Former U.S. Rep. Bill Clinger, R-Pa., who served the interests
of Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District for 18 years in
Washington, will have a post office named after him in Warren.

The joint announcement was made Wednesday by U.S. Reps. John
Peterson and Phil English.

The legislation – which was overwhelmingly passed in the House
by a 422-1 vote – will now go before the Senate for approval. It
will then be placed before President Bush for his signature. Julia
Wanzco, a spokeswoman in English’s office in Washington, said the
legislation was introduced in July.

When approved, the post office located on West 3rd Avenue in
Warren will be renamed the William F. Clinger Jr. Post Office
Building.

“Bill Clinger was a remarkably gifted leader who epitomized the
noblest qualities of public service,” Peterson said. “He led this
Congress on so many issues of historical consequence – economic
development, rail expansion and government accountability among
them. I’m proud to have the opportunity to represent his former
district in Congress and continue the important work he started
over a generation ago.”

Meanwhile, English said Clinger was a “strong voice in
government reform” at the time of his retirement in 1996.

“Bill Clinger was a shining example in our delegation,” English
said. “As an inspiration to many of us in the House, he became an
important voice for rural interests and rural economic
development.”

Clinger represented the 5th District in the House from 1979 to
1997. During that time, he served as chairman of the House
Government Reform Committee, where he worked to establish reforms
to ensure government accountability, gaining respect from both
sides of the aisle.

Born and raised in Warren, Clinger attended the local public
schools and graduated from the Hill High School in Pottstown. After
being admitted to the Pennsylvania bar in 1965, Clinger ran a
private law practice in Warren before being elected to the 96th
Congress in 1978.

In addition to Peterson and English, the legislation was also
backed by the entire Pennsylvania delegation, comprised of 19
members. Peterson took over the reins of the 5th District from
Clinger, while English served in the House with the lawmaker during
his freshman term.

“We in the Pennsylvania delegation feel that this is a modest
tribute to a very capable leader who has made a real difference in
the community,” English said.

The lone vote cast against the renaming of the post office came
from Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii.

According to Abercrombie’s spokesman Mike Slackman, the
lawmaker’s vote was not against any of the Pennsylvania delegation,
but with what had occurred in a previous piece of legislation
introduced for Civil Rights advocate Maudelle Shirek.

Slackman said in September, a piece of legislation introduced by
Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., aimed at naming a post office in honor
of Shirek, a former member of the Berkeley City Council, became a
partisan affair.

“Some members of Congress tried to make a big deal that this
woman would have a post office named after her,” Slackman said.
“They tried to link her (Shirek’s) Civil Rights activities to the
Communist Party. Essentially, it was the equivalent of calling the
Civil Rights movement a Communist plot. Representative Abercrombie
was deeply offended by this and made up his mind he would vote
against the next Republican post office bill.

“It is especially unfortunate that it was the bill for Mr.
Clinger,” Slackman added, noting such pieces of legislation are
brought to the House floor under a “suspension of the rules” and
are usually non-controversial.

Abercrombie is currently working on legislation with Peterson
which would lift the Congressional ban on natural gas production in
the Outer Continental Shelf. The legislation has met resistance
from the State of Florida and Gov. Jeb Bush.

Officials said once the Clinger legislation is passed into law,
a formal dedication of the post office will take place.

As a member of the board of trustees at the Chautauqua (N.Y.)
Institution, Clinger spends his summers in Chautauqua and returns
to his home in Virginia each year after Labor Day.