[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 31, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E939]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





      TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE OF FORMER COLORADO GOVERNOR RICHARD LAMM

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DIANA DeGETTE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 31, 2021

  Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and 
achievements of Colorado's former Governor Richard ``Dick'' Lamm who 
passed away on Thursday, July 29, 2021, at the age of 85.
  Governor Lamm was born and raised in the Midwest and lived all over 
the country in his youth, but he found his true home after he came to 
Colorado in 1962. In the nearly 60 years he lived in the state, he was 
a visionary leader helping craft the policies that became the bedrock 
of Colorado's future.
  When he moved to Colorado, Dick was a newly-minted lawyer and an 
accountant. He established a law practice, but his strong desire to 
serve beckoned him to run for the Colorado House of Representatives. He 
was elected in 1964 and immediately began making a lasting mark on our 
state.
  Then-Representative Lamm was a fierce advocate for women's 
reproductive health. In 1973, just three years after the Roe v. Wade 
Supreme Court decision, he passed the nation's first liberalized 
abortion law, enabling Colorado women to have control over their own 
health care. The law, still in effect today, has served as a national 
model for women's reproductive rights.
  Concerned about transparency in government, Dick cosponsored and 
helped pass the Colorado Open Records Act which has since granted 
countless Coloradans access to their state and local governments' 
documents and activities on their behalf.
  One of Dick's deepest passions was to preserve our precious 
environment. After he moved to Colorado, he became an avid outdoorsman 
and advocate for environmental justice and preservation. In 1972, 
concerned about the potential effects of the 1976 Olympics on 
Colorado's fragile ecosystem, he led the successful ballot initiative 
in which Colorado voters refused to fund the games, causing Denver to 
become the first host city in history to pull out of already-awarded 
games.
  In 1974, Dick ran for governor to further his progressive agenda. 
During his campaign, he famously walked the entire state to support his 
platform of limiting growth to protect our environment. He went on to 
serve at the helm for 12 years, from 1975 to 1987.
  In keeping with his strong advocacy for gender and racial equality, 
he diversified state government. His judicial appointments included the 
first woman Colorado Supreme Court Justice, Jean Dubofsky, and the 
first Hispanic Justice, Luis Rovira, who went on to become Chief 
Justice. In addition, Governor Lamm appointed women and people of color 
to his cabinet. He also successfully demonstrated how a Democratic 
governor could work with a Republican legislature to further the 
interests of the state, including strengthening our state's economy, 
maintaining a responsible budget, and protecting our citizens when 
natural disasters struck.
  Even after Governor Lamm's final term, he never retired from the 
arena of public discourse. He held strong and frequently unpopular 
opinions, many of which were based on his lifelong concern about the 
future of our planet. Although his views were not the norm, he relished 
the public debate and never shied away from engaging in spirited policy 
discussions with friends and family, colleagues, members of the press, 
and his fellow Americans. I was privileged to engage in a number of 
those spirited discussions with him and, while we might not have 
agreed, I always came away learning something new.
  Dick Lamm had a spectacular career in the public arena, but he would 
argue that his most important treasure was his family. In 1963, he 
married Dottie Vennard. They forged an important partnership that 
redefined the role of political spouse. With Dick's unwavering support, 
Dottie established herself as a strong feminist voice and gave a new 
definition to the term ``first lady.'' On the way, they parented two 
children, Heather and Scott. Their family bond is one of the strongest 
I have ever seen.
  Madam Speaker, I offer my deepest personal condolences to Dottie, 
Heather, Scott, and all of Dick Lamm's family and friends. On a 
personal note, I was proud to count him as my friend and as a real 
mentor, modeling courage of conviction and hard work for future 
generations of political leaders. Dick will be remembered as the 
formidable figure he was who, in the critical development years of our 
state, shaped us for who we are today.

                          ____________________