[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 81 (Thursday, May 12, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S2489]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO RICHARD BRYAN

  Ms. ROSEN. Mr. President, I am honored and humbled to congratulate 
former Nevada Governor and U.S. Senator Richard Bryan on his retirement 
last month from Fennemore Craig. A dedicated public servant and 
champion for Nevada, Senator Bryan spent over half a century advocating 
for others, serving in just about every position in government, from 
the Nevada Senate to the Governor's mansion to the U.S. Senate. 
Throughout his extensive and storied career, Senator Bryan always put 
Nevadans first. As the person with the privilege to serve in his Senate 
seat today, I think frequently about Senator Bryan's steady, unwavering 
leadership, and his pragmatic approach to addressing issues that 
mattered most to the people of Nevada.
  To note only a few of Senator Bryan's incredible accomplishments 
would be a disservice to his long history of achievements for the 
public good, but I will do my best. As a young man, Senator Bryan 
served his country in the U.S. Army, the Las Vegas community as a 
prosecutor, and later Clark County as its first--and youngest--public 
defender. Young Richard Bryan showed Nevada's youth that anything is 
possible when you are dedicated and determined. Later, he served as 
Nevada's 27th attorney general, and as Governor of Nevada, Senator 
Bryan helped shape our State during a pivotal time in its history, 
helping Nevada attract the best and brightest, inviting businesses of 
all different sectors and sizes, to call Nevada home.
  As a U.S. Senator for two terms, Senator Bryan never stopped fighting 
to protect Nevada's natural beauty. He stood up for policies that 
safeguarded our public lands, leading the charge for passage of the 
Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act of 1998, which to this day 
makes land and resources available for various public purposes to 
better the communities in our State. I also want to recognize Senator 
Bryan and the late Senator Harry Reid for being the leading voices in 
the fight against Yucca Mountain, standing up for Nevadans and against 
our State becoming the Nation's nuclear dumping ground. During his time 
in the Senate, Senator Bryan also worked tirelessly to advance civil 
rights, empower women in government, make our roads safer, and protect 
consumers from fraud. As a senior member of the Senate Commerce 
Committee, Senator Bryan was the lead sponsor of seven consumer 
protection and highway safety bills that passed the Senate. And as 
chair of the Senate Ethics Committee, Senator Bryan demonstrated his 
commitment to the notion that public servants should fight for the 
interests of their constituents, not their own interests.
  Senator Bryan has been beloved his entire career--by his staff, by 
his constituents, and by his late wife Bonnie, who was the light of his 
life and stood by his side throughout Senator Bryan's public life, 
serving Nevada with poise and grace. Those who worked for Senator Bryan 
remember him as the kind of boss who made everyone feel like an 
integral part of the team, from the chief of staff, down to new 
interns. That is why they have stayed close with one another and with 
him ever since Senator Bryan left the Senate in 2000.
  Nevadans will forever be indebted to Senator Richard Bryan for his 
many selfless years of public service. I, personally, will always be 
grateful to Senator Bryan for his care, his compassion, and his 
kindness, particularly when I first joined the Senate to restore the 
Richard Bryan seat to a Democrat for the first time since he held it. I 
will never forget Senator Bryan walking me down the center aisle of the 
Senate Chamber, arm-in-arm, as I was sworn in to represent the people 
of Nevada, just as he had done decades earlier. I know I am a better 
Senator because of Senator Richard Bryan, I know we as a State and a 
nation are better off for his tremendous efforts, and I wish him all 
the best as he enters a well-deserved retirement.

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