Press Releases

Lexington, KY – The board of the Henry Clay Memorial Foundation presented U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers with the Henry Clay Medallion at a private ceremony on May 11th.  

Hal Rogers is currently in his 19th term representing the people of the 5th Congressional District in southern and eastern Kentucky.  He is the longest serving Kentucky Republican ever elected to federal office.

The Henry Clay Medallion was established in 1993 to honor one whose life’s work reflects the ideals held by Henry Clay.  Previous recipients include Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Wendell H. Ford, Ted Turner, Lucille Caudill Little, Itzhak Perlman, and Speakers of the House John Boehner, Nancy Pelosi, Dennis Hastert, and Jim Wright.

“Congressman Rogers and Henry Clay have a lot in common,” noted Jim Clark, Executive Director of the Henry Clay Memorial Foundation.  “They both rose from humble origins to the highest levels of our nation’s leadership.  They both served Kentucky and the nation for more than three decades.  They were both champions of public infrastructure.  And interestingly, they both share the nickname ‘Hal’.”

Rogers was born in rural Kentucky and represents one of the poorest Congressional Districts in the nation.  His vision for a stronger region spurred some of the greatest success stories in southern and eastern Kentucky. Organizations such as PRIDE, Operation UNITE, Southeast Kentucky Economic Development (SKED), The Center for Rural Development and Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) have brought local communities together by revitalizing the environment, providing hope in the fight against drugs, building small businesses, and creating jobs in one of the most beautiful regions of the country.

The Henry Clay Memorial Foundation exists to promote the legacy of Henry Clay, to share his continued relevance locally and nationally as a great statesman and to preserve his beloved “Ashland” as a testament to his life and his love of Kentucky and country.

The Henry Clay Medallion award ceremony was sponsored by UK Healthcare and held at Buffalo Trace Distillery on May 11.

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