[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 68 (Thursday, April 18, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S2868]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO DAVID BEARDEN

  Ms. CAPITO. Mr. President, I rise to honor Mr. David M. Bearden for 
his lengthy career of public service to the U.S. Congress and the 
American people. After more than 33 years at the Congressional Research 
Service, or CRS, Mr. Bearden recently retired at the end of March as a 
specialist in environmental policy
  Mr. Bearden hails from Guntersville, AL. After graduating from the 
University of the South in Sewanee, TN, with a theology degree and 
backpacking around Europe, he moved to Washington, DC. In August 1990, 
Mr. Bearden was hired as a clerk at the Library of Congress, where he 
began to gradually climb the ranks. In 1991, Mr. Bearden served in the 
CRS inquiry unit, where he earned the prestigious Award for Meritorious 
Service for his work during the Persian Gulf War. Following his stint 
with the inquiry unit, Mr. Bearden became a production assistant, 
helping colleagues to prepare reports and memoranda in varied subject 
areas. After several years as a production assistant, Mr. Bearden 
became an environmental information analyst and began to specifically 
focus on environmental issues. Mr. Bearden became an analyst in 
environmental policy in 2002 and continued to amass a wealth of 
knowledge on the topics he covered.
  As an analyst, Mr. Bearden primarily focused on the implementation of 
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability 
Act, also known as the Superfund law. His extensive research of 
individual contaminated sites was immensely beneficial for Members' 
offices representing their impacted constituents and communities. It 
was in this capacity that I first interacted with Mr. Bearden 
professionally. I relied on his expertise in the aftermath of the 2014 
Elk River chemical spill in Charleston, WV, and I was not shy do to so 
again in the future. Beyond Superfund, Mr. Bearden specialized in some 
of the most complex environmental laws on the books, including the 
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, Resource 
Conservation and Recovery Act, Surface Mining Control and Reclamation 
Act, National Environmental Policy Act, among others.
  With decades of experience, Mr. Bearden became the go-to-analyst and 
coordinator for high-profile cross-cutting environmental issues that 
involved clean-up or contamination, including concerns over specific 
chemicals such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS. Much of 
his work involved direct support of the legislative process by 
providing expert analysis and consultative support for a wide range of 
environmental policy issues. Through it all, Mr. Bearden approached 
each request with a high level of consistency in objectivity, 
nonpartisanship, authoritativeness, and timeliness, the core values of 
the Congressional Research Service. He has a particular quality of 
breaking down complex topics into easy-to-understand narratives that 
intersperse facts-of-the-matter with the law and relevant legislative 
history. Members and staff appreciated his practical explanation of 
issues and how the Federal Government can address them, evidenced by 
his requested testimony in several hearings, ranging from the topic of 
addressing radioactive contamination at the Marshall Islands to the 
Federal and State relationship in implementing the Superfund law.
  While members of my own staff have personally benefited Mr. Bearden's 
mentorship and expertise, his talents for teaching and professional 
development also benefitted his fellow colleagues at CRS. Over the last 
few years, Mr. Bearden was a mentor to new and less experienced 
colleagues, sharing the wisdom and expertise he has accumulated. A 
point he emphasizes to mentees is that the work is never about those 
who work for CRS, but always about who CRS serves: Members of Congress 
and their staff. His style of mentoring reflects the objectivity, 
balance, and authoritativeness of CRS work, but also comes with unique 
wit that brings some humanity to the job.
  Mr. Bearden is retiring as an expert in his field. On behalf of the 
U.S. Senate and the American people, I wish to express gratitude for 
the contributions of Mr. Bearden during his over three decades at CRS. 
I thank him and wish him all the best in retirement.

                          ____________________