[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 72 (Thursday, May 20, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5936-S5937]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          ROBERT A. (BOB) BEAN

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, earlier today many of our Senate family 
attended the funeral of a former Senate employee, Robert Bean. Bob 
started here in the Senate when he was 15 years old as a Senate page 
under the sponsorship of Majority Leader Mike Mansfield. Following his 
page graduation Bob moved into the Democratic cloakroom where he 
continued his outstanding service to our members. He rose to the 
position of Assistant Secretary for the Majority and then was appointed 
by Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell to the position of Deputy 
Sergeant at Arms in 1990. He moved to the Treasury Department's 
legislative affairs office in 1995 and remained there until 1999 when 
he returned to the Hill to work on the House side as the minority staff 
director of the House Administration Committee. He retired from the 
Hill in 2002 and he had just recently begun work for the Jefferson 
Consulting Group.

[[Page S5937]]

  Throughout these years of service Bob earned his undergraduate degree 
from George Washington University and his law degree from American 
University's Washington College of Law. But all of these 
accomplishments pale in comparison to his personal accomplishments. Bob 
was known as a friend by anyone who came into contact with him. Whether 
you were a member of Congress or a new staffer, lost on the Hill, Bob 
would find a way to help you, and he would make sure you knew that, if 
you ever needed help again, he'd be there to assist you. The church was 
filled today and that was a testament to the type of person Bob was to 
so many people. He died at the age of 43 leaving behind his mother, 
Margaret and his brothers John, Kenneth, and Brian. Bob also left 
behind a Capitol Hill community united in mourning the loss of one of 
its most cherished possessions--a true friend. I would like to extend 
my sympathies to his mother, his brothers and to all those who were 
lucky enough to know him.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the eulogy given earlier 
today by Congressman Steny Hoyer be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                    Eulogy for Robert A. (Bob) Bean

       Father Nash, Father Polland, Members of St. John's Parish, 
     Friends:
       I first want to express my deepest condolences to the Bean 
     family, Bob's mother, Margaret; his brothers, John, Kenneth 
     and Brian; his sister-in-law, Patti; niece, Rachel; and 
     nephew, Christian.
       Your loss, I know, is as immeasurable as it is unexpected; 
     that this good, decent, kind man who graced and brightened 
     your lives--and all of ours--was summoned by our Creator, at 
     what seems to so many of us as the twilight of youth.
       The passing of one who had so much to offer, who yearned to 
     serve others, who continually took it upon himself to help 
     others, and who was enjoying what seemed to be the prime of 
     his life, cuts particularly deep.
       But the truth be told, Robert A. Bean, son of Margaret and 
     Louis, lived more in 43 years than most do in twice that 
     time.
       Bob's service to our nation started early, when at the age 
     of 15, he began working as a Senate page under the former 
     majority leader Mike Mansfield.
       He later served on the staff of the democratic cloakroom in 
     the Senate, which is where I first met him after being 
     elected to Congress.
       I couldn't help but be impressed with Bob, by his 
     willingness to help on matters big and small, his strong 
     bearing, and his ability to get things done.
       Bob was not passing time.
       His talent, his character, his personality led to his being 
     selected for ever-increasing responsibility: serving first as 
     the assistant secretary for the democratic majority in the 
     Senate and then as deputy sergeant at arms, where he 
     performed the duties of chief law enforcement officer, 
     protocol officer and manager of support services in the 
     Senate.
       In that position, he supervised thousands of employees and 
     displayed his considerable management skills.
       And yes, along the way, he earned a bachelor's degree from 
     George Washington University as well as a law degree from 
     American University.
       Bob was always improving himself and, in the process, 
     improving the lot of others.
       In 1995, Bob was asked by Secretary Robert Rubin to join 
     him at the Treasury Department as the Deputy Assistant 
     Secretary of the Treasury for Legislative Affairs, where his 
     extraordinary knowledge of the Congress and his reputation on 
     Capitol Hill for honesty and insight would help guide our 
     Nation to unprecedented prosperity in the 1990s.
       Given the wide breadth of Bob's experience on Capitol Hill 
     and in the Executive Branch, I was ecstatic that I had the 
     opportunity to hire him in 1999 to serve as the staff 
     director of the Committee on House Administration.
       Bob's service in that position was an immense advantage to 
     me, the Committee, and the Congress, which he loved.
       Bob was a fierce partisan. He believed deeply in the 
     Democratic party and its principles, and he lived them.
       But his political convictions never translated into 
     unthinking antagonism toward foes.
       And I saw that first-hand during the negotiations on 
     bipartisan election reform, a legislative effort that was 
     perhaps Bob's legacy as staff director on the House 
     Administration Committee.
       Bob played to win, but he played by the rules. And 
     Congressman Bob Ney, the Republican chairman of the Committee 
     and his staff, knew that; and they respected and trusted Bob 
     for it, which in my judgment is one reason why we were able 
     to work together, across the partisan divide, to address the 
     problems in our election system.
       This week, Chairman Ney said of Bob:
       ``There were many times when the process was in danger of 
     breaking down. Bob Bean refused to let that happen, though. 
     He was a stand-up guy, a tremendously hard worker and truly 
     great American.''
       As anyone who walked through the Capitol with Bob knows, he 
     knew an unbelievable number of people. House members and 
     Senators. Staffers. Capitol Police officers. Maintenance 
     workers. And cafeteria workers.
       All who knew him were his friend.
       Walking through the Capitol with Bob was a constant 
     reminder of his experience and popularity on Capitol Hill--
     with people from all walks of life. And he returned their 
     affection with kindness, consideration and respect.
       A friend of Bob's for nearly 30 years, Sharon Daniels, the 
     long-time executive assistant for Congressman Richard 
     Gephardt, said of Bob:
       ``Bob is the kind of friend you could call at two in the 
     morning, and ask: Can I borrow twenty thousand dollars? And, 
     by the way, can you bring it to me by 4 a.m. out on Route 50? 
     And Bob would not only do it. He would ask if there was 
     anything else he could do--and, of course, when he showed up 
     at 4 a.m., he would be wearing a suit and tie.''
       And, then, of course, there was Captain Bean, skipper of 
     the ``Margaret B.'' Fisherman extraordinaire.
       He loved the bay and he loved his boat. And all who sailed 
     and fished with him remember that experience as one filled 
     with the joy of life and adventure.
       How appropriate that God chose to take Bob home from his 
     beloved bay and boat.
       Bob loved his family and all of us, as well. He was a 
     blessing to each of us--a kind and gentle man, who succeeded 
     in all of his careers: government leader, businessman, 
     captain, consultant.
       But his greatest success was as a human being. So as we pay 
     our respects to a beloved son and brother, a trusted and good 
     friend, a colleague, let me end by quoting from the poem 
     ``Chesapeake Mornings'' by Chris Kleinfelter:

     ``I measure all of my daybreaks at home,
     ``Against the Chesapeake mornings I have known,
     ``Anchored in the stillness of emerging light,
     ``Waiting for dawn to open my shadowed eyes.
     ``A grove of tall masts is tracing circles
     ``In the sky as restless keels and unmanned rudders
     ``Stain the blue water with rippling patterns;
     ``Brush stokes from the steady hand of God.''

       Bob has joined God now on one last voyage that beckons us 
     all.
       Yes, his heart has been stilled.
       But ours have been enriched beyond measure-and forever--for 
     having this opportunity to share time with this good and 
     decent man.

                          ____________________