[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 30 (Thursday, February 15, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S1162]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL RUBIN

 Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, today, I pay tribute to Rhode 
Island's assistant attorney general Michael Rubin, who will retire this 
year after serving our State for more than three decades. I had the 
pleasure of working alongside Mike during my time as attorney general 
and during my time on the attorney general office staff. I am proud to 
call him my friend. He is a skilled leader in the Rhode Island legal 
community. He will be missed.
  Mike piled up a strong record of accomplishments during his time as 
the assistant attorney general of Rhode Island and chief of the Rhode 
Island Attorney General's environmental unit. He was an advocate for 
every community in the State and worked every day to promote a safe, 
clean environment for our kids and preserve public access to our 
beautiful shores. Just this past year, Save the Bay Rhode Island 
awarded Mike with its Environmental Achievement Award for his important 
work as the head of the environmental unit. ``Without the efforts of 
advocates such as Mike, who tirelessly work not only for the good of 
the environment, but for our ability as a citizenry to access and enjoy 
our coastline, the quality, and in some cases, quantity, of publicly 
accessible coastal lands and waters would be significantly 
depreciated,'' the organization announced.
  I got to see his determination firsthand when I was attorney general. 
In 2001, Mike had been trial counsel in the State proceedings when I 
argued a case to defend our State's environmental preservation 
regulations before the Supreme Court. More recently, Mike helped file 
lawsuits in 2016 against dozens of big oil companies over the hazardous 
messes they were making in Rhode Island wells and reservoirs and 
pursued $65 million for the cleanup.
  In addition to his good work in the attorney general's office, Mike 
has contributed a great deal to our community. I know he will remain a 
committed leader in our State. I wish him health and much happiness in 
his days to come. Here is to less time writing briefs and more time 
enjoying Rhode Island's natural beauty, whether that be on your bike, 
in your kayak, or on your ice-skates.
  On behalf of all Rhode Islanders, thank you for your work, Mike. You 
have made our State proud. Godspeed.

                          ____________________