Robert M. La Follette, Sr. Office Building Designation Act

ROBERT M. LA FOLLETTE, SR. POST OFFICE BUILDING DESIGNATION ACT -- (House of Representatives - May 16, 2005)

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Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, it is with such great pride and pleasure that I stand here in support of H.R. 1760, to name a post office after Fighting Bob La Follette.

You have heard from my other colleagues from Wisconsin about the institutions that this man has built and the impact that this one man has made on not only the institutions in Wisconsin, developing a civil service system, that has had an impact throughout our country, establishing the Congressional Research Service, which really put us on par with the K Street lobbyists in terms of having information and knowledge about the initiatives that take place here.

But Fighting Bob La Follette has put us on the map internationally, as Wisconsin has been a leader in the world, training people in democratic institutions. Fighting Bob La Follette is a hero to me. He was a powerful voice, a Lincoln Republican. He was a powerful voice with the underrepresented, outspoken for their issues no matter how unpopular or controversial.

He denounced any discrimination based on race, creed, class, during the era, for example, of the Ku Klux Klan resurgence. He called for investigations of World War I profiteers and defended antiwar activists that were sent to jail.

One of the favorite quotes of Bob La Follette that I think is apropos for where we are today was a quote that he made arguing on the United States Senate floor, and I would like to end my remarks with that quote: "We should not seek to inflame the mind of our people by half truths into the frenzy of war. The poor, who are always the ones called upon to rot in the trenches, at some time will be heard. There will come an awakening. They will have their day, and they will be heard."

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