Representatives Cleaver and Yoder Recognized for Civility in Congress
Washington, D.C. – Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO) and Congressmen Kevin Yoder (R-KS) today received the Consensus Civility Award for their efforts in bringing civility to public life as Members of Congress. They were among the six members of the inaugural class of Consensus Civility Award winners who were recognized this morning at a ceremony at Rockhurst University in Kansas City.
“It is a great honor to receive the Consensus Civility Award, and an honor that gives me hope,” said Congressman Cleaver. “Often, the debate in DC can devolve into one with a great deal more heat than light. As we return to Washington to work on the issues facing our nation, we must remember that while partisanship is a vital component of democracy, only healthy disagreement can propel us forward, to better ideas and brighter days. Embracing a civil exchange of ideas and respectful differences of opinion fosters real debate, and allows our best ideas to shine.”
“Receiving the Consensus Civility Award is a tremendous honor for me. I have always believed in treating people with respect and dignity. Especially in an environment like Washington, D.C., civility and respect are needed to bring people together to work on finding positive solutions to our nation’s problems,” stated Congressman Yoder. “In any capacity however, I believe you get things done when you respect those who you work with and approach problem solving with open ears and an open mind.”
The other award winners include Greg Graves, Chief Executive Officer, Burns & McDonnell; Carol Grimaldi, Executive Director, Brush Creek Community Partners; Father Norman Rotert, retired priest, Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph; and the Kansas City Star. Consensus, founded in 1984, started the Civility Project in 2010 to focus attention on how to build more civility into the way leaders engage the public, and into how citizens accept the challenge to have a voice in public issues. For more information about the findings and the project, click here.