[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 30 (Monday, February 27, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1029-S1031]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REMEMBERING SENATOR RAGGIO
Mr. REID. Mr. President, last week Nevada lost a great statesman and
I lost a friend and mentor. William Raggio was the longest serving
State senator in Nevada's history. He died last week while traveling in
Australia. My heart is with his wife Dale, whom I spoke with, children
Leslie and Tracy and, of course, my thoughts go to Mark, the son Bill
lost in 2004, six grandchildren, and they have a great-grandchild.
I hope it is some small comfort to know that all of Nevada mourns the
loss of this very effective and fine Nevada citizen.
He was a second-generation Nevadan born and raised in Reno, NV.
Senator Randolph Townsend said, ``Bill was part of the fabric of the
city.'' That is true. He lived to serve.
In addition to his four decades of service in the State legislature,
he volunteered to serve in the Armed Forces during World War II. He
enlisted in the Navy at age 17, but the war ended before he graduated
from officer training school.
When he finished his service, he attended the University of Nevada,
and then went to law school in California. But he continued to serve in
the U.S. Marine Corps as a United States Navy Reservist.
He was the district attorney of Washoe County, which is the Reno
metropolitan area, for 18 years, including 3 terms before he became a
State legislator. He was president of the National DAs Association.
He rooted out corruption wherever he served. There was nothing more
corrupt, in his mind, and the minds of all Nevadans, than an illegal
brothel. That illegal brothel went on by virtue of Joe Conforte being
able to pass out money to people for a long time. Bill Raggio, as DA,
picked a fight with him, and that fight is legend. Bill got the last
word. Conforte spent 22 months in prison for trying to bribe Bill
Raggio. And in 1965, Bill Raggio, to get the last word, had the local
authorities declare that facility a nuisance and burn it
[[Page S1030]]
down. He was there watching the fire as it destroyed that place.
It wasn't until 1972 that Bill brought his integrity and dedication
to the State House as a member of the Nevada State Senate. So for 38
years, there wasn't a piece of legislation that passed the Nevada
legislature that didn't have his imprint on it in some way. He worked
to help pass thousands of different pieces of legislation. He was an
expert in the process. Nobody knew how to craft a budget better than
Bill Raggio.
He was a Republican who believed government should be ``lean but not
mean.'' He was never afraid to work with Democratic members, even
though he was Republican leader for several terms. Here is what he said
recently: I think the present leadership of the Republican Party is a
little too radical and has been taken over by what I think is a radical
element.
He went on to say in an interview, after he decided to retire:
The party has to reshape itself, or it won't win general
elections down the road.
That is Bill Raggio, speaking as we should all speak--not as a
Republican but as a Nevadan and an American. So it is no surprise to
see the outpouring of grief of Democrats and Republicans at his
passing.
``No one has ever loved this state more or has had a more passionate
desire to make things better for the people who live here,'' said
Democratic Assembly Speaker John Ocegera.
If there was a Mount Rushmore of Nevada politics, Bill
Raggio's image would forever be carved there. The Nevada
family has lost a great patriarch.
That was what Republican Governor Brian Sandoval said.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record
four pages of statements made by Nevada-elected and appointed
officials, and citizens of Nevada about Bill Raggio.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
[From the Las Vegas Sun]
Reaction to Death of Former State Sen. Bill Raggio
(Associated Press)
Reaction to the death of retired state Sen. Bill Raggio, R
Reno, Nevada's longest-serving state senator:
If there was a Mount Rushmore of Nevada politics, Bill
Raggio's image would forever be carved there. The Nevada
family has lost a great patriarch; may God rest his soul as
we remember all that he meant to our state.--Gov. Brian
Sandoval, R Nevada.
____
I have known Bill for decades; he has been a mentor to me.
He always fought for Nevada and his invaluable contributions
and service to our state will live on. . . . His important
voice will be missed.--U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry
Reid, D Nevada.
____
Clearly, he was one of the state's greatest and most
accomplished public servants. He was also a helluva good guy
who possessed a wonderful sense of humor. . . . (H)e had an
exceptional legal mind and was a knowledgeable, courageous
and fair-minded DA who helped root out organized crime in
Northern Nevada.--Former U.S. Sen. Paul Laxalt, R Nevada.
____
Bill was a true public servant and his sole agenda was
simply to make Nevada a better place. He has left an
unmatched political footprint upon our state, and the
citizens will reap the rewards of this gifted and decent
gentleman for many years to come.--Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki, R
Nevada.
____
Sen. Raggio was an icon, a consummate statesman and one of
the most knowledgeable and pragmatic legislators ever to
serve the people of Nevada. His absence from the Legislature
with his retirement was keenly felt. His passing on Thursday
ends a chapter in Nevada history.--Nevada Supreme Court Chief
Justice Nancy Saitta.
____
The passing of Bill Raggio is a tragic loss for Nevadans.
For those of us in the law enforcement community, we fondly
recall and continue to tell stories about Bill standing up to
perpetrators to ensure a safe community. Bill will always be
remembered for his impassioned service and dedication.--
Nevada state Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto.
____
Bill Raggio was the type of elected official I strive to
become. In an era of intense partisanship, he upheld a
statesman's voice of reason.--Nevada Secretary of State Ross
Miller, via Twitter.
____
There are no words to describe his dedication to the state
of Nevada and I wish to express my deepest condolences and
prayers for his wife Dale, and his family. Bill was a true
statesman who dedicated his life to making Nevada a better
place to live. His legacy will be remembered for generations
to come.--U.S. Sen. Dean Heller, R Nevada.
____
He was nothing short of a giant in Nevada politics and a
fierce advocate for the state he loved, especially the north.
His dedicated public service has improved the lives of
thousands of Nevada families and his tireless work on higher
education has left a permanent mark on this state.--Rep.
Shelley Berkley, D Las Vegas.
____
Bill Raggio was the consummate statesman and a dedicated
public servant. He was a mentor of mine and it was an honor
to work under him in the state senate while he was Majority
Leader. He will truly be missed.--U.S. Rep. Joe Heck, R
Henderson.
____
This is the end of an era in Nevada. Bill was an icon of
legislative public service and it was a privilege to serve
with him in the state senate. My condolences go out to his
wife Dale and his two daughters.--U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei, R
Carson City.
____
Last year, I was honored to induct Senator Raggio into the
Senate Hall of Fame for his unwavering commitment to our
state. From his service as a District Attorney to becoming
one of the longest serving legislators in Nevada history,
Senator Raggio always put the people of Nevada first. . . .
Nevada has truly lost one of its finest statesmen.--Nevada
Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D Las Vegas.
____
Senator Raggio epitomized the term ``public servant.'' . .
. He was a tireless advocate for higher education, believing
that it was the gateway to a better life for any Nevadan.
With so many accomplishments and such universal respect, it's
impossible to do justice and honor to the life of such a
man.--Nevada Senate Republican Caucus.
____
Saddened by the passing of Senator Bill Raggio. A true
statesman. My thoughts & prayers are with his family.--Nevada
Sen. Ruben Kihuen, D Las Vegas, via Twitter.
____
Feels odd to tweet about Bill Raggio but odd not to. He was
my friend and a mentor. A great loss 4 Nev but, oh what a
life he lived!--Nevada Assemblywoman Debbie Smith, D Reno,
via Twitter.
____
For those of us in higher education, indeed the whole
education community, we pause to thank this man who came from
humble immigrant roots and rose to great power, in part by
public education. He never forgot the contribution of
education to his life. We have lost a member of our family
today--indeed, our patriarch and champion.--Board of Regents,
Nevada System of Higher Education.
____
Raggio was a champion for our Airport Authority and he had
the vision to create a transportation entity that plays a
vital role in the economy of our region. He was also a
wonderful mentor to me and I will miss his sage advice and
wise counsel. The legacy of his forward thinking will be felt
in our community for years to come.--Krys Bart, president and
CEO of the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority.
____
He championed our state's heritage and he made our values a
priority. He ensured that protecting our environment was a
non-partisan position in Carson City as he worked across the
aisle to support conservation funding and wildlife.
Regardless of your politics, Bill Raggio was a great leader
and he will be missed.--Nevada Conservation League.
____
Those who have followed NPRI's work over the years know
that we have both agreed and disagreed with Mr. Raggio's
views on various policy issues. But there was never any doubt
as to his love for Nevada and his commitment to making it a
better place to live. For that, he will always have our
respect and our admiration.--Andy Matthews, president of
Nevada Policy Research Institute.
____
He was every bit as good and as genuine and as committed to
public service as what's described. That's the real person.
It's a huge loss.--Nevada Sen. Greg Brower, R Reno.
____
No one has ever loved this state more or had a more
passionate desire to make things better for the people who
live here. His ability to bring people together to get things
done was legendary. . . . At times, he may have been an
adversary on a particular issue, but he was always a true
leader, a teacher and a friend.--Nevada Speaker of the
Assembly John Oceguera, D Las Vegas.
____
He was one of the greatest friends and a true mentor to me.
Our great state is better because of his leadership and
service. He will be sorely missed.--Reno Mayor Bob Cashell.
____
The thing that was great about Senator Raggio and the time
that I spent with him in the Legislature was his ability to
bring the two sides together and get things done. He was a
master at doing that.--Reno City Manager Andrew Clinger.
____
He understood that politics is really filled with
compromise. The public still owns this process and they send
people of all stripes, different backgrounds, different
sections of the state. He knew in order to move things
forward, you had to compromise.--Former Nevada Sen. Randolph
Townsend, R Reno.
____
Today Nevada Republicans across the state mourn the loss of
a great leader and the loss
[[Page S1031]]
of an even greater friend. While it is a sad day for all
Nevadans, it is only appropriate to remember the legacy and
leadership he left behind for us to follow. A loss of a true
icon in Nevada politics will not be forgotten. . . . We will
miss you.--Nevada Republican Party Chairman James Smack.
____
Shocked to hear of Sen Raggio's passing--last time we
spoke, he ranted about legislators needing to put aside
politics & work together.--Nevada Sen. Sheila Leslie, D Reno,
via Twitter.
____
Rest in peace Senator Raggio. You will be missed, but never
forgotten.--Nevada Sen. Michael Roberson, R Henderson, via
Twitter.
____
But Raggio also saw his Republican Party transform around
him. In 2003, when a group of Assembly Republicans refused to
vote for a tax plan, Raggio didn't hesitate to excavate a
pejorative from earlier in his storied career: He called them
``John Birchers.'' By 2008, he was battling ex-Assemblywoman
Sharron Angle in a primary fight for the district he'd held
comfortably since 1972.
When Raggio exercised his legendary independence--and a
good deal of personal pique--and endorsed Democrat Harry Reid
over Angle in the 2010 U.S. Senate race, his party finally
left him. He was ousted from his leadership position by
Fallon Republican Mike McGinness, and he tendered his
resignation from the Legislature for good.
``I think the present leadership of the Republican Party is
a little too radical and has been taken over by what I think
is a radical element,'' Raggio said in an interview after he
quit, using a true conservative's worst pejorative. ``The
party has to reshape itself or it won't win general elections
down the road.''
Mark his words for November.
Back in January 2011, Raggio told me in an interview that
the state would go on without him. ``Nobody is irreplaceable.
You will find that out,'' he said.
I hope Raggio will forgive me one last time if I simply
don't agree.
Mr. REID. He believed in doing what was right for Nevada, even when
it wasn't right for his political party. I admired him and respected
him. I respected him even when he and I disagreed, and that happened.
But we agreed far more than we disagreed.
I can remember the first time I met him. The person I worked for had
worked as a deputy district attorney for Bill Raggio. He came to visit
me in our law office, and he was always very funny, very articulate,
and somebody I admired and, as I indicated, was my mentor. But I can
remember him being in that office as if it were 10 minutes ago.
Upon his retirement last year, Bill told a local reporter, ``Nobody
is irreplaceable. You will see.'' It seems, once again, though, Bill
and I disagreed. No one can replace Bill Raggio. The mark he left on
Nevada politics could never be erased, but his powerful political voice
and his true personal friendship will be missed.
Senator Raggio was an effective legislator and leader in part because
of his willingness to cooperate with those with whom he disagreed. It
would serve this Chamber well to emulate his bipartisan approach.
Working Together
We have a great deal to accomplish this work period. We need to
consider postal reform legislation. It is mandatory that we do that. We
have a pressing cyber-security piece of legislation that the Pentagon
says is the most important thing we can do for our country. We have to
clear a backlog of judicial nominees that threatens the effectiveness
of our court system. But first, we must complete one of the most
important tasks facing this Congress: strengthening our economy by
rebuilding our Nation's crumbling infrastructure.
Today we will resume progress on the Transportation bill that will
put 2 million Americans back to work rebuilding roads, bridges, trains,
and their tracks.
The House is also considering transportation legislation. I was glad
to see that House Republicans have moved away from that extreme
proposal they were considering a few weeks ago. They are going to now
try to pass something similar to our bipartisan legislation. This is
bipartisan legislation.
Too much rests on our success to let this jobs measure be bogged down
by partisanship. President Dwight Eisenhower, a Republican, was the
original champion of national infrastructure investment a half century
ago. He once said:
Only strength can cooperate. Weakness can only beg.
He was right that it takes strength to work together. But working
together also makes us strong. I look forward to working together with
my colleagues on both sides as we complete transportation legislation
that will make our economy strong.
We have 5 weeks during this work period. We have a lot to do. I hope
we can work together to get it done.
____________________