[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 14 (Tuesday, February 1, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S405]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      REMEMBERING CHARLES BENJAMIN

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I wish to note the passing last December of 
a singular Nevadan, Charles Benjamin, who worked to promote clean 
energy. While he lived in Nevada for only 4 short years, his efforts 
will pay positive dividends long into the future.
  He passed away on December 13, 2010, after a valiant battle with 
cancer, at the young age of 60.
  Before Charles moved to Nevada in 2006, he was a lobbyist and 
attorney for the Kansas Chapter of the Sierra Club. His career in 
environmental law included a law practice representing more than 25 
neighborhood associations across Kansas on a variety of land use and 
zoning issues. He was also a political science professor at Bethel 
College in Kansas where he taught courses in environmental studies, 
American government, and international relations, and served 16 years 
as a county commissioner in Harvey County, KS. Charles earned a B.A., 
an M.A., and a Ph.D. from the School of International Relations at the 
University of Southern California, and a J.D. from the School of Law at 
the University of Kansas.
  During his time in Nevada, Charles worked tirelessly to promote clean 
energy by developing and strengthening relationships with key Nevada 
stakeholders, including utilities, the State's consumer advocate, 
legislators, the governor, business interests, and the environmental 
community. He was quite helpful to me in my efforts to diversify 
Nevada's economy through development of our State's vast renewable 
energy resources and to make Nevada energy independent.
  Charles was a feisty advocate for environmental justice and came to 
Nevada to help drive our State and the Nation toward a cleaner energy 
future.
  To me, he was always courteous, honest and expressed his love for the 
environment. Nevada and the Nation need more people like Charles who 
are willing to work hard to tap into the limitless resources of the 
Sun, the wind and the Earth, and energy efficiency, to build a 
stronger, cleaner and more sustainable world. He will be missed.

                          ____________________