The following statement was issued by Missouri State Legislative Director Larry Foster in the wake of the sudden death of Gov. Mel Carnahan in an airplane crash Oct. 16:

"By proclamation of Governor Mel Carnahan, October 16 was Railroad  Recognition Day in the state of Missouri.

Late that day, however, our governor, his son Randy and his campaign manager, Chris Sifford, were killed in a plane crash. This sad day will never be forgotten by the UTU brothers and sisters of Missouri.

As director for the UTU in Missouri, I was well acquainted with Governor Carnahan, his family and Chris Sifford. My first meeting with the governor was when he was elected state treasurer. He continued as a friend of the UTU when he was elected lieutenant governor and as a two-term governor.

The UTU Missouri Legislative Board worked on numerous campaigns for the governor. The most recent was his race for the U.S. Senate.

Carnahan was a friend of the UTU. He was the guest speaker at the St. Louis regional meeting in July 1999, where he called the UTU the pre-eminent rail and transportation union in North America. Under the steady leadership of International President Charles Little, the UTU has grown in membership and in financial strength.

Governor Carnahan was responsive to issues of concern to the UTU. His door was always open to me. I never needed an appointment to see him about matters of concern to UTU members.

Governor Carnahan supported the Railroad Retirement Survivors Act of 2000 (HR 4844). I talked to the governor October 11 and requested that he write President Clinton to urge his support for this legislation. That evening I received a fax from the governor's office of that letter.

At this time, I would like to request that all UTU members and their families in Missouri vote for Mel Carnahan for U.S. Senate on November 7, even though he is no longer with us. Democratic Lieutenant Governor Roger Wilson has been appointed to fulfill the term of Governor Carnahan, and he will have the authority to appoint a successor to Carnahan should he be elected to the Senate.

Thank you. God bless.