[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 5 (Tuesday, February 3, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S328]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      COMMENDING GAO ASSISTANT COMPTROLLER GENERAL J. DEXTER PEACH

 Mr. GLENN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay homage to one of 
our Nation's most dedicated and loyal public servants, Assistant 
Comptroller General of the United States, J. Dexter Peach.
  On January 2nd of this year, J. Dexter Peach retired following a 
distinguished 38-year career with the United States General Accounting 
Office, capped by 15 years as an Assistant Comptroller General.
  Mr. Peach began his career with the General Accounting Office in 
1960, rising through the evaluator ranks to lead two of its major 
divisions--Energy and Minerals and the Resources, Community and 
Economic Development Divisions--serving as Assistant Comptroller 
General for the latter. He is an acknowledged subject matter expert on 
a wide variety of national programs and policy issues dealing with 
energy, environment, natural resources, and economic development 
matters and has an in-depth understanding of federal legislative and 
regulatory processes. As Assistant Comptroller General for Planning and 
Reporting, Dexter Peach had broad responsibility for maintaining the 
Office's planning system and assuring the overall quality of the 
agency's planning system and assuring the overall quality of the 
agency's products.
  Mr. President, I had the privilege of working with Dexter Peach in my 
capacity as both Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Senate 
Committee on Governmental Affairs. His critical work relating to energy 
issues after the OPEC embargo in 1973, earned him the Comptroller 
General's Award for contributions to energy issues of national 
importance. He has also received three Federal Senior Executive Service 
Rank Awards--a Distinguished Rank and two Meritorious Ranks. The 
American University also distinguished him with their prestigious Roger 
W. Jones Award, bestowed annually to a career federal civil servant for 
outstanding public service.
  Mr. President, the General Accounting Office was created in 1921 with 
the mandate to audit, evaluate, or investigate virtually all federal 
government operations--wherever they might take place. In other words, 
the GAO serves as a ``watchdog'' over the taxpayers' money--guarding 
against fraud, abuse, and inefficient allocation of public funds.
  GAO evaluations under Dexter Peach's guidance and leadership have 
saved taxpayers billions of dollars. During his career as Assistant 
Comptroller General, Congress has implemented numerous recommendations 
resulting from his work--including budget reductions, cost avoidances, 
appropriations deferrals, and revenue enhancements. He has also been 
instrumental in assisting the Congress by directing reports on the 
costs of cleaning up nuclear weapons complexes, environmental crises 
such as the Exxon/Valdez oil spill, efforts to preserve and protect the 
nation's drinking water, and issues dealing with the deregulation and 
safety of the airlines industry.
  In short, Mr. President, Dexter Peach's tenure at GAO has been 
characterized by success on every level; throughout his career, he has 
served as an example of a truly exceptional public servant. I am sure I 
speak for all of us here in the Senate in giving recognition to a man 
who has served this Nation with integrity, dedication, honor, and 
diligence--Assistant Comptroller General J. Dexter Peach.

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