmonica. The new inductees would often mention Stan playing the harmonica as one of their favorite moments during the induction weekend.

The best description of Stan was rendered by former baseball commissioner, Ford C. Frick: ``Here stands baseball's perfect warrior. Here stands baseball's perfect knight.'' These words adorn the statue of Stan Musial that sits outside Busch Stadium in St. Louis city.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to be a part of this bill that names the I- 70 bridge after Stan Musial and our veterans. I urge my colleagues to support this bill as a lasting tribute to Stan the Man and all those who have served our country so honorably.

I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2383, a compromise measure to name an extraordinary structure in honor of extraordinary heroes.

Today, I'm proud to join my colleagues in bridging a great divide-- not the aisle here in the House dividing Democrats from Republicans, but a divide that is sometimes even wider, the mighty Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri.

Today, in the spirit of compromise, we come together to honor people we hold dear and to recognize the values that make them special to us in both Illinois and Missouri, regardless of our politics or which side of the river we call home.

For millions of baseball fans in mid-America, Stan Musial is a hero. Stan spent a career accumulating Major League records and World Series rings while playing for the St. Louis Cardinals. But he was much more than one of the best baseball players to have ever played the game. No, to us in the region, he epitomized what it meant to be a resident of mid-America. He worked hard; he achieved success with humility; he was always a gentleman.

In a time when society too often glorifies all that is loud, showy and brash, Stan was the opposite. Quiet and humble, he was the textbook of integrity in all that he did.

Stan the Man was a hero for another reason. That's because he wore only two uniforms: one for the baseball team he loved and one for the country he loved. I'm proud to support this bill today because it recognizes not only Stan Musial, but all of our Nation's veterans.

As a veteran of two of our Nation's Armed Forces, this is a commitment that is very personal to me. I represent Scott Air Force Base, just 15 minutes from the new bridge, and I'm proud to represent a district that has one of the highest percentages of veterans in the United States.

The people of southern Illinois have answered each and every time our country has called. The service and the sacrifice of our veterans and their families can't be taken for granted, nor can their service be remembered only 1 or 2 days a year. Our Nation remains a beacon of freedom and liberty because of that dedication and sacrifice.

So today, I'm proud to rise in support of this measure to designate the new Interstate 70 bridge linking East St. Louis, Illinois, to St. Louis, Missouri, the ``Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge.''

On my way to Washington, D.C., today I passed this new bridge still under construction. The bridge cables were gleaming in the sunlight. I looked out and saw dozens of my constituents hard at work on this structure. It's a much-needed infrastructure investment for our region and the country, a partnership between our States and the Federal Government. It's my hope that every traveler who crosses over this striking structure will not only read the name of that bridge, but will remember the values we honor with that name: hard work, integrity, humility, service and sacrifice. These are fitting ideals for all of us. And they are a fitting reason to name this bridge in honor of Stan Musial and in honor of all our veterans.