[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 87 (Wednesday, June 26, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S6126]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO RICHARD PEMBROKE

 Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate 
Richard ``Dick'' Pembroke, Chairman of the Vermont House Transportation 
Committee, on his 16 years of service to Vermonters in the Legislature.
  Dick has decided to retire from politics after a career largely 
devoted to solving Vermont's transportation problems. And to be sure, 
he understands the importance of a farsighted and diverse plan to meet 
Vermonter's transportation needs.
  But Dick will be remembered for more than just good transportation 
policies for routes around Vermont. He was a politician in the finest 
sense. Bipartisan majorities consistently elected him, giving him the 
largest numbers of votes in his two-seat district. He rightly 
considered consensus, negotiation, and compromise as the key 
ingredients of good politics.
  His attitude of cooperation in Montpelier spoke to voters so much, 
that he never had to spend more than a few dollars on his campaigns. He 
was repeatedly re-elected because of his exceptional spirit to get 
important things done. He used the legislative process for the benefit 
of all and the detriment of none.
  His daily work in the Legislature was honest, and he served his 
district and Vermont to the best of his abilities. As a Vermonter, I 
would like to thank Dick for his years of service in the State House.
  I am sure that his retirement from politics will never keep Dick from 
calling me to discuss the issues that he thinks I should care about. 
And if an issue is important to Dick, it should be important to all 
Vermonters.
  My congratulations to Dick, and good luck.

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