[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 13 (Thursday, January 22, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E128]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO DR. RAYMOND ORBACH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEN CALVERT

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 22, 2009

  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to 
an individual whose dedication and contributions to our country are 
exceptional. The United States has been fortunate to have dynamic and 
dedicated leaders who willingly and unselfishly give their time and 
talent to make our Nation a better place to live and work. Dr. Raymond 
Orbach is one of these individuals. On January 23, 2009, Dr. Orbach's 
term serving as the first Under Secretary of the Office of Science at 
the U.S. Department of Energy will come to an end.
  Dr. Orbach began his academic career as a postdoctoral fellow at 
Oxford University in 1960 and became an assistant professor of applied 
physics at Harvard University in 1961. He joined the faculty of the 
University of California, Los Angeles, UCLA, 2 years later as an 
associate professor and became a full professor in 1966. From 1982 to 
1992, he served as the provost of the College of Letters and Science at 
UCLA.
  From 1992 to 2002, Dr. Orbach served as chancellor of the University 
of California (UC), Riverside, located in the 44th Congressional 
District of California. Under his leadership, UC Riverside doubled in 
size, achieved national and international recognition in research, and 
led the University of California in diversity and educational 
opportunity. In addition to his administrative duties at UC Riverside, 
he sustained an active research program; worked with postdoctoral, 
graduate, and undergraduate students in his laboratory; and taught the 
freshman physics course each year. As the Distinguished Professor of 
Physics, Dr. Orbach set the highest standards for academic excellence.
  Dr. Orbach was nominated by President Bush to serve as the first 
Under Secretary for Science at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on 
December 13, 2005. He was confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate on 
May 26, 2006, and was sworn in by Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman on 
June 1, 2006.
  In his capacity as under secretary, Dr. Orbach's primary 
responsibility was to serve as chief scientist for DOE, providing 
advice to the Secretary of Energy on all scientific and technical 
programs in DOE. Serving as chief scientist within DOE, Dr. Orbach 
advised the Secretary of Energy on a variety of topics, including the 
annual assessment of the reliability and safety of the U.S. nuclear 
warhead stockpile, which is developed each year by the Secretary of 
Defense and Secretary of Energy for the President of the United States. 
As Under Secretary for Science, he was responsible for the department's 
implementation of the administration's American Competitiveness 
Initiative to help drive continued U.S. economic growth. He also was 
responsible for leading the department's efforts to transfer 
technologies from DOE national laboratories and facilities to the 
global marketplace, serving as the department's technology transfer 
coordinator, in accordance with the Energy Policy Act, and was chair of 
the DOE Technology Transfer Policy Board, responsible for coordinating 
and implementing policies for the department's technology transfer 
activities.
  Dr. Orbach's tireless passion for science has contributed immensely 
to the betterment of the Department of Energy and the United States of 
America. I am proud to call Dr. Orbach a fellow American and friend. I 
know that many people around the country are grateful for his service 
and salute him as he ends his term.

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