[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 3 (Monday, January 8, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S225]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        IN HONOR OF BRUCE JAMES

  Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. President, I rise today to honor a Nevadan whose 
ingenuity and leadership has changed the way that government operates. 
Bruce James has served as Public Printer for 4 years, but the impact of 
his service will be felt indefinitely.
  President Bush chose Bruce to head the Government Printing Office 
because of his extensive experience in the printing industry, beginning 
when Bruce was 11 years old and set up a basement print shop in 
Cleveland, OH. His lifetime of work as a printer and executive has been 
full of great success and accolades, and, combined with his inspiring 
commitment to public service, he has earned the respect of Nevadans and 
leaders and organizations around the world.
  While businesses in this country have been rapidly transforming and 
changing to accommodate technology, many sectors of our government have 
fallen drastically behind. While it is easy to blame bureaucracy and 
the slow speed at which government generally operates, we must focus 
our work on keeping pace. That is exactly why Bruce James was ideal for 
the job of transitioning the Government Printing Office from a 19th 
century print shop mentality and reputation to a 21st century digital 
tool for keeping Americans informed.
  Bruce has successfully developed and managed printing and publishing 
ventures driven by technology for more than 30 years. With the same 
leadership and zeal that he put into private sector enterprises for all 
those years, Bruce was determined to turn the Government Printing 
Office into a state-of-the-art information machine by today's 
standards.
  When Bruce took over the Government Printing Office, the agency had 
lost $100 million over the last 5 years. By 2004, Bruce had turned 
devastating losses into an $11 million gain. As a staunch fiscal 
conservative looking to make government as efficient as possible, I 
applaud Bruce's efforts and ingenuity in turning this agency upside 
down and making it run more like a business--a successful business. He 
did so with compassion for the employees, a determination to succeed, 
and the vision to make it happen.
  This country is fortunate to have had Bruce at the helm of the 
Government Printing Office. He made the agency more fiscally 
responsible, and he also has made great progress in making government 
documents more accessible. By the end of 2008, nearly every Federal 
Government document published since our Nation was founded will be 
available online.
  It is a remarkable achievement, especially considering how far Bruce 
had to bring the agency to reach this point. In the position for only 4 
years, he set a standard for all government agencies today and in the 
future. When Bruce first spoke to the White House about taking the 
position, he told them he could not get this sort of transformation 
done in less than 3 years, and if it took him more than 5, he was not 
the right person for the job. Turns out he was the perfect person for 
the job.
  As he prepares to complete his term as the Nation's 24th Public 
Printer, I want to thank Bruce James for his commitment to the job, his 
respect for the position, and his tremendous contributions to 
furthering the core mission of the Government Printing Office--keeping 
America informed.
  Nevadans welcome you and Nora home with open arms and great pride for 
the work you have done. Thank you and God bless you.

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