[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 34 (Thursday, March 4, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E356-E357]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO BRUCE A. BEAM

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 4, 1999

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the retirement of a 
giant in the energy industry, Captain Bruce A. Beam. Bruce will retire 
from American Electric Power as Vice President of Governmental Affairs 
on February 28th after 34 years of service.
  I have gotten to know Bruce from my service on the Commerce 
Committee. Beginning with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and 
through the Energy Policy Act of 1992 I recognized Bruce as a source of 
accurate information and steadfast integrity. While we were not always 
on the same side on all the issues, I knew that at the end of the day I 
could expect a smile and a kind word from Bruce, regardless of the 
outcome.
  Bruce first came to Washington in the early 1970s as a commuter 
lobbyist from Roanoke, Virginia. In 1978 AEP decided that Bruce should 
establish a Washington office and after working out of his home for a 
while he settled into some space on K Street. The impact of having 
Bruce in DC full time was extremely positive and as a result the AEP 
Board of trustees elected Bruce Vice President of Governmental Affairs 
in 1981.
  In addition to ably representing AEP in Washington Bruce continued in 
his service to the US Navy culminating in his appointment to the Chief 
of Naval Operations Executive Advisory Committee. This important body 
provides guidance to the CNO on a host of issues dealing with national 
security. Bruce's service to this group has been and continues to be on 
a pro-bono basis.
  Although he will no longer be working the halls of Congress for AEP 
full time, I know we will see Bruce around Washington. Two of his 
children and three of his grandchildren live in

[[Page E357]]

the greater Washington area so we know that ``Poppy'' won't be going 
far away for any extended period of time. And I for one am happy about 
that, this way I can still get his goat when the Hokies have a bad day 
on the basketball court!

                          ____________________