[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 82 (Tuesday, June 15, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1123]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


       THE RETIREMENT OF NREL DIRECTOR VICE ADMIRAL RICHARD TRULY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 15, 2004

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, last Tuesday, Vice Admiral 
Richard Truly, director of DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory 
(NREL), announced that he plans to retire in early November after more 
than seven years as NREL's director.
  Although I am not greatly surprised by this announcement, I am 
saddened by it. I know that a national search will soon be launched to 
select the Admiral's successor, and I expect that his successor will 
represent NREL well in future years. But Admiral Truly has so vividly 
marked the last five years I've spent working on renewable energy 
policy in the House of Representatives. It is hard to imagine NREL 
without him.
  In a letter to staff, Admiral Truly wrote, ``I honestly believe that 
it is at the intersection of our energy use, our environment, our 
economic well being and our national security that society finds the 
greatest engineering and scientific challenges on Earth today. Each of 
you at NREL are at the heart of this challenge and opportunity. What 
you do really, really matters to our nation and our world. I feel a 
deep privilege to have been a small part of your successes over these 
years.''
  This last statement exemplifies the Admiral's approach to leadership. 
He was always quick to credit NREL staff for their achievements and 
believed in the importance of teamwork. He was admired by his 
colleagues at NREL and, I think, inspired them to work harder and aim 
higher.
  For the Admiral, no challenge was too great. He wasn't content to 
rise to the rank of vice admiral in the Navy. He was also a naval 
aviator, test pilot and astronaut, logging more than 7,500 hours of 
flight. His astronaut career included work in the Air Force's Manned 
Orbiting Laboratory program, and NASA's Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz 
and Space Shuttle programs. He piloted the 747/Enterprise approach and 
landing tests in 1977. He lifted off in November 1981 as pilot aboard 
Columbia, the first shuttle to be reflown into space, establishing a 
world circular orbit altitude record. He commanded Challenger in 
August-September 1983, the first night launch/landing mission of the 
Space Shuttle program. For all these achievements, President Reagan 
awarded the Presidential Citizen's Medal to Admiral Truly in 1989. 
Admiral Truly capped off his space career by serving as NASA's eighth 
Administrator under President George H.W. Bush from 1989-1992.
  During his seven years at NREL, Admiral Truly has raised the 
visibility of the laboratory to new heights. NREL is considered the 
premier laboratory for renewable energy research and development and a 
leading laboratory for energy efficiency R&D. As a world leader in the 
development of these technologies, NREL is involved in fifty different 
areas of scientific research, from solar photovoltaics and wind energy 
to hydrogen fuel cells and distributed energy generation.
  As co-chair of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus, I 
have worked hard to increase funding for NREL's important research and 
generally to raise the profile of renewable energy and energy 
efficiency in Congress. It has been an uphill climb, as these programs 
have had to compete for funding with others. What has inspired me to 
keep fighting the fight has been knowing that Admiral Truly and his 
team are back in Colorado, pushing technological limits, dreaming up 
new ways for us to transition to a clean energy future. Admiral Truly 
may not be with NREL in the years to come, but I know he will always be 
there in spirit, urging us all to continue to aim for the stars.

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