MISSISSIPPI BRIDGE TO BE NAMED AFTER EMERSON

The new Mississippi River bridge at Cape Girardeau will be named the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge in honor of the eight-term Republican congressman who died Saturday.

House and Senate colleagues passed the legislation Tuesday on unanimous voice votes and sent it to President Clinton for his expected signature.

"I think it is very appropriate," said Al Spradling III, Cape Girardeau's mayor.

Emerson and U.S. Sen. Christopher Bond, R-Mo., led efforts to secure funding for the new bridge, which is expected to be constructed by the year 2000.

Lloyd Smith, Emerson's chief of staff, said his boss had worked hard to secure $2 million in Federal Highway Administration money to proceed with the construction project this year.

"Bill liked to see things get built and put together. He liked to work as a master mechanic of politics to fix things and make it work," Smith said.

"I think it is fitting for a person who worked his entire political career to bridge the gap between Democrats and Republicans," he said.

Missouri's senators, Bond and John Ashcroft, introduced the bridge-naming bill in the Senate, along with 22 other senators.

They included Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., and Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D.

"All of us in Missouri are saddened this week with the loss of our good friend, Bill Emerson," Bond said.

"Bill was a great servant to the people of Southeast Missouri, a man who was a champion in agriculture, nutrition, public works and for wild horses," Bond said.

On the House floor, colleagues on both sides of the aisle paid tribute to the Cape Girardeau Republican. He was remembered as an honest, hard-working lawmaker who was committed to his constituents.

U.S. Rep. Pat Danner, R-Mo., said Emerson was like a bridge over troubled waters. "He brought Democrats and Republicans together on so many issues," she said.

Colleagues said a new bridge at Cape Girardeau was a major priority of Emerson's.

They said Emerson forever will be linked to the bridge.

U.S. Rep. Harold Volkmer, D-Mo., said, "Bill is going to have the best view of anybody."

U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., was a close friend of Emerson's. "He represented all that is good in the political arena," Skelton said.

Emerson was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer last November.

He underwent chemotherapy as did U.S. Rep. Norman Sisisky, D-Va.

"It is a dreaded disease," said Sisisky, whose treatment proved successful.

"I just can't tell you what a loss this is," said Sisisky.

He said Emerson labored long hours in Congress even when he could barely breathe.

Colleagues said Emerson practically grew up in the House, a relationship that dates back to 1953 when he secured a job as a House page at the age of 15.

"Bill truly was a man of the House," said U.S. Rep. Thomas Petri, R-Wis.

"He was never afraid to state his views or take on an issue," he said.

"He understood this body," said U.S. Rep. Barbara Kennelly, D-Conn. "He understood what made it work."

Emerson had a war chest of nearly $236,000 for his re-election campaign as of March 31, the latest filing deadline for campaign finance reports.

All but about $5,000 of that was earmarked for the August primary election in which Emerson had two GOP challengers.

The small amount of money that had been raised for the general election must be returned to the contributors.

Federal election laws allow the Emerson campaign organization to distribute the money raised for the upcoming primary to national, state or local political parties, other organizations or any other lawful purpose.

The money can't be turned over to the Emerson family for personal use, said Kelly Huff, a spokeswoman for the Federal Election Commission in Washington, D.C.

The money could be funneled to individual candidates, but such contributions would be limited to $1,000 per candidate per election.

Smith said the money likely won't be used for partisan politics. Instead, he said, the money probably would be put into scholarship funds at Southeast Missouri State University and at Westminster College at Fulton, where Emerson earned a political science degree.

Smith said such a move would be in keeping with Emerson's wishes.