[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 37 (Tuesday, February 28, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S3281]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  COMMENDING DR. ROBERT D. REISCHAUER

  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, today brings to an end the very 
distinguished term of the third Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office--Dr. Robert D. Reischauer. He has served in that office with the 
highest degree of professionalism. Under some very difficult conditions 
in his 6 years as Director he has been able to maintain the 
independence and high respect all of us have for the CBO. He has always 
given his best, and called them as he saw them--sometimes to the 
chagrin of both sides of the aisle.
  In the 21 years of the CBO there have been only three Directors. The 
first, Dr. Alice Rivlin, followed by Dr. Rudy Penner and then Dr. 
Robert Reischauer. Dr. Reischauer will now be followed in the high 
tradition of those Directors by Dr. June O'Neill. Quite frankly, one of 
the difficulties in finding someone to replace Bob's expired term was 
the very high standards of professionalism and objectivity Bob and his 
predecessors have brought to that office.
  This is as it should be. The CBO directorship is a critical position 
and one that must provide objective, nonbiased, and professional 
analysis to the Congress--not an easy task in this day of instant 
communications and many well funded, organized lobbyists' ``think 
tanks.'' Just being able to sort out the wheat from the chaff has 
become a full time responsibility of the CBO. Over the years we have 
also given CBO more responsibilities as in the recent case of the 
unfunded mandates legislation. Of course, we have not necessarily 
always given them more resources to go along with the additional 
workload.
  Last evening the U.S. Senate adopted by unanimous consent, Senate 
Resolution 81, commending Dr. Reischauer for his long and faithful 
service to the Congress and the American public. The resolution was 
cosponsored by myself and the ranking member of the Budget Committee, 
the distinguished majority and minority leaders of the Senate, all the 
members of the Senate Budget Committee, and many others. I am sure, had 
time and resources permitted we would have had 100 original cosponsors.
  The resolution we adopted unanimously last evening can only be 
considered a very small token of the Senate's appreciation of Dr. 
Reischauer's service to the Congress. In this arena today, where making 
decisions about complicated, complex, and difficult public policy 
issues that can affect the future course of this country, Dr. 
Reischauer has been a clear and concise voice. We may not have always 
agreed with Dr. Reischauer's analysis, but we always respected his 
analysis. He always gave his best. He always was fair and honest in his 
analysis. Somehow, I think wherever Bob Reischauer's career now takes 
him, that mantle of honesty and integrity will always go with him.
  I now wish him and his family the best and I congratulate him for his 
public service and a job well done.


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